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Estimates of the land area occupied by wind energy differ by orders of magnitude due to data scarcity and inconsistent methodology. We developed a method that combines machine learning-based imagery analysis and geographic information systems and examined the land area of 318 wind farms (15,871 turbines) in the U.S. portion of the Western Interconnection. We found that prior land use and human modification in the project area are critical for land-use efficiency and land transformation of wind projects. Projects developed in areas with little human modification have a land-use efficiency of 63.8 ± 8.9 W/m2 (mean ±95% confidence interval) and a land transformation of 0.24 ± 0.07 m2/MWh, while values for projects in areas with high human modification are 447 ± 49.4 W/m2 and 0.05 ± 0.01 m2/MWh, respectively. We show that land resources for wind can be quantified consistently with our replicable method, a method that obviates >99% of the workload using machine learning. To quantify the peripheral impact of a turbine, buffered geometry can be used as a proxy for measuring land resources and metrics when a large enough impact radius is assumed (e.g., >4 times the rotor diameter). Our analysis provides a necessary first step toward regionalized impact assessment and improved comparisons of energy alternatives.

The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) is a federally funded grant program that provides nutrition incentives-subsidies for purchasing fruits and vegetables (FV)-to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants. GusNIP currently advances nutrition equity by improving FV access for people with low incomes, yet inequities exist within GusNIP. We sought to identify inequities in GusNIP at the community, organization, partner, and individual levels and develop recommendations for farm bill provisions to make the program more equitable. In Spring 2021, a group of nutrition incentive experts (n = 11) from across the country convened to discuss opportunities to enhance equity in GusNIP. The iterative recommendation development process included feedback from key stakeholders (n = 15) and focus group participants with GusNIP lived experience (n = 12). Eleven recommendations to advance equity in GusNIP in the farm bill emerged across six categories: (1) increase total GusNIP funding, (2) increase funding and support to lower-resourced organizations and impacted communities, (3) eliminate the match requirement, (4) support statewide expansion, (5) expand and diversify retailer participation, and (6) expand program marketing. Including these recommendations in the upcoming and future farm bills would equitably expand GusNIP for SNAP participants, program grantees, and communities across the country.

Mealworms are one of the most economically important insects in large-scale production for human and animal nutrition. Densoviruses are highly pathogenic for invertebrates and exhibit an extraordinary level of diversity which rivals that of their hosts. Molecular, clinical, histological, and electron microscopic characterization of novel densovirus infections is of utmost economic and ecological importance. Here, we describe an outbreak of densovirus with high mortality in a commercial mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) farm. Clinical signs included inability to prehend food, asymmetric locomotion evolving to nonambulation, dehydration, dark discoloration, and death. Upon gross examination, infected mealworms displayed underdevelopment, dark discoloration, larvae body curvature, and organ/tissue softness. Histologically, there was massive epithelial cell death, and cytomegaly and karyomegaly with intranuclear inclusion (InI) bodies in the epidermis, pharynx, esophagus, rectum, tracheae, and tracheoles. Ultrastructurally, these InIs represented a densovirus replication and assembly complex composed of virus particles ranging from 23.79 to 26.99 nm in diameter, as detected on transmission electron microscopy. Whole-genome sequencing identified a 5579-nucleotide-long densovirus containing 5 open reading frames. A phylogenetic analysis of the mealworm densovirus showed it to be closely related to several bird- and bat-associated densoviruses, sharing 97% to 98% identity. Meanwhile, the nucleotide similarity to a mosquito, cockroach, and cricket densovirus was 55%, 52%, and 41%, respectively. As this is the first described whole-genome characterization of a mealworm densovirus, we propose the name Tenebrio molitor densovirus (TmDNV). In contrast to polytropic densoviruses, this TmDNV is epitheliotropic, primarily affecting cuticle-producing cells.

Surface soil moisture (SSM) at high spatial resolution is an essential land parameter for agricultural applications like irrigation mapping, scheduling, crop water stress assessment, etc. However, available satellite derived soil moisture products are inadequate for meeting the requirements of agricultural applications due to coarse scale soil moisture (~10–40 km). In this article, we developed an operational framework for first of its kind sub-km (~500 m) operational soil moisture product over India by utilizing ISRO’s EOS-04 C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data based on active-passive approach. The potential of EOS-04 SAR for sub-km scale is demonstrated and tested over major cropland sites covering highly heterogeneous and dynamic crop conditions in different agro-climatic regions over India which shows a good agreement with in situ datasets with mean ubRMSE, ranging from 0.051 to 0.078 m³ /m³. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of the farming systems that aim to sequester carbon in agricultural soils is one of the ways to mitigate global climate change. This study focuses on the estimation of organic carbon sequestration potential of the Russian croplands in the upper (0–30 cm) soil layer by creating a set of maps using the data from global and national databases as the input data. The maps are generated within the FAO Global Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Potential Map (GSOCseq) project according to the unified methodology using the RothC model to predict the rate of carbon sequestration in 2020–2040 under a business as usual scenario (BAU), as well as under sustainable soil management scenarios with additional different C input (+5, +10, and +20%) resulting from the use of sustainable soil management (SSM) scenarios. The total potential sequestration rate by the croplands of the Russian Federation in the 0–30-cm layer under a BAU scenario is assessed at 8.5 Mt/year and the estimate under SSM scenarios, up to 25.5 Mt/year. The carbon sequestration by the cropland of each soil ecological zone (except for the light chestnut (Eutric Cambisols (Protocalcic)) and brown semidesert (Luvic Calcisols) soils, where it is around zero) and on a national scale is positive. The Altai krai, Omsk oblast, Novosibirsk oblast, and Krasnoyarsk krai have the greatest potential for sequestration. Several subjects of the Russian Federation—Krasnodar krai, Republic of Crimea, Rostov oblast, Primorskii krai, Republic of Adygea, and Kaliningrad oblast—demand the adoption of sustainable management of soil resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is being called upon to increase carbon (C) storage in soils to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) accumulation in the atmosphere. Cropping systems research can be used to support GHG mitigation efforts, but we must quantify land management impacts using appropriate assumptions and unambiguous methods. Soil C sequestration is considered temporary because it can be re‐emitted as carbon dioxide (CO2) if the effecting practice is not maintained and/or the soil–plant system is disturbed, for example, as the result of changing climate. Because of this, the climate benefit of soil C sequestration depends on the time that C is held out of the atmosphere. When assessing the net GHG impact of management practices, soil C storage is often aggregated with non‐CO2 (N2O and CH4) emissions after converting all components to CO2 equivalents (CO2e) and assuming a given time horizon (TH), in what is known as stock change accounting. However, such analyses do not consider potential re‐emission of soil C or apply consistent assumptions about time horizons. Here, we demonstrate that tonne‐year accounting provides a more conservative estimate of the emissions offsetting potential of soil C storage compared to stock change accounting. Tonne‐year accounting can be used to reconcile differences in the context and timeframes of soil C sequestration and non‐CO2 GHG emissions. The approach can be applied post hoc to commonly observed cropping systems data to estimate GHG emissions offsets associated with agricultural land management over given THs and with more clearly defined assumptions. Core Ideas: Changes in soil carbon are not consistently accounted for in greenhouse gas accounting exercises.The two main methods used to quantify the climate impact of additional soil carbon rely on differing assumptions.Stock change accounting assigns a climate benefit equal to the mass of additional C in the year of sequestration.Tonne‐year accounting assigns a climate benefit annually using a time integrated approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticide use