Soil quality assessments in integrated crop–livestock–forest systems: A review

Integrated crop–livestock–forest is a promising strategy to improve soil quality. It comprises four different integrated farming systems: crop–livestock, crop–forest, forest–livestock and crop–livestock–forest. This work systematically reviewed studies about integrated crop–livestock–forest systems and soil quality. A total of 92 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science—Clarivate Analytics platform, and the following information was analysed: publication year, institution, region of the studied site, type of integrated system, soil type, tillage system, maximum soil depth and the soil quality indicators assessed. Most studies were published in the second half of the 2010s. Brazil is a prominent focus of research about soil quality and integrated crop–livestock–forest systems, with significant contribution from its central and southern regions. The Embrapa was the main publishing institution, present in over one‐third of the studies. Crop–livestock was the most common integrated system, Ferralsols was the most common soil group, and most of the studied soils were clayey. No tillage was the main tillage system. Most studies focused on the topsoil, assessing physical and/or chemical soil quality indicators. More emphasis on biological indicators of soil quality is required, as well as assessments integrating biological, physical and chemical indicators of soil quality. Future works should compare different integrated systems, including assessments deeper in the soil profile, especially in systems with the forest component, and also in sandy and silty soils. Soil quality indicators that have been rarely used should be further tested. Novel indicators should be added to better understand the promotion of soil quality by integrated crop–livestock–forest systems.     

Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Physical Characteristics as Affected by Land Uses under Semiarid Irrigated Conditions

ABSTRACT

Rice-Wheat rotation is the dominant land use in the state of Punjab, resulting in over exploitation of ground water resources. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate other land uses that requires less water and are sustainable. The present investigation was planned with four land uses viz., fallow (FLU), rice-wheat (ALU), grasses (GLU) and pear (PLU) with respect to their effect on soil organic carbon and soil physical characteristics in surface and subsurface depth in district Ludhiana, Punjab. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was higher by 10, 30.9 and 24.9% under rice-wheat, grasses, and pear than that under fallow. The grasses showed higher soil moisture characteristics curve (SMCC) and lower bulk density (Db) than that under rice-wheat. The larger mean weight diameter (MWD) were observed under pear, grasses and fallow than that under rice-wheat by 0.21, 0.51 and 0.41 mm, respectively. The saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) was higher in magnitude by 56.1, 55.4 and 28%, respectively under PLU, GLU and FLU over ALU. Of the evaluated land uses, pear and grasses proved to be more sustainable by retaining more moisture, maintaining better soil physical characteristics and SOC under semiarid irrigated conditions in the state on long term gradual response.     

Soil protection for a sustainable future: options for a soil monitoring network for Ireland

The increased recognition of the importance of soil is reflected in the UN Post‐2015 Development Agenda with sustainable development goals that directly and indirectly relate to soil quality and protection. Despite a lack of legally binding legislation for soil protection, the European Commission remains committed to the objective of soil protection. However, the achievement of a legally binding framework for soil protection relies on the implementation of a soil monitoring network (SMN) that can detect changes to soil quality over time. As beneficiaries do not pay for the provision of soil information, the options for soil monitoring are limited. The use of existing data sets should be considered first. Using Ireland as an example, this research explored the opportunities for a SMN for Ireland considering three existing national data sets. The options for a SMN are considered in terms of their spatial and stratified distribution, the parameters to be measured and an economic analysis of the options proposed. This research finds that for Ireland, either a 10 or a 16 km² grid interval stratified by land use and drainage class offers the best potential in relation to the spatial distribution of existing data sets to reflect local data at a national level. With existing data, the stratified SIS data using the 16 km² grid offers the best value for money, with baseline costs for analysis, excluding field costs, of between €706 481 and €2.8 million. Acknowledging the impossibility of measuring all parameters with ideal frequency, this study proposes a two‐tier system for optimized monitoring frequency. Parameters must anticipate future policy requirements. Finally, the implementation of a SMN must be accompanied by standardized methods, defined thresholds and action mandates to maintain soil quality within allowable limits.     

