Articles | Volume 1, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-603-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-603-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Review article
| 
08 Sep 2015
Review article |
| 08 Sep 2015
Can we manipulate root system architecture to control soil erosion?
A. Ola
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
I. C. Dodd
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
Related authors
No articles found.
Karl Auerswald, Juergen Geist, John N. Quinton, and Peter Fiener
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1702, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Floods, droughts, and heatwaves are increasing globally. This is often attributed to CO2-driven climate change. However, at the global scale, CO2-driven climate change neither reduces precipitation nor adequately explains droughts. Land-use change, particularly soil sealing, compaction, and drainage, are likely more significant for water losses by runoff leading to flooding and water scarcity and are therefore an important part the solution to mitigate floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
Roisin O'Riordan, Jess Davies, Carly Stevens, and John N. Quinton
SOIL, 7, 661–675, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-661-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-661-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
As urban populations grow, soil sealing with impermeable surfaces will increase. At present there is limited knowledge on the effect of sealing on soil carbon and nutrients. We found that, in general, sealing reduced soil carbon and nutrients; however, where there were additions due to human activity, soil carbon and nutrients were increased. This suggests that there is a legacy soil carbon store in areas with an industrial past and highlights the influence of artefacts in urban soil.
Jaqueline Stenfert Kroese, John N. Quinton, Suzanne R. Jacobs, Lutz Breuer, and Mariana C. Rufino
SOIL, 7, 53–70, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-53-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-53-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Particulate macronutrient concentrations were up to 3-fold higher in a natural forest catchment compared to fertilized agricultural catchments. Although the particulate macronutrient concentrations were lower in the smallholder agriculture catchment, because of higher sediment loads from that catchment, the total particulate macronutrient loads were higher. Land management practices should be focused on agricultural land to reduce the loss of soil carbon and nutrients to the stream.
Daniel L. Evans, John N. Quinton, Andrew M. Tye, Ángel Rodés, Jessica A. C. Davies, Simon M. Mudd, and Timothy A. Quine
SOIL, 5, 253–263, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-253-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-253-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Policy to conserve thinning arable soils relies on a balance between the rates of soil erosion and soil formation. Our knowledge of the latter is meagre. Here, we present soil formation rates for an arable hillslope, the first of their kind globally, and a woodland hillslope, the first of their kind in Europe. Rates range between 26 and 96 mm kyr−1. On the arable site, erosion rates are 2 orders of magnitude greater, and in a worst-case scenario, bedrock exposure could occur in 212 years.
Saskia D. Keesstra, Johan Bouma, Jakob Wallinga, Pablo Tittonell, Pete Smith, Artemi Cerdà, Luca Montanarella, John N. Quinton, Yakov Pachepsky, Wim H. van der Putten, Richard D. Bardgett, Simon Moolenaar, Gerben Mol, Boris Jansen, and Louise O. Fresco
SOIL, 2, 111–128, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-111-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-111-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Soil science, as a land-related discipline, has links to several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals which are demonstrated through the functions of soils and related ecosystem services. We discuss how soil scientists can rise to the challenge both internally and externally in terms of our relations with colleagues in other disciplines, diverse groups of stakeholders and the policy arena. To meet these goals we recommend the set of steps to be taken by the soil science community as a whole.
E. C. Brevik, A. Cerdà, J. Mataix-Solera, L. Pereg, J. N. Quinton, J. Six, and K. Van Oost
SOIL, 1, 117–129, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-117-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-117-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a brief accounting of some of the many ways that the study of soils can be interdisciplinary, therefore giving examples of the types of papers we hope to see submitted to SOIL.
