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The United States is an important food producer globally, in part because of its abundance of agriculturally productive soils. However, management practices that maximize yields have caused losses in soil organic matter, poor soil structure and water-holding capacity, and increased salinity on millions of acres of land - and have adversely affected the microbial communities that are the drivers of many soil processes. At the same time, recent scientific advances have spurred interest in how microbial communities can support soil health, food quality, and human health. It is in this context that the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture asked the National Academies to explore the linkages between soil health and human health. The report finds that to improve soil health, federal agencies need to promote the importance of soil health, support translational research, and develop a coordinated national approach to monitor soil health over time and space. Given the potential that microbiomes have in modulating soil, plant, and human health, there is also a pressing need to determine which microbial features, if any, contribute to quantifying or fortifying health in both human and soil systems and to understand the direct and indirect roles of soil, alongside other environmental factors, in influencing human microbial colonization and subsequent health outcomes. Such investigation involves delving into the relatively sparse or disconnected research regarding the microbiome continuum that links soil and human systems.

Dieses Open Access Buch vermittelt fundierte Grundlagen und praxisorientierte Anleitungen für die genaue Kartierung von Ackerflächen auf der Grundlage von Bodenparametern wie Textur, pH-Wert und Humusgehalt. Es werden die gegenwärtig bestgeeigneten Kartierungsverfahren beschrieben. Von der Bereinigung der Bodensensordaten bis hin zur Erstellung von Streukarten und der Auswahl des optimalen Kalkdüngers wird jeder Schritt des Prozesses detailliert erklärt. Sämtliche Funktionen und Algorithmen zum Buch sind als “R”-Skripte via Download verfügbar. Mit Hilfe von Beispieldaten und einem Tutorial kann die Prozesskette zur Streukartenerstellung mit der freien Softwareumgebung “R” als Einstieg in mathematische Methoden des Precision Farming, u.a. räumliche Statistik und Entscheidungsunterstützungsalgorithmen, nachvollzogen werden. Darüber hinaus bietet dieses Buch praktische Einblicke in die landwirtschaftliche Praxis, indem es die Bedeutung präziser Bodentexturkarten für eine effiziente Grunddüngung erläutert. Anhand von anschaulichen Praxisbeispielen werden die Auswirkungen ungenauer Bodeninformationen auf die Nährstoffversorgung des Bodens und die Umwelt verdeutlicht. Mit seinem ganzheitlichen Ansatz liefert dieses Buch nicht nur praktische Anleitungen, sondern auch wertvolles Hintergrundwissen zu Fachthemen wie Bodenacidität, Kalkdüngestoffen und Kartierungsmethoden. Es ist ein idealer Begleiter für Landwirt•innen, Berater•innen und Wissenschaftler•innen, die ihre landwirtschaftlichen Praktiken optimieren und ihre Erträge steigern möchten.

This book presents the significant values of sandy soil and its properties, which include biotic and abiotic components, soil protection, soil amelioration, ecological indicators, and, differing from other books, Forest Therapy concept implementation in the sandy soil forest areas. This book may benefit people from different fields, including ecologists, landscape architects, researchers, and students to understand in-depth the properties of sandy soil, its characteristics, and functional values.

Soil is an important but often neglected element of the climate system. It is the second largest carbon store, or ‘sink', after the oceans. Despite being a fundamental resource that supports all kinds of life on Earth, concerns related to soil are often not included as an important environmental issue. Climate changes put soil under pressure. The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere may cause the microbes in the soil to work faster to break down organic matter, potentially releasing even more carbon dioxide. The soil moisture content is being constantly affected by rising temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns and future projections show that this may continue. This book presents current environmental issues and their remedies for soil which are mainly based on soil degradation, soil pollution and the effect of climate change on the soil. Adding xenobiotic chemicals or other alterations in the natural soil environment for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes result in a decline in the soil quality due to improper use or poor management, which is a serious environmental problem. The book is divided into five parts - soil science, soil physics, soil chemistry, soil biology and soil environment. The first part “Soil Science” serves as the introduction to the book and discusses some common topics such as soil formation, mineralogy, taxonomy, quality and analytical techniques. The second part “Soil Physics” is mainly concerned with the physical properties and processes of soil and their association with effects on air, water and temperature. Soil Chemistry, the third part, discusses the chemical reactions and processes between inorganic and organic components. The fourth part “Soil Biology” explains the biological properties and processes of the soil, with special concern to microbial diversity and its effect on the ecology. Lastly, the fifth part “Soil Environment” discusses the current environmental problems such as climate change and soil pollution, including processes to mitigate these issues through carbon sequestration, nutrient management and land management.