in agricultural landscapes creates environmental contamination that is heterogenous in space and time. Mobile organisms, such as bees, are exposed to multiple contamination sources when visiting patches that vary in the amount, timing and toxicity of pesticides used. Yet, environmental risk assessments (ERA) typically fail to consider this heterogeneity, in part because of the complexities of estimating exposure to different pesticides, and subsequent risk at organism‐relevant scales.We use pesticide assays of 269 bee‐collected pollen samples to understand the spatiotemporal variability of risk across a network of 41 field sites in southern Sweden. Observed bee pesticide risk is calculated based on compound‐specific residue quantifications in pollen and standardized toxicity data. We then compare the ability of three classes of landscape‐scale variables to predict this risk: (1) landscape composition and configuration metrics, (2) landscape load based on national pesticide use data and (3) predictions from a newly developed bee pesticide exposure model.Based on use data, 10 crops account for 81% of the total risk. We detected 49 pesticide compounds in bee‐collected pollen. Although herbicides and fungicides constitute the bulk of detected pesticides, both in frequency and amount quantified, unsurprisingly, insecticides contribute the most to risk.Landscape composition and configuration metrics did not predict observed pesticide risk, and interactions with bee species indicate taxa‐dependency in predictions. Landscape load predicted observed risk consistently between taxa. Risk estimates from our exposure model were strongly predictive but only when considering realized risk (i.e., risk estimates based on prior pesticide use information).Synthesis and applications. Predicting pesticide risk based on landscape patterns could enable landscape‐scale ERA. However, simple metrics of landscape pattern, such as proportion of agricultural land, are not sufficient. We found that risk observed in bee‐collected pollen was best predicted when integrating spatialized pesticide use in the pesticide exposure model, underscoring the importance of such data for research, monitoring and mitigation. Further, we propose a guidance framework for future landscape ecotoxicological risk analyses that clarifies data needs relative to risk prediction goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agrarian society, land is a critical resource. Not only does access to arable land increase food security and household income, it also provides resources to cope with any environmental stresses. In most cases, in the low-income developing regions land distribution is very heterogeneous. Based on empirical research in coastal Bangladesh, this article explores patterns in land ownership among the local farmers, discussing how gender, ethnicity, religion, and status relate to farm size, playing a critical role in shaping the heterogeneous distribution of land ownership. Historical patterns of inequality and marginality influence land distribution patterns as the historical 'Zamindar system' in the region reinforced elite control. Colonial and post-colonial expansion into climate-vulnerable regions fuelled land expropriation. Cultural constructions of gender create challenges for females owning land. These legacies impact current land ownership patterns. Land distribution informs who is struggling with limited resources and who needs financial subsidies or other forms of support in times of crisis. Even though this paper has a regional focus, it provides critical insights and caution about overlooked assumptions of resource distribution, poverty, and development that can be applied to other parts of the Global South facing similar social, economic and postcolonial legacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and assessing the spatiotemporal patterns in crop-specific phosphorus (P) fertilizer management is crucial for promoting crop yield and mitigating environmental problems. The existing P fertilizer dataset, derived from sales data, depicts an average application rate on total cropland at the county level but overlooks cross-crop variations. Conversely, the survey-based dataset offers crop-specific application details at the state level yet lacks inter-state variability. By reconciling these two datasets, we developed long-term gridded maps to characterize crop-specific P fertilizer application rates, timing, and methods across the contiguous US at a resolution of 4 km × 4 km from 1850 to 2022. We found that P fertilizer application rate on fertilized area in the US increased from 0.9 g P m-2 yr-1 in 1940 to 1.9 g P m-2 yr-1 in 2022, with substantial variations among crops. However, approximately 40 % of cropland nationwide has remained unfertilized in the recent decade. The hotspots for P fertilizer use have shifted from the southeastern and eastern US to the Midwest and the Great Plains over the past century, reflecting changes in cropland area, crop choices, and P fertilizer use across different crops. Pre-planting (fall and spring) and broadcast application are prevalent among corn, soybean, and cotton in the Midwest and the Southeast, indicating a high P loss risk in these regions. In contrast, wheat and barley in the Great Plains receive the most intensive P fertilizer at planting and via non-broadcast application. The P fertilizer management dataset developed in this study can advance our comprehension in agricultural P budget and facilitate the refinement in P fertilizer best management practices to optimize crop yield and reduce P loss. Datasets are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10700822 (Cao et al., 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to determine the energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity of 10 care farming activities performed by adults. The study had a crossover experimental design. Participants performed 10 care farming activities for 5 minutes, including four plant- and three animal-mediated activities, and three other activities. Each participant wore a portable telemetric calorimeter during the activities, and oxygen uptake, heart rate, and exercise intensity were measured. Twenty-one adults (aged 31.5 ± 10.2 years) participated in our study. Energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity differed significantly for each activity. The 10 care farming activities were regarded as light- to moderate-intensity activities. The exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake for organizing a garden plot were significantly higher than those for other care farming activities. Cooking using harvests, interacting with dogs, and feeding rabbits had the lowest exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake. Other activities, such as transplanting plants, harvesting, creating art, maintaining a garden, walking with a dog, and cleaning the farm, had moderate exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake. Energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity data could be useful when developing a care farming program suitable for the physical condition of participants in care farming interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumen flukes cause heavy economic losses in the ruminant industry worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. This study estimated the prevalence of rumen flukes in buffaloes, identified the species diversity, and determined risk factors associated with rumen fluke prevalence in Perak, Peninsular Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 321 faecal samples were collected from six buffalo farms. A structured questionnaire was developed, and farmers were interviewed to obtain information regarding risk factors associated with rumen fluke infection. The faecal samples were examined using sedimentation and Flukefinder® techniques. Genomic DNA was extracted from the fluke eggs recovered using the Flukefinder® method, and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fragment was amplified and sequenced to facilitate species identification. The results showed that the overall prevalence of rumen fluke across the sampled farms was 40.2% (129/321). Three rumen fluke species were identified, namely, Fischoederius elongatus, F. cobboldi, and Orthocoelium streptocoelium. Several management factors had a significant association (P < 0.05) with rumen fluke prevalence, including production type, cleaning of the stable, drinking water system, flooding around the farm, grazing system, pasture sharing with other livestock, and deworming program. This work constitutes the first attempt to understand the epidemiology of rumen fluke infection in the region and suggests that good farm management, pasture management, choosing appropriate drugs, and proper husbandry practices may improve buffalo health and production in areas where rumen flukes are prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated how the presence of the highly range-restricted Agulhas Long-billed Lark Certhilauda brevirostris (ALBL) varies with vegetation type and landscape features. The lark's distribution is nearly completely outside formally protected areas and overlaps with a region where agriculture has transformed the landscape, with very little of the original vegetation type remaining. Establishing important habitat requirements is needed to