Soil Quality: A Review of the Science and Experiences in the USA

An increasing human population is placing greater demand on soil resources, and as a result degradation is taking place in many regions of the world. This is critical because soils perform a number of essential processes including supporting food and fiber production, influencing air quality through interaction with the atmosphere, and serving as a medium for storage and purification of water. The soil quality concept was introduced to complement soil science research by making our understanding of soils more complete and helping guide the use and allocation of labor, energy, fiscal, and other inputs as agriculture intensifies and expands to meet increasing world demands. Soil quality thus provides a unifying concept for educating professionals, producers, and the public about the important processes that soils perform. It also provides an assessment tool for evaluating current management practices and comparing alternative management practices. Soil attributes comprising a minimum data set have been identified, and both laboratory and field methods have been developed for measuring them. A soil quality index is being developed to normalize measured soil quality indicator data and generate a numeric value that can be used to compare various management practices or to assess management-induced changes over time. Using previously published data, we evaluated the soil quality index as a tool to assess a wide range of management practices in the Northern Great Plains. The index ranked the treatments: grazed fertilized tame pasture > moderately grazed > ungrazed> heavily grazed > annual cropping with no-tillage > conventionally tilled crop-fallow which agrees with the way they were subjectively ranked in the publications. The soil quality index shows potential for use as a management assessment tool.     

耕地土壤碳固存的措施与潜力

土壤CO2排放与土壤退化、土壤有机质(SOC)含量减少和土壤质量下降密切相关。耕地具有较大的碳固存潜力。通过采用最佳管理措施(BMPs)和进行土壤修复来提高土壤质量，能增加SOC含量和提高土壤生产力，并能部分起到减缓温室效应的作用。文章从土壤固碳的机制入手，系统总结了在耕作土壤碳固存方面的研究。从土壤侵蚀控制、退化土壤修复、保护性耕作、残落物管理，改善农作物制度等方面，论述了耕地的固碳潜力，并提出了一系列实现碳固存的措施。最后估算出耕地土壤总的固碳潜力为0．73～0．87Pg/a。研究表明,在替代性能源开发之前，耕地碳固存是一项切实可行的措施。     

Soil microbial population and enzyme activity related to grazing pressure in alpine meadows of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

The present study aims to analyze the interaction of prevailing biotic pressure on soil environment with emphasis on its physicochemical and microbiological characteristics determining soil fertility status and thus supporting plant and animal biodiversity in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) which is located in northern part of Uttaranchal hills between 79 degrees 40'E to 80 degrees 05'E longitude and 30 degrees 17'N to 30 degrees 41'E latitude. The experimental results revealed that the physico-chemical characteristics (viz., moisture, pH, EC, C, N, P, K, CEC) of soil were maximum in moderately grazed meadow and minimum in intensively grazed meadow. Soil microbial analysis measured in terms of total viable count (TVC) exhibited grazing sensitivity trend being maximum population of bacteria > fungi > actinomycetes. The soil microbial population was positively correlated with soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity, acid phosphatase and microbial biomass, which exhibited uneven trend with grazing pressure. Soil from moderately grazed meadow showed highest microbial count and enzyme activities, whilst intensively grazed meadow showed lowest microbial count and enzyme activities. This depicts the beneficial role of prescribed grazing up to limited extent in management of soil fertility, which might have supported luxuriant growth of a variety of grasses.     

不同类型土壤中外源镍对赤子爱胜蚓的急性毒性

按照国际标准化组织(ISO)颁布的蚯蚓毒性试验方法,研究了镍离子在我国13种典型土壤中对赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia fetida)的急性毒性,发现镍离子在不同类型土壤中对蚯蚓的半数致死浓度(LC50)变化范围为243.8-1970.6 mg·kg-1,镍离子在不同土壤中的毒性大小顺序为:湖南红壤＞重庆紫壤＞江西红壤＞河...     

