Tag: soil

Agriculture, Research summaries

Crop rotations called into question

Why it’s time to rethink the way we approach this agricultural practice: Mathias Cougnon & Associate Editor, Pieter De Frenne (Ghent University, Belgium) discuss the recent paper, Distantly related crops are not better rotation partners for tomato by by Ingerslew and Kaplan. Crop rotations are central to common agricultural practice and growing related crops year after year on the same patch of land is generally … Continue reading Crop rotations called into question

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment
Research summaries

Crop functional traits can help to predict the effects of organic farming on soil carbon sequestration

Focusing on functional traits of crop residues and their connection to soil carbon storage, Pablo Garcia Palacios comments on recent article, Crop traits drive soil carbon sequestration under organic farming. Soil organic carbon is a major agricultural resource for two different reasons. First, it is a measurable component of soil organic matter, which has a key influence on the capacity of soils to retain moisture and … Continue reading Crop functional traits can help to predict the effects of organic farming on soil carbon sequestration

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology2 Comments
Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries, Themed collections

Putting belowground biota in the Spotlight

The latest issue of Journal of Applied Ecology features as Spotlight on Soil Biota. Here, Martín A. Nuñez (Senior Editor for the journal) and Nahuel Policelli discuss the merits of these papers, specially chosen and grouped together by our Editors. ‘Managing soil health’, ‘considering hidden herbivores’, ‘restoring mycorrhizal fungal diversity’, are just some of the examples that highlight an increase interest on recognizing belowground aspects … Continue reading Putting belowground biota in the Spotlight

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology3 Comments
Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries, Urban ecosystems

More than just a pretty cover – enhancing plant conservation on green roofs

Following Walker and Lundholm’s recent Journal of Applied Ecology paper, Designed habitat heterogeneity on green roofs increases seedling survival but not plant species diversity, Associate Editor Cate Macinnis-Ng discusses enhancing the ecological benefits of the green roof. Famed for their spectacular and lush green terraces of trees, shrubs and vines, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were perhaps amongst the first green roofs. Modern-day green roofs are … Continue reading More than just a pretty cover – enhancing plant conservation on green roofs

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment
Research summaries, Restoration, Themed collections

Variation in soil microbial communities leads to variation in plant communities

In the latest in our series of blogs for the Toward prediction in the restoration of biodiveristy Special Feature, Jonathan Bauer discusses his article, Effects of between-site variation in soil microbial communities and plant-soil feedbacks on the productivity and composition of plant communities. All articles from the Special Feature are available in issue 54.4 of Journal of Applied Ecology. Microorganisms in the soil have strong effects on plant … Continue reading Variation in soil microbial communities leads to variation in plant communities

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology6 Comments
Research summaries, Translation

Testament of cover crops – with Dutch translation

In this post, Janna Barel shares thoughts on the legacies plants leave, the benefits of cover crops and insights from her recent Journal of Applied Ecology paper, Legacy effects of diversity in space and time driven by winter cover crop biomass and nitrogen concentration. Janna has also included a Dutch translation of this post. Journal of Applied Ecology is dedicated to making papers more accessible and … Continue reading Testament of cover crops – with Dutch translation

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Research summaries

Climate change and food security

In this post, Adam Frew discusses his paper ‘Increased root herbivory under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations is reversed by silicon-based plant defences‘ As the global climate changes the global population continues to rise, we are faced with the daunting challenge of achieving sustainable crop production to meet the increasing demand for food. Professor John Beddington in 2009, UK chief scientist at the time, highlighted … Continue reading Climate change and food security

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Research summaries

Forest management adaptation to climate change alters soil macro-detritivore functional diversity and soil functioning

In this post Ludovic Henneron discusses his recent paper ‘Forest management adaptation to climate change: a Cornelian dilemma between drought resistance and soil macro-detritivore functional diversity‘ Climate change is a major threat for world’s forests. Hence, an increasing number of climate-induced forest die-offs are expected to occur in the future as a result of more frequent and intense droughts. This could greatly alter ecosystem services … Continue reading Forest management adaptation to climate change alters soil macro-detritivore functional diversity and soil functioning

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Research summaries

Bringing multifunctionality down to earth: Maximising soil functional capacity in African Smallholder Farms

In this post, Peter Manning discusses a paper he recently handled by Stephen Wood and colleagues “Agricultural intensification and the functional capacity of soil microbes on smallholder African farms” Around 900 million of the world’s poorest people are smallholder farmers in the tropics, and their lives are a tough reality of uncertain crop yields and worries about sustainability. Soils are often mismanaged and become rapidly … Continue reading Bringing multifunctionality down to earth: Maximising soil functional capacity in African Smallholder Farms

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment