Environmental Indicators of Agroecosystems

Smith, Oliver H.; Petersen, G. W.; Needelman, Brian A.

doi:10.1016/s0065-2113(08)60947-5

Cited by 101 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…In any case, under NT the organic matter content of the soil in the 0-20 cm layer remained higher than under CT, even though the difference is limited (32.6 under NT vs 29.8 g kg -1 under CT). Thus, in this trial the contribution of conservative soil management to the balance of soil organic matter is evident after only three years, whereas several years or decades are usually necessary (Smith et al, 2000). Nevertheless, these findings agree with those of Campbell et al (1999) for soils of the same textural class as the Cavacurta soil, i.e.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 70%

The Influence of No-Till, Conventional Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilization on Physico-Chemical and Biological Indicators After Three Years of Monoculture Barley

Tabaglio¹,

Gavazzi²,

Menta³

2008

Italian Journal of Agronomy

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An experimental trial was carried out over three years at Cavacurta (Po valley, Italy) on continuous barley. The soil was a coarse-loamy over sandy, mixed, mesic Fluventic Ustochrept. The experimental design was a split-plot with four replicates; the main factor was the soil management system (conventional tillage, CT, and no-tillage, NT), while the secondary factor was the nitrogen fertilization (N 0 = 0, N 1 = 50 and N 2 = 90 kg N ha -1 year -1 ). At the end of the third year soil samples were taken in all plots at four depths (0-5, 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20 cm). For these samples, pH, organic matter, total N, available P and cation exchange capacity were determined. On the contrary, water aggregate stability was determined for a single layer (0-20 cm depth), excluding the N 1 level of fertilization. The biological indicator, QBS-ar index, was studied only in the layer 0-10 cm. Statistical analysis shows that no-till positively influenced all the indices except for CEC and QBS-ar. N fertilization had significant effects on CEC only; in the upper layer, the value in N 2 subplots was of approx. 1 cmol + kg -1 higher than in N 0 and N 1 subplots. There was no significant interaction for any of the indices. As regards only the 0-20 cm layer, the most important results are as follows. The organic matter content in NT plots was significantly higher than in CT plots (32.6 vs 29.8 g kg ). No-till also had a very clear effect on the Olsen-P (12.3 vs 9.3 mg kg -1 ). The most remarkable result was found for the water aggregate stability: for NT plots the value was 246% higher than for CT plots (34.3 vs 9.9%). As regards the microarthropod community, the value of the QBS-ar index was between 90 and 126, a typical range for soil under barley.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 70%

The Influence of No-Till, Conventional Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilization on Physico-Chemical and Biological Indicators After Three Years of Monoculture Barley

Tabaglio¹,

Gavazzi²,

Menta³

2008

Italian Journal of Agronomy

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“…Their utility as measures of agroecosystem function has been discussed elsewhere (e.g. Meyer et al 1992;Smith et al 2000;Arshad and Martin 2002;Bouma 2002;Murray-Prior et al 2005; Passioura and Angus 2010). Briefly, the variable 'yield per hectare' integrates all environmental and agronomic aspects of crop production, and is a measure of the efficiency with which resources and agricultural inputs are converted into a single, physical output, namely yield.…”

Section: Sustainability Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the question that the analyst seeks to explain determines the specification of the system, its external boundaries and internal interactions (Thompson 1992;Kropff et al 2001). The choice of performance criteria to evaluate system function or dysfunction is closely linked to system specifications (Girardin et al 1999;Smith et al 2000;Bouma 2002). As the system specifications and performance criteria depend on the analyst's perspective, their selection is normative, even if it is embedded in sound reasoning (Hollander 1986;Thompson 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Girardin et al 1999;Riley 2001;Nortcliff 2002;Büchs 2003). Indicators have been designed to capture ecological, economic and social dimensions of sustainability for different systems and scales (Meyer et al 1992;Girardin et al 1999;Smith et al 2000;Büchs 2003). The sustainability state of a system is typically assessed by comparing current or predicted indicator states with selected reference states.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Correlations between indicators (e.g. crop yield and the profitability of production) can increase the weight of one aspect of a system relative to the others (Smith et al 2000;Arshad and Martin 2002), which needs to be considered when interpreting results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

et al. 2013

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Concepts of agricultural sustainability and possible roles of simulation modelling for characterising sustainability were explored by conducting, and reflecting on, a sustainability assessment of rain-fed wheat-based systems in the Middle East and North Africa region. We designed a goal-oriented, model-based framework using the cropping systems model Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). For the assessment, valid (rather than true or false) sustainability goals and indicators were identified for the target system. System-specific vagueness was depicted in sustainability polygons-a system property derived from highly quantitative data-and denoted using descriptive quantifiers. Diagnostic evaluations of alternative tillage practices demonstrated the utility of the framework to quantify key bio-physical and chemical constraints to sustainability. Here, we argue that sustainability is a vague, emergent system property of often wicked complexity that arises out of more fundamental elements and processes. A 'wicked concept of sustainability' acknowledges the breadth of the human experience of sustainability, which cannot be internalised in a model. To achieve socially desirable sustainability goals, our model-based approach can inform reflective evaluation processes that connect with the needs and values of agricultural decision-makers. Hence, it can help to frame meaningful discussions, from which actions might emerge.

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Response of soil aggregate disintegration to the different content of organic carbon and its fractions during splash erosion

Liu

et al. 2021

Hydrological Processes

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Aggregate disintegration is a critical process in soil splash erosion. However, the effect of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions on soil aggregates disintegration is still not clear. In this study, five soils with similar clay contents and different contents of SOC have been used. The effects of slaking and mechanical striking on splash erosion were distinguished by using deionized water and 95% ethanol as raindrops. The simulated rainfall experiments were carried out in four heights (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m). The result indicated that the soil aggregate stability increased with the increases of SOC and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC). The relative slaking and the mechanical striking index increased with the decreases of SOC and LFOC. The reduction of macroaggregates in eroded soil gradually decreased with the increase of SOC and LFOC, especially in alcohol test. The amount of macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) in deionized water tests were significantly less than that in alcohol tests under the same rainfall heights. The contribution of slaking to splash erosion increased with the decrease of heavy fractions organic carbon. The contribution of mechanical striking was dominant when the rainfall kinetic energy increased to a range of threshold between 9 J m −2 mm −1 and 12 m −2 mm −1. This study could provide the scientific basis for deeply understanding the mechanism of soil aggregates disintegration and splash erosion.

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Environmental Indicators of Agroecosystems

Cited by 101 publications

References 51 publications

The Influence of No-Till, Conventional Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilization on Physico-Chemical and Biological Indicators After Three Years of Monoculture Barley

The Influence of No-Till, Conventional Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilization on Physico-Chemical and Biological Indicators After Three Years of Monoculture Barley

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

Response of soil aggregate disintegration to the different content of organic carbon and its fractions during splash erosion

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