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[Display omitted] • Erosion-based prioritization using a comprehensive approach is vital. • The Shazand sub-Watersheds, Iran, were prioritized using the game theory. • The Shazand sub-watersheds were prioritized differently in various scenarios. • The game theory-based Condorcet approach holistically and successfully ranked sub-watersheds. The soil erosion of the watershed is different in temporal and spatial scales due to complex climatic and environmental conditions and their dynamic state over time. Accordingly, it is necessary to prioritize sub-watersheds based on their dynamic conditions to reduce the destructive effects of soil erosion. However, this issue has to be sufficiently reported on the scale of the watershed. Towards that, a game theory-based prioritization approach was planned concerning changes in vegetation cover and rainfall in the Shazand Watershed of the Markazi Province, Iran. To achieve the purpose of the study, the amount of soil erosion was first estimated in different scenarios resulting from the changes in rainfall erosivity and vegetation cover using the RUSLE model. Next, pairwise comparisons between 24 sub-watersheds in all scenarios were made based on the sub-watersheds' ranks in soil erosion in each scenario. Considering all scenarios, the priority of the sub-watersheds was assessed using the Condorcet approach. The results showed that the mean soil erosion in the watershed ranged from 5.4 and 36 t ha−1 y−1 while applying various scenarios. It is worth mentioning that the prioritization results obtained from the Condorcet algorithm and the current soil erosion rate are highly similar. On the other hand, sub-watersheds 2 and 9 were selected as the first and last priority, providing an appropriate roadmap for managers and relevant departments to adopt appropriate soil erosion inhibition measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The land use change driven by comprehensive management of small watershed can significantly affect the process of sediment yield in the watershed. The aims of this study are to explore the characteristics of land use dynamic change and soil conservation effect in different management stages of Zhifanggou small watershed, and to provide scientific support for the improvement of ecological service function in the Loess Plateau. [Methods] Based on the CSLE model, the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use change and soil conservation effect in the five management periods of the Zhifanggou watershed in the past 80 years were systematically evaluated. [Results] (1) Before the vegetation destruction in 1938, the forestland and grassland in the watershed accounted for 88.55%. In 1958, the proportion of forest and grass vegetation decreased by only 32%. In 1978, the land use change was gentle. After the implementation of comprehensive management of small watersheds, the proportion of forest and grass vegetation in 1999 and 2020 was 64.73% and 86.55%, respectively. The proportion of forest and grass vegetation in 2020 was basically the same as that before the destruction in 1938, but the proportion of forestland was still slightly smaller. (2) The amount of soil conservation in the five periods of the watershed was 2.485 × 10~5 t, 1.886 × 10~5 t, 2.288 × 10~5 t, 2.362 × 10~5 t and 2.460 × 10~5 t, respectively. The amount of soil conservation decreased after vegetation destruction, and the amount of soil conservation increased after comprehensive management of small watersheds. Because the area of forestland was still lower than that before destruction, the amount of soil conservation in 2020 was still lower than 0.01% in 1938. (3) Driven by land transfer, the soil conservation of woodland, grassland and cultivated land in different periods increased or decreased by-99.80%～-17.86%, 23.90%～69.18% and-25.06%～664.66%, respectively, compared with that in 1938. [Conclusions] The vegetation coverage of Zhifanggou watershed has been basically restored to the level before the destruction in 1938, indicating that the ecological restoration of the Loess Plateau has achieved remarkable results in Zhifanggou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]The aims of this study are to explore the spatiotemporal changes of land use and ecosystem services under different development scenarios on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and to provide an important scientific basis for optimizing the spatial pattern of land use, improving the function of ecosystem services and formulating sustainable development strategies. [Methods]The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau was taken as the research object. The MCD12Q1 land cover data of phases 2001, 2010 and 2020 were taken as the basic data, and the natural and socio-economic data were taken as the auxiliary data. Based on ArcGIS, FLUS model and In VEST model platform, the land use pattern change patterns of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau from 2001 to 2020 were analyzed. The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of land use and the spatiotemporal changes of three ecosystem services function(carbon storage, water yield and soil conservation)were simulated under the Natural Development Scenario(NDS), Ecological Protection Scenario(EPS)and Farmland Protection Scenario(FPS)in 2030, 2040 and 2050. [Results](1)The main trend of land use structure in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau under different scenarios was the continuous increase of forestland and the continuous decrease of grassland. The farmland area can account for 10. 38％of the total area under the FPS. The forestland and grassland area will reach 90％of the total area by 2050 under the EPS. (2)Under the three scenarios, the total carbon storage and soil conservation of ecosystem services in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau from 2020 to 2050 show an increasing trend, while the total water yield shows a decreasing trend. Under the EPS, the predicted value of carbon storage in 2050 will be the highest, 8. 13 X109 t, and the reduction rate of water yield will be significantly lower than the other two scenarios, with a decrease of 0. 46％. (3)Yichang, Pu'er and Changde have higher ecosystem services supply capacity. However, the supply capacity of ecosystem services in Guiyang, Bijie and Anshun is low. [Conclusion]The supply capacity of ecosystem services in the study area is better from 2020 to 2050, and all service functions show strong spatial aggregation and heterogeneity under different scenarios. When formulating strategies for ecosystem service management and sustainable development in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the spatial differentiation characteristics of different ecosystem service functions and the water shortage caused by the continuous increase of forest area should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayan region is the most sensitive due to its fragility, especially in soil erosion; therefore, it is a growing concern for environmentalists and natural resource planners. The study river basin Mandakini is situated in the central part of the Garhwal Himalayan region (Uttarakhand, India), which is highly prone to soil erosion due to various hydro-geomorphological factors. The factors include precipitous slope, geology, rugged terrain, land use and drainage pattern. Therefore, to identify the erosion-prone areas of the study basin, employed watershed prioritization technique using geographical information system and remote sensing integrated with weighted sum analysis (WSA), sediment production rate (SPR) and Technique of Order Preference Similarity to the Ideal Solution with Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP-TOPSIS) models. It is calculated by taking different parameters indicating linear, landscape, and shape parameters. All the sub-watersheds (SW) of the basin were prioritized in different categories for all models with model performance for the Mandakini river basin in the central Himalaya. The results are showing almost similar results except for high erosion-prone regions. The results of the SPR model indicate that vary large areas (43.47%) of the basin suffering from severe erosion limited in the north-central (WS11, WS12, WS21), eastern (WS2), and southern (WS22 and WS23) parts of the basin among 23 sub-watersheds. The result of model evaluation indicates AHP-TOPSIS is the efficient model in assessing soil erodibility. The study can help to undertake the precise decisions to propose an effective framework for soil erosion control measures and encourage soil conservation priorities of the region. The findings have implications for defining sustainable land resource management and conservation, which are critical to attaining the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's societal goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of promising and appropriate plant species and knowledge of their effects on the soil are essential for mineland rehabilitation success. The present study evaluated the effects of three different plant seed cocktails on fertility, soil cover, and erosion control in two iron waste piles in the Carajás Mineral Province, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. The three different seed cocktails were: commercial (only commercial species); native (only species native of Carajás); mixed (native and commercial species); and a control treatment (without seed application). Additionally, tillers from native grasses from Carajás were planted in one of the waste piles. The cocktails were applied by hydroseeding together with fertilizer, mulch, organic compost, and a tackifier. Analyses were performed at 12 and 24 months after the seeding in the waste piles. In general, all cocktails contributed to vegetation establishment, organic matter accumulation, and increased soil fertility. The commercial cocktail stands out due to its ability to improve soil fertility. Native species showed the best cover performance, and less soil loss, highlighting their use for effective control of soil erosion. Thus, native species have the potential for use in rehabilitation