Soil health is a key element in enhancing agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and food system resilience (Farnsworth 2015; Stevens 2018). The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) defines soil health as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans” (Pankhurst et al. 1997; Farnsworth 2015; Bowman et

In comparison with levels in 2000, global carbon dioxide (CO2) has increased by 43.5 ppm to 414.4 ppm during 2020, an increase of 12%. Indeed, concentration of atmospheric CO2 now is higher than at any time during the past 3.6 million years (Stein 2021). Similarly, the global average concentration of methane (CH4) for December of 2020 was 1,892.3 ppb, representing an increase of about 119 ppb (6%)

In order to display the three-dimensional spatial distribution of soil organic carbon density (SOCD) and analyze the relationship between SOCD and topography, this study took 290 soil samples at the depth of 0 to 100 cm in the Nangou watershed in the loess hilly region of China, simulated the spatial distribution of SOCD by the three-dimensional inverse distance weighting method, and compared the SOCD

The accurate detection of the volume of the soil wetted body (SWB) is the theoretical basis for the optimal design of a drip irrigation system. In view of the shortcomings of traditional detection methods, such as low efficiency, high cost, and poor in situ detection, this paper explores the rapid, in situ, and nondestructive estimation techniques of SWB volume using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Conservation practices such as no-till and cover crops have been shown to have on- and off-farm benefits. However, when benefits of a practice do not go to the provider, underinvestment may occur. Farmland rental arrangements where tenants may not reap the benefits of conservation investments are a commonly cited barrier to conservation practice adoption in agriculture and may result in lower adoption

Hedgerow ridge (HR) is a novel farming technique that consists of clover ( Trifolium repens cv. Haifa.) hedgerows grown on short cross ridges that were established in furrows and running perpendicular and between longitudinal ridges. Additionally, the HRs and longitudinal ridges form pitting fields (PF). A three-year field experiment was conducted to investigate HR effects on reducing sediment, runoff

Food and fiber production on America’s farmlands have a major influence on the environment, rural economies, and healthy communities. Therefore, soil and water conservation practices are critical. Nonetheless, research has shown there are few, if any, universal factors that influence farmer conservation practice adoption. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has provided no-fee technical

Dryland wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is the principal crop grown on 3.35 million ha (8.28 million ac) of the semiarid Inland Pacific Northwest of the United States. In areas with less than 300 mm (12 in) of annual precipitation, challenges for wheat production are similar to those found in the Mediterranean region and Australia. Successful crop production depends on adequate precipitation capture

To evaluate the effects of straw mulching and tillage on the soil water, soil temperature, and water use efficiency of maize ( Zea mays L.), five straw mulching and tillage treatments were established: conventional tillage with no straw mulching (CK), conventional tillage with 1.0-fold straw mulching (CM1), no-tillage with 0.5-fold straw mulching (NM0.5), no-tillage with 1.0-fold straw mulching (NM1)

Moving agricultural production systems toward a greater level of soil health is needed for sustainability. Conservation agricultural systems utilizing no or minimum tillage are an important step forward, but enhancing carbon (C) inputs with diverse cover crops and facilitating biologically active nitrogen (N) cycling are also needed. Summer cash-crop systems, particularly in the warm-humid region of

Soil erosion is a widespread environmental problem that threatens environmental sustainability. The purpose of this study is to explore the spatial characteristics of soil erosion in 24 provinces in central and eastern China, which are mainly affected by hydraulic erosion. Initially, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model is used to evaluate the intensity of soil erosion. Then, the global spatial

Abstract not available

Nearly 40% of farmland in the United States is rented or leased from agricultural landowners ([USDA NASS 2015][1]), the majority of whom are nonoperator landowners (NOLs). NOLs are increasingly identified as a group of landowners who should be included when discussing environmental issues on agricultural lands. Yet, who NOLs are and what we know about them in terms of conservation practices is limited

Anyone who has driven cross-country knows one thing: America’s landscape is as diverse as it is beautiful. From the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean, rich soils of the Midwest, and flat expanse of the Mississippi River Delta, to the arid deserts of the Southwest and the forests of the Pacific Northwest—the landforms, climates, and resource concerns are different. In order to meet the diverse resource

THE NEED FOR TARGETED AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION The 2008 Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Action Plan was developed in response to national water quality impairments that were largely caused by agricultural land uses within and around the US Corn Belt ([Alexander et al. 2008][1]; [Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force 2008][2]). The plan prompted states to create nutrient reduction strategies

