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Management practices are needed to reduce N losses from croplands converted from Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). We evaluated the effects of irrigation, tillage, cropping system, and N fertilization on surface residue N, soil total nitrogen (STN), NH4-N, and NO3-N at the 0- to 85-cm depth in a sandy loam from 2005 to 2011 in croplands converted from CRP in western North Dakota. Treatments were two irrigation practices (irrigated vs. non-irrigated) and six cropping systems (CRP, conventional till malt barley [Hordeum vulgaris L.] with nitrogen fertilizer [CTBN], conventional till malt barley without nitrogen fertilizer [CTBO], no-till malt barley-pea (Pisum sativum L.) with nitrogen fertilizer [NTB-P], no-till malt barley with nitrogen fertilizer [NTBN], and no-till malt barley without nitrogen fertilizer [NTBO]). Surface residue N was greater in non-irrigated CRP than irrigated and non-irrigated CTBN, CTBO, and NTBO and non-irrigated NTB-P. Soil total N at 0 to 10 cm was greater in irrigated CRP, but at 0 to 85 cm was greater in non-irrigated NTBN than irrigated CRP, CTBN, CTBO, and NTBO and non-irrigated NTB-P. Soil NH4-N content at 0 to 20 cm was also greater in irrigated CRP than irrigated and non-irrigated CTBO, NTB-P, and NTBO. Soil NO3-N at 0 to 85 cm was greater in NTB-P than CRP, CTBO, and NTBO. Because of increased soil N sequestration and NO3-N level, irrigated NTB-P may be used to reduce soil N losses and optimize N availability compared to other treatments in croplands converted from CRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: We studied 20th century lower forest–grassland ecotone shift in the Centennial Valley in southwestern Montana and investigated the effects of livestock herbivory on ecotone shift at a local spatial scale and a decadal time scale. A total of 525 aspen (Populus tremuloides) and 1703 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees were cored and 10,168 saplings were mapped along the ecotone at five sites that represented five different grazing regimes. Tree-age distribution was constructed to determine 20th century tree establishment. Tree age and location within the ecotone were correlated to describe the process of ecotone shift into the adjacent grassland. To corroborate the dendrochronological data and to detect changes in the ecotone, historic and current aerial photographs were compared. To examine livestock herbivory effects on ecotone shift at a decadal time scale, the number of new trees was correlated with 10 different levels of cattle grazing pressure during the last 60 years. Two different types of ecotone shift were documented. Previously documented simple linear relationships between livestock herbivory and tree encroachment were not consistently observed at decadal time scales. Livestock herbivory had a complex relationship with tree encroachment. Our results suggested that no consistent conclusions could be made regarding grazing effects on tree establishment across broad ranges of grazing pressure at decadal time scales. We suggest that the way forward needs to use a process-based approach to devise strategies for observing and quantifying multiple interacting processes of inhibition and facilitation effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We studied five lower forest–grassland ecotones in the Darhad Valley in northern Mongolia and investigated the effects of 20th Century grazing regimes and changes in grazing management on ecotone dynamics at a local scale. A total of 2968 Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) trees were cored and tree-age distribution was constructed to determine 20th Century tree establishment. Tree age and location within the ecotones were correlated and seedling density and their distribution were explored to describe forest–grassland ecotone shift. To examine livestock herbivory effects on ecotone shift, the number of new trees was analyzed with five different grazing regimes and changes in grazing practices during the last 80 years in the Darhad Valley. We documented some evidence of ecotone shift into the adjacent grassland. Rates and patterns of ecotone shift varied with different grazing regimes. Siberian larch tree establishment was greater at overall grazing intensities of low and high levels, which were dominated by sheep and cattle grazing. In contrast, larch establishment was lower at overall grazing intensities of low and medium levels, which were dominated by goat grazing. Twentieth Century changes in grazing practices also influenced Siberian larch regeneration. An abrupt decline in Darhad Valley larch establishment during the 20th Century coincided with locally increased grazing pressure. Furthermore, regional climate variability showed important interaction with local grazing regimes in affecting larch regeneration. A 20th Century pulse in larch establishment coincided with a time period of regionally known warmer temperatures and locally reduced grazing pressure. Our results suggest that overall grazing intensity, livestock species composition, and changes in grazing patterns are important in understanding grazing effects on Siberian larch tree encroachment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We used an object-oriented approach in conjunction with the Random Forest algorithm to classify agricultural practices, including tillage (till or no-till (NT)), crop intensity, and grassland-based conservation reserve (CR). The object-oriented approach allowed for per-field classifications and the incorporation of contextual elements in addition to spectral features. Random Forest is a classification tree-based advanced classifier that avoids data over-fitting associated with many tree-based models and incorporates an unbiased internal classification accuracy assessment. Landsat satellite imagery was chosen for its continuous coverage, cost effectiveness, and image accessibility. Classification results for 2007 included producer''s accuracies of 91% for NT and 31% for tillage when applying Random Forest to image objects generated from a May Landsat image. Low classification accuracies likely were attributed to the misclassification of conservation-based tillage practices as NT. Results showed that the binary separation of tillage from NT management is likely not appropriate due to surface spectral and textural similarities between NT and conservation-type tillage practices. Crop and CR lands resulted in producer''s accuracies of 100% and 90%, respectively. Crop and fallow producer''s accuracies were 95% and 82% in the 2007 classification, despite post-senesced vegetation; misclassification within the fallow class was attributed to pixel-mixing problems in areas of narrow (<100 m) strip management. A between-date normalized difference vegetation index approach was successfully used to detect areas having “changed” in vegetation status between the 2007 and prior image dates; classified “changed” objects were then merged with “unchanged” objects to produce crop status maps. Field crop intensity was then determined from the multi-year analysis of generated crop status maps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]