Cattle Grazing Impacts on Annual Forbs and Vegetation Composition of Mesic Grasslands in California

Abstract:   Livestock grazing represents a major human alteration of natural disturbance regimes in grasslands throughout the world, and its impacts on plant communities have been highly debated. We investigated the impact of cattle grazing on the California coastal prairie plant community with a focus on native annual forbs, a number of which are of conservation concern. In spring 2000 and 2001, we surveyed the vegetation community composition, vegetation structure, and soil chemical parameters at 25 paired grazed and ungrazed sites over a 670-km range of the ecosystem. Native annual forb species richness and cover were higher in grazed sites, and this effect was concomitant with decreased vegetation height and litter depth. Soil properties explained less of the variation. Exotic annual grass and forb cover were higher in grazed sites. Native grass cover and species richness did not differ in grazed and ungrazed sites, but cover and species richness of native perennial forbs were higher in ungrazed sites. Our results suggest that cattle grazing may be a valuable management tool with which to conserve native annual forbs in the ecosystem we studied but that grazing differentially affects the various life-history guilds. Therefore, land managers must focus on creating a matrix of disturbance regimes to maintain the suite of species native to these mesic grasslands. The results of this and other studies highlight the importance of considering the adaptation of vegetation communities to disturbance in making recommendations for grazing management.     

Simulating soil organic matter with CQESTR (v. 2.0): Model description and validation against long-term experiments across North America

Soil carbon (C) models are important tools for examining complex interactions between climate, crop and soil management practices, and to evaluate the long-term effects of management practices on C-storage potential in soils. CQESTR is a process-based carbon balance model that relates crop residue additions and crop and soil management to soil organic matter (SOM) accretion or loss. This model was developed for national use in U.S and calibrated initially in the Pacific Northwest. Our objectives were: (i) to revise the model, making it more applicable for wider geographic areas including potential international application, by modifying the thermal effect and incorporating soil texture and drainage effects, and (ii) to recalibrate and validate it for an extended range of soil properties and climate conditions. The current version of CQESTR (v. 2.0) is presented with the algorithms necessary to simulate SOM at field scale. Input data for SOM calculation include crop rotation, aboveground and belowground biomass additions, tillage, weather, and the nitrogen content of crop residues and any organic amendments. The model was validated with long-term data from across North America. Regression analysis of 306 pairs of predicted and measured SOM data under diverse climate, soil texture and drainage classes, and agronomic practices at 13 agricultural sites having a range of SOM (7.3–57.9 g SOM kg⁻¹), resulted in a linear relationship with an r² of 0.95 (P < 0.0001) and a 95% confidence interval of 4.3 g SOM kg⁻¹. Using the same data the version 1.0 of CQESTR had an r² of 0.71 with a 95% confidence interval of 5.5 g SOM kg⁻¹. The model can be used as a tool to predict and evaluate SOM changes from various management practices and offers the potential to estimate C accretion required for C credits.     

推荐管理措施情景下黄淮海地区旱地土壤固碳潜力模拟研究——以河南省获嘉县为例

农田土壤固碳不仅可以减缓气候变化,而且能够提高土壤质量。推荐管理措施,如少、免耕和秸秆还田等,具有促进农田土壤有机碳（SOC）增加的巨大潜力。旱地占中国农田面积的70%以上,在固定大气CO2方面可以发挥重要作用。本研究基于黄淮海地区的一个旱地土壤肥力长期监测点数据并运用Century模型模拟了监测期间（1998～2007）土壤有机碳动态变化。在此基础上,设计了1种基础管理措施情景和4种推荐管理措施情景并模拟了它们未来20年的固碳潜力。模拟结果表明,监测期间监测点土壤有机碳密度增加2.72 Mg.hm-2,年均增加0.27 Mg.hm-2。土壤有机碳的增加主要是因为氮肥施用量的增加。模型验证结果表明,Century模型很好地模拟了监测点土壤有机碳的动态变化。各推荐管理措施均具有较大的固碳潜力,其中50%秸秆还田是比少、免耕更有效的固碳措施,而少耕＋50%秸秆还田的固碳潜力最大。因此,在黄淮海地区旱地推广实施推荐管理措施是促进农田土壤固碳的有效策略,有助于减缓大气CO2浓度升高和保障国家粮食安全。     

Ableitung ökotoxikologisch begründeter Bodenqualitätskriterien am Beispiel Arsen

Background

A vast amount of data on the concentration of substances in soils is being generated in environmental monitoring programmes. This data has to be assessed in terms of effects on terrestrial biota. Benchmarks for such an assessment have been missing up to now. This gap has been filled by the development of a concept for the derivation of ecotoxicologically based soil quality criteria (SQC) and the application of this concept to environmentally relevant substances.