Soil sediment export from agricultural watersheds is a major environmental concern and is a primary contributor to nonpoint source sediments in streams. The purpose of this study was to quantify total suspended solid (TSS) export and current sediment delivery ratios (SDRs) in four southern Iowa watersheds and evaluate how existing and potential best management practices (BMPs) have affected SDRs. Our

There are still uncertainties regarding the long-term impact of no-tillage farming practices on separate soil functions in the United Kingdom. This paper aimed to evaluate the chemical and physical processes in two different agricultural soils under no-tillage and conventional management practices to determine their impact on water related soil functions at field scale in the United Kingdom. The field-scale

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a federal agency that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers to aid them with soil and water conservation. NRCS offers no-fee technical assistance and conservation planning through the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program, which encourages farmers to engage in voluntary conservation practices without financial incentives

Isolated plants growing on steep slopes with erodible bedrock are usually associated with the formation of phytogenic mounds in semiarid and arid ecosystems. Identifying the plant characteristics that affect phytogenic mounds and predicting a plant community’s potential for erosion control are of great interest to workers seeking to improve the management of degraded ecosystems. We studied the phytogenic

This paper proposes a flow-path-network-triangular-facet-network (FPN\_TFN) method based on a flow path network (FPN) and triangular facet network (TFN) constructed from a digital elevation model (DEM) to enhance the calculation of the slope length factor ( L ) in the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). First, the slope length was derived from a FPN, which is traced by the flow path network

The objective of this research is to determine the effect of producer risk preferences on the willingness to adopt cover crops and no-till, given cost-sharing incentives, operator attributes, and farm management characteristics. The analysis extends previous research by showing how producer risk preferences affect the adoption of best management practices (BMPs). Risk aversion was quantified using

Subsurface injection of liquid manure is a no-till compatible application method that may fundamentally change nutrient cycling dynamics. This study investigated subsurface injection and surface broadcast application methods on soil nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–-N) at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 18, and 22 weeks after first-year applications of liquid dairy slurry in 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm sampling depths

Model inputs for prediction of runoff and soil erosion commonly require precipitation intensity information. Intensity is often estimated if precipitation data with high temporal resolution are unavailable. However, when intensity is time-averaged for fixed measurement intervals, estimates become increasingly underestimated with longer intervals due to the assumption that event durations begin and

Soil aeration is increasingly being used on haylands in the northeastern United States as a water quality best management practice to decrease runoff volumes and flow rates, and the associated export of the nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). However, there is a lack of data on the effects of soil aeration on field-scale hydrologic and nutrient fluxes in cold-climate regions. The objective of

Tall fescue ( Lolium arundinaceum [Schreb.] S.J. Darbysh.) is a widely adopted cool-season perennial forage in the southeastern United States. Historically, tall fescue contained a symbiotic fungal endophyte, Epichloë coenophiala , that produced an ergot alkaloid toxic to livestock. New fescue biotypes have been developed that are endophyte free or include endophytes that produce low-toxicity alkaloids

The northeast United States has experienced higher temperatures, more annual precipitation, and more frequent heavy rain events in recent decades. These trends appear likely to continue, and they may depress crop yields and exacerbate environmental problems associated with the region’s dairy farms. To investigate these possibilities, we used the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model

This empirical paper investigates how duration of conservation tillage (CT) usage affects farmers’ perceptions on production cost, cash crop yields, and economic returns. This paper was based on the analysis of responses from 708 surveys completed by South Dakota farmers in 2018. Our results suggest that it takes between 5 and 10 years before CT is regarded as profitable by the majority of adopters

Rental shares of agricultural land have increased in many countries, as have soil degradation and erosion. Theory suggests that these trends may be correlated, yet empirical findings are mixed. This ambiguity indicates that a “tenure effect” on conservation may be highly contextual. Our research investigates farmers’ soil conservation behavior on rented land and aims to disentangle the contextual factors

Soil and water conservation are important measures in regulating runoff and sediment load on the Loess Plateau. Information on how land use and land cover changes, especially the implementation of the soil and water loss control project, can affect the sediment load dynamics and hydrological variables is important since large-scale eco-environmental governance programs are being implemented. In this

The dry-hot valley region in China is one of the most severely affected soil erosion areas in the world; however, little research has been conducted on sediment source contributions for various land uses during rainfall events. In this work, we collected sediment samples during a rainstorm in four types of land-use areas in the Yuanjiang dry-hot valley region of China. Results showed that gullies are