传统农业回顾与稻渔产业发展思考

对传统农业的深入理解无疑有助于对农业现代化的推进。稻渔共生产业作为优秀传统农业的典范，对于推进中国农业现代化进程与可持续发展和世界稻渔共生产业的健康发展具有重要的启迪作用。本文从人类文明发展历程，尤其是中国传统农业文明发展历程的回顾切入，简要介绍了重要农业文化遗产的概念、内涵、实施及意义，并以传统稻鱼共生系统为例，深刻分析其传衍数千年的科学机制，讨论了稻渔共生产业发展面临的技术挑战及未来发展战略。研究指出，农耕文明的核心理念在华夏文明发展过程中具有重大的现实意义，而于20世纪60年年代初期兴起并不断强化的石油农业则可能存在包括农业生物多样性简化、农用化学品依赖、生产成本增高、资源竞争激烈、环境压力增大以及这些工业化的现代农业对发展中国家传统农业产生的不对等的利益竞争和负面影响显而易见。在政府政策激励以及来自科技工作者、技术人员和从农者的共同努力下，从中国优秀传统农业的典范传统稻鱼共生系统逐渐衍生、演变形成的稻渔共生生态种养产业在提高水土资源利用效率、丰富稻田产出、提高农民收入、减少面源污染等方面独具优势。研究表明，相关从业人员需要高度关注现阶段稻渔共生产业发展过程中所遇到的诸如模式选用、景观与农业生物多样性布设、种养协调、肥力调控、产品营销等技术细节问题并加以用心对待、科学掌握。因此提出，未来稻渔共生产业的发展还需要解决农艺机械化、投施精准化、农事省力化等新挑战，并呼吁学界、业界和政策制定部门等聚焦合力解决。     

基于能值的鄂尔多斯市水资源生态经济系统可持续发展动态分析

运用能值理论和分析方法,分析了鄂尔多斯市2000-2009年水资源生态经济系统能量流动规律,构建了其能值综合图,计算评价了水资源开发利用状态及其系统可持续发展状况。分析结果表明,鄂尔多斯市经济社会发展主要依靠不可更新资源的投入,且对不可更新资源投入的依赖程度不断增大,水资源投入能值所占比重逐渐减小;鄂尔多斯市在市场贸易中处于明显不利地位,经济发展尚处于高消耗、高增长的发展阶段,工业化水平还有待提高。2000年以后鄂尔多斯市经济系统虽然富有活力和发展潜力,但是随着当地经济发展对不可更新资源的依赖不断增大,系统有向消费型经济系统快速发展的趋势。鄂尔多斯市应加快重点工业产业技术更新和产品升级,延长产业链。     

Evaluation of finger weeder safety and efficacy for intra-row weed removal in irrigated field crops

Increased demand for pesticide-free food and the development of herbicide-resistant weed populations have created a need for non-chemical weed-control tools. A candidate mechanical tool for controlling weeds in the seeding line (intra-row zone) is the finger weeder. This study thus aimed to evaluate the safety and weed-control efficacy of the finger weeder in various irrigated field crops. Eight field trials were conducted in processing tomato, sweet corn, sunflower, cotton, and beetroot over 2 years. The finger weeder treatments were applied as the sole weed-control method (single or double treatments) and in combination with herbicides. A mini meta-analysis was used to evaluate the overall effect of the finger weeder treatments on crop stand and yield and on weed control efficacy. Weed density in the control not treated with herbicides nor a finger weeder ranged between 2 and 62 weeds m⁻². The finger weeder treatments resulted in a significant reduction in weed density, which ranged between 40% and 90%. The weed density following the double finger weeder treatment was not significantly different from that for the conventional herbicide-based treatment (p = 0.32) and could therefore be considered as an effective environmentally friendly alternative. Furthermore, a single FW treatment integrated with herbicide application gave better weed control than the conventional herbicide treatment (p = 0.04). This treatment was safe for the crops with no significant stand (p = 0.19) or yield (p = 0.29) reductions compared to commercial treatment. The results of this study demonstrate the promise of the finger weeder as an effective tool within integrated weed management systems for conventional agro-systems. The tool offers a rational weed-control solution for sustainable systems under irrigation.     

Evaluating the Impact of Irrigation and Drainage Policies on Agricultural Sustainability

Farmers in the Broadview Water District in central Californiahave been improving irrigation practices in response to risingirrigation water prices and reductions in water supply since1989, when incentive policies were first implemented to reducethe volume of subsurface drain water generated in theDistrict. The average salinity of water deliveries hasincreased, over time, as the District has recycled largeamounts of drainage water to achieve regional restrictions ondrainage water discharge. We review irrigation and drainageactivities in Broadview since 1986 with an emphasis on thesustainability of crop production when drainage discharge islimited. Average cotton yields in Broadview have declined inrecent years, both nominally and in comparison with averageyields reported for the large county in which Broadview islocated. Average tomato yields in Broadview have increased inrecent years, but county-wide yields have exceeded Broadviewyields with greater frequency than in the late 1980s. Theseobservations suggest that average crop yields in Broadview maybe starting to reflect the increasing salinity of soil andwater resources, which may be due in part to persistentrestrictions on drainage water discharge.     

Reviews

Books reviewed: Ben Burt and Christian Clerk (eds), Environment and development in the Pacific Islands Glenn Banks and Chris Ballard (eds), The Oki Tedi Settlement – issues, outcomes and implications Bill Gammage, The Sky Travellers: journeys in New Guinea 1938–1939