Objectives

The derivation method was applied to arsenic. The derivation process was described in detail from the compilation of data regarding effects on microbial processes, plants, and soil invertebrates to the formulation of a recommendation for an SQC.

Methods

The conceptual framework for the derivation of ecotoxicologically based SQC was developed after reviewing national and international concepts for the assessment of the effects of substances on terrestrial communities. For the assessment of arsenic effects, all relevant biotic processes and trophic levels have been taken into account. Moreover, soil characteristics that may affect the toxicity to biota have been reviewed.

Results

Effects of arsenic on biota may occur at soil background concentrations or slightly above. There are only a few studies in which the influence of soil characteristics, such as soil pH, soil texture, and soil organic carbon, on the effects of arsenic has been investigated systematically. That is why the SQC was oriented on soil background concentrations for sandy soils (5 mg As/kg soil dw). A comparison of the SQC derived in this work with ecotoxicologically based soilquality values from Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States shows an average value of 16 mg As/kg, with a range between 5 and 34 mg/kg. The variations in the soil quality values are mainly due to differences in the derivation approaches.

Conclusions and Outlook

The concept applied is considered suitable for the derivation of SQC designed to protect terrestrial communities against direct effects of substances in soils. Therefore, its use is planned to derive SQC for other environmentally relevant substances. In addition to compensation factors, statistical methods should be taken into account to compensate for risks which cannot be quantified. Furthermore, there is the need for an assessment of indirect effects of soil contaminants on birds and mammals.     

Current developments in soil ecotoxicology and the need for strengthening soil ecotoxicology in Europe: results of a stakeholder workshop

Background

Soil is one of our most important resources and fulfills many ecological functions such as storage and filtration of water and nutrients, transformation of chemical compounds and nutrients, biomass production, and carbon storage. Such soil functions support ecosystem services provided by soils, which need to be protected to protect soil fertility. However, European soils often contain elevated concentrations of contaminants, putting biodiversity of soil organisms as well as the ecological functions and services at risk. To promote soil ecotoxicology in Switzerland, the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology together with the Federal Office for Environment and the Federal Office for Agriculture organized a stakeholder workshop on 7 June 2018 with participants from research, governmental bodies, and associations. One goal of this workshop was to inform participants about currently available risk assessment approaches for soil, the soil risk assessment for plant protection products in Europe, available bioassays and bioindicators, and results of research projects on soil contaminants in Switzerland. Another goal was to discuss the needs for research in soil ecotoxicology in Switzerland and to identify next steps, potential projects, and future collaborations.

Results

The main needs identified during the workshop were the establishment of (bio)indicators to measure soil fertility, functional parameters to determine soil functions, and the preservation of soil biodiversity. Another priority listed was the formation of a working group, which addresses the issue of the development of environmental quality standards for soil. The need for experimental field sites for implementing and testing new approaches or tools for assessing soil quality was also discussed.

Conclusion

The next steps planned are two workshops with national and international experts in soil ecotoxicology to develop a soil monitoring concept for Switzerland and to find suitable bioindicators to evaluate soil fertility. Additionally, a literature review will be performed summarizing the current ecotoxicological state of the art with regard to the development of bioindicators in relation to the monitoring of plant protection products in Swiss soil, to evaluate their effects on soil fertility. Furthermore, all attendees agreed on the need for annual meetings or workshops where experts can present scientific results, participants can exchange information, and future projects and collaborations can be developed.