Computer simulations are widely used to explore options and quantify outcomes in agriculture. For example, mathematical models have been used to estimate how much of the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) delivered to the Gulf of Mexico comes from agricultural sources ([Alexander et al. 2008][1]); to calculate changes in grain yields as management practices are varied ([Chen et al. 2014][2]); and to investigate

In the United States, agricultural runoff is the leading contributor of nutrient pollution in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, causing environmental impacts, including a large hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico ([Rabotyagov et al. 2014][1]). In an attempt to decrease these impacts, government agencies and nonprofit organizations invest billions of dollars annually promoting and paying for conservation

A scientific consensus is building that the drawdown of very large amounts (at least 1,000 Gt [1.1 × 1012 tn]) of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere will be needed to stabilize the earth’s climate system at a safe temperature ([Hansen et al. 2008][1]; [Cao and Caldeira 2010][2]; [IPCC 2018][3], [2019][4]). The minimum estimated cost of this drawdown is tens of trillions of dollars over the course

Regenerative livestock grazing is an agroecological approach for transforming the performance of modern agriculture. With a growing body of research complemented by anecdotal evidence, this approach is increasingly understood to be a “win-win-win” for farmers, society, and the environment. This paper aims to define regenerative grazing and its benefits, and to sharpen focus on its rapid expansion.

Depressional wetlands in the Great Plains are experiencing watershed alterations that impact the provisioning of important ecosystem services, which are unmonitored on a large scale (Smith et al. 2011). The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) determines the effects of conservation programs on ecosystem service provisioning across the nation

Soil erosion is a natural process, and the erosion potential of a site is the result of complex interactions among soil, vegetation, topographic position, land use and management, and climate. Soil erosion occurs when aeolian and hydrologic processes exceed a soil’s inherent resistance to these forces (figures 1 and 2). Soil erosion was recognized as a significant problem at both local and national

The dairy farm sector has been the backbone of rural communities throughout the northeastern United States for more than 100 years. Beyond this important heritage, the region’s dairy farms drive economic activity in its rural communities. However, from late 2014 through September of 2020, the farmgate price of milk has been below the cost of production for most dairy farms in the region (Farm Credit

The Wetlands Component of the USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP-Wetlands) is a multi-agency effort advancing science related to quantifying and interpreting effects and effectiveness of conservation practices and programs on ecosystem services provided by wetlands in agricultural landscapes. This special section originated from a symposium held at the 73rd Soil and Water Conservation

This paper provides an overview of studies conducted under the USDA Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project (MIAR study). Under the MIAR effort, numerous studies were conducted to (1) quantify ecosystem functions provided by restored wetlands by comparing functions within depressional nontidal wetlands with a varying degree of alteration (i.e., natural wetlands, restored

The intermixed cropland, grassland, and wetland ecosystems of the upper mid-western United States combine to provide a suite of valuable ecological services. Grassland and wetland losses in the upper midwestern United States have been extensive, but government-funded conservation programs have protected and restored hundreds of thousands of acres of wetland and grassland habitat in the region. The

Considerable effort and resources have been placed into conservation programs designed to reduce or alleviate negative environmental effects of crop production and into evaluation of the benefits of these programs. Wetlands are an important source of ecosystem services, but modeling wetland plants is an emerging science. To date, wetland plant growth has not been explicitly accounted for in ecosystem

Since most wetlands in the Sacramento Valley of California are dependent on artificial water delivery, supplying water for wetland management is the greatest challenge to wetland managers, especially during drought years. Efforts are needed to improve the security of water supplies for optimal habitat management and water quality improvement. This study contributes to these efforts by developing an

As anthropogenic disturbance continues to degrade wetland condition in many geographic areas, it is imperative to inventory wetland functions to monitor potential loss of associated ecosystem services. Field-based functional assessments are resource intensive, prohibiting their widespread application at landscape scales. This obstacle can be avoided by basing functional assessments on publicly available

Rapid water infiltration is important for improving water storage and reducing erosion potential in arid and semiarid areas. Taprooted crops are sometimes credited with improving water infiltration. In a study repeated over three years, we tested whether adding a single brassica crop year to the traditional wheat ( Triticum aestivum )–summer fallow rotation would improve water infiltration. We found

Check dams are widely distributed and abundant on the Chinese Loess Plateau and play an important role both in reducing damage from flash floods and in retaining sediment. Some check dams are destroyed either partially or fully during rainstorms. The investigation of the actual damage caused to check dams as a result of specific rainstorm floods is of great value for analyzing their effects and failure