Taking a sustainable approach, this volume explores the various soil management techniques. It begins with an overview of the elementary concepts of soil management and then delves into new research and novel soil management tools and techniques.Topics include:• Clays as a critical component in sustainable agriculture with respect to carbon sequestration in conjunction with its interaction with soil enzymes• The potential utilization of microbes to mitigate crop stress• Resource conservation technologies and prospective carbon management strategies• The use of smart tools for monitoring soils• Effective nutrient management approaches• Nanotechnological interventions for soil management• Techniques for the remediation of soils contaminated by metals and pesticides

'A love letter to Mother Earth and entertaining must-read that goes to the heart of our survival'Charles Massy.'A love letter to Mother Earth and entertaining must-read that goes to the heart of our survival'Charles Massy, author of Call of the Reed Warbler. Perfect for fans of Wilding by Isabella Tree.What we do to the soil, we do to ourselves.Soil is the unlikely story of our most maligned resource as swashbuckling hero. A saga of bombs, ice ages and civilisations falling. Of ancient hunger, modern sicknesses and gastronomic delight. It features poison gas, climate collapse and a mind-blowing explanation of how rain is formed.For too long, we've not only neglected the land beneath us, we've squandered and debased it, by over-clearing, over-grazing and over-ploughing. But if we want our food to nourish us, and to ensure our planet's long-term health, we need to understand how soil works - how it's made, how it's lost, and how it can be repaired.In this ode to the thin veneer of Earth that gifts us life, commentator and farmer Matthew Evans shows us that what we do in our backyards, on our farms, and what we put on our dinner tables really matters, and can be a source of hope.Isn't it time we stopped treating the ground beneath our feet like dirt?

The third volume of Sustainable Soil and Land Management and Climate Change presents a complete overview of plant soil interactions in a climate affected by greenhouse gas emissions and organic carbon. It presents approaches and managements strategies for the stabilization of soil organic matter.The latest in the respected Footprints of Climate Variability on Plant Diversity series, this book enhances the reader's knowledge of the preservation of organic matter through microbial approaches as well as through soil and plant interactions. Written by teams of specialist scientists, it presents research outcomes, practical applications and future challenges for this important field.Features: Presents microbial tactics for the alleviation of potentially toxic elements in agricultural soils and for reclaiming saline soil. Provides an overview of scientific investigations into greenhouse gas emissions. Outlines priming techniques developed in response to a changing climate. This book is written for students of agronomy, soil science and the environmental sciences as well as researchers interested in management technologies to improve soil fertility.

This book explores the importance of soil health in croplands, rangelands, pasturelands, and gardens, and presents new methods and technologies for assessing soil dynamics and health in these different land types. Through perspectives of agriculture, soil management, and ecological sustainability, the book provides accurate and up-to-date information on soil health assessment and maintenance that is often missing from current literature on conservation and environmental management and preservation. The book is written in a clear and concise format, and will appeal to non-scientists interested in soil health, as well as professional farmers, ranchers and gardeners. The book begins by discussing soil health from a historical perspective, and in terms of how it is covered in the news currently. Then the author addresses the ecological implications of soil health in farming, ranching and gardening, and comprehensively details the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil as they apply in various land types. The book then examines soil health assessment using new diagnostic and analytic technologies, and how these new innovations will be necessary going forward to maintain and improve soil health.

Fertilizers have been used extensively around the globe since the Green Revolution, due to the high subsidies. However, extensive fertilizer use exacerbates soil degradation and causes yield stagnation, and as a result threatens food security and soil sustainability, especially in developing countries. This means that sustainable soil and environmental management are vital to provide food and nutritional security for present and future generations. This has led to the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) declaring 2015-2024 the International Decade of Soils. This book focuses on the impact of sustainable management of soil and environment on improving the functioning of soil-ecosystems and agronomic productivity, and also discusses food security, nutrient cycling, recent advances in INM technologies, eco-friendly cultivation, agricultural practices to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as conservation agriculture and its effects, and strategies for soil sustainability. Offering a comprehensive overview of management in the context of the sustainability of soil and the agroecosystems that it supports, it demonstrates the options available and provides insights into restoring soil health and matching soil nutrient supply with crop demand to ensure nutritional security in an eco-friendly environment.