projects involving iron waste piles in the Amazon. This is especially relevant because the use of native plant species is mandatory and a declared rehabilitation target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil conservation is one of the best methods to improve soil fertility and enhance crop growth efficiency. Replacing plastic mulch with biomass is an environmentally friendly strategy. Innovative encapsulated soil granules (ESGs) were developed using PVA/PC film as the wall material and rural soil as the core. The PVA/PC was synthesized using 60% protein polypeptide (PC) from leather waste scrap and 35% poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), which was optimized for water absorption expansion and water retention performance. The ESG-10 granulated with 10% PVA/PC exhibited good water absorption, moisture retention, and resistance to water solubility. As an auxiliary material for soil improvement, the amount of ESGs mixed with the topsoil at ratios of 0 g/m2, 200 g/m2, and 400 g/m2 was proportional to the soil insulation and moisture retention. In rapeseed cultivation, the experimental results indicated that the soil mulched with ESG-10 can maintain seedling vitality for a long time under low water content conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A troubling feedback loop, where drier soil contributes to hotter climates, has been widely recognized. This study, drawing on climate model simulations, reveals that maintaining current global soil moisture levels could significantly alleviate 32.9% of land warming under low-emission scenarios. This action could also postpone reaching critical warming thresholds of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C by at least a decade. Crucially, preserving soil moisture at current levels could prevent noticeable climate change impacts across 42% of the Earth's land, a stark deviation from projections suggesting widespread impacts before the 2060s. To combat soil drying, afforestation in mid-to-low latitude regions within the next three decades is proposed as an effective strategy to increase surface water availability. This underscores the substantial potential of nature-based solutions for managing soil moisture, benefiting both climate change mitigation and ecological enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the central part of the arid regions of Northwest China, the Heihe River Basin (HRB) plays an important role in wind prevention, sand fixation, and soil and water conservation as the second largest inland river basin. In the context of the warming and wetting climate observed in Northwest China, the situation of the ecological environment in the HRB is of significant concern. Using the data from meteorological observation stations, grid fusion and hydrological monitoring, this study analyzes the multi-scale climate changes in the HRB and their impacts on runoff. In addition, predictive models for runoff in the upper and middle reaches were developed using machine learning methods. The results indicate that the climate in the HRB has experienced an overall warming and wetting trend over the past 60 years. At the same time, there are clear regional variabilities in the climate changes. Precipitation shows decreasing trends in the northwestern part of the HRB, while it shows increases at rates higher than the regional average in the southeastern part. Moreover, the temperature increases are generally smaller in the upper reaches than those in the middle and lower reaches. Over the past 60 years, there has been a remarkable increase in runoff at the Yingluo Gorge (YL) hydrological station, which exhibits a distinct "single-peak" pattern in the variation of monthly runoff. The annual runoff volume at the YL (ZY) hydrological station is significantly correlated with the precipitation in the upper (middle) reaches, indicating the precipitation is the primary influencing factor determining the annual runoff. Temperature has a significant impact only on the runoff in the upper reaches, while its impact is not significant in the middle reaches. The models trained by the support vector machines and random forest models perform best in predicting the annual runoff and monthly runoff, respectively. This study can provide a scientific basis for environmental protection and sustainable development in the HRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terraces, farmlands built along hillside contours, are common anthropogenically designed landscapes. Terraces control soil and water loss and improve land productivity; therefore, obtaining their spatial distribution is necessary for soil and water conservation and agricultural production. Spatial information of large-scale terraces can be obtained using satellite images and through deep learning. However, when extracting terraces, accurately segmenting the boundaries of terraces and identifying small terraces in diverse scenarios continues to be challenging. To solve this problem, we combined two deep learning modules, ANB-LN and DFB, to produce a new deep learning framework (NLDF-Net) for terrace extraction using remote sensing images. The model first extracted the features of the terraces through the coding area to obtain abstract semantic features, and then gradually recovered the original size through the decoding area using feature fusion. In addition, we constructed a terrace dataset (the HRT-set) for Guangdong Province and conducted a series of comparative experiments on this dataset using the new framework. The experimental results show that our framework had the best extraction effect compared to those of other deep learning methods. This framework provides a method and reference for extracting ground objects using remote sensing images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the hydrological processes on the Loess Plateau have undergone significant changes due to the combined effects of climate change and human activities. This study investigates the Qin River basin, the core area of the Loess Plateau. Between 1971 and 2000, the hydrometeorology of the flood season in the Qin basin on the Loess Plateau in China changed abruptly in 1982 and 1992. This study uses distributed hydrologic modeling and statistical analysis to distinguish the spatial and temporal impacts of climate change and human activities. The fastest dynamic changes in land use occurred in grassland and construction land, accounting for 0.36% and −0.1%, respectively, from 1982 to 1991. From 1992 to 2000, it was 0.29% and 0.3%, respectively. The increase in basin area where the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index increased was 95%. However, except for significant changes in runoff from 1981 to 1992, there were no significant changes in precipitation, runoff, and temperature during other flood seasons. During the two studied variation periods, from 1982 to 1991 and from 1992 to 2000, the contribution rate of climate change to flood season runoff ( C C l i m a t e ) decreased from 83.26% to 74.47%, while the contribution rate of human activity disturbance to flood season runoff ( C h u m a n ) increased from 16.74% to 25.53%. In terms of spatial distribution, from 1982 to 1991, areas with a C h u m a n > 50% were primarily concentrated in the upper reaches of the basin, while from 1992–2000, these areas shifted to the lower reaches. This study offers valuable insights for water resource planning and soil conservation measures in the Loess Plateau and similar arid regions worldwide, aiming to ensure water resource safety and sustainability in response to climate change and human interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil and water conservation and protection are of great importance to China, as the source of the Pearl and Xiang Rivers, and the main rare earth mining area, the ecology of Dongjiang River Basin, is very fragile. In this paper, the Chinese soil loss equation and the Geodetector method are used to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns and the impact factors of soil erosion in this area from 2016 to 2020. The results show that (1) Soil erosion intensity in the Dongjiang River Basin from 2016 to 2020 is mainly mild, with the soil erosion intensity in the Dongjiang River Basin in 2016 being the largest in five years. (2) The erosion modulus shows an increasing trend with the increase of slope. In terms of vegetation, when the vegetation cover is <30%, the soil erosion modulus is the largest, which is easy to induce soil erosion. When the vegetation cover is >60%, the soil erosion modulus is the smallest, which effectively slows down the occurrence of soil erosion. Rainfall is proportional to the soil erosion modulus and soil erosion. (3) The results of Geodetector indicate that the single factor sizes are land use > vegetation > slope > precipitation, and interaction factors all show a nonlinear enhancement. (4) The proper allocation of land use types, the prohibition of steep slopes for cultivation, and the restoration of forestry can effectively prevent and control soil erosion in the area. Core Ideas: Chinese soil loss equation enabled us to quantify soil erosion patterns.Geodetector unravels the underlying mechanisms responsible for spatial heterogeneity.The investigation highlighted the significant impact of intense rainfall events on steep slopes.Our analysis illustrates the shifting landscape of soil erosion within the Dongjiang River Basin.Our research sheds light on the key drivers behind this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic revegetation is an effective way to control soil erosion and restore degraded ecosystems in China's northwest drylands (NWD). However, excessive vegetation cover expansion has long been known to increase evapotranspiration, leading to reduced local water availability, which can in turn threaten the health and services of restored ecosystems. Determining the optimal vegetation coverage (OVC) is critical for balancing the trade-off between plant growth and water consumption in water-stressed areas, yet quantitative assessments over the entire NWD are still lacking. In this study, a modified Biome BioGeochemical Cycles (Biome-BGC) model was used to