Soil hydraulic properties are important for water management in salt and sodium (Na) affected soils. The soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) has been found to decrease when high soil solution Na adsorption ratio (SAR) is coupled with low solution electrical conductivity (EC). Soil clay type plays an important role in changes to soil Ksat when the soil solution composition has a high SAR and

Excessive sediment loading to streams can harm benthic species habitat. Human driven land cover and land use changes increase soil erosion and sediment loading rates over time. Conservation and management agencies are increasingly restoring vegetation along riparian zones as a means to protect water quality and instream habitat; however, time and funding are limited. Widespread habitat degradation

Volume 75(4), p. 518: Table 2 should appear as follows: View this table: Table 2 Physicochemical properties of mine soil (MS) and artificial soil …

D ense networks of rivers, canals, ditches, dikes, sluice gates, and compartmented fields have enabled the farms of the Red River Delta to produce 18% of Vietnam's rice ( Oryza sativa ) crop (figure 1), 26% of the country's vegetable crops, and 20% of capture and farmed aquaculture (Redfern et al. 2012). Agriculture in this fertile delta was transformed in the 11th and 13th century AD by large-scale

W ater resources throughout the north central region of the United States have traditionally been abundant and of high quality. However, increasing demands from agriculture and urban growth, exacerbated by a changing climate, are putting pressures on water quality. Holistic and science-based management strategies can improve water quality, although the definition of “water quality” might depend on

C an regenerative agriculture (RA) produce an adequate amount of nutritious food for the growing and increasingly affluent world population while also reducing and offsetting some anthropogenic emissions? The question may be reframed: how can RA be adapted to produce enough food, be a negative emission technology, and advance Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (2015)? System-based

The southeastern United States observed a widespread expansion in area under irrigation over the past half century, primarily due to inadequate rainfall during crop growing season. In this region, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a seasonal-to-interannual climate-variability phenomena, may result in bringing suitable precipitation in any year while generating extremes of too much or too little

One of the major causes of poverty globally is land degradation and poor natural resource conservation, leading to reduced agricultural productivity. This degradation is often caused by a mismatch between land use and land potential, specifically using marginal lands for agriculture. For over 50 years the Land Capability Classification (LCC) system has been used globally for land evaluation to support

In this study, we analyzed changes in the water and sediment properties in the Yellow River during the flood season, which is the period with the largest runoff yield and sediment load in this river. The aim of this study was to understand the impact of water and soil conservation measures during this crucial season, and we focused on the Huangfuchuan drainage basin as the study region. We analyzed

Sustainability of agriculture with no-tillage (NT) production requires appropriate cover cropping and not a simple and random approach of any cover crop species. However, relatively little is known of the long-term soil surface impacts of different cover crops in rotation with soybean ( Glycine max ) under NT in the tropics. We evaluated the impacts of different cover crops on soil aggregation, soil

The purpose of the study was to assess the possibility of cultivation of maize ( Zea mays L.) on marginal soils polluted by heavy metals. The research was conducted on a Stagnic Luvisol soil that varied in terms of pH and the degree of heavy metal (cadmium [Cd], copper [Cu], and zinc [Zn]) contamination. The usefulness of maize for cultivation on contaminated soils was assessed on the basis of indicators

Excess agricultural nitrogen (N) in the environment is a persistent problem in the United States and other regions of the world, contributing to water and air pollution, as well as to climate change. Efforts to reduce N from agricultural sources largely rely on voluntary efforts by farmers to reduce inputs and improve uptake by crops. However, research has failed to comprehensively depict farmers'

Saline water irrigation has been widely used for crop production where agriculture is short of freshwater. To reveal the responses of soil environment and cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth to long-term irrigation with saline water, a 10-year (2006 to 2015) experiment was carried out to study the effects of saline water irrigation on soil physico-chemical properties, as well as the yield and fiber

Agricultural nutrient runoff and leaching into groundwater can impose societal costs that may be external to farmer decisions. Farmers can reduce the environmental impact of nutrient losses by adopting conservation and precision nutrient diagnostic and application practices. We examine the determinants of adoption decisions of such practices using mail survey data from a large, stratified sample of

Erosion pavements occur commonly in many semiarid watersheds due to selective erosion. However, quantitative information regarding the dynamic feedback between soil erosion, surface morphology, and flow hydraulics as erosion pavement develops is limited. In order to quantify the spatiotemporal evolution of rock cover and surface roughness, and measure their effects on flow velocities as erosion pavement