Soil clay content is one of the primary intrinsic soil properties affecting soil erodibility and ecological processes, but few studies have tested the effects of clay amendment on soil wind erosion. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of progressive clay amendment on soil wind erosion in the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW), where there is a high soil erodibility risk due

Activity of microorganisms and their turnover strongly affect soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation. However, what remains unclear is how long‐term fertilization affects strategies of microorganisms growth, and how they change along the soil depth. Thus, microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) and microbial biomass (MB) turnover in paddy soil were determined using a novel substrate‐independent H218O

Understanding the relationship between fertilization and soil bacterial communities under salt‐affected environment is essential for alleviating the adverse impact of excessive soil salinity on soil biochemical functioning. However, how soil bacterial communities respond to consecutive fertilization across nitrogen gradients in coastal agroecosystem has not yet been clarified. Here, we conducted a

Mining is a multi‐billion‐dollar industry spanning major to artisanal and small‐scale mines, with diverse local to regional socio‐economic and environmental impacts. Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) has large deposits of minerals, which has made it a global epicentre for investors in the extractive industries. Here, we identified and mapped 469 company‐owned and community‐managed mines across SSA, most of

Available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the most common elements limiting the success of ecosystem restoration. Soil microbial communities harboring alkaline metalloprotease (apr ) gene and alkaline phosphatase activity gene (phoD ) play a crucial role in regulating and maintaining soil available N and P. However, the dynamics of apr ‐ and phoD ‐harboring bacteria and their contributions to regulating

Land degradation (LD) in Mali is prevalent and leads to an enduring environmental and humanitarian crisis. Farmers' ecological knowledge has proven to be a valuable tool in addressing its challenges. How farmers perceive LD affects how they deal with induced risks, and their responses to these perceptions will shape restoration options and outcomes. Therefore, this study assessed farmers' perceptions

Remote sensing observations such as NDVI trends can provide important insights into past and present states of land condition. However, they do not directly provide comprehensive information about our representation of land degradation and the processes at work. This study aimed to analyze vegetation productivity underlying factors in order to assess land degradation and to highlight the impact of

Bauxite residue, a typical industrial solid waste which contains a large amount of Na+, is usually physically degraded. Understandings of aggregate formation, which is a critical process in soil development, are essential to facilitate ecological rehabilitation on the disposal areas. However, few studies have investigated the aggregation behavior and mechanisms of key salt ions (Ca2+ and Na+) in residue

The land area under oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) cultivation (OPC) is increasing in different parts of world. Assessment of the soil parameters of oil palm plantations (OPP) is essential to judge the sustainability of land use for maintaining soil fertility and avoiding land degradation. The effects of OPC in India on soil parameters are poorly understood. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of

Many researches have been conducted to understand the scale–location specific variations of soil properties in one‐dimensional soil samples. However, these results did not enable us to properly understand the 2D (two‐dimensional) distributions of soil characteristics, especially in the coal mining areas. Therefore, the objective of this study is to reveal the scale–location dependent variation of two‐dimensional

Significant areas of Latin America, and especially of Chile, have been forested with exotic plantations to provide timber and fibber and to decrease soil erosion after deforestation. Despite their potential contribution to reducing erosion processes, the magnitude of this decline has not been adequately assessed. In this study, we estimated soil loss and mobility for one year on steep hillslopes using

Satellite‐based solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has the potential for an early detection and accurate impact assessment of meteorological drought on vegetation photosynthesis. However, how the response of satellite SIF to meteorological drought varies under different climatic conditions and biome types remains poorly understood. In this study, we determined the drought time‐scale at which

To reduce the damage caused by wind erosion, the accurate evaluation of wind erosion dynamics and revelation of their driving mechanism are crucial. In this study, the revised wind erosion equation was applied in the estimation of the potential wind erosion rate (PWER) from 1982 to 2015 in the Hexi region. Geographic detection, variable control, and correlation analysis were used to determine the contributions

This study aims at estimating the wheat yield response to future challenges (land degradation and climate change) through a statistical emulator. Data from Global Agro‐ecological Zones on the overall wheat yields of 254 provinces for nine main wheat‐producing countries and corresponding climate and land suitability information were collected to estimate the statistical relationship between regressors

Contributions from all land‐uses are needed if Ethiopia is to fulfil its Paris Agreement targets. The magnitude of soil carbon stock and the role of Ethiopian forest soils in climate change mitigation has not yet been clarified. In this study, soil carbon inventory in forests was carried out as a part of the Ethiopia REDD+ Programme. The performance of soil carbon models Yasso07 and CENTURY was tested