     

Assessing the effect of long-term crop cultivation on distribution of Cd in the root zone

Trace elements such as cadmium (Cd) may be inadvertently added to cropland soils through application of fertilizers, irrigation water, and other amendments. These toxic trace elements pose a potentially threat to soil quality and, through the food chain transfer, to human health. A generalized soil trace element mass balance model that accounts for the interactive processes governing the reactions of trace elements in soils, and consequently removed with crop harvest and leaching out of the soil profile with irrigation water was developed in this research. The model conceptually approximates the mechanisms and kinetics of a real field cropland system. The model was used to evaluate the long-term cultivation on distribution of Cd in California croplands. Under typical California cropping practices, Cd added into the soils accumulated primarily in the plow layer while the Cd content below the plow layer was barely affected. After 100 years of continuous cultivation, the soil Cd content of the plow layer increases from the background level 0.22 mg kg⁻¹ to 0.40 mg kg⁻¹. The accumulation of Cd in the plow layer is in proportion to the external inputs and is affected by the soil and plant characteristics, and management practices. The model can be used to evaluate the environmental fates of other toxic element in soils with case specific parameters.     

Microorganisms and physico-chemical properties of soils with different slope-protecting vegetation in Daguang Highway北大核心CSCD

In order to investigate the effect of different slope-protecting vegetation on soil restoration in the highways, we collected soils at depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm from areas planted with Amorpha fruticosa, Periploca sepium, and Paederia scandens for 6-7 years in the Daming road section of the Daguang Highway, in October 2016. The physico-chemical properties and microbial community of the soils were then analyzed. The soil microbial community was analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). The correlation between the microbial community and the physico-chemical properties of the soils was determined by redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that (1) the physico-chemical properties were the best for soils with Paederia scandens; the nutrient content, water holding capacity, and porosity of the soils with the three types of slope-protecting vegetation were better in the 0-10 cm layer than in the other layers; (2) the contents of soil aggregates (diameter > 5 mm) were the highest in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers for the soil with Paederia scandens; (3) the dominant bacteria in the 0-10 cm layer and dominant fungi in the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm layers were higher in the soils with Pe. sepium and Pa. scandens than in the soil with A. fruticosa; and (4) results of RDA showed that the physical properties of the soils were the main factors that influenced the soil microbial community. The physical properties of the soils were sensitive to the change of soil quality. Soil quality can be improved by appropriate management measures, such as burying litter, which can subsequently improve the ecological environment of soils in sloping regions. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Determining soil quality in urban agricultural regions by soil enzyme-based index

Urban agricultural soils are highly variable, and careful selection of sensitive indicators is needed for the assessment of soil quality. This study is proposed to develop an index based on soil enzyme activities for assessing the quality of urban agricultural soils. Top soils were collected from urban agricultural areas of Korea, and soil chemical properties, texture, microbial fatty acids, and enzyme activities were determined. The soils belonged to five textural classes with the highest frequency of sandy loam. There was no clear correlation between the soil chemical properties and soil microbial properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis were applied to microbial groups for identification of microbial community variation in soils. Two soil groups, namely group 1 (G1) and group 2 (G2), based on microbial community abundance were examined by PCA, and those were more prominent in factor analysis. The G1 soils showed higher microbial community abundance than G2 soils. The canonical discriminant analysis was applied to the enzyme activities of sandy loam soil to develop an index, and the index validation was confirmed using the unused soils and published data. The high-quality soils in published literature assigned the high valued index. Microbial fatty acids and soil enzyme activities can be suitable indicators for soil quality evaluation of urban agricultural soils.

     

Atrazine contamination in agricultural soils from the Yangtze River Delta of China and associated health risks

Atrazine is one of the most widely applied and persistent herbicides in the world. In view of limited information on the regional contamination of atrazine in soils in China, this study investigated the spatial distribution and environmental impacts of atrazine in agricultural soils collected from the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) as an illustrative analysis of rapidly developing regions in the country. The results showed that the concentrations of atrazine in the YRD agricultural soils ranged from <1.0 to 113 ng/g dry weight, with a mean of 5.7 ng/g, and a detection rate of 57.7 % in soils. Pesticide factory might be a major source for the elevated levels of atrazine in Zhejiang Province. The contamination of atrazine was closely associated with land use types. The concentrations and detection rates of atrazine were higher in corn fields and mulberry fields than in rice paddy fields. There was no significant difference in compositions of soil microbial phospholipids fatty acids among the areas with different atrazine levels. Positive relationship (R = 0.417, p < 0.05, n = 30) was observed between atrazine and total microbial biomass. However, other factors, such as soil type and land management practice, might have stronger influences on soil microbial communities. Human health risks via exposure to atrazine in soils were estimated according to the methods recommended by the US EPA. Atrazine by itself in all the soil samples imposed very low carcinogenic risks (<10^?6) and minimal non-cancer risks (hazard index <1) to adults and children.     