Related subject area
Soil degradation
Gully rehabilitation in southern Ethiopia – value and impacts for farmers
A millennium of arable land use – the long-term impact of tillage and water erosion on landscape-scale carbon dynamics
Sensitivity of source sediment fingerprinting to tracer selection methods
Response of soil nutrients and erodibility to slope aspect in the northern agro-pastoral ecotone, China
Mapping land degradation risk due to land susceptibility to dust emission and water erosion
Validating plutonium-239+240 as a novel soil redistribution tracer – a comparison to measured sediment yield
Quantification of the effects of long-term straw return on soil organic matter spatiotemporal variation: a case study in a typical black soil region
Does soil thinning change soil erodibility? An exploration of long-term erosion feedback systems
Dynamics of carbon loss from an Arenosol by a forest to vineyard land use change on a centennial scale
Tolerance of soil bacterial community to tetracycline antibiotics induced by As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Pb pollution
The effect of tillage depth and traffic management on soil properties and root development during two growth stages of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Potential effect of wetting agents added to agricultural sprays on the stability of soil aggregates
Environmental behaviors of (E) pyriminobac-methyl in agricultural soils
The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes
Spatial distribution of argan tree influence on soil properties in southern Morocco
Assessing soil redistribution of forest and cropland sites in wet tropical Africa using 239+240Pu fallout radionuclides
Significant soil degradation is associated with intensive vegetable cropping in a subtropical area: a case study in southwestern China
Spatial variations, origins, and risk assessments of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in French soils
Complex soil food web enhances the association between N mineralization and soybean yield – a model study from long-term application of a conservation tillage system in a black soil of Northeast China
Understanding the role of water and tillage erosion from 239+240Pu tracer measurements using inverse modelling
Variation of soil organic carbon, stable isotopes, and soil quality indicators across an erosion–deposition catena in a historical Spanish olive orchard
Impacts of land use and topography on soil organic carbon in a Mediterranean landscape (north-western Tunisia)
Spatial assessments of soil organic carbon for stakeholder decision-making – a case study from Kenya
How serious a problem is subsoil compaction in the Netherlands? A survey based on probability sampling
Enzymatic biofilm digestion in soil aggregates facilitates the release of particulate organic matter by sonication
Exploring the linkage between spontaneous grass cover biodiversity and soil degradation in two olive orchard microcatchments with contrasting environmental and management conditions
Determination of hydrological roughness by means of close range remote sensing
SF3M software: 3-D photo-reconstruction for non-expert users and its application to a gully network
Gully geometry: what are we measuring?
Short-term recovery of soil physical, chemical, micro- and mesobiological functions in a new vineyard under organic farming
Ecological soil quality affected by land use and management on semi-arid Crete
Identification of sensitive indicators to assess the interrelationship between soil quality, management practices and human health
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul D. Hallett, and Jo U. Smith
SOIL, 10, 637–654, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In Ethiopia, we studied (a) the effectiveness of low-cost gully rehabilitation measures in reducing soil loss and upward expansion of gully heads and (b) how farmers and communities view gully interventions. The tested low-cost gully rehabilitation measures were effective in mitigating the upward expansion of gully heads and in reducing soil loss. Farmers also perceive success, but scaling-out can be constrained by diverse challenges.
Lena Katharina Öttl, Florian Wilken, Anna Juřicová, Pedro V. G. Batista, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 10, 281–305, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-281-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-281-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our long-term modelling study examines the effects of multiple soil redistribution processes on carbon dynamics in a 200 km² catchment converted from natural forest to agriculture about 1000 years ago. The modelling results stress the importance of including tillage erosion processes and long-term land use and land management changes to understand current soil-redistribution-induced carbon fluxes at the landscape scale.
Thomas Chalaux-Clergue, Rémi Bizeul, Pedro V. G. Batista, Núria Martínez-Carreras, J. Patrick Laceby, and Olivier Evrard
SOIL, 10, 109–138, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-109-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment source fingerprinting is a relevant tool to support soil conservation and watershed management in the context of accelerated soil erosion. To quantify sediment source contribution, it requires the selection of relevant tracers. We compared the three-step method and the consensus method and found very contrasted trends. The divergences between virtual mixtures and sample prediction ranges highlight that virtual mixture statistics are not directly transferable to actual samples.
