Soil health is often assessed using laboratory tests that are slow and require specialized equipment. In a long-term grassland experiment, we evaluated whether rapid tools to measure soil structure, biological activity and microbial biomass provide comparable information to standard laboratory analyses. Some tools closely matched laboratory results, while others likely reflected different aspects of soil functioning. Overall, rapid methods captured similar ecological patterns.

We developed an ensemble approach that combines three agroecosystem models to predict crop yields and changes in soil carbon across the United States. The ensemble results were more accurate and consistent compared to individual model. Ensemble result matched closely the observed yield data and soil carbon measurements while reducing the uncertainty from the individual models. This work improves our ability to track carbon change and supports carbon farming, climate action, and land management.

Salt-affected coastal lands play a key but poorly understood role in the global climate system. Through controlled laboratory experiments with soils from China's Yellow River Delta, we discovered that both gases respond strongly to changes in moisture and salinity. The emissions peak at a specific moisture level, while higher salt content generally suppresses them. These findings are crucial for creating more accurate climate models and for managing these vulnerable coastal areas effectively.

Reliable estimates of soil carbon storage are essential for climate change mitigation and carbon credit schemes. This study compared long-term field measurements with carbon model based simulations in an olive grove amended with organic materials. Both approaches identified biochar as the most effective treatment, but differences between measured and simulated values remained. Integrating measurements and modelling can improve confidence in agricultural carbon accounting.

We examined how long-term fertilizer treatments shape the microbial community around sugarcane roots. Using gene sequencing, we found that although the types of microbes stayed similar, their interactions changed with each nutrient regime. These shifts suggest that fertilizer composition influences soil functioning. The results help guide more sustainable management of soils used for sugarcane.

We tested how soil carbon models predict carbon storage and respiration using soil incubation data. We compared 2-pool models based on particulate and mineral-associated carbon with 3-pool models that also include faster-cycling carbon. 3-pool models performed better because they captured carbon dynamics operating at different timescales. We then simulated alternative model structures and found that transfer rates into the most persistent pool were the main control on overall carbon persistence.

Coastal soils often suffer from salt stress and low fertility, limiting plant growth. We studied beneficial soil bacteria living around the roots of a native coastal plant in Morocco to see how they help plants grow. Several bacteria improved plant height and biomass by making nutrients more available and protecting roots. These findings show that natural soil microbes can support sustainable agriculture and help restore degraded coastal lands.

This study examined how different composts affect carbon dioxide emissions from tropical soil. We found that soil phosphorus and pH are key drivers and chicken dung compost resulting in the highest CO₂ release. The work shows that compost is not carbon neutral; its environmental impact depends on how it changes the soil. This research helps farmers select composts that enhance soil health while curbing emissions, advancing climate-friendly tropical agriculture.

To return straw or not to return? We demonstrate that rice straw incorporation at half of the harvest enhanced soil fertility without additional global warming potential (GWP). This minimal increase in GWP relied on the highest nosZII abundance and the lowest nirS/nosZII ratio, and the CH₄ production being just above the soil CH₄ holding capacity. We offer a viable strategy to scientifically manage rice straw for climate-smart sustainable rice agriculture.

Over three years of observation in a Swiss lysimeter, our results show that cumulative nitrate leaching was 26 % higher under conventional tillage than under non-inversion tillage. This difference was driven by nitrate concentrations in seepage water rather than by differences in seepage water volumes. The beneficial effect of non-inversion tillage was most pronounced during and shortly after a bare-soil period following sugar beet cultivation, coinciding with above-average spring precipitation.

We studied how to better estimate and map how much carbon is stored in soils when key measurements are scarce. We built a machine learning model that follows known physical links between soil carbon and soil density, and compared it with pure machine learning methods. Although accuracy was similar, the model informed by soil science gave more realistic and stable results over time and clearer insights into soil behavior, improving interpretability for decision making.

On the Tibetan Plateau, soil in degraded grasslands releases more carbon when exposed to sheep and pika droppings. This is because the droppings change the soil's microbial composition. To reduce carbon loss, it is suggested to limit animal activity in degraded areas and protect healthy grasslands.

We studied how changes in precipitation affect the production of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, from farmland soils along a hillslope in Norway. By reducing precipitation, we reduced nitrous oxide emissions. Under normal precipitation, soil properties like carbon and clay affected the emissions. Our findings shows that shifts in precipitation patterns had a stronger effect on nitrous oxide production from agricultural soils than the natural variation between soils.

Organic soils store large amounts of carbon but also emit greenhouse gases. Drainage alters soil conditions, affecting carbon cycling and plant growth. We studied poplar trees under controlled water levels to see how soil and plant interactions influence greenhouse gas emissions and plant vitality. This helps understand how water management can improve carbon storage and sustainable use of organic soils.