Biodiversity of urban soils for sustainable cities

The last century was marked by a high demographic revolution and the fast development of urban environments. Now, more than 50% of the world’s 7.5 billion humans live in cities. This change has often induced the degradation of environmental quality in urban areas. As a consequence, management policies are now fostering the ‘return of nature’ in cities, which, in turn, is requiring a better understanding of the ecology of urban environments. In particular, there is a need for a better knowledge on soil management because soils provide many functions in cities such as urban agriculture. Optimizing the diversity of soil-living organisms is essential to many environmental functions such as water depollution, biochemical cycles, fertility and carbon storage. However, few studies on the biological quality of urban soils have been performed so far. This article reviews actual knowledge on soil biological quality for urban management. The definition of urban soils is discussed, and we present services provided by soils. We also review modern methods and techniques to assess the biological quality of urban soils. Last, we suggest communication means to improve the consideration of soil quality in urban planning policies aimed at sustainable cities.     

利用农业土壤固定有机碳——缓解全球变暖与提高土壤生产力

大气CO     

Short reviews by the Editor

Soil desiccation is a major issue limiting development and sustainability of forest vegetation in the Loess Plateau of China. Better understanding of the mechanisms of soil desiccation in the Loess Plateau can help scientists and forest managers improve vegetation management practices. The arid soil layer is the ecological aftermath of intense soil desiccation due to disturbed plant succession and soil water reduction. The formation and types of arid soil layer in the Loess Plateau were investigated to determine major causes of soil desiccation and its impact on forest vegetation. The negative effects of soil desiccation on the ecological environment and forest vegetation mainly include drying microclimate, degrading soil quality, poor vegetation growth, difficult forest renewal from natural seed banks, making it even more difficult to reforest forest lands and grasslands following plant senescence. Low precipitation, high evaporation, soil and water losses, improper selection of vegetation types, and too high population density of trees are probably the major reasons for the arid soil layer. Proper selection of vegetation types, adjusting tree density and other management practices can reduce the negative effects of the arid soil layer on forest vegetation.     

Pollution indices as useful tools for the comprehensive evaluation of the degree of soil contamination–A review

The paper provides a complex, critical assessment of heavy metal soil pollution using different indices. Pollution indices are widely considered a useful tool for the comprehensive evaluation of the degree of contamination. Moreover, they can have a great importance in the assessment of soil quality and the prediction of future ecosystem sustainability, especially in the case of farmlands. Eighteen indices previously described by several authors (I_geo, PI, EF, C_f, PI_sum, PI_Nemerow, PLI, PI_ave, PI_Vector, PIN, MEC, CSI, MERMQ, C_deg, RI, mCd and ExF) as well as the newly published Biogeochemical Index (BGI) were compared. The content, as determined by other authors, of the most widely investigated heavy metals (Cd, Pb and Zn) in farmland, forest and urban soils was used as a database for the calculation of all of the presented indices, and this shows, based on statistical methods, the similarities and differences between them. The indices were initially divided into two groups: individual and complex. In order to achieve a more precise classification, our study attempted to further split indices based on their purpose and method of calculation. The strengths and weaknesses of each index were assessed; in addition, a comprehensive method for pollution index choice is presented, in order to best interpret pollution in different soils (farmland, forest and urban). This critical review also contains an evaluation of various geochemical backgrounds (GBs) used in heavy metal soil pollution assessments. The authors propose a comprehensive method in order to assess soil quality, based on the application of local and reference GB.     