Yuxin Wu, Guodong Jia, Xinxiao Yu, Honghong Rao, Xiuwen Peng, Yusong Wang, Yushi Wang, and Xu Wang
SOIL, 10, 61–75, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-61-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-61-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Vegetation restoration is an important method of ecological restoration that aims to control soil erosion and prevent soil degradation. Our study suggests that combinations of species such as C. korshinskii and L. bicolor are optimal for improving the soil nutrients and soil erodibility for any slope aspect. This study provides insight into the rational planning of vegetation restoration measures for slopes with various aspects in semi-arid areas of the northern agro-pastoral ecotone.
Mahdi Boroughani, Fahimeh Mirchooli, Mojtaba Hadavifar, and Stephanie Fiedler
SOIL, 9, 411–423, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-411-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-411-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The present study used several different datasets, conducted a field survey, and paired the data with three different machine learning algorithms to construct spatial maps for areas at risk of land degradation for the Lut watershed in Iran. According to the land degradation map, almost the entire study region is at risk. A large fraction of 43 % of the area is prone to both high wind-driven and water-driven soil erosion.
Katrin Meusburger, Paolo Porto, Judith Kobler Waldis, and Christine Alewell
SOIL, 9, 399–409, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Quantifying soil redistribution rates is a global challenge. Radiogenic tracers such as plutonium, namely 239+240Pu, released to the atmosphere by atmospheric bomb testing in the 1960s are promising tools to quantify soil redistribution. Direct validation of 239+240Pu as soil redistribution is, however, still missing. Here, we used a unique sediment yield time series in southern Italy, reaching back to the initial fallout of 239+240Pu to verify 239+240Pu as a soil redistribution tracer.
Yang Yan, Wenjun Ji, Baoguo Li, Guiman Wang, Songchao Chen, Dehai Zhu, and Zhong Liu
SOIL, 9, 351–364, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-351-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-351-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The response rate of soil organic matter (SOM) to the amount of straw return was inversely proportional to the initial SOM and the sand contents. From paddy to dryland, the SOM loss decreased with the increased amount of straw return. The SOM even increased by 1.84 g kg-1 when the straw return amount reached 60–100%. The study revealed that straw return is beneficial to carbon sink in farmland and is a way to prevent a C source caused by the change of paddy field to upland.
Pedro V. G. Batista, Daniel L. Evans, Bernardo M. Cândido, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 9, 71–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-71-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-71-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Most agricultural soils erode faster than new soil is formed, which leads to soil thinning. Here, we used a model simulation to investigate how soil erosion and soil thinning can alter topsoil properties and change its susceptibility to erosion. We found that soil profiles are sensitive to erosion-induced changes in the soil system, which mostly slow down soil thinning. These findings are likely to impact how we estimate soil lifespans and simulate long-term erosion dynamics.
Solène Quéro, Christine Hatté, Sophie Cornu, Adrien Duvivier, Nithavong Cam, Floriane Jamoteau, Daniel Borschneck, and Isabelle Basile-Doelsch
SOIL, 8, 517–539, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-517-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-517-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Although present in food security key areas, Arenosols carbon stocks are barely studied. A 150-year-old land use change in a Mediterranean Arenosol showed a loss from 50 Gt C ha-1 to 3 Gt C ha-1 after grape cultivation. 14C showed that deep ploughing in a vineyard plot redistributed the remaining microbial carbon both vertically and horizontally. Despite the drastic degradation of the organic matter pool, Arenosols would have a high carbon storage potential, targeting the 4 per 1000 initiative.
Vanesa Santás-Miguel, Avelino Núñez-Delgado, Esperanza Álvarez-Rodríguez, Montserrat Díaz-Raviña, Manuel Arias-Estévez, and David Fernández-Calviño
SOIL, 8, 437–449, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-437-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-437-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A laboratory experiment was carried out for 42 d to study co-selection for tolerance of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC) in soils polluted with heavy metals (As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Pb). At high metal concentrations, the bacterial communities show tolerance to the metal itself, occurring for all the metals tested in the long term. The bacterial communities of the soil polluted with heavy metals also showed long-term co-tolerance to TC, OTC, and CTC.