During the land development, some important changes would take place in the soil environment. Understanding their responses is of great significance, for solving local and global environmental issues from land development. Till now, the studies within the education parks or university/college towns, specially inside and outside of a campus, was rarely reported. Herein, treating a campus as a semi‐open

Deficiency of nutrients in agricultural soils of the world is one of the major factors of soil degradation. The deficiency of nutrients especially sulphur (S) and micronutrients in different soils affect global crop production. Delineation of soil management zones (MZs), by understanding spatial distribution of soil parameters, could be an efficient way for devising strategies for effective nutrient

Land degradation caused by deforestation seriously affects the soil environmental capacity (SEC), with potential risks to soil health. However, conventional SEC theory is unable to quantitatively describe the saturation capacity of different soil fractions and environmental pollution levels of a heterogeneous system. Thus, a new concept, the soil pool capacity (SPC ), was introduced to fill this gap

Achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) has been proposed to stem the loss of land resources globally. To date, LDN operationalization at country level has remained a challenge both from a policy and science perspective. Using an approach incorporating cloud‐based geospatial computing with machine learning, national level datasets of land cover, land productivity dynamics, soil organic carbon stocks

Climate change projections over the Mediterranean basin point towards an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events that will directly impact ecosystems resilience. In this study we evaluated future trends of soil loss in forestland in Catalonia (NE Spain) due to fires and vegetation dynamics, considering the potential future impacts of co‐occurring extreme fire and rainfall events, and

Herbivores are considered important drivers of vegetation shifts in rangelands worldwide. In the Brazilian Caatinga, goats feeding mostly on natural vegetation account for 90% of the country's goat herds and play a vital role for rural livelihoods in this region. We used exclosure experiments aiming to assess the impact of goats on herbaceous communities on Caatinga rangelands. Diversity and above‐ground

Soil degradation by metal and metalloid (metal[loid]) contamination represents a widespread environmental threat. Most studies investigating soil metal(loid) contamination have disregarded the soil quality concept. Enzyme activities (EAs) are good soil quality indicators due to their direct connection to functions related to C, N, P, and S cycles and their sensitivity to metal(loid) contamination.

Vegetation restoration has been proposed as an effective measure for rehabilitating degraded land and slowing desertification in arid regions. However, the spatial variation in soil quality and plant diversity following vegetation restoration remains unclear. This study was designed to explore soil nutrient dynamics and how soil nutrients affect plant diversity and spatial heterogeneity after shrub

Understanding the different perceptions of the local community regarding the use and management of common pool resources such as exclosures, could better support targeted interventions by government and development partners. Here we report a study conducted in the Gomit watershed, northwestern Ethiopia, using a survey and key informant interviews to examine community perceptions on a) the biophysical

Land degradation has put the world’s rangelands under intense pressure and reduced their capacity to provide vital services to those who solely depend on them for survival. With the current pressures on rangelands worldwide, there is an urgent need to survey the present condition of rangelands. Such detailed surveys can identify where improvement programs can be emphasised; whether it be reseeding

The purpose of this study is to quantify (i) spatio‐temporal deforestation patterns, and (ii) the relationships between changes in the main land‐cover types in the Chapare region of Bolivia. We applied subspace classification methods to Landsat data from 1986, 1999 and 2018 and used grid cells at scales of 150, 300, 600, and 900 m to measure deforestation trajectories. The 150 m grids provided better

Globally, the ravine landscapes are considered amongst the world's most degraded ecosystems. Restoring ravines is considered a high priority item in the conservation programs, and tree establishment augmented with appropriate soil and water conservation measures is the most sought after restoration strategy. This study examined the impact of terracing and trenching on runoff, soil loss, and soil properties

Quantifying the effects of grazing on soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is of crucial importance for understanding soil C dynamics. However, less attention has been paid to the pool‐specific SOC decomposition and the underlying factors associated with each C pool, representing critical knowledge gaps on soil C dynamics. In this study, we applied a state‐of‐the‐art Bayesian data assimilation technique

Extreme droughts of increased frequency due to climate change are threatening the sustainability of dryland plantations worldwide by exacerbating water scarcity. Here we aim to disentangle the impacts of combinations of terracing and mulching on water use strategy and its response to extreme droughts in a rainfed jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) plantation on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China, using

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization in croplands results in environmental problems, such as soil quality deterioration, water contamination and biodiversity losses, which threaten the sustainable development of soil ecosystems. Soil nematode food web plays key roles in soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling, and then the sustainable development of cropland ecosystems. However, how