simulate the long-term (1961–2020) dynamics of actual evapotranspiration (ETa), net primary productivity (NPP), and leaf area index (LAI) for the dominant non-native tree (R. pseudoacacia and P. sylvestris) and shrub (C. korshinkii and H. rhamnoides) species at 246 meteorological sites over NWD. The modified model incorporated the Richards equation to simulate transient unsaturated water flow in a multilayer soil module, and both soil and eco-physiological parameters required by the model were validated using field-observed ETa data for each species. Spatial distributions of OVC (given by the mean maximum LAI, LAImax) for the dominant species were determined within three hydrogeomorphic sub-areas (i.e., the loess hilly-gully sub-area, the windy and sandy sub-area, and the desert sub-area). The modified Biome-BGC model performed well in terms of simulating ETa dynamics for the four plant species. Spatial distributions of mean ETa, NPP, and LAImax generally exhibited patterns similar to mean annual precipitation (MAP). In the loess hilly-gully sub-area (MAP: 210 to 710 mm), the OVC respectively ranged from 1.7 to 2.9 and 0.8 to 2.9 for R. pseudoacacia and H. rhamnoides. In the windy and sandy sub-area (MAP: 135 to 500 mm), the OVC ranged from 0.3 to 3.3, 0.5 to 2.6 and 0.6 to 2.1 for P. sylvestris, C. korshinkii and H. rhamnoides, respectively. In the desert sub-area (MAP: 90 to 500 mm), the OVC ranged from 0.4 to 1.7 for H. rhamnoides. Positive differences between observed and simulated plant coverage were found over 51% of the forest- and shrub-covered area, especially in the loess hilly-gully sub-area, suggesting possible widespread overplanting in those areas. This study provides critical revegetation thresholds for dominant tree and shrub species to guide future revegetation activities. Further revegetation in areas with overplanting should be undertaken with caution, and restored ecosystems that exceed the OVC should be managed (e.g., thinning) to maintain a sustainable ecohydrological environment in the drylands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid zone grassland is a crucial component of terrestrial ecosystems and plays a significant role in ecosystem protection and soil erosion prevention. However, accurately mapping grassland spatial information in arid zones presents a great challenge. The accuracy of remote sensing grassland mapping in arid zones is affected by spectral variability caused by the highly diverse landscapes. In this study, we explored the potential of a rectangular tile classification model, constructed using the random forest algorithm and integrated images from Sentinel-1A (synthetic aperture radar imagery) and Sentinel-2 (optical imagery), to enhance the accuracy of grassland mapping in the semiarid to arid regions of Ordos, China. Monthly Sentinel-1A median value images were synthesised, and four MODIS vegetation index mean value curves (NDVI, MSAVI, NDWI and NDBI) were used to determine the optimal synthesis time window for Sentinel-2 images. Seven experimental groups, including 14 experimental schemes based on the rectangular tile classification model and the traditional global classification model, were designed. By applying the rectangular tile classification model and Sentinel-integrated images, we successfully identified and extracted grasslands. The results showed the integration of vegetation index features and texture features improved the accuracy of grassland mapping. The overall accuracy of the Sentinel-integrated images from EXP7-2 was 88.23%, which was higher than the accuracy of the single sensor Sentinel-1A (53.52%) in EXP2-2 and Sentinel-2 (86.53%) in EXP5-2. In all seven experimental groups, the rectangular tile classification model was found to improve overall accuracy (OA) by 1.20% to 13.99% compared to the traditional global classification model. This paper presents novel perspectives and guidance for improving the accuracy of remote sensing mapping for land cover classification in arid zones with highly diverse landscapes. The study presents a flexible and scalable model within the Google Earth Engine framework, which can be readily customized and implemented in various geographical locations and time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Green Deal encourages the use of non-productive activities in agriculture. One of the measures is the cultivation of melliferous floral plants at the field margins. Their influence on soil compaction and other deterioration is due to heavy machinery, its inappropriate use and frequent driving on field margins, is little studied. Plants of a high environmental value though rarely grown by farmers were selected for melliferous plant strips: perennial grass swards (PGS), perennial legume swards (PLS), annual floral plats mixture (AEP) and natural grassland swards (NGS). The experiment was installed on a clay loam and loam Cambisol with the aim to determine the effect of different plant composition strips grown at the field edges on the physical and chemical soils parameters of with different granulometric structure. It was found that the highest amounts of roots and plant residues in the soil were left after cultivating sward strips of PGS and NGS compared to the field where cereals had been intensively grown. The amounts of root and plant residues produced by plants, soil rest increase the amount of organic carbon in the soil. During the five-year period, the plants edges strips improved the properties of the field margin top and subsoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to accurately predict the peak flow at small watershed scale, and to provide support for hydrological application and soil and water conservation assessment. [Methods] The data of 215 rainfall events from 2013 to 2021 were used to analyze effect factors of the peak flow in Liujiagou small watershed, Wanzhou County, Chongqing. The Pearson correlation analysis was performed between peak flow rate and effect factors, including runoff depth, runoff coefficient, rainfall depth, maximum 30-minute rainfall intensity(I30), and average rainfall intensity. A new peak flow rate equation was developed based on linear regression and nonlinear regression analysis to predict the peak flow rate for small watersheds in Chongqing. The first data set, including 172 storms, was used to develop a new formula for predicting peak flow rate. A second set of data, including 43 storm events, was used to test the new equation. [Results] The peak flow rate was significantly correlated with rainfall, I30, runoff depth, and runoff coefficient at the 0.01 confidence level. The model efficiency was 0.85 and 0.82 when 172 and 43 rainfall events were used, respectively. [Conclusion] The new equation can provide good accuracy in the small watershed in Chongqing. The new equation will be helpful for the decision-making of soil and water conservation measures, the design of soil and water conservation engineering facilities and the evaluation of soil erosion in Chongqing and even the small watersheds in southwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountainous grasslands in South America, characterized by their high diversity, provide a wide range of contributions to people, including water regulation, soil erosion prevention, livestock feed provision, and preservation of cultural heritage. Prior research has highlighted the significant role of grazing in shaping the diversity and productivity of grassland ecosystems, especially in highly productive, eutrophic systems. In such environments, grazing has been demonstrated to restore grassland plant diversity by reducing primary productivity. However, it remains unclear whether these findings are applicable to South American mountainous grasslands, where plants are adapted to different environmental conditions. To address this uncertainty, we conducted a meta‐analysis of experiments excluding livestock grazing to assess its impact on plant diversity and productivity across mountainous grasslands in South America. In alignment with studies in temperate grasslands, our findings indicated that herbivore exclusion resulted in increased aboveground biomass but reduced species richness and Shannon diversity. The effects of grazing exclusion became more pronounced with longer durations of exclusion; nevertheless, they remained resilient to various climatic conditions, including mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, as well as the evolutionary history of grazing. In contrast to results observed in temperate grasslands, the reduction in species richness due to herbivore exclusion was not associated with increased aboveground biomass. This suggests that the processes governing (sub)tropical grassland plant diversity may differ from those in temperate grasslands. Consequently, further research is necessary to better understand the specific factors influencing plant diversity and productivity in South American montane grasslands and to elucidate the ecological implications of herbivore exclusion in these unique ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit tree–based agroforestry has been promoted as an alternative farming practice in upland Northwest Vietnam to replace monocultures of staple crops. Although many studies have focused on evaluating the performance of agroforestry systems at the plot level, research on how farmers perceive and evaluate agroforestry considering whole-farm contexts is limited. We explored the perceptions and reasoned management decisions of agroforestry farmers to uncover challenges that hinder the wider use of agroforestry, and we assessed farmers' strategies for effective management of adoption challenges. We combined the Q methodology and the systems thinking approach. With the Q methodology, we explored prevalent discourses among the members of the farming community on the impact of agroforestry. Systems thinking elucidated a system-wide understanding of farmers' adaptive decision-making processes. By combining the two approaches, we uncovered the dynamics that shape farmers' perceptions and the rationale behind their management of the adoption process. Through the Q method, we identified three distinct discourses among participants. Two