David Hobson, Mary Harty, Saoirse R. Tracy, and Kevin McDonnell
SOIL, 8, 391–408, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-391-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-391-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Tillage practices and traffic management have significant implications for root architecture, plant growth, and, ultimately, crop yield. Soil cores were extracted from a long-term tillage trial to measure the relationship between soil physical properties and root growth. We found that no-traffic and low-tyre-pressure methods significantly increased rooting properties and crop yield under zero-tillage conditions compared to conventionally managed deep-tillage treatments with high tyre pressures.
Antonín Kintl, Vítězslav Vlček, Martin Brtnický, Jan Nedělník, and Jakub Elbl
SOIL, 8, 349–372, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-349-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-349-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We have started to address this issue because the application of wetting agents is very widespread within the European Union and is often considered desirable because it increases the effectiveness of pesticides. While pesticides are thoroughly tested for their impact on the environment as a whole, testing for the effects of wetting agents is minimal. Today, there is no research on their impact on the soil environment.
Wenwen Zhou, Haoran Jia, Lang Liu, Baotong Li, Yuqi Li, and Meizhu Gao
SOIL, 8, 237–252, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-237-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-237-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Our study focuses on (E) pyriminobac-methyl (EPM), a weedicide commonly applied to agricultural soils in China, which can potentially pose serious risks to groundwater quality once it percolates through the soil. We tested the adsorption–desorption, degradation, and leaching of this compound in five agricultural soils sampled from different provinces in China.
Veerle Vanacker, Armando Molina, Miluska A. Rosas, Vivien Bonnesoeur, Francisco Román-Dañobeytia, Boris F. Ochoa-Tocachi, and Wouter Buytaert
SOIL, 8, 133–147, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Andes region is prone to natural hazards due to its steep topography and climatic variability. Anthropogenic activities further exacerbate environmental hazards and risks. This systematic review synthesizes the knowledge on the effectiveness of nature-based solutions. Conservation of natural vegetation and implementation of soil and water conservation measures had significant and positive effects on soil erosion mitigation and topsoil organic carbon concentrations.
Mario Kirchhoff, Tobias Romes, Irene Marzolff, Manuel Seeger, Ali Aït Hssaine, and Johannes B. Ries
SOIL, 7, 511–524, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-511-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-511-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study found that the influence of argan trees on soil properties in southern Morocco is mostly limited to the area covered by the tree crown. However, the tree influences the bare soil outside the crown positively in specific directions because wind and water can move litter and soil particles from under the tree to the areas between the trees. These findings, based on soil samples around argan trees, could help structure reforestation measures.
Florian Wilken, Peter Fiener, Michael Ketterer, Katrin Meusburger, Daniel Iragi Muhindo, Kristof van Oost, and Sebastian Doetterl
SOIL, 7, 399–414, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-399-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-399-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study demonstrates the usability of fallout radionuclides 239Pu and 240Pu as a tool to assess soil degradation processes in tropical Africa, which is particularly valuable in regions with limited infrastructure and challenging monitoring conditions for landscape-scale soil degradation monitoring. The study shows no indication of soil redistribution in forest sites but substantial soil redistribution in cropland (sedimentation >40 cm in 55 years) with high variability.
Ming Lu, David S. Powlson, Yi Liang, Dave R. Chadwick, Shengbi Long, Dunyi Liu, and Xinping Chen
SOIL, 7, 333–346, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-333-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-333-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Land use changes are an important anthropogenic perturbation that can cause soil degradation, but the impacts of land conversion from growing cereals to vegetables have received little attention. Using a combination of soil analyses from paired sites and data from farmer surveys, we found significant soil degradation in intensive vegetable cropping under paddy rice–oilseed rape rotation in southwestern China. This study may alert others to the potential land degradation in the subtropics.