不同利用方式下吴江市耕地土壤环境质量变化

土地利用方式的不同影响着土壤环境质量的变化。文章采用了2003年江苏省吴江市耕地质量监测中资料,分析了6种不同土地利用方式下的土壤养分及Pb、Cr、Hg、As、Cd等5种重金属元素全量的变化,并采用土壤质量综合指数(SQI)法计算不同利用下的土壤环境质量指数。结果表明:近20多年来,吴江市土地利用方式发生了明显的变化,这种变化对本土壤养分和重金属含量产生了十分明显的影响。在稻田、林地、桑园、菜地、果园、旱地六种吴江常见的土地利用方式中,稻田土壤环境质量综合指数显著高于其他利用下,而其他五种利用方式下土壤质量的差别不明显。可见稻田不仅是一种太湖地区传统的利用方式,更是保持环境质量相对最佳的土地利用方式。     

煤矸石对盐碱土壤理化性质的改良效果

盐碱土壤物理结构差,植物成活率低,煤矸石具有改善盐碱土壤物理结构和化学性质的潜力,将煤矸石应用于盐碱地,能够达到煤矸石废弃资源循环利用和盐碱地改良的双重效果。为阐明煤矸石对盐碱土壤的改良效果和对土壤物理化学性质的影响,将不同用量(0、10%、20%、30%、40%、50%)和不同粒径(小粒径<1 mm、中粒径1—5 mm、大粒径>5 mm以及小中大等比例混合粒径)煤矸石施用于盐碱土壤,通过紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)盆栽试验,测定土壤的物理化学性质。结果表明,随着煤矸石用量的增加,紫花苜蓿株高和生物量呈现先增后减的趋势,20%用量煤矸石处理的株高和生物量分别比对照平均提高了21.45%和25.89%;团聚体平均重量直径(MWD)呈现先减后增再减的趋势;土壤饱和含水量、田间持水量呈现先稳定后降低的趋势;土壤EC值、pH值、碱解氮含量呈现持续降低的趋势,其中20%用量煤矸石处理的土壤pH比对照平均下降了0.51个pH单位;土壤总碳、总氮、总磷、有效磷含量呈现持续上升的趋势。从粒径角度考虑,对土壤EC、pH降幅以及团聚体含量、总养分、速效养分含量,小粒径>混合粒径≈中粒径>大粒径。土壤综合指数(SQI)随煤矸石用量增加先升后降;各粒径煤矸石处理下的SQI峰值大小表现为小粒径>混合粒径>中粒径>大粒径;20%用量下小粒径和混合粒径煤矸石处理的土壤SQI最高,分别比对照显著提高了68.27%和57.13%。综上,煤矸石可以改良盐碱土壤质量,促进植物生长,20%用量的小粒径和混合粒径煤矸石效果最好。     

Indicators of ecosystem function identify alternate states in the sagebrush steppe

Models of ecosystem change that incorporate nonlinear dynamics and thresholds, such as state-and-transition models (STMs), are increasingly popular tools for land management decision-making. However, few models are based on systematic collection and documentation of ecological data, and of these, most rely solely on structural indicators (species composition) to identify states and transitions. As STMs are adopted as an assessment framework throughout the United States, finding effective and efficient ways to create data-driven models that integrate ecosystem function and structure is vital. This study aims to (1) evaluate the utility of functional indicators (indicators of rangeland health, IRH) as proxies for more difficult ecosystem function measurements and (2) create a data-driven STM for the sagebrush steppe of Colorado, USA, that incorporates both ecosystem structure and function. We sampled soils, plant communities, and IRH at 41 plots with similar clayey soils but different site histories to identify potential states and infer the effects of management practices and disturbances on transitions. We found that many IRH were correlated with quantitative measures of functional indicators, suggesting that the IRH can be used to approximate ecosystem function. In addition to a reference state that functions as expected for this soil type, we identified four biotically and functionally distinct potential states, consistent with the theoretical concept of alternate states. Three potential states were related to management practices (chemical and mechanical shrub treatments and seeding history) while one was related only to ecosystem processes (erosion). IRH and potential states were also related to environmental variation (slope, soil texture), suggesting that there are environmental factors within areas with similar soils that affect ecosystem dynamics and should be noted within STMs. Our approach generated an objective, data-driven model of ecosystem dynamics for rangeland management. Our findings suggest that the IRH approximate ecosystem processes and can distinguish between alternate states and communities and identify transitions when building data-driven STMs. Functional indicators are a simple, efficient way to create data-driven models that are consistent with alternate state theory. Managers can use them to improve current model-building methods and thus apply state-and-transition models more broadly for land management decision-making.