of these discourses are in favor of agroforestry, highlighting its beneficial impacts on livelihoods and the environment, e.g., through diversification of household income and through soil erosion control. We also generated a collective development pathway outlining how farmers navigated and adapted agroforestry practices to overcome adoption challenges through a whole-system approach to farm resource management. We identified structural barriers, such as unstable farm-gate prices, that may need high-level interventions. Our study adds a new dimension to the assessment of agroforestry through farmers' perspectives and contributes to the existing body of research on knowledge systems in agroforestry. Considering farmers' views and their ways of reasoning during innovation processes may allow tailoring appropriate innovations by accounting for unique farm situations and local farming systems. Such locally generated knowledge will have relevance for real-world contexts and therefore be useful for guiding actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors influencing on seed germination and wheat yield are such as the optimum use of tillage and seeding methods. This study was a randomized complete block experimental design with four treatments and four replications to determine the suitable tillage method for a grain drill with bent leg opener (bent leg grain drill) and also determine the effect of these implements on soil moisture conservation and rainfed wheat yield in dry soil conditions. Treatments were seeding wheat by a bent leg grain drill in four tillage application of direct seeding (no-tillage), bent leg tillage (reduced tillage), bent leg tillage + disc (reduced tillage), and chisel plough + disc (conventional tillage). Results indicated that tillage methods and seeding wheat by the bent leg grain drill affected residue remained on the soil surface, soil bulk density, soil moisture, seedling emergence percent and wheat yield. Reduce tillage by the bent leg tillage implement and seeding by the bent leg grain drill increased residue remained on the soil surface (31%), seedling emergence (26%), soil moisture conservation before harvesting (22.9%), and wheat yield (19.8%) compared to the conventional tillage. The bent leg tillage provides a proper seedbed for seeding wheat with less passes of tractor in dry soil conditions. The results show that the technology of bent leg tillage and bent leg grain drill has the potential to increase soil moisture conservation and wheat yield in rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water erosion is an ongoing problem in eastern Washington due to its hilly terrain, highly erodible silt loam soils, rain on thawing soil, and the prevalence of conventional tillage. The region is characterized by a Mediterranean-type climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Three distinct precipitation zones, with annual totals low (<380 mm), intermediate (380-460 mm), and high (>460 mm), dictate the area's crop rotations. A unique 43-year (1940-1982) dataset of winter erosion measured on multiple agricultural fields in Whitman County, eastern Washington, by Verle Kaiser, a USDA Soil Conservation Service agronomist, showed annual erosion rates averaging 53.8 Mg ha-1, far exceeding the current Natural Resources Conservation Service tolerable limit of 11 Mg ha-1 yr-1 for the soils in the area. Kaiser's field data allowed us to compare the historical field-measured erosion rates with those simulated by the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model. Anthropogenic factors, such as tillage and crop rotation, change with time. Conservation tillage, including reduced- and no-till, has been increasingly adopted in eastern Washington since the mid-1980s. The specific objectives of this study were to (1) apply the WEPP model to simulate soil erosion in eastern Washington and evaluate the interactive effects of climate and management, in addition to topography and soil, on water erosion in the study area, and (2) compare the simulation results with Kaiser's historical field dataset and elucidate the long-term soil erosion trend. The WEPPcloud interface was used to delineate a watershed within each precipitation zone of the study area. Climate inputs were divided into two periods: the past (1939-1982) and the present (1983-2020). Erosion has noticeably decreased from the past to the present, with WEPP simulated annual erosion averaging 13.5, 34.5, and 52.6 Mg ha-1 for the past, and 9.5, 14.1, and 15.5 Mg ha-1 for the present, in the selected watersheds in the low-, intermediate-, and high-precipitation zones, respectively. The decreasing trend was primarily due to the increased adoption of conservation tillage and crop rotation, as well as a decrease in the number of high-intensity precipitation events in the present climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation will remain an important global issue for the 21st century because of its adverse impact on agronomic productivity of crop yields, the environment and its effect on food security and the quality of life. However, the on-site impacts of land degradation on productivity are easily screened due to use of additional inputs and adoption of improved technology and have led some to question the negative effects of extreme land degradation. The relative magnitude of economic losses due to productivity decline versus environmental deterioration also has created a debate. Therefore, land is a non-renewable resource, and the productive capacity of the land would be reduced unless proper management options would be taken at a right time. The proper management options of land degradation for sustaining the crop yields are controlling overgrazing, reduced population pressures on natural resources, using energy efficient sources, contour farming, avoiding cultivation of steep slopes for crop production purposes, afforestation and hillside tree plantations and along gullies, increasing soil fertility by adding organic matter, reducing compaction of soil structures and making soil and water conservation structures to reduce soil erosion, sediment loss and run-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils have an important task in maintaining vegetation cover and natural resources on Earth and are indispensable to societies. However, the accelerated soil erosion has become an environmental problem related to land settlement for agricultural practices and forestry and is linked to population growth. This study aimed to evaluate soil erosion in a watershed downstream of Parnaíba river, northwest of Piauí state, in the Brazilian Cerrado using geotechnology products and tools in order to understand the soil loss and map the potential erosion and actual erosion through qualitative and quantitative results to support the management and planning of the watershed in an effective and efficient way. As a modeling tool, this research used the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The potential erosion ranged from very low to very high. The soil loss obtained by the integration of natural physical factors with land use (anthropic action) resulted in soil loss corresponding to the category slight (0–0.01 t.ha−1.year−1) to extremely high (>100 t.ha−1.year−1). The areas with the greatest soil loss were identified in land uses linked to pasture, exposed soil, and cultivated land. It was also possible to identify erosion features in the field, indicating the need to implement soil conservation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils are a source of natural capital that provide and regulate a range of ecosystem services (ES) and play an important role in sustaining human welfare. Nonetheless, the quality and quantity of soil ecosystem services (SES) delivery over the long term depend on the use of sustainable land management practices. In the present study, we assessed seven SES using a set of soil quality indicators in four production systems based on yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil) in the Araucaria Forest biome of Southern Brazil: two sites were under traditional agroecological agroforestry management, one was a silvopastoral system with dairy pasture, and the last one was a monoculture yerba mate production system. The SES measured were soil fertility, carbon sequestration, erosion control, nutrient cycling, plant provision, biodiversity, and health. Soil samples were collected at various depths and analysed for chemical, physical, and biological attributes. A principal component analysis on the dataset showed that the soil quality indicators that best represent the variance between the systems at the 0–10 cm layer were acidity, microbial activity (FDA), total nitrogen, (TN), structural stability index (SSI), cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, sum of bases (SB), microbial quotient (qMic), density of earthworms (EwD), bulk density (BD), and carbon stocks (Cstock). Soil quality indicators ranging from 0 to 1 were used to graphically represent the set of SES. The indicator-based approach used to explain the differences among the four production systems was able to capture the soil functions and offered a good starting point for quantifying SES provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude of water-induced disasters is projected to increase in the coming decades. Yet, there is a substantial gap in the understanding of how local knowledge and Indigenous knowledge are employed to respond to climate change water-induced disasters. We examine this gap through a meta-review of literature published between 2014 and 2019 yielding 39 scholarly papers. The meta-review indicates that the literature highlights that marginalized people are facing multiple risks that threaten their ability to produce enough food for consumption, secure water for irrigation, live in sustainable communities, and maintain their health and well-being. Responses are largely incremental, autonomous adjustments, such as livelihood diversification, flood-proofing homes, and soil moisture conservation. Our findings show that there is a clear need to more closely attend to the processes by which local knowledge and Indigenous