better manage conservation efforts for the species. We conducted 10-minute point counts at 51 sites along small rural roads quarterly between October 2020 and January 2022, and recorded ALBL in 58% of the counts. A subset of 45 sites was used to model occupancy. According to a null constant parameter model, occupancy at sample sites was high (0.91) with a detection probability of 0.67 for each site where the species was present. Modelling of habitat features and vegetation type found that ALBL occupancy was best explained by the presence of renosterveld, the shrubby indigenous vegetation type. Occupancy increased at a site up to 25% renosterveld cover, after which there was no effect. Occupancy was also positively associated with renosterveld vegetation presence along fence lines and a combination of renosterveld and decreasing riverine vegetation cover. Presence was little modified by seasonal changes in agricultural land use. Overall, our results suggest that although the ALBL is locally abundant, certain habitat features need to be preserved to ensure the species' continued presence in this agricultural region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) are the main components that indicate the coverage of land and its use. Kosova Plain, a flat and gentle plain with an altitude between 450-600 m, is one of the central plains in Kosova, where the human impact and environmental changes are very high. As a terrain with land with high-quality soils, it was one of the main areas of agricultural production in the past. With the industrialization of Kosova especially with coal surface mining, began an era of employment in other sectors rather than in agriculture, and its consequences were population migration inside Kosova, which is shown by the rising urban population and extension of artificial surfaces towards agricultural areas. Population migration inside Kosova is made mostly towards plain areas where most of the settlements are found, but also where high capability land is found. The article analyzes natural conditions of agricultural land in Kosova Plain and spatial and temporal changes in land cover as one of the consequences of pressure on the environment, especially in soil resources, where with GIS/RS analysis was made possible to use topographic maps and aerial images of different years, to analysis these changes. In 1990, the total area of artificial surfaces in Kosova Plain was 7,157 ha, while in 2020, it was increased to 15,881 hectares. There is an increase of artificial surfaces in urban fabric, mineral extraction sites, and road infrastructure, mostly done on agricultural land. Agriculture areas experienced a decrease of 8.76%. The extension of artificial surfaces was primarily made in an unplanned way. The results show that in the future, zoning of built-up areas is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: As climate change increases the frequency and severity of droughts in many regions, conservation during drought is becoming a major challenge for ecologists. Droughts are multidimensional climate events whose impacts may be moderated by changes in temperature, water availability or food availability, or some combination of these. Simultaneously, other stressors such as extensive anthropogenic landscape modification may synergize with drought. Useful observational models for guiding conservation decision‐making during drought require multidimensional, dynamic representations to disentangle possible drought impacts, and consequently, they will require large, highly resolved data sets. In this paper, we develop a two‐stage predictive framework for assessing how drought impacts vary with species, habitats and climate pathways. Location: Central Valley, California, USA. Methods: We used a two‐stage counterfactual analysis combining predictive linear mixed models and N‐mixture models to characterize the multidimensional impacts of drought on 66 bird species. We analysed counts from the eBird participatory science data set between 2010 and 2019 and produced species‐ and habitat‐specific estimates of the impact of drought on relative abundance. Results: We found that while fewer than a quarter (16/66) of species experienced abundance declines during drought, nearly half of all species (27/66) changed their habitat associations during drought. Among species that shifted their habitat associations, the use of natural habitats declined during drought while use of developed habitat and perennial agricultural habitat increased. Main Conclusions: Our findings suggest that birds take advantage of agricultural and developed land with artificial irrigation and heat‐buffering microhabitat structure, such as in orchards or parks, to buffer drought impacts. A working lands approach that promotes biodiversity and mitigates stressors across a human‐induced water gradient will be critical for conserving birds during drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO), as a short-lived climate forcer, has direct and indirect detrimental impacts on environmental quality and human health. The amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application to agricultural soils is considered a robust predictor of total NO emissions, but the estimates of cropland NO emissions have large uncertainties due to the widely used constant emission factors (EF) as e.g., default values recommended by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodologies. By compiling 223 field experiments with at least three N-input levels across various croplands, we performed a meta-analysis to determine how soil NO emissions respond to N inputs. Our results showed for the first time that the mean change in EF per unit of additional N input (∆EF) across all available data was significantly higher as compared to zero, indicating that the NO response to N additions increased significantly faster than the assumed linear. On average, upland grain crops showed significantly higher ∆EF than that of horticultural crops or lowland rice. A higher ∆EF was also appeared in sites with mean annual precipitation < 600 mm, mean annual temperature ≥ 15 °C, soil organic carbon ≥ 14 g C kg− 1 or total N ≥ 1.4 g N kg− 1, and where synthetic N fertilizers were usually applied. By assuming various N application rates, the IPCC default (0.7% or 1.1%) EF model would have overestimated or underestimated NO emissions compared to our ∆EF model. Overall, our meta-analysis results exert high potential to improve estimates of cropland NO inventories, and help address disparities in global NO budgets and develop more targeted mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species‐specific management strategies have been implemented to address persistently low continental populations of several duck species, including the northern pintail (Anas acuta). In the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), addressing threats from spring‐seeded cereals on pintail productivity may provide sufficient gains to recover populations. Research on pintail duckling ecology has revealed that duckling survival may be greater in grassland‐dominated landscapes than in annual cropland‐dominated landscapes, possibly limiting the benefits of fall‐seeded cropping practices. Winter wheat crops increase nest success and may assist nesting pintail populations through provision of nesting refuges from spring tillage operations, earlier hatch, and greater nest densities compared to traditional spring‐seeded cereal crops. Yet inadequate duckling survival may reduce these benefits. Our principal objective was to examine if pintail reproductive success in winter wheat in cropland‐dominated landscapes was comparable to grassland‐dominated landscapes or, alternatively, if duckling survival rates in cropland‐dominated landscapes offset the gains of greater nesting success in winter wheat. We captured and radio‐marked 104 nesting female pintails in grasslands and croplands of southern Saskatchewan, during 2011–2012. We modeled cumulative survival to 30 days post hatch in relation to landscape composition and land cover type, specifically, the influence of nesting in fall‐seeded crops. Predicted 30‐day survival for ducklings hatched in perennial cover (40.8% [85% CI = 40.0–44.6%]) in grassland‐dominated landscapes and winter wheat (38.2% [32.0–44.4%]) in cropland‐dominated landscapes was more than double survival of ducklings hatched in spring‐seeded cropland (16.9% [12.6–21.6%]) in cropland‐dominated landscapes. Ducklings moving through local environments with more perennial cover and seasonal wetlands, but less wetland edge, had increased survival. The benefit of greater nest survival in winter wheat was not completely superseded by reduced duckling survival for broods raised in intensive agricultural landscapes. The retention of grassland landscapes and expansion and promotion of fall‐seeded crops in cropland‐dominated landscapes can benefit northern pintails across broad regions of the PPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study, detailed a survey of the academic debate and scientific trends regarding generational succession in agriculture. Hence this study is categorized under quantitative and qualitative bibliometric research. For this research, the Scopus database was accessed to identify scientific articles from publications between the years 2010 and 2021. The search, which included keywords like "successors" and "farm*", resulted in 57 relevant articles. For the study, eleven thematic categories were selected, viz., Factors that influence generational succession; Gender issues in generational succession; Educational aspects in succession; Coping strategies in relation to the future of rural properties and utilization of agricultural land; Succession planning; Issues related to the dairy farming activity and the presence of successors; The role of rural youth in the succession; Socioeconomic effects on rural properties from the presence of successors; Agricultural transfers to "new" farmers; Emotional and belonging aspects in generational transfer; and Relationships and perceptions of non-successors with respect to rural property and succession. However, the factors that affect generational renewal and gender issues in generational succession are the themes that recur most often in the research. Europe is in the forefront in terms of research on succession, and reveals new research pathways and is on the frontline for the development of public policies on generational succession in agriculture. Finally, the other emerging themes were observed to be those which dealt with the relationship that exists between the emotional aspects and succession, as well as agricultural transfers to "new" farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pesticide poisoning is a major public health problem in Thailand and is the result of intensive inappropriate and unsafe use of pesticides. This analytical cross-sectional study aimed to determine the factors affecting safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists in northeastern Thailand. Methods: The study sample included 427 farm plant agriculturists in Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Individuals were randomly selected by a multistage random sampling technique. The following data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 8 parts: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, (2) knowledge about pesticide use, (3) perceived severity of impact from pesticide use among farm plant agriculturists, (4) perceived susceptibility to pesticide use, (5) perceived self-efficacy in the modification of safe pesticide-use behaviors, (6) perceived outcome of the modification of safe pesticide-use behaviors, (7) social support, and (8) safe pesticide-use behaviors. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression analyses were employed for data analysis. Results: The majority of participants (79.4%) had high scores for safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists (scores of 112–150). Factors that significantly affected safe pesticide-use behaviors included knowledge about pesticide use (β = 0.282), social support (β = 0.217), reading information from pesticide labels before pesticide use (β = 0.207), perceived self-efficacy (β = 0.186), female sex (β = -0.140), rice farmer status (β = 0.129), corn farmer status (β = 0.127), perceived susceptibility (β = 0.126), having received information from the internet (β = -0.124), and perceived severity (β = -0.098). Together, these 10 factors were found to explain 32.5% of the safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there is a need to increase the number of promotional activities related to the safe use of pesticides through social support and training, with the aim of increasing the overall level of knowledge, perceived self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, and modification of the perceived impact severity of pesticide use. Thus, relevant agencies should promote and support the safe use of pesticides by farm plant agriculturists. Summary: This study revealed that the factors affecting safe pesticide-use behaviors among farm plant agriculturists included knowledge about pesticide use, social support, reading pesticide container labels, perceived self-efficacy in the modification of pesticide-use behaviors, sex, rice farmer status, corn farmer status, perceived susceptibility to pesticide use, having received information from the internet, and perceived severity of impact from pesticide use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human salmonellosis cases are often caused by Salmonella serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium and associated with the consumption of eggs and egg products. Many countries therefore implemented general surveillance programmes on pullet and layer farms. The identification of risk factors for Salmonella infection may be used to improve the performance of these surveillance programmes. The aims of this study were therefore to determine 1) whether local farm density is a risk factor for the infection of pullet and layer farms by Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium and 2) whether the sampling effort of surveillance programmes can be reduced by accounting for this risk factor, while still providing sufficient control of these serovars. We assessed the importance of local farm density as a risk factor by fitting transmission kernels to Israeli surveillance data during the period from June 2017 to April 2019. The analysis shows that the risk of infection by serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium significantly increased if infected farms were present within a radius of approximately 4 km and 0.3 km, respectively. We subsequently optimized a surveillance programme that subdivided layer farms into low and high risk groups based on the local farm density with and allowed the sampling frequency to vary between these groups. In this design, the pullet farms were always sampled one week prior to pullet distribution. Our analysis shows that the risk-based surveillance programme is able to keep the between-farm R0 of serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium below 1 for all pullet and layer farms, while reducing the sampling effort by 32% compared to the currently implemented surveillance programme in Israel. The results of our study therefore indicate that local farm density is an important risk factor for infection of pullet and layer farms by Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium and can be used to improve the performance of surveillance programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate retrieval of canopy nutrient content has been made possible using visible-to-shortwave infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectroscopy. While this strategy has often been tested on closed green plant canopies, little is known about how nutrient content estimates perform when applied to pixels not dominated by photosynthetic vegetation (PV). In such cases, contributions of bare soil (BS) and non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), may significantly and nonlinearly reduce the spectral features relied upon for nutrient content retrieval. We attempted to define the loss of prediction accuracy under reduced PV fractional cover levels. To do so, we utilized VSWIR imaging spectroscopy data from the Global Airborne Observatory (GAO) and a large collection of lab-calibrated field samples of nitrogen (N) content collected across numerous crop species grown in several farming regions of the United States. Fractional cover values of PV, NPV, and BS were estimated from the GAO data using the Automated Monte Carlo Unmixing algorithm (AutoMCU). Errors in prediction from a partial least squares N model applied to the spectral data were examined in relation to the fractional cover of the unmixed components. We found that the most important factor in the accuracy of the partial least squares regression (PLSR) model is the fraction of photosynthetic vegetation (PV) cover, with pixels greater than 60% cover performing at the optimal level, where the coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) peaks to 0.66 for PV fractions of more than 60% and bare soil (BS) fractions of less than 20%. Our findings guide future spaceborne imaging spectroscopy missions as applied to agricultural cropland N monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As one of the agglomeration models targeting cluster-based rural development, cluster farming has been promoted in Ethiopia and it is already reported to have significant welfare implications, but participation rates are not as high as expected. This study examines the role of land as a constraint to the development of cluster-based development in Ethiopia both using extensive and intensive measures of cluster farming. The study further disaggregates farm households based on their farm size to better understand potential heterogeneities in the relationship between farm size and cluster farming. The paper also documents other household socio-economic and network characteristics that may matter in cluster farming. Methods: We use a large-scale farm household data from 3,969 households coupled with some expert insights on cluster farming in Ethiopia. Households in the study areas grow major staples such as maize, wheat, teff, malt barley, and sesame in four main regions of Ethiopia. We employ a double hurdle model to examine both the decision to participate and the extent to which households participate in cluster farming. By extent of participation, we refer to the amount of land and share of land farm households contribute to cluster farming. For robustness purposes, we also estimate the Tobit and