Claire Froger, Nicolas P. A. Saby, Claudy C. Jolivet, Line Boulonne, Giovanni Caria, Xavier Freulon, Chantal de Fouquet, Hélène Roussel, Franck Marot, and Antonio Bispo
SOIL, 7, 161–178, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-161-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-161-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Pollution of French soils by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), known as carcinogenic pollutants, was quantified in this work using an extended data set of 2154 soils sampled across France. The map of PAH concentrations in French soils revealed strong trends in regions with heavy industries and around cities. The PAH signatures indicated the influence of PAH emissions in Europe during the industrial revolution. Health risks posed by PAHs in soils were low but need to be considered.
Shixiu Zhang, Liang Chang, Neil B. McLaughlin, Shuyan Cui, Haitao Wu, Donghui Wu, Wenju Liang, and Aizhen Liang
SOIL, 7, 71–82, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-71-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-71-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term conservation tillage results in more complex and heterogeneous activities of soil organisms relative to conventional tillage. This study used an energetic food web modelling approach to calculate the mineralized N delivered by the whole soil community assemblages and highlighted the essential role of soil food web complexity in coupling N mineralization and soybean yield after a 14-year application of conservation tillage in a black soil of Northeast China.
Florian Wilken, Michael Ketterer, Sylvia Koszinski, Michael Sommer, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 6, 549–564, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-549-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-549-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Soil redistribution by water and tillage erosion processes on arable land is a major threat to sustainable use of soil resources. We unravel the role of tillage and water erosion from fallout radionuclide (239+240Pu) activities in a ground moraine landscape. Our results show that tillage erosion dominates soil redistribution processes and has a major impact on the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity, which started before the onset of highly mechanised farming since the 1960s.
José A. Gómez, Gema Guzmán, Arsenio Toloza, Christian Resch, Roberto García-Ruíz, and Lionel Mabit
SOIL, 6, 179–194, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-179-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-179-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The long-term evolution of soil organic carbon in an olive orchard (planted in 1856) was evaluated and compared to an adjacent undisturbed natural area. Total soil organic carbon in the top 40 cm of the soil in the orchard was reduced to 25 % of that in the undisturbed area. The deposition downslope in the orchard of sediment coming from the eroded upslope area did not increase the accumulation of organic carbon in soil, but it quadrupled available phosphorus and improved overall soil quality.
Donia Jendoubi, Hanspeter Liniger, and Chinwe Ifejika Speranza
SOIL, 5, 239–251, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-239-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-239-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper is original research done in north-western Tunisia; it presents the impacts of the topography (slope and aspect) and the land use systems in the SOC storage in a Mediterranean area. It provides a soil spectral library, describes the variation of SOC under different conditions, and highlights the positive impact of agroforestry as good management in improving the SOC. Therefore this finding is very important to support decision making and inform sustainable land management in Tunisia.
Tor-Gunnar Vågen, Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Constance Neely, Sabrina Chesterman, and Mieke Bourne
SOIL, 4, 259–266, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-259-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-259-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Land degradation impacts the health and livelihoods of about 1.5 billion people worldwide. The state of the environment and food security are strongly interlinked in tropical landscapes. This paper demonstrates the integration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and land health maps with socioeconomic datasets into an online, open-access platform called the Resilience Diagnostic and Decision Support Tool for Turkana County in Kenya.
Dick J. Brus and Jan J. H. van den Akker
SOIL, 4, 37–45, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-37-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-37-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Subsoil compaction is an important soil threat. It is caused by heavy machines used in agriculture. The aim of this study was to estimate how large the area with overcompacted subsoils is in the Netherlands. This was done by selecting locations randomly and determining the porosity and bulk density of the soil at these locations. It appeared that 43 % of the soils in the Netherlands is overcompacted, and so we conclude that subsoil compaction is indeed a serious problem in the Netherlands.