Obtaining sustainable high yield and suitable soil nutrient management is crucial for artificial alfalfa grassland. However, the information on the trade‐off between soil nutrient and productivity of alfalfa grassland following long‐term cultivation under the intensive agricultural management system is scare. Six alfalfa grasslands of different ages under highly intensive agricultural management system

In order to validate whether the optimizing irrigation and fertilization can improve degraded saline soil and increase wheat production, a 4‐year wheat field experiment on saline soil in Yellow River Delta of China was conducted from October 2013 to June 2017. Eight optimizing treatments including two irrigation amounts 90 (I90) and 135 (I135) mm/time, all irrigated 4 times at pre‐sowing, wintering

In irrigated areas the specter of soil salinisation is ever‐present. To obtain baseline data to map salt, or the soil electrical conductivity of a saturated soil paste extract (ECe, dS m−1), we use electromagnetic (EM) data from a survey of EM38 and EM34 data with EM inversion software (EM4Soil). This is because the collected apparent electrical conductivity (ECa, mS m−1) can be inverted to estimate

Desertification is one of the major environmental problems that humanity faces today, since it reduces the availability of ecosystem services, increases food insecurity and poverty and affects the well‐being of societies. The analysis of the process is extremely complex, since the phenomenon takes place at different temporal and spatial scales, influenced by different factors. It is widely recognized

Understanding the effects of land‐use change in drylands on nutrient use efficiencies and losses within food production‐consumption system provides insights on nutrient management strategies and the effectiveness of land‐use policies. Weibei dryland is considered as an example to evaluate changes in nitrogen (N) flows through food chain following converting croplands to apple orchards using NUFER (NUtrient

The rhizosphere is an important hotspot of microbial activity, diversity and functions in soil. Despite being a microbial hotspot, studies have seldom addressed the differences in the response of microbial community in bulk and rhizosphere soils to domestic animal disturbance. Here, we investigated grassland disturbance by physical uprooting behaviors of Tibetan pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus ) on bacterial

This article analyses the spatio‐temporal evolution (spanning 1956 to 2016) of two large bays located on the Costa Brava coast: the Gulf of Roses and Bay of Pals (NW Mediterranean, Spain). This research demonstrates how the status of dunes is related to management measures. For this propose, a matrix of 11 variables was used to assess the management procedures and geo‐environmental conservation status

Studies on microplastics in soils currently begin to establish a new research field. So far, mainly “explorative studies” were carried out to detect microplastics in different soil environments. To generate a deeper understanding of microplastics dynamics, “systematic studies” are required. Such research must build on a targeted sampling strategy, considerate field work and sample handling. From literature

Land abandonment followed by natural revegetation constitutes the main land use change in the Mediterranean mountains, affecting soil quality and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks; however, there are few studies analysing the effects of cropland abandonment in soils in mid‐mountains. In the Leza Valley (Spain), 43.2% of the area was cultivated but abandoned throughout the 20th‐century. Natural revegetation

Conservation tillage is an alternative to conventional tillage (CT) for addressing the issue of soil degradation, while how it affects soil quality remains unclear. To characterise the temporary and stable effects of 8 years of conservation tillage on soil quality, topsoil (0–20 cm) properties, 16S rDNA‐based bacterial community properties and their relationships were analysed. Three tillage practices

The dramatic droughts in West Africa from the 1960s to the 1990s compelled Burkina Faso to implement Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) measures in the late 1970s. The purpose was to combat land degradation (e.g., desertification) in areas that experienced a decrease in vegetation productivity. In this study, NDVI trends from 2002 to 2016 were analyzed using the Mann‐Kendall test to explore the spatio‐temporal

Deicing agents cause soil salinization and degradation in urban areas. We assessed the capacity of urban lawns to maintain carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling with increasing soil salinity. The sensitivity to soil salinity of the main ecosystem players: plants and microorganisms were assessed considering their complex interactions between each other and environment. The effects of low and moderate

Understanding regional spatial pattern of soil organic carbon density (SOCD) and its potential influencing factors in cropland is of paramount importance when evaluating soil quality and assess the carbon sequestration potential. However, little information is available regarding the regional SOCD for the plough layer of the cropland soils with high‐density sampling sites. In this context, 14,058 soil

Expansion of rotational timber harvesting of mangroves is set to increase, particularly given greater recognition of their economic, societal and environmental benefits. Generic and standardized procedures for monitoring mangroves are therefore needed to ensure their long‐term sustainable utilisation. Focusing on the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR), Perak State, Peninsular Malaysia, thematic