Linear Probability Models. Results: We show a positive association between farm size and cluster farming both at the extensive and intensive margins. This relationship turns negative for large amounts of land. This shows that cluster farming increases with farm size up to a threshold beyond which it declines. We also find suggestive evidence that participation rates are lower for small-scale farms, but also declines for large-scale farms. In addition, we show that access to information and network characteristics also matter in enabling cluster farming. Conclusion: The findings of this study are relevant in the framework of plans to upscale the cluster-based development initiative in Ethiopia. Attention to landholding issues is key and may be an important area where policy action can be geared to boost cluster farming. Moreover, our results inform potential targeting plans that aim to increase the participation of small-scale farmers who are usually the intended targets of such programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic invertebrates provide important ecosystem services, including decomposition and nutrient cycling, and provide nutrition for birds, fish, amphibians, and bats. Thus, the effects of agricultural land management practices on aquatic invertebrates are relevant to farmers, wildlife biologists, and policymakers. Here, we used data on aquatic invertebrates (159 taxa, 73 to species, 75 to genus/family) collected in 40 wetlands in the Canadian prairies to test for direct and indirect relationships among land management types (perennial cover, organic, minimum tillage, conventional), landscape structure (cropland and wetland cover within the surrounding landscape), and water quality (total nutrient levels, turbidity) on species richness of invertebrates using structural equation modelling. Additionally, we assessed variation in community composition within and among wetlands in different land use management types using a direct gradient analysis and variance partitioning. The direct effects of land management type were not supported but we found strong supportive evidence that effects of land management on richness were significantly mediated through cropland cover, nutrient levels, and turbidity. After controlling for these indirect effects, aquatic invertebrate richness decreased along a gradient from the lowest to the highest farming intensity, i.e., richness decreased from perennial cover sites to organic to minimum tillage to conventional sites. Support was also found for negative effects of nutrient levels and turbidity on richness. We did not find significant support for differences in gamma diversity or a simple test (homogeneity of multivariate dispersions) of differences in turnover among land management types; however, land management had a significant effect in distance-based redundancy analysis. Taken together, these results suggest that focusing conservation efforts on reducing cropland erosion and nutrient inputs to wetlands and creating more permanent cover may be effective strategies for conserving richness of aquatic invertebrates in agricultural landscapes in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is vital for supporting human populations, but its intensification often leads to landscape homogenization and a decline in non‐provisioning ecosystem services. Ecological intensification and multifunctional landscapes are suggested as nature‐based alternatives to intensive agriculture, using ecological processes like natural pest regulation to maximize food production. Birds are recognized for their role in increasing crop yields by consuming invertebrate pests in several agroecosystems. However, the understanding of how bird species, their traits and agricultural land cover influence the structure of bird–pest interactions remains limited. We sampled bird–pest interactions monthly for 1 year, at four sites within a multifunctional landscape, following a gradient of increasing agricultural land cover. We analysed 2583 droppings of 55 bird species with DNA metabarcoding and detected 225 pest species in 1139 samples of 42 bird species. As expected, bird–pest interactions were highly variable across bird species. Dietary pest richness was lower in the fully agricultural site, while predation frequency remained consistent across the agricultural land cover gradient. Network analysis revealed a reduction in the complexity of bird–pest interactions as agricultural coverage increased. Bird species abundance affected the bird's contribution to the network structure more than any of the bird traits analysed (weight, phenology, invertebrate frequency in diet and foraging strata), with more common birds being more important to network structure. Overall, our results show that increasing agricultural land cover increases the homogenization of bird–pest interactions. This shows the importance of maintaining natural patches within agricultural landscapes for biodiversity conservation and enhanced biocontrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident released radioactive materials, such as cesium (Cs), into the atmosphere and dropped onto agricultural land soil. Reducing radioactive Cs absorption from the soil is important for crop production. Therefore, persimmons were cultivated in pots with different amounts of potassium (K) fertilizer (+0 g, +20 g (standard level), and +40 g of K sulfate/pot), and the concentration of 133Cs in leaves and fruits was investigated. Additionally, the effects of phlogopite (materials expected to enhance K availability and radioactive Cs fixation in the soil) were investigated. K fertilization increased the exchangeable K concentration in the soil, and as the investigation continued, a significant difference in the K concentration in the leaves was observed. From the beginning of the 133Cs measurement, the 133Cs concentration in the leaves and fruits was significantly higher in the treatment without K fertilization. When the exchangeable potassium concentration in the soil was approximately 200 mg K2O kg−1 or less, the 133Cs concentration in the leaves tended to increase sharply. This suggests that controlling the Cs concentration in persimmon plants is possible by maintaining the exchangeable K concentration in the soil through K fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Navigation Satellite Systems-Interferometric Reflectometry (GNSS-IR) is an emerging remote sensing technique studied and demonstrated for soil moisture retrieval over bare soil using multipath GNSS data. However, retrieval of soil moisture in the presence of vegetation/crops is still a very challenging task even becoming a more complex problem without using any ancillary datasets to compensate the vegetation effect for soil moisture retrievals in higher crop growth stages. This paper presents a novel multipath phase-based vegetation correction scheme for improved field-scale soil moisture retrieval using L-band data from Navigation with Indian Constellations (NavIC) based on GNSS-IR technique. The proposed three steps vegetation correction scheme categorized the crop as per growth stages for sensitivity analysis of NavIC derived multipath phase as GNSS-IR observables and significantly compensated vegetation effects on multipath phase for improved soil moisture retrievals. The proposed method utilized only multipath phase data as single SNR metrics without any ancillary data sets and validated during complete growth cycle of winter wheat crop (sowing to harvesting stages). It has been shown that the soil moisture retrieved using proposed vegetation correction scheme provides a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.87 and ubRMSD of 0.0341 m3/m3 with in situ measured soil moisture, which is better than bare scheme with Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.71 and ubRMSD of 0.0480 m3/m3. Overall, proposed scheme has found highly effective for vegetation correction and has shown a good potential candidate for VSM retrievals over crop-covered soil using other GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on historical documents, population data, published results, remote sensing data products, statistical data and survey data, this study reconstructed the cropland area and the spatial pattern changes at 28 time points from 1000 to 2020 in Northeast China. 1000 to 1600 corresponds to historical provincial-level administrative districts, while 1700 to 2020 corresponds to modern county-level administrative districts. The main findings are as follows: (1) The cropland in Northeast China exhibited phase changes of expansion-reduction-expansion over the past millennium. (2) The cropland area in Northeast China increased from 0.55 × 104 km2 in 1000 to 37.90 × 104 km2 in 2020 and the average cropland fraction increased from 0.37 % to 26.27 %; (3) From 1000 to 1200, the cropland area exhibited an increasing trend, peaking in 1200. The scope of land reclamation was comparable to modern times, but the overall cropland fraction remained low. The cropland area significantly decreased between 1300 and 1600, with the main land reclamation area was reduced southward into Liaoning Province. From 1700 to 1850, the cropland area increased slowly, and the agricultural reclamation gradually expanded northward. After 1850, there was almost exponential growth, with the cropland area continuously expanding to the whole study area, and the growth trend persists until 2020; (4) The dataset of changes in cropland of administrative districts in Northeast China, reconstructed based on improved historical cropland reconstruction methods, significantly enhances time resolution and reliability. Additionally, the dataset shows the changing characteristics of cropland in Northeast China over the past millennium, especially over the past 300 years, which can provide a refined data base for building a historical cropland gridded dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising gold prices have led artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations to proliferate in sub-Saharan Africa, extending into agricultural areas. Little is known about the interactions between agriculture and mining in these new frontiers. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of ASGM on natural and physical livelihood capitals, ASGM's interactions with agriculture at household, community and institutional levels and the drivers underpinning those interactions, and the policy implications for the co-existence of sustainable agriculture and ASGM. Alongside literature review, field-work took place in Atiwa West District and Koforidua, Ghana using environmental field surveys, questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. Questionnaire and field survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics, with thematic analysis of interviews and focus group data. Findings revealed that most miners were unregulated, mined irresponsibly and degraded land, waterways, and farm roads. Over one-third of farmers (38%) suffered land degradation, and 79% of affected farmers' lands were not reclaimed. Farmers diversified into ASGM, and mining proceeds boosted farming. Young farmers (18–40 years) shifted into ASGM full-time because it is more lucrative. Yet, ASGM is not replacing agriculture: cocoa farming remains a vital economic activity. Informal ASGM generates short-term income at household level for some but imposes long-term costs at community level, linked to cumulative loss of agricultural land and degradation of forest areas and water bodies, creating tensions, and increasing vulnerability. Financial hardships faced by farmers, landowners' desire to benefit directly from gold and lack of law enforcement drive informal ASGM. There are no institutional linkages between the agricultural and mining sectors. More joined up governance across agriculture and mining is needed and between formal and informal (traditional) institutions. ASGM should be incorporated into broader rural development policy reforms that support farmers, incentivise miners to operate legally and responsibly and ensure effective stakeholder engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Efforts to meet area needs for various activities such as trade, services, socio-cultural activities and housing will result in the use of land that was previously used for agriculture into land that has been built. The carrying capacity of agricultural land to achieve food independence and security is threatened. Therefore, the objectives of this research are (1) to examine the productivity of agricultural land to support food self-sufficiency in Sleman Regency; (2) analyzing the carrying capacity of the environment based on land capability for agricultural development in Sleman Regency; (3) formulate an environmental management strategy to increase the productivity of agricultural land to support food self-sufficiency in Sleman Regency. This research uses quantitative methods with a focus on regional analysis as the unit of analysis. The method for calculating soil carrying capacity adopts a land productivity level approach. The results showed that there was a decrease in the carrying capacity of agricultural land in most sub-districts in Central Sleman Regency between 2016-2021. In the Central Sleman Region, Depok Regency is an area classified as class III which is unable to be self-sufficient in food where this area is the center of the economy and is traversed by primary arterial roads. The effect of a decrease in the carrying capacity of agricultural land also leads to the surrounding area, Most of the surrounding sub-districts also experienced a decrease in their carrying capacity. Based on the analysis of carrying capacity calculations, it can be seen that almost all sub-districts in each region experienced a decrease in carrying capacity class to class II and only in Depok and Turi sub-districts which were always in class III. Reducing the carrying capacity that can be done with the RTRW and LP2B policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present era, the characteristics of agricultural development most exposed to the effects of global warming and irregular precipitation patterns remain scantily understood in the regions. The latest study aimed to identify the target regions with different degrees of variation in the average temperature, followed by their resource potential, conditions, strengthening, and production efficiency. Based on their groups through statistical studies, three groups of Russian regions attained partition (using a sample that included 77 Russian regions), with low (Group I - 20 regions), medium (Group II - 25 regions), and high (Group III - 32 regions) estimates of the linear temperature trend. In Group III, 72% of the regions appeared favorable for agriculture, according to the classification approved by the Russian Government. In Group I, 60% of the regions emerged as unfavorable. Based on the statistical indicators, these established that Group III has a considerable resource potential for agriculture, comprising 30% of agricultural lands, 36% of all crops, up to 50% of the area of fruit and berry plantations, 40% of milk production, and 69% of meat and meat products manufacture intended in this group of different regions. In Group III, conditions and intensification of production are developing more dynamically (the volume of subsidies allocated during the study period has increased almost five times), efficiency is higher (profit per 100 ha of agricultural land in Group I is 0.2 million rubles, whereas, in Group III, it equals 1 million rubles), with significant labor and human potential gathered there. This circumstance requires the development of a program for the adaptation of these regions to emerging climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Russia 5.2 million hectares of protective forest plantations were created on agricultural land. Forest strips optimize moisture turnover, heat and gas exchange of the territory and transform agrarian landscapes into more sustainable forest-agrarian ecosystems (agroforest landscapes). Studying the impact of shelterbelt forests on the transformation of soil properties in the context of climate change (organic carbon storage) is an important problem. The aim of our research was to study the effect of shelterbelt forests on soil indicators and to digitally map the contours of forest-meliorated soils on the test site using GIS-technology and field studies. Methods: In the present study, the methodology of soil studies in agroforested soils (1978) and the methodology of assessing the accumulation of substances in plants and soils in agroforested landscapes were used to study forest-meliorated soils. We proceeded from the position that the reclamation effect of forest belts occurs at a distance of 30 heights. The research was conducted from 2016 to 2022. Result: Research has established, that the soil profile under the forest belt has an organogenic horizon A0 (forest floor); the thickness of the humus horizon (A+B1) under the forest belt is 8-10 cm higher compared to other zones. Spatial distribution of humus content in the A+B1 horizon from the forest belt to the centers of inter-belt squares (zone 20H) is not characterized by great variability and clear patterns and on average makes 1.15-1.2%. The increase in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content in the soil occurs in the direction from the forest belt to the 20H zone. The indicator of dense residue in terms of the content of readily soluble salts is not relevant in estimating the forest belt's influence on transformation of soil properties. A preliminary digital map of the contours of forest-reclaimed soils has been compiled. The obtained materials will serve as a basis for modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of soils under forest belts in the zonal section and improving soil fertility in the interstrip space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐bodied mammals living in fragmented habitats are at higher risk of extinction, and such risk can be influenced by ecological factors such as predator–prey system dynamics. These dynamics can be particularly complex for conservation management when one endangered species preys on another endangered species in an isolated or poor‐quality habitat. Here we describe predation events observed over 19 months that involved two threatened species: the largest carnivore in Madagascar, the fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox), and three groups of diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) in the Betampona Strict Nature Reserve. This site is a 22 km2 low‐altitude rainforest that is surrounded by agricultural land and isolated from larger forest