Frederick Büks and Martin Kaupenjohann
SOIL, 2, 499–509, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-499-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-499-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Soil aggregate stability and POM occlusion are integral markers for soil quality. Besides physico-chemical interactions, biofilms are considered to aggregate primary particles, but experimental proof is still missing. In our experiment, soil aggregate samples were treated with biofilm degrading enzymes and showed a reduced POM occlusion and an increased bacteria DNA release compared with untreated samples. Thus, biofilms are assumed to be an important factor of POM occlusion in soil aggregates.
E. V. Taguas, C. Arroyo, A. Lora, G. Guzmán, K. Vanderlinden, and J. A. Gómez
SOIL, 1, 651–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-651-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-651-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Biodiversity indices for spontaneous grass cover were measured in two olive orchards in southern Spain with contrasting site conditions and management to evaluate their potential for biodiversity metrics of soil degradation. Biodiversity indices were relatively high for agricultural areas. No correlation between the biodiversity indicators and soil quality features were observed. The mere use of vegetation presence as a proxy might mask relative intense soil degradation processes.
A. Kaiser, F. Neugirg, F. Haas, J. Schmidt, M. Becht, and M. Schindewolf
SOIL, 1, 613–620, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-613-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-613-2015, 2015
C. Castillo, M. R. James, M. D. Redel-Macías, R. Pérez, and J. A. Gómez
SOIL, 1, 583–594, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-583-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-583-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
- We present SF3M, a new graphical user interface for implementing a complete 3-D photo-reconstruction workflow based on freely available software, in combination with a low-cost survey design for the reconstruction of a several-hundred-metres-long gully network.
- This methodology implied using inexpensive means, little manpower, in a short time span, being a promising tool for gully erosion evaluation in scenarios with demanding budget and time constraints and reduced operator expertise.
J. Casalí, R. Giménez, and M. A. Campo-Bescós
SOIL, 1, 509–513, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-509-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-509-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Despite gullies having been intensively studied in the past decades, there is no general consensus on such basic aspects as the correct determination of the geometry (width and depth) of these erosion features. Therefore, a measurement protocol is proposed to characterize the geometry of a gully by its effective width and effective depth, which, together with its length, would permit the definition of the equivalent prismatic gully (EPG); this would facilitate the comparison between gullies.
E. A. C. Costantini, A. E. Agnelli, A. Fabiani, E. Gagnarli, S. Mocali, S. Priori, S. Simoni, and G. Valboa
SOIL, 1, 443–457, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-443-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-443-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Earthworks carried out before planting a new vineyard caused, in the surface soil layer, an increase in lime and a decline in soil OC and N contents, along with a reduction in the abundance and diversity of microbial and mesofauna communities. Five years after the new vineyard establishment, soil was still far from its original quality and this limited vine development. The reduced OM input resulting from the management and the poor residue biomass was a major factor in delaying soil resilience.
J. P. van Leeuwen, D. Moraetis, G. J. Lair, J. Bloem, N. P. Nikolaidis, L. Hemerik, and P. C. de Ruiter
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soild-2-187-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soild-2-187-2015, 2015
Manuscript not accepted for further review
R. Zornoza, J. A. Acosta, F. Bastida, S. G. Domínguez, D. M. Toledo, and A. Faz
SOIL, 1, 173–185, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-173-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-173-2015, 2015
Cited articles
Abrahams, A. D., Parsons, A. J., and Luk, S. H.: Hydrologic and sediment responses to simulated rainfall on desert hillslopes in southern Arizona, Catena, 15, 103–117, 1988.
Amezketa, E.: Soil aggregate stability: a review, J. Sustain. Agr., 14, 83–151, 1999.
Archer, N. A. L., Quinton, J. N., and Hess, T. M.: Below-ground relationships of soil texture, roots and hydraulic conductivity in two-phase mosaic vegetation in South-east Spain, J. Arid Environ., 52, 535–553, 2002.
Basu, P., Brown, K. M., and Pal, A.: Detailed Quantitative Analysis of Architectural Traits of Basal Roots of Young Seedlings of Bean in Response to Auxin and Ethylene, Plant Physiol., 155, 2056–2065, 2011.