knowledge can be meaningfully integrated into adaptation to move toward transformative change for long-term climate resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples have strong social and cultural values, ordered social control and cohesive social systems rooted in their Indigenous knowledge of the universe in general and their locals in particular. The research assesses the Indigenous knowledge of the community in natural resource conservation practice and their perception toward natural resource. A socio-philosophical insight was employed to the analysis. The result showed that Me'en (Indigenous people of southwest Ethiopia) Community has a deep knowledge and practice of natural resource conservation in general and for soil and wildlife in particular. The study reveals the community practice contours, tracing, mulching, ridges, shifting cultivation, crop rotation, and area closure. The communities also have the knowledge to identify fertile lands by physical observation such as by its color and texture and touching. They practice a sustainable concept of utilization, but in terms of philosophical orientation, they fall in both biocentrism and anthropocentric orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) deposition affects ecosystem functions crucial to human health and well‐being. However, the consequences of this scenario for soil ecosystem multifunctionality (SMF) in forests are poorly understood. Here, we conducted a long‐term field experiment in a temperate forest in China, where N deposition was simulated by adding N above and under the canopies. We discover that canopy N addition promotes SMF expression, whereas understory N addition suppresses it. SMF was regulated by fungal diversity in canopy N addition treatments, which is largely due to the strong resistance to soil acidification and efficient resource utilization characteristics of fungi. While in understory N addition treatments, SMF is regulated by bacterial diversity, which is mainly because of the strong resilience to disturbances and fast turnover of bacteria. Furthermore, rare microbial taxa may play a more important role in the maintenance of the SMF. This study provides the first evidence that N deposition enhanced SMF in temperate forests and enriches the knowledge on enhanced N deposition affecting forest ecosystems. Given the divergent results from two N addition approaches, an innovative perspective of canopy N addition on soil microbial diversity‐multifunctionality relationships is crucial to policy‐making for the conservation of soil microbial diversity and sustainable ecosystem management under enhanced N deposition. In future research, the consideration of canopy N processes is essential for more realistic assessments of the effects of atmospheric N deposition in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global change impacts on disturbances can strongly compromise the capacity of forests to provide ecosystem services to society. In addition, many ecosystem services in Europe are simultaneously provided by forests, emphasizing the importance of multifunctionality in forest ecosystem assessments. To address disturbances in forest ecosystem policies and management, spatially explicit risk analyses that consider multiple disturbances and ecosystem services are needed. However, we do not yet know which ecosystem services are most at risk from disturbances in Europe, where the respective risk hotspots are, nor which of the main disturbance agents are most detrimental to the provisioning of multiple ecosystem services from Europe's forests. Here, we quantify the risk of losing important ecosystem services (timber supply, carbon storage, soil erosion control and outdoor recreation) to forest disturbances (windthrows, bark beetle outbreaks and wildfires) in Europe on a continental scale. We find that up to 12% of Europe's ecosystem service supply is at risk from current disturbances. Soil erosion control is the ecosystem service at the highest risk, and windthrow is the disturbance agent posing the highest risk. Disturbances challenge forest multifunctionality by threatening multiple ecosystem services simultaneously on 19.8 Mha (9.7%) of Europe's forests. Our results highlight priority areas for risk management aiming to safeguard the sustainable provisioning of forest ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the product service type and multi-level ecosystem of upgrading agriculture-forestry-animal husbandry composite system in Dibei Zagana, China. we conducted a study on ecosystem services to explore the coupling relationship between the matching characteristics of ecosystem service supply and demand and ecological resilience. Using multi-source data, we developed various models to assess the supply and demand of five ecosystem services: agriculture-forestry-animal husbandry composite system services, water production, upgrading agriculture-forestry-animal Husbandry composite system, soil conservation, and recreation and leisure. Additionally, we established an ecological resilience index system to quantify ecological resilience. Based on the "ecosystem service supply and demand + ecological resilience" concept, we defined ecological restoration zones. Subsequently, optimization strategies were proposed considering the natural and socio-economic status and development characteristics of these zones. Moreover, differentiated ecological restoration strategies were suggested for various sub-areas. These strategies provide valuable guidelines for the systematic design of ecological restoration projects and serve as methodological references for the scientific preparation of the future comprehensive management plan for the Zagana district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil and water erosion has long been regarded as a serious environmental problem in the world. Thus, research on reducing soil erosion has received continuous attention. Different conservation measures such as restoring low-function forests, closing hillsides for afforestation, planting trees and grass, and constructing terraces on slope land have been implemented for controlling soil erosion problems and promoting vegetation cover change. One important task is to understand the effects of different conservation measures on reducing water and soil erosion problems. However, directly conducting the evaluation of soil erosion reduction is difficult. One solution is to evaluate the patterns and magnitudes of vegetation cover change due to implementing these measures. Therefore, this research selected Changting County, Fujian Province as a case study to examine the effects of implementing conservation measures on vegetation cover change based on time series Landsat images and field survey data. Landsat images between 1986 and 2021 were used to produce time series vegetation cover data using the Google Earth Engine. Sentinel-2 images acquired in 2021 and Landsat images in 2010 were separately used to develop land cover maps using the random forest method. The spatial distribution of different conservation measures was linked to annual vegetation cover and land cover change data to examine the effects on the change in vegetation cover. The results showed a significant reduction in bare lands and increase in pine forests. The vegetation coverage increased from 42% in 1986 to 79% in 2021 in the conservation region compared with an increase from 73% to 87% in the non-conservation region during the same period. Of the different conservation measures, the change magnitude was 0.44 for restoring low-function forests and closing hillsides for afforestation and 0.65 for multiple control measures. This research provides new insights in terms of understanding the effects of taking proper measures for reducing soil and water erosion problems and provides scientific results for decisionmaking for soil erosion controls. The strategy and method used in this research are valuable for other regions in understanding the roles of different conservation measures on vegetation cover change and soil erosion reduction through employing remote sensing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall erosivity, which signifies the inherent susceptibility of soil erosion induced by precipitation, plays a fundamental role in formulating a comprehensive soil loss equation (RUSLE). It stands as a crucial determinant among the foundational factors considered in a comprehensive soil loss equation's establishment. Nonetheless, the prediction and quantification of future alterations in rainfall erosivity under the influence of global warming have been relatively limited. In this study, climate change was widely evaluated and 10 preferred global climate models in the Loess Plateau were selected by using the data sets of 27 models simulating climate change and the CN05.1 data set provided by the latest CMIP6. The monthly precipitation forecast data were obtained by using the delta downscaling method. Combined with trend analysis, significance test, and coefficient of variation, the annual rainfall erosivity during 1961–2100 under four SSP scenarios was analyzed and predicted. Among the 27 GCM models used in this paper, the most suitable climate models for simulating monthly precipitation in the Loess Plateau were CMCC-CM2-SR5, CMCC-ESM2, TaiESM1, EC-Earth3, EC-Earth-Veg-LR, INM-CM4-8, CAS-ESM2-0, EC-Earth-Veg, ACCESS-ESM1-5, and IPSL-CM6A-LR. In comparison to the base period (1961–1990), during the historical period (1961–2014), the average annual rainfall erosivity on the Loess Plateau amounted to 1259.64 MJ·mm·hm−2·h−1·a−1, showing an insignificant downward trend. In the northwest of Ningxia, Yulin City and Yanan City showed a significant upward trend. In the future period (2015–2100), the annual rainfall erosivity continues to constantly change and increase. The potential average increase in rainfall erosivity is about 13.48–25.86%. In terms of spatial distribution, most areas showed an increasing trend. Among these regions, the majority of encompassed areas within Shanxi Province, central Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia increased greatly, which was not conducive to soil and water conservation and ecological