corridors. We aim to (1) assess the behavioral changes of P. diadema in response to fosa attacks and identify any antipredator strategies that they adopted, and (2) quantify the frequency of fosa attacks and the predation impact on the sifaka population. We report five direct observations of fosa predation attempts (one successful), the discovery of a dead sifaka with evidence of fosa predation, and the disappearance of three individuals. We describe the observed attacks and compare the sifaka activity budgets and movement patterns before and after the events. To escape the predator, sifakas fled short distances, hid, and remained vigilant. The impact of predation, combined with low reproductive rates and potentially high inbreeding of this isolated diademed sifaka population, could affect the survival of this species in Betampona. Given the compounding effects of habitat isolation and high hunting pressure, community‐specific conservation strategies should incorporate predator–prey dynamics via longitudinal monitoring of predator and prey population densities and quantifying the predation pressure between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When host nests are scarce, avian brood parasites would benefit from behaviours that increase the availability of suitable nests. Several studies reported ejection of host nestlings from nests by brood parasites; however, whether brood parasites do so to induce the host to re‐nest and thus increase opportunities for future parasitism (i.e. 'farming' behaviour) remains unclear. Here, we report observational evidence of farming behaviour by a common cuckoo Cuculus canorus female in a Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus population: (1) the cuckoo destroyed a host nest by ejecting all nestlings, (2) the host then produced a new nest and (3) the cuckoo successfully parasitized the replacement nest. We suggest that farming behaviour may be more common, but often goes undetected because it requires intense nest monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed crop livestock farming (MCLF) is a growing practice in organic farming where livestock and crops are grown near each other to promote environmental sustainability through recycling. However, MCLF livestock are reservoirs of many zoonotic pathogens, such as Staphylococcus spp., and can serve as sources of crosscontamination for plant food products. A surveillance study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antibiotic-resistance patterns of various Staphylococcus spp. species isolated from the environment of multiple MCLFs and produced from preharvest and post-harvest levels within the DC-Maryland metropolitan area. A total of 3038 environmental and pre-harvest produce and 836 post-harvest produce samples were collected from eight farms and two retail supermarkets. In addition, 36 skin swabs from farmworkers and university students were also collected. PCR was used to confirm the presence of Staphylococcus spp. in all samples. Major species were identified using a species-specific multiplex PCR. An antibiogram assay was performed to determine antibiotic resistance profiles. The overall prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. was 12.18% pre-harvest and 7.54% post-harvest. The most identified species was Staphylococcus epidermidis (19.86%), while most isolates remained unknown (73.90%). Approximately 83.33% of skin swabs were positive for Staphylococcus spp., with Staphylococcus xylosus being the predominant species (16.7%). The highest percentage of isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides and macrolides, with 24.11% of tested samples being multidrug-resistant. S. epidermidis had the most resistance compared to the other species. This study suggests that antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus spp. is present in mixed farm environments, and proper steps need to be taken to control the transmission between livestock, crops, and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unmanned farm control platform is of great significance in promoting the supervision of farm production with less manpower or autonomous operation of farm machinery and the construction of farm informatization. Addressing the existing control platform for farm location information acquisition is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lacks the whole process control of multiple types of farm machinery. In this paper, we propose an Internet of Things (IoT) control scheme for intelligent farm machinery operation of unmanned farms and design the access standards for multiple types of farm machinery, as well as realize the remote control of intelligent farm machinery operation by constructing a remote control model. A high-precision map construction method is designed to improve the DeepLabV3+ algorithm to identify fields and roads. The control models of path planning, remote task, remote control, and safety system are built to achieve the remote control of intelligent agricultural machinery operation. The proposed technology is implemented in the platform integration and application tests are carried out. The error of the constructed high-precision map is less than 3 cm, the completeness rate of the automatic boundary extraction rate is 96.71%, and the correctness rate is 95.63%, which can be used to obtain the boundary instead of manual labeling or on-site point picking. The use of the platform for the simultaneous control of three farm machinery operations reduces the number of people in operation and production and reduces the professional requirements of the personnel, which will promote the management of the entire farm by one person or even by no one in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to analyze the dynamics of vegetation within the Atrak catchment area, as well as its interplay with precipitation patterns. Moreover, additional emphasis was placed on exploring the impact of these dynamics on agricultural land cover type. To achieve this objective, the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) derived from MODIS data and the Comprehensive Historical and Real-Time Satellite-based Precipitation (CHRIPS) data were utilized for the period from 2003 to 2021. Additionally, the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) were employed to discern various degrees of drought and pluvial years within the Atrak basin. The study revealed that the years 2008, 2014, 2017, and 2021 exhibited the lowest vegetation coverage, while the years 2010, 2016, and 2019 showcased the most extensive vegetation extent. Notably, it was revealed from the VCI index that the year 2008 was the driest, and the year 2016 was the wettest. Furthermore, based on the SPI index findings, the years 2007, 2019, and 2020 were identified as pluvial years, while in the years 2008, 2014, and 2021 drought conditions occurred. All other years were classified as exhibiting normal conditions. Regarding seasonality, the observations ascertain that the spring season substantiates the most extensive vegetation cover, and a high correlation between spring precipitation and vegetation coverage was observed. Additionally, the anomaly detection outcomes indicate that the eastern regions of the basin have experienced an upward trend compared to the average of the first decade of the studied period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of woodland ecosystems to agricultural landscapes has led to unprecedented losses of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning globally. Unsustainable agricultural practices have contributed to the degradation of soil's physical and biogeochemical properties. Ecological restoration of unproductive agricultural land is imperative for reversing land degradation and ameliorating the degrading effects of agriculture on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, it is unclear to what extent common restoration activities, such as tree planting, can facilitate the recovery of ecosystem condition and in particular, improve soil physical, biogeochemical and biotic components. Here, we investigated how the cessation of cropping, followed by tree planting, affected soil carbon concentrations and key biophysical soil functions. Data were collected across 10 sites a decade after the replanting of woody species on old fields in semi‐arid Western Australia. We applied a chronosequence approach and measured soil functions in fallow cropland (restoration starting point), 10‐year‐old planted old fields and intact woodland reference sites (restoration target point). We stratified sampling between open areas and patches under trees in planted old fields and reference woodlands to account for inherent biophysical differences. Soils under planted trees recovered to some extent, having reduced soil compaction and higher soil penetration depth in comparison with the fallow cropland. However, soils under trees in planted old fields did not reach woodland reference conditions for these properties. Moreover, recovery was not evident for other soil physical, biogeochemical and biotic components such as soil organic carbon, soil moisture, leaf litter and woody debris decomposition rates. Limited recovery of soil functions may be at least partly explained by time lags associated with slow growth rates of planted trees in dry ecosystems. Our study shows that the legacy