Bauhus, J. and Messier, C.: Soil exploitation strategies of fine roots in different tree species of the southern boreal forest of eastern Canada, Can. J. Forest Res., 29, 260–273, 1999
Bertin, C., Yang, X., and Weston, L.: The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere, Plant Soil, 256, 67–83, 2003.
Bochet, E., Poesen, J., and Rubio, J. L.: Runoff and soil loss under individual plants of a semi-arid Mediterranean shrubland: influence of plant morphology and rainfall intensity, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 31, 536–549, 2006.
Boer, M. and Puidgefábregas, J.: Effects of spatially structured vegetation patterns on hillslope erosion in a semiarid Mediterranean environment: a simulation study, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 30, 149–167, 2005.
Brevik, E. C., Cerdà, A., Mataix-Solera, J., Pereg, L., Quinton, J. N., Six, J., and Van Oost, K.: The interdisciplinary nature of SOIL, SOIL, 1, 117–129, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-117-2015, 2015.
Bronick, C. J. and Lal, R.: Soil structure and management: a review, Geoderma, 124, 3–22, 2005.
Bryan, R. B.: Soil erodibility and processes of water erosion on hillslope, Geomorphology, 32, 385–415, 2000.
Burylo, M., Rey, F., Mathys, N., and Dutoit, T.: Plant root traits affecting the resistance of soils to concentrated flow erosion, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 37, 1436–1470, 2012.
Cerdà, A. and Doerr, S.: The influence of vegetation recovery on soil hydrology and erodibility following fire: an eleven-year research, Int. J. Wildland Fire, 14, 423–437, 2005.
De Baets, S., Poesen, J., Gyssels, G., and Knapen, A.: Effects of grass roots on the erodibility of topsoil during concentrated flow, Geomorphology, 76, 54–67, 2006.
De Baets, S., Poesen, J., Knapen, A., and Galindo, P.: Impact of root architecture on the erosion-reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 32, 1323–1345, 2007.
De Baets, S., Poesen, J., Reubens, B., Wemans, K., De Baerdemaeker, J., and Muys, B.: Tensile strength and root distribution of typical mediterranean plant species and their contribution to soil shear strength, Plant Soil, 305, 207–226, 2008.
Degens, B. P.: Macro-aggregation of soils by biological bonding and binding mechanisms and the factors affecting these: A review, Austr. J. Soil Res., 35, 431–459, 1997.
Devitt, D. A. and Smith, S. D.: Root channel macropores enhance downward movement of water in a Mojave Desert ecosystem, J. Arid Environ., 50, 99–108, 2002.
Di Tomaso, J. M.: Approaches for Improving Crop Competitiveness through the Manipulation of Fertilization Strategies, Weed Science, 43, 491–497, 1995.
Drew, M. C.: Comparison of the effects of a localized supply of phosphate, nitrate, ammonium and potassium on the growth of the seminal root system, and the shoot, in barley, New Phytologist, 75, 479–490, 1975.
Drew, M. C. and Saker, L. R.: Nutrient supply and the growth of the seminal root system of barley. II. Localized, compensatory increases in lateral root growth and rates of nitrate uptake when nitrate supply is restricted to only part of the root system, J. Experiment. Bot., 26, 79–90, 1975.
Drew, M. C., Saker, L. R., and Ashley, T. W.: Nutrient supply and the growth of the seminal root system in barley. I. The effect of nitrate concentration on the growth of axes and laterals, J. Experiment. Bot., 24, 1189–1202, 1973.
Engineer, C. B. and Kranz, R. G.: Reciprocal leaf and root expression of AtAmt1.1 and root architectural changes in response to nitrogen starvation, Plant Physiol., 143, 236–250, 2007.
Fitter, A. H.: An architectural approach to the comparative ecology of plant root systems, New Phytologist, 106, 61–77, 1987.