environment construction. This study offers a scientific reference for the projected future erosivity characteristics of the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant–fungal interactions are ubiquitous across ecosystems and contribute significantly to plant ecology and evolution. All orchids form obligate symbiotic relationships with specific fungi for germination and early growth, and the distribution of terrestrial orchid species has been linked to occurrence and abundance of specific orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) in the soil. The availability of OMF can therefore be a habitat requirement that is relevant to consider when establishing management and conservation strategies for threatened orchid species, but knowledge on the spatial distribution of OMF in soil is limited. We here studied the mycorrhizal associations of three terrestrial orchid species (Anacamptis pyramidalis, Orchis purpurea and Platanthera chlorantha) found in a local orchid diversity hotspot in eastern Denmark, and investigated the abundance of the identified mycorrhizal fungi in the surrounding soil. We applied ITS metabarcoding to samples of orchid roots, rhizosphere soil and bulk soil collected at three localities, supplemented with standard barcoding of root samples with OMF specific primers, and detected 22 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) putatively identified as OMF. The three orchid species displayed different patterns of OMF associations, supporting the theory that association with specific fungi constitutes part of an orchid's ecological niche allowing co‐occurrence of many species in orchid‐rich habitats. The identified mycorrhizal partners in the basidiomycete families Tulasnellaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae (Cantharallales) were detected in low abundance in rhizosphere soil, and appeared almost absent from bulk soil at the localities. This finding highlights our limited knowledge of the ecology and trophic mode of OMF outside orchid tissues, as well as challenges in the detection of specific OMF with standard methods. Potential implications for management and conservation strategies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change research identifies risks to agriculture that will impact agricultural land suitability. To mitigate these impacts, agricultural growing regions will need to adapt, diversify, or shift in location. Various machine learning algorithms have successfully modelled agricultural land suitability globally, predominantly using climate and soil features. Topography controls many of the environmental processes that impact agriculture, including soils, hydrology, and nutrient availability. This research evaluated the relationship between specialty crops and topography using land-surface parameters extracted from a 30 m DEM, soil features, and specialty crop presence/absence data derived from eight years of previous land classifications in southern Ontario, Canada. Using random forest, a model was developed for each specialty crop where feature permutation importance, Matthew's correlation coefficient, and the area under the precision-recall curve was calculated. Elevation relative to watershed minimum and maximum, direct radiation on Day 172, and spherical standard deviation of normals were identified as the mean most important topographic features across all models and beet crops were found to have the highest association with topographic features. These results identify locations of agricultural expansion opportunities if climate becomes more favourable. The importance of topography in addition to climate and soils when identifying suitable areas for specialty crops is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document, titled "Predictions and Estimations in Agricultural Production under a Changing Climate," discusses the challenges that agriculture faces in the 21st century due to climate change. It emphasizes the importance of adapting agricultural practices to maintain profitability and food production. The document highlights various techniques, such as agroecology and precision farming, that can help mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture. It also presents several research articles that explore prediction and estimation tools in agriculture, including predicting corn yield, rice cultivation, pest forecasting, and estimating the impact of climate change on crop yields. The document concludes that implementing these research methods can aid in the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. [Extracted from the article]

While climate change and vegetation dynamics have a strong relationship, few studies have specifically measured the effects of these factors on runoff and sediment development in the gully zone of the Loess Plateau. This study investigates the monthly impacts of climatic change and vegetation dynamics on water flow and sediment movement in the gully zone of the Loess Plateau between 2000 and 2016. In this study, the standard gully watershed of the Loess Plateau is investigated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The state of vegetation in the watershed is characterized by utilizing the vegetation index obtained using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), along with monthly hydro-meteorological and vegetation data. The collective impacts of vegetation dynamics, climate change, and runoff contribute to 74.3% of the monthly fluctuations in sediment levels. The data indicate that 31.6% of the monthly runoff variability can be ascribed to the combined influence of climate change and vegetation dynamics. Climate change significantly influences flow and sediment via direct and indirect mechanisms, primarily by altering the growth and development of vegetation, which subsequently impacts both runoff and sediment. The impact of vegetation on sediment (−0.246) is more pronounced compared to its impact on runoff (−0.239). Furthermore, the impact of vegetation on sediment (−0.038) was significantly less significant compared to the impact on runoff (−0.208). Hence, the vegetation in the watershed primarily mitigates sediment deposition and suspended sediment transit in the water body by regulating runoff, thereby reducing the sediment load. This study examines the intricate correlation between climate change and vegetation dynamics on water flow and sediment deposition in the gully region of the Loess Plateau. It can serve as a helpful resource for managing water resources, allocating agricultural water, and planning soil conservation in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Loess Plateau, a region of remarkable ecological and economic value, grapples with significant water management challenges due to its distinctive geology and climate. This perspective offers a short review of the eco-environmental protection measures undertaken in the Loess Plateau, underscoring the transformative impacts of initiatives such as the "Grain for Green" project. However, it also highlights the enduring challenges, including land degradation, water resources issues, socio-economic inequities, and the implications of climate change. Particularly, water management emerges as a pivotal issue with far-reaching repercussions for soil conservation, biodiversity, and human livelihoods. The paper concludes by proposing future actions, emphasizing the necessity for policy modifications, novel initiatives, and research to tackle these challenges and foster sustainable development in the Loess Plateau. The insights gained from this region could offer invaluable lessons for other regions confronted with similar challenges, thereby contributing to global efforts to mitigate desertification and champion sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrace detection and ridge extraction from high-resolution remote sensing imagery are crucial for soil conservation and grain production on sloping land. Traditional methods use low-to-medium resolution images, missing detailed features and lacking automation. Terrace detection and ridge extraction are closely linked, with each influencing the other's outcomes. However, most studies address these tasks separately, overlooking their interdependence. This research introduces a cutting-edge, multi-scale, and multi-task deep learning framework, termed DTRE-Net, designed for comprehensive terrace information extraction. This framework bridges the gap between terrace detection and ridge extraction, executing them concurrently. The network incorporates residual networks, multi-scale fusion modules, and multi-scale residual correction modules to enhance the model's robustness in feature extraction. Comprehensive evaluations against other deep learning-based semantic segmentation methods using GF-2 terraced imagery from two distinct areas were undertaken. The results revealed intersection over union (IoU) values of 85.18% and 86.09% for different terrace morphologies and 59.79% and 73.65% for ridges. Simultaneously, we have confirmed that the connectivity of results is improved when employing multi-task learning for ridge extraction compared to directly extracting ridges. These outcomes underscore DTRE-Net's superior capability in the automation of terrace and ridge extraction relative to alternative techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monetary value assigned to ecosystems and their essential goods and services is known as ecosystem service value (ESV). Fragile ecological environments, susceptible to climate change and human disturbances, require significant ecological protection. This protection is vital not only for stabilizing socio-economic conditions but also for fostering a positive feedback loop within natural systems. Looking ahead, identifying priority conservation areas and regions of particular concern in fragile environments based on ESV changes is a proactive approach. Until now, current studies on ESV in fragile ecological environments have been insufficient, falling short of adequately serving the purpose of ecological protection in such areas. The Hexi region (HXR), situated in the interlaced area of the Qilian Mountains and the Alxa Plateau in northwest China, possesses