This book addresses the threats that hamper the achievement of sustainable soil management: soil erosion by water and wind, soil organic carbon loss, nutrient imbalance, salinization, contamination, acidification, loss of soil biodiversity, surface sealing, compaction and water logging. The specific focus is on preventive and ameliorative strategies for sustainable soil management.

This book conceptualizes a revolutionary idea based on a mechanistic-mathematical model in which the “Buffer Power” of the principal and problematic nutrients like phosphorus, potassium and zinc is quantified. This is achieved by using either a very sophisticated technique, electro-ultra-filtration, or a simple adsorption-desorption equilibrium technique, and by integrating the “Buffer Power” of the nutrient in question into the computations, accurate fertilizer recommendations are made. This technique was field tested across Europe, (Germany and Belgium), Africa (The Republic of Cameroon), and Asia (both Central Asia- Turkey and South Asia-India), during a period of three decades in test crops, such as, summer rye (Secale cereale), maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), white clover (Trifolium repens), a highly nutritious and palatable fodder crop for Africa, black pepper (Piper nigrum) and cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum). Remarkable precision in predictability of plant uptake of phosphorus, potassium and zinc was obtained employing the technique.“The Nutrient Buffer Power Concept” project was shortlisted for the very prestigious U.S. $1 Million Rolex Awards For Enterprise of The Rolex Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, for its outstanding originality and quality from more than 3500 nominations worldwide and is the only project chosen for this very coveted distinction from the Asian continent.

The current global environmental crisis is primarily the result of non-standardized parameters for environmental regulation, and is impacting e.g. clean air, safe drinking water and the quality of food, particularly in developing nations. Due to their poor/lax execution of EIA protocols, newly developing countries are preferred destinations for establishing pollution-emitting industries, which results in the degradation and depletion of their natural resources. Lack of environmental policy intervention is another major incentive to base “dirty” industries in these nations. In order to ensure sustainable development, the highest-priority issues include the monitoring and eradication of environmental problems stemming from economic development; virtually every form of economic development primarily results in the loss of forests and thus biodiversity, followed by declining air quality and the contamination of natural resources. Sustainable development ensures responsible interactions with the environment, so as to minimize the depletion or degradation of natural resources and preserve environmental quality. It involves integrated approaches to understanding the importance of environmental management systems and policy measures that lead to improved environmental performance. This book addresses the environmental concerns associated with economic development, and with approaches to attaining sustainable economic development, which include monitoring the quality of water resources, soil erosion and degradation of the natural environment.

Global Change and Forest Soils: Cultivating Stewardship of a Finite Natural Resource, Volume 36, provides a state-of-the-science summary and synthesis of global forest soils that identifies concerns, issues and opportunities for soil adaptation and mitigation as external pressures from global changes arise. Where, how and why some soils are resilient to global change while others are at risk is explored, as are upcoming train wrecks and success stories across boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. Each chapter offers multiple sections written by leading soil scientists who comment on wildfires, climate change and forest harvesting effects, while also introducing examples of current global issues. Readers will find this book to be an integrated, up-to-date assessment on global forest soils. - Presents sections on boreal, temperate and tropical soils for a diverse audience - Serves as an important reference source for anyone interested in both a big-picture assessment of global soil issues and an in-depth examination of specific environmental topics - Provides a unique synthesis of forest soils and their collective ability to respond to global change - Offers chapters written by leading soil scientists - Prepares readers to meet the daily challenges of drafting multi-resource environmental science and policy documents