Integrated crop‐livestock systems associated with crop rotation and soil conservation management cause numerous changes in nutrient fluxes and soil biochemical dynamics. In this sense, there is a gap in the impact of integrated production systems on nutrient dynamics and soil microbial activity in lowlands. In this context, this work had the objective of evaluating the nutrient availability and the

There is a need to resolve methods to determine native versus non‐native plant use in drylands and indeed in more temperate areas around the world. This is because whilst plant introductions may have positive objectives, they can have significant negative landscape and environmental impacts. A key discussion on this issue focuses on whether the use of non‐native plant species can be considered to be

The temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is an important parameter in the accurate projections of SOC dynamics and its feedback to climate change in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how Q10 responds to N deposition across environmental gradients and the underlying mechanism remain largely unresolved. Here, we conducted a novel incubation experiment with periodically

Our understanding of how reforestation affects microbial carbon cycling genes remains limited, restricting our ability to evaluate reforestation methods. We hypothesized that natural reforestation produces soil organic carbon (SOC) with significantly more complex chemical composition and more diverse carbon cycling genes than artificial restoration. The SOC fractions and carbon cycling (primarily fixation

This study investigated the fine‐scale land parcel features and their influences on the intra‐surface urban heat island (SUHI) of four dense urban functional zones (UFZs) in downtown Shanghai. A thermal sharpening method was employed to map the high‐resolution intra‐SUHI intensity (SUHII) and magnitude (SUHIM) by integrating the cokriging interpolation of Landsat 8 thermal band 10 and Quickbird datasets

Land‐use intensification has increased soil erosion resulting from biodiversity loss, which affects ecosystem properties and services owing to changes in species compositional and structural diversity. However, information is limited on how land‐use intensity (LUI) affects soil erosion through species compositional and structural diversity and ecosystem properties. In this study we monitored soil erosion

Massive spoil heaps, formed during the production and construction activities, have caused severe soil erosion, leading to land degradation and damaging the environment. Fish‐scale pits (FSPs) and revegetation (RG) are the most common measures for controlling soil erosion on spoil heaps on the Loess Plateau. To evaluate the effects of FSPs and RG on concentrated runoff erosion, scouring‐erosion experiments

Land‐use change is a key factor driving changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration worldwide. However, the changes in deep (> 100 cm) SOC stock following land‐use conversion have not been fully elucidated. In this study, to determine the changes in deep SOC stock (to a depth of 400 cm) resulting from conversion of cropland to woodland, shrubland and grassland on the Chinese Loess Plateau, 469

Land degradation due to change in land use and land cover (LULC) is one of the most serious global environmental problems. Public policies are important drivers of LULC change and play equally important role in promoting sustained land use. An understanding of the policies framed under different socio‐economic and political conditions and its implications helps refining the policies for sustained land

Fuxian Lake is one of the most important freshwater supply lakes of China; however, its water quality is affected by land degradation in its basin. This study aimed to monitor and simulate the spatiotemporal characteristics of land degradation in Fuxian Lake Basin. A comprehensive land degradation index (LDI), which integrates the indices for land use/land cover (LULC), vegetation coverage (VC), water

Soil erodibility is one of the major parameters for soil erosion prediction and conservation planning. Soil shear strength is an effective indicator of soil erodibility. Although shear strength has been extensively measured on agricultural lands, very limited measurements have been made within gullies. In this study, shear strength was measured at various geomorphic positions of gullies, in different

Soil nutrient balance studies have become increasingly influential in policy discussions about soil fertility management and sustainable agriculture in developing countries. However, such studies, particularly in the context of Nepal, have often overlooked socio‐economic characteristics of farm households that may have a significant influence upon soil nutrient balances. This study, therefore, estimates

Succulent xerophytes (SX) and less succulent xerophytes (LSX) are able to accumulate inorganic ions and synthesize organic solutes (OS) to adapt to drought stress. Silicon (Si) is one of the five beneficial elements for plants and its importance to SX has been confirmed. In the study, the features of main osmolytes and Si were studied in SX and LSX species, and the coupling effects of inorganic ions

The Aral Sea was one of the largest lakes in the world, but almost 60,000 km2 of the waterbody has dried up due to water withdrawal for irrigation. Afforestation on the desiccated seafloor could be important in preventing soil flation, dust storms, and negative impact on human health. In this study, we aimed to delineate potential vegetation establishment areas on the dried Aral Sea bed using remote‐sensed

Arsenic (As) contamination has been identified as a tangible risk related to soil and land degradation, and identifying pristine regions is, therefore, important for the long‐term safety considerations of humans. The Red River Basin is among the largest cultivation regions in Southeast Asia that provides rice for local consumers as well as for exports. While the lowland part of the Red River Delta