a fragile ecological environment. Due to the intricate interactions between humans and the environment, it stands out as a crucial area for studying ecosystem services in fragile habitats. Hence, this study aims to systematically analyze the ESV in the HXR over the past 30 years. Here, the values of 11 ecosystem service categories in HXR during 1990–2020 were calculated, clarifying their spatiotemporal difference and dynamic changes based on land use/cover (LULC) products for years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, using an improved equivalent factors method. The findings revealed that the unit standard equivalent factor is 1.51 × 105 CNY·km−2·a−1, and the total ESV value has grown from CNY 182.50 to 185.48 billion from 1990 to 2020. Hydrologic regulation, climate regulation, and soil conservation service values are the principal single ESV categories across HXR. Over the past three decades, ESV changes in HXR have been primarily driven by water area, grassland, and wetland, with the sensitivity of ESV to LULC generally increasing (0.15~9.10%). Natural forcing and anthropogenic perturbations have combined to cause changes in LULC in HXR, influencing ESV fluctuations. Future ecosystem protection activities in HXR should prioritize the maintenance of grasslands, water regions, and wetlands to ensure the preservation of ESV. This study clarifies the impacts of LULC change on ESV in fragile natural environments and highlights the significance of focusing on ESV changes for the health promotion of natural-social systems. The findings provide a foundation for constructing a sustainable development model that is in harmony with both people and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in coastal regions. Accurately assessing changes in the ecosystem service value (ESV) of these mangrove forests requires more precise distribution data and an appropriate set of evaluation methods. In this study, we accurately mapped the spatial distribution data and patterns of mangrove forests in Guangxi province in 2016 and 2020, using 10 m spatial resolution Sentinel-2 imagery, and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of ESV provided by mangrove forests. The results showed that (1) from 2016 to 2020, mangrove forests in Guangxi demonstrated a positive development trend and were undergoing a process of recovery. The area of mangrove forests in Guangxi increased from 6245.15 ha in 2016 to 6750.01 ha in 2020, with a net increase of 504.81 ha, which was mainly concentrated in Lianzhou Bay, Tieshan Harbour, and Dandou Bay; (2) the ESV of mangrove forests was USD 363.78 million in 2016 and USD 390.74 million in 2020; (3) the value of fishery, soil conservation, wave absorption, and pollution purification comprises the largest proportions of the ESV of mangrove forests. This study provides valuable insights and information to enhance our understanding of the relationship between the spatial pattern of mangrove forests and their ecosystem service value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and scope: Although soil erosion was recognised as a serious problem in antiquity and research into erosion started in the early 20th century, it remains a substantial problem for agriculture and the environment across the globe. It disrupts agricultural production, threatening food production, increases the severity of floods and droughts and impacts on soil biology and biogeochemical cycling. This review describes the different processes and manifestations of erosion on arable land and the availability of global data. It points out that while there is a good understanding of the processes of erosion, the causes are complex and even if agronomic and landscape solutions are available, their implementation is challenging and needs tailored approaches to account for the specific local socio-economic, political, and institutional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion poses a significant threat to agricultural production worldwide, with a still-debated impact on the current increase in atmospheric CO2. Whether erosion acts as a net carbon (C) source or sink also depends on how it influences greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via its impact on crop yield and nutrient loss. These effects on the environmental impacts of crops remain to be considered. To fill this gap, we combined watershed-scale erosion modeling with life cycle assessment to evaluate the influence of soil erosion on environmental impacts of wheat production in the Ebro River basin in Spain. This study is the very first to address the full GHG balance of erosion including its impact on soil fertility and its feedback on crop yields. Two scenarios were simulated from 1860 to 2005: an eroded basin involving conventional agricultural practices, and a non-eroded basin involving conservation practices such as no-till. Life cycle assessment followed a cradle-to-farm-gate approach with a focus on recent decades (1985–2005). The mean simulated soil erosion of the eroded basin was 2.6 t ha−1 year−1 compared to the non-eroded basin. Simulated soils in both eroded and non-eroded basins lost organic C over time, with the former emitting an additional 55 kg CO2 ha−1 year−1. This net C source represented only 3% of the overall life cycle GHG emissions of wheat grain, while the emissions related to the increase of fertilizer inputs to compensate for N and P losses contributed a similar percentage. Wheat yield was the most influential parameter, being up to 61% higher when implementing conservation practices. Even at the basin scale, erosion did not emerge as a net C sink and increased GHG emissions of wheat by 7–70%. Nonetheless, controlling erosion through soil conservation practices is strongly recommended to preserve soils, increase crop yields, and mitigate GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the focus on modernization and advanced communication technologies has shifted to smart cities, where society and families, particularly, are engaged with various means of entertainment, e.g., cinema. In the context of cinema, movies have a pivotal role, where cultural heritage, along with urban and rural images, have gradually been marginalized from the commercial field to an elite position. The real picture of rural life has been narrowed down to explore the local cultural heritage. In China, rural communities have existed for centuries, where the rural images of farmers depict their standard of living, civilization and the way in which the ecological environment is protected. This paper studies the factors relevant to the transmission of rural images for a better understanding of cultural heritage conducive to rural culture's inheritance and development. This paper first constructs water yield and soil conservation models for rural eco-environmental protection. Next, the paper analyzes the main factors that influence the communication of rural images in these models, followed by an analysis of the communication mode used by each factor. Moreover, the proposed study disseminates rural images by creating an imaging action framework. Wuzhen, a famous historic town in China, is taken as a case study for this paper. The study analyzed the representation of Wuzhen's rural pictures over time, with 77% of the content dominated by bridges and rivers. The highest number of shootings, involving 82 households, was recorded in 2018. Therefore, 2019 showed a slight decline in shootings, with 67 households involved, indicating potential fluctuations in interest or external factors affecting video production that year. However, in 2019, bridges and rivers still constituted 75% of the content, underscoring their enduring significance in portraying the rural beauty of Wuzhen. These findings highlight the appeal and importance of these natural features in the region's visual narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle zone of the Hyrcanian forest located in the Mazandaran—Iran has experienced several silvicultural systems in which wood harvesting using clear-cutting, shelterwood, single-selection methods, and reforestation implemented under even- or uneven-aged stands for the past four decades. Studies on their implications led us to apply innovatively nuclear techniques to estimate their impacts on soil redistribution. The reasonability of the 137Cs inventory (4335 Bq m−2) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stock (220 t ha−1) in the representative reference site was approved. However, results imply losing ≈ 110 tones of SOC per hectare through silvicultural systems since their initiation. In addition to SOC, the annual soil erosion rate due to cultivated uneven-aged trees was 28.16 tonnes per hectare (1.5 mm yr−1); in contrast, the soil erosion (per hectare) through the cultivation of even-aged trees has been annually 14.5 tones (0.095 mm yr−1). The ability of nuclear techniques to reveal a higher soil-conserving efficiency (≈ 50%) of even-aged stands compared to uneven-aged trees and up to 15% restoration of SOC stock was the desired achievement. Practical strategies and approaches for silvicultural systems to restore degraded forest watersheds were tangible outcomes of the research. Forest management plans will be more effective for soil conservation using the introduced preferential cultivation methods. Scholars should consider the FRN's properties and the IAEA standards for such studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typhoon can change the rainfall pattern over its path. Exploring the impact of typhoons on rainfall erosivity (RE) is very important for the prevention and control of soil erosion in key areas of the Pearl River Basin. Based on the long-term daily rainfall products from 1960 to 2020 and the GPM high-resolution rainfall products from 2001 to 2020, the Mann-Kendall test, Bernaola Galvan segmentation algorithm, and spatial autocorrelation are used in this study to analyze the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of RE and the influence of typhoons. The results indicate that (1) RE has obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The average annual RE is 11,314.10 MJ·mm·ha−2·h−1. The RE shows an upward trend of 8.63 