of cropping can persist over long timeframes in semi‐arid regions, with modest signs of woodland recovery beginning to emerge 10 years after tree planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a real plot of abandoned agricultural land overgrown with forest in Russia has been surveyed. The amount of future CO2 sequestration by this forest for the next 20 years has been calculated by means of a mathematical model. The unprofitability of the 20-years climatic reforestation project on this land has been proved, based on the current price of carbon units in Russia and China, because Russia cannot enter the European carbon units' market. To improve profitability, it was proposed to combine the reforestation with timber harvesting, charcoal, natural fertilisers and forage production. Thus, the wood cut for maintenance is used partially for sale, partially for production of charcoal and partially left as a fertiliser on the cleared stripes, where meadow plants will be replaced with alfalfa, using technologies of zero soil treatment. The economic feasibility study has been performed based on the real capital and current expenses of the combined reforestation project. The positive Net Present Value and a very high Internal Rate of Return of the joint project, calculated by the methods of financial mathematics have indicated its economic viability and attractiveness for investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current medium- and small-scale estimates of soil erosion in Russia are very few. At the same time, a favorable situation has now developed for assessing the rates and volumes of soil erosion losses. Erosion models adapted to available digital elevation models, various farmland maps, and climate databases are now available to researchers. We have estimated the rates and volumes of soil erosion with the use of different maps of cropland: world cover from the European Space Agency (ESA WC), global land cover and land use from the University of Maryland (GLCLU), the official unified federal information system of agricultural land (UFIS AL) from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, and the original conventionally reference land cover map of Alekseevskii district of Belgorod oblast. It has been found that the UFIS AL map gives cropland areas close to the average from first three maps. Public access maps (ESA WC and GLCLU) give maximum and minimum estimates of cropland, respectively. A comparison with the conventionally reference large-scale map shows that the accuracy of the UFIS AL does not exceed 90%; the accuracy of ESA WC and GLCLU maps is 84 and 83%, respectively. The total area of cropland in Belgorod oblast varies slightly (from 1445 to 1586 thousand hectares), which is favorable for erosion modeling. Deviations from the average rates of soil erosion calculated using different maps of cropland in the region as a whole are up to 7%; for some districts, they reach 27%. Thus, current estimates of soil erosion at the regional level can be carried out with an error of at least 10–15% only as a result of the uncertainty in mapping the boundaries of cropland. For Russia as a whole, data on the area of cropland vary significantly: from 80 to 132 million hectares. Consequently, the use of existing maps of cropland can lead to significant uncertainties in soil erosion estimates averaged at the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation and large regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land use and land cover over space and time are an indication of biophysical, socio-economic, and political dynamics. In rural communities, land-based livelihood strategies such as agriculture are crucial for sustaining livelihoods in terms of food provision and as a source of local employment and income. In recent years, African studies have documented an overall decline in the extent of small-scale crop farming, with many crop fields left abandoned. This study uses rural areas in three former apartheid homelands in South Africa as a case study to quantify patterns and trends in the overall land cover change and small-scale agricultural lands related to changes in climate over a 38-year period. Random forest classification was applied on the Landsat imagery to detect land use and land cover change, achieving an overall accuracy of above 80%. Rainfall and temperature anomalies, as well as the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were used as climate proxies to assess the influence of climate variability on crop farming, as the systems investigated rely completely on rainfall. Agricultural land declined from 107.5 km2 to 49.5 km2 in Umhlabuyalingana; 54 km2 to 1.6 km2 in Joe Morolong; and 254.6 km2 to 7.4 km2 in Mangaung between 1984 and 2022. Declines in cropland cover, precipitation, and the SPEI were highly correlated. We argue that climatic variability influences crop farming activities; however, this could be one factor in a suite of drivers that interact together to influence the cropping practices in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum hydrocarbons, which are organic molecules consisting of carbon and hydrogen, are found in crude oil. Due to human activities like oil spills, leaking storage tanks, and transportation accidents, they are pervasive environmental toxins. This contamination can have negative consequences on the ecosystem, including soil, water, and air pollution, and agricultural land is not immune. There are several variables that can affect how petroleum hydrocarbons affect agricultural land, including the particular hydrocarbon, the properties of the soil, and the current climatic circumstances. The porosity, permeability, and water-holding capacity of soil have been influenced by petroleum hydrocarbons. This might result in soil compaction, decreased infiltration, and higher runoff, affecting agricultural land production. Hydrocarbons can also impair soil aeration, resulting in anaerobic conditions that can harm the soil microbiome and hinder plant development. Petroleum hydrocarbons can change soil's pH and nutrient availability, which can affect its chemical characteristics. Through modifications to microbial activity, diversity, and composition, petroleum hydrocarbons can affect the soil's biological characteristics. Reduced soil fertility and production may result from this. The kind of hydrocarbon, the properties of the soil, and the type of crop are only a few of the factors that affect how petroleum hydrocarbon pollution affects agricultural productivity. Some crops are significantly more susceptible to hydrocarbon contamination than others, which can impact their yield. To limit the spread of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination, a number of physicochemical strategies have been used to the contaminated areas, but this has resulted in significant chemical consumption, high treatment costs, and the production of secondary pollutants that harm the environment. The biological remediation method, on the other hand, makes use of microorganisms or plants to break down or remove toxins from the soil. This review articles focus on the effects of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution on agricultural land and elaborates the remediation methods that may be applied to lessen these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Understanding microbial compositions and functions in arable soils is crucial for effective agroecosystem management. While many studies have explored this topic, large-scale investigations are lacking, resulting in the absence of consistent and reliable patterns of communities and functions of soil microorganisms. Methods: To address this gap, we performed an integrated analysis of published sequencing data from the soils of three main arable fields: upland, paddy, and paddy-upland rotation. Results: Bacterial diversity (richness, Shannon) was highest in upland soils. Actinobacteria and Planctomycetes were enriched in upland soils, while Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Nitrospirae preferred paddy and paddy-upland rotation soils. Bacteria in upland soils have a greater functional potential to decompose aromatic compounds, as well as for chitinolysis and ureolysis. Methanotrophy, methylotrophy, sulfur-related respiration, and most nitrogen metabolic processes were enriched in paddy fields. Bacteria in upland soils are characterized by increased dormancy potential and a faster response to resource input than those in paddy and paddy-upland rotation soils. Stochastic processes poorly contribute to the bacterial assembly in paddy soils, indicating strong environmental filtering due to anaerobic conditions. The spatial turnover in bacterial community composition was much faster than the functional potential, indicating high functional redundancy, especially in paddy soils. Edaphic factors were the major contributors to bacterial composition, whereas the cropland type influenced the predicted functions. Conclusions: Land use defines microbial composition, functional attributes, and ecological characteristics (e.g., dormancy potential, assembly processes, and functional redundancy). These findings deepen our knowledge of microbial biogeographic patterns in soils of agricultural ecosystems and provide new insights into sustainable cropland management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]