Sustainable management of soils is an important global issue of the 21st century. Feeding roughly 8 billion people with an environmentally sustainable production system is a major challenge, especially considering the fact that 10% of the world's population at risk of hunger and 25% at risk of malnutrition. Accordingly, the 68th United Nations (UN) general assembly declared 2016 the “International Year of Pulses” to raise awareness and to celebrate the role of pulses in human nutrition and welfare. Likewise, the assembly declared the year 2015 as the “International Year of Soils” to promote awareness of the role of “healthy soils for a healthy life” and the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) has declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade of Soils. Including legumes in cropping systems is an important toward advancing soil sustainability, food and nutritional security without compromising soil quality or its production potential. Several textbooksand edited volumes are currently available on general soil fertility or on legumes but‚ to date‚ none have been dedicated to the study of “Legumes for Soil Health and Sustainable Management”. This is important aspect, as the soil, the epidermis of the Earth (geoderma)‚ is the major component of the terrestrial biosphere. This book explores the impacts of legumes on soil health and sustainability, structure and functioning of agro-ecosystems, agronomic productivity and food security, BNF, microbial transformation of soil N and P, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biofertilizers, etc. With the advent of fertilizers, legumes have been sidelined since World War II, which has produced serious consequences for soils and the environment alike. Therefore, legume-based rational cropping/soil management practices must support environmentally and economically sustain­able agroecosystems based on (sequential) rotation and intercropping considerations to restore soilhealth and sustainability. All chapters are amply illustrated with appropriately placed data, tables, figures, and photographs, and supported with extensive and cutting-edge references. The editors have provided a roadmap for the sustainable development of legumes for food and nutritional security and soil sustainability in agricultural systems, offering a unique resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, agronomy, ecology, and the environmental sciences.

The book focuses in detail on learning and adapting through partnerships between managers, scientists, and other stake­holders who learn together how to create and maintain sustainable resource systems. As natural areas shrink and fragment, our ability to sustain economic growth and safeguard biological diversity and ecological integrity is increasingly being put to the test. In attempting to meet this unprecedented challenge, adaptive management is becoming a viable alternative for broader application. Adaptive management is an iterative decision-making process which is both operationally and conceptually simple and which incorporates users to acknowledge and account for uncertainty, and sustain an operating environment that promotes its reduction through careful planning, evaluation, and learning until the desired results are achieved.This multifaceted approach requires clearly defined management objectives to guide decisions about what actions to take, and explicit assumptions about expected outcomes to compare against actual outcomes. In this edited book, we address the issue by pursuing a holistic and systematic approach that utilizes natural resources to reap sustainable environmental, economic and social benefits for adap­tive management, helping to ensure that relationships between land, water and plants are managed in ways that mimic nature.

This compilation of techniques, methodologies and scientific data arises from a four-year Italian research project, which took place at university research stations in Turin, Piacenza, Naples and Potenza. Soil Organic Matter (SOM) represents an active and essential pool of the total organic carbon on the planet. Consequently, even small changes in this SOM carbon pool may have a significant impact on the concentration of atmospheric CO2. Recent new understanding of the chemical nature of SOM indicates that innovative and sustainable technologies may be applied to sequester carbon in agricultural soils. Overall results of the project have been applied to develop an innovative model for the prediction and description, both quantitatively and qualitatively, of carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. This book provides experts in different areas of soil science with a complete picture of the effects of new soil management methods and their potentials for practicalapplication in farm management.

The agricultural world has changed significantly during the last years. The excessive use of heavy machinery, waste disposal, the use of agrochemicals and new soil cultivation means led to severe problems, which agricultural engineers have to cope with in order to prevent soil from permanent irreversible damage. This Soil Biology volume will update readers on several cutting-edge aspects of sustainable soil engineering including topics such as: soil compaction, soil density increases, soil disturbance and soil fragmentation; soil tillage machineries and optimization of tillage tools; soil traffic and traction, effects of heavy agricultural machines, the use of robotics in agriculture and controlled traffic farming; mechanical weed control, the characterization of soil variability and the recycling of compost and biosolids in agricultural soils.

Management of Problem Soils in Arid Ecosystems examines the challenges of managing soils in arid and semiarid regions. These soils contain low organic matter, are not leached, and accumulate lime, gypsum, and/or soluble salts, requiring special management and practices. This book discusses how to identify problems, reclaim the soils, and then use them efficiently and economically. Water management and desertification in these areas are also discussed. It contains extensive references as well as 40 tables and illustrations.