MJ·mm·ha−2·h−1/year, and this study shows that an abrupt change point occurred in 1992. In addition, the RE decreases from southeast to northwest, showing an extremely significant agglomeration near the delta. (2) The spatiotemporal variations in typhoon RE are different from those of the RE across all periods. Typhoons slow the increase in RE, change the abrupt change points, and increase the degree of agglomeration. There are significant resonance periods between typhoons and RE. (3) RE is significantly correlated with the typhoon potential risk index. Typhoons affect RE by increasing precipitation, the rainfall duration, and rainfall kinetic energy. This study explores the importance of typhoons to the spatiotemporal variations in RE, which is crucial for identifying soil erosion risks and formulating prevention and control strategies under extreme climate impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Basin (YZRB) and the Yellow River Basin (YRB), which are crucial for ecology and economy in China, face growing challenges to ecosystem service (ES) functions due to global population growth, urbanization, and climate change. This study assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESs in the YZRB and the YRB between 2001 and 2021, comprehensively encompassing essential aspects such as water yield (WY), carbon sequestration (CS), soil conservation (SC), and habitat quality (HQ) while also analyzing the trade-offs and synergies among these ESs at the grid cells. The GeoDetector was employed to ascertain individual or interactive effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on these ESs and their trade-offs/synergies. The results showed that (1) from 2001 to 2021, the four ESs exhibited significant spatial disparities in the distribution within two basins, with the overall trend of ESs mainly increasing. YZRB consistently exhibited substantially higher ES values than the YRB. (2) Complex trade-offs and synergies among these ESs were apparent in both basins, characterized by distinct spatial heterogeneity. The spatial relationships of WY–CS, WY–SC, CS–SC, and CS–HQ were mainly synergistic. (3) Precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, elevation, land use and land cover (LULC), and slope influenced ESs in both basins. Notably, interactive factors, particularly the interactions involving LULC and other factors, demonstrated more robust explanatory power for ESs and their trade-offs/synergies than individual drivers. These findings significantly affect the refined ecosystem management and sustainable development decision-making in large rivers or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For agricultural production is used almost 40% of the global land from where it dominates conventional agriculture which uses large amounts of inputs in the form of fertilizers and pesticides leading to the contamination of soil, water resources, air pollution and land erosion, affects biodiversity and extinction of many plants and animals. On the other hand, the world's population is constantly growing and currently numbers more than 8 billion people and it is estimated that food production will have to double by 2050. In order to meet the future needs of the population for food raw materials, food production must significantly increase, and at the same time, the impact of agriculture on the environment and natural resources must be drastically reduced. Sustainable agriculture is emerging as one of the solutions. This way of agricultural practice refers to the management and preservation of natural resources through organizational and technological changes in modern agricultural production in order to satisfy human needs and preserve the environment. One of the most important natural resources on which the entire agricultural production relies is land. In intensively cultivated lands, there is a noticeable trend of intense degradation, which represents a major problem facing humanity. The paper reviews the decrease in soil fertility based on the samples collected during the five-year monitoring, as well as a proposal for measures to increase fertility and future preservation of this environmental resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a pressing environmental concern that poses significant threats to agricultural productivity, watershed health, and ecosystem stability. This research investigates the performance and adoptability of mulching technology as a Soil Erosion Control Measure (SECM) within the Sebeya catchment. This study employed various methods including a review of existing literature, on-site visits, structured interviews, and focus group discussions to evaluate the factors contributing to soil erosion, its impacts, and the variety of SECM within the Sebeya catchment. Among the 96 farmers surveyed in this research, it was evident that the natural reasons for soil erosion in the Sebeya drainage area were often attributed to the intense rainfall (23%) and steep slopes (22%). Also, the influence of lack of SECM and the continuous ploughing is significant with 22% and 22% respectively. The availability of mulching materials can vary significantly based on the geographic location, agricultural practices, and economic factors. In the Sebeya catchment, mulching materials often sourced from crop residues and vegetative residues. To address the risks associated with soil erosion, various site-specific measures were recommended. Using the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE) model, the suggested Soil Erosion Control measures (SECM) were simulated with a significant decrease in soil loss, dropping from 73.05 t/ha/y to 19.62 t/ha/y. By incorporating mulching technology into the recommended SECM to mitigate soil erosion, the soil erosion rates reduced to permissible soil loss from 19.62 t/ha/y to 11.26 t/ha/y. To effectively reduce the high rates of soil erosion to acceptable levels within the Sebeya drainage area, this study advocates for the implementation of the recommended site-specific soil erosion control measures combined with mulching, drainage channels, and the stabilizing grasses on the same farmland. Implementing SECM stands as the optimal choice for enhancing soil productivity while reducing sedimentation in downstream rivers and lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water erosion is an ongoing problem in eastern Washington due to its hilly terrain, highly erodible silt loam soils, rain on thawing soil, and the prevalence of conventional tillage. The region is characterized by a Mediterranean-type climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Three distinct precipitation zones, with annual totals low (<380 mm), intermediate (380-460 mm), and high (>460 mm), dictate the area's crop rotations. A unique 43-year (1940-1982) dataset of winter erosion measured on multiple agricultural fields in Whitman County, eastern Washington, by Verle Kaiser, a USDA Soil Conservation Service agronomist, showed annual erosion rates averaging 53.8 Mg ha-1, far exceeding the current Natural Resources Conservation Service tolerable limit of 11 Mg ha-1 yr-1 for the soils in the area. Kaiser's field data allowed us to compare the historical field-measured erosion rates with those simulated by the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model. Anthropogenic factors, such as tillage and crop rotation, change with time. Conservation tillage, including reduced- and no-till, has been increasingly adopted in eastern Washington since the mid-1980s. The specific objectives of this study were to (1) apply the WEPP model to simulate soil erosion in eastern Washington and evaluate the interactive effects of climate and management, in addition to topography and soil, on water erosion in the study area, and (2) compare the simulation results with Kaiser's historical field dataset and elucidate the long-term soil erosion trend. The WEPPcloud interface was used to delineate a watershed within each precipitation zone of the study area. Climate inputs were divided into two periods: the past (1939-1982) and the present (1983-2020). Erosion has noticeably decreased from the past to the present, with WEPP simulated annual erosion averaging 13.5, 34.5, and 52.6 Mg ha-1 for the past, and 9.5, 14.1, and 15.5 Mg ha-1 for the present, in the selected watersheds in the low-, intermediate-, and high-precipitation zones, respectively. The decreasing trend was primarily due to the increased adoption of conservation tillage and crop rotation, as well as a decrease in the number of high-intensity precipitation events in the present climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil wind erosion is one of the critical drivers of land degradation in the black soil region of northeastern China. In this study, 137Cs background value and soil wind erosion rate was studied by using 137Cs nuclide tracing technique in the black soil region of northeastern China, and wind erosion characteristics such as background value and soil erosion rate over the years were clarified, which has guiding significance for soil and water conservation and agricultural sustainable development in the black soil region of northeast China. The mean area activity of the Hilltop area was 1541 Bq·m-2, which was lower than the background value of 1879.7 Bq·m-2 in the study area. At the top of the hill, soil erosion occurred to some extent. The 137Cs profile has distributional characteristics that can be divided into three categories. Most of the 137Cs area activity in Hilltop area is evenly distributed in 0-15 cm, and the 137Cs area activity below 15 cm decreased gradually until it disappeared. The spatial difference of wind erosion rate is significant in the study area, mainly between 7.17-10.13 t·hm-2a-1. The average wind erosion rate of hilltops with different tillage quality depths has little difference. The average wind erosion rate is 8.60 t·hm-2a-1, which belongs to mild erosion. However, its erosion rate is higher than the tolerable soil loss of 2 t·hm-2a-1 in the black soil region of northeast China. As a result, soil erosion control in the black soil region of northeast China still requires attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]