Foehse, D. and Jungk, A.: Influence of phosphate and nitrate supply on root hair formation of rape, spinach and tomato plants, Plant Soil, 74, 359–368, 1983.
Forde, B. G.: Local and long-range signaling pathways regulating plant responses to nitrate, Ann. Rev. Plant Biol., 53, 203–224, 2002.
Forde, B. G. and Lorenzo, H.: The nutritional control of root development, Plant Soil, 232, 51–68, 2001.
Foster, R. C.: Microenvironments of soil microorganisms, Biol. Fert. Soils, 6, 189–203, 1988.
Ghidey, F. and Alberts, E. E.: Plant root effects on soil erodibility, splash detachment, soil strength,and aggregate stability, Trans. Am. Soc. Agr. Eng., 40, 129–135, 1997.
Gilroy, S. and Jones, D. L.: Through form to function: root hair development and nutrient uptake, Trends Plant Sci., 2, 56–60, 2000.
Granato, T. C. and Raper Jr., D.: Proliferation of maize (Zea mays }L.) roots in response to localized supply of nitrate, J. Experiment. Bot., {40, 263–275, 1989.
Guerrero-Campo, J., Palacio, S., Pérez-Rontomé, C., and Montserrat-Martí, G.: Effect of root system morphology on root-sprouting and shoot-rooting abilities in 123 plant species from eroded lands in North-east Spain, Ann. Botany, 98, 439–447, 2006.
Gyssels, G. and Poesen, J.: The importance of plant root characteristics in controlling concentrated flow erosion rates, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 28, 371–384, 2003.
Gyssels, G., Poesen, J., Bochet, E., and Li, Y.: Impact of plant roots on the resistance of soils to erosion by water: a review, Progr. Phys. Geogr., 29, 189–217, 2005.
Hales, T. C., Ford, C. R., Hwang, T., Vose, J. M., and Band, L. E.: Topographic and ecological controls on root reinforcement, J. Geophys. Res., 114, 1–17. 2009.
Hallett, P. D., Gordon, D. C., and Bengough, A. G.: Plant influence on rhizosphere hydraulic properties: direct measurements using a miniaturized infiltrometer, New Phytologist, 157, 597–603, 2003.
Hathaway, R. L. and Penny, D.: Root strength in some populus and salix clones, New Zealand J. Botany, 13, 333–344, 1975.
Haynes, R. J. and Beare, M. H.: Influence of six crop species on aggregate stability and some labile organic matter fractions, Soil Biol. Biochem., 29, 1647–1653, 1997.
Hochholdinger, F., Woll, K., Sauer, M., and Dembinsky, D.: Genetic dissection of root formation in Maize (Z. mays) reveals root-type specific developmental programmes, Ann. Botany, 93, 359–368, 2004.
Hodge, A.: Plastic plants and patchy soils, J. Experiment. Bot., 57, 401–411, 2006.
Jankauskas, B., Jankauskiene, G., and Fullen, M. A.: Soil erosion changes in the physical properties of Lithuanian Eutric Albeluvisols under different land use systems, Acta Agricult. Scandinavian Sect. B, 58, 66–76, 2008.
Jin, K., Shen, J., Ashton, R. W., White, R. P., Dodd, I. C., Parry, M. A. J., and Whalley, W. R.: Wheat root growth responses to horizontal stratification of fertiliser in a water-limited environment, Plant Soil, 386, 77–88, 2015.
Jing, J., Rui, Y., Zhang, F., Rengel, Z., and Shen, J.: Localized application of phosphorus and ammonium improves growth of maize seedlings by stimulating root proliferation and rhizosphere acidification, Field Crop. Res., 119, 355–364, 2010.
Jones, B. and Ljung, K.: Subterranean space exploration: the development of root system architecture, Current Opin. Plant Biol., 15, 97–102, 2012.
Knapen, A., Poesen, J., Govers, G., Gyssels, G., and Nachtergaele, J.: Resistance of soils to concentrated flow erosion: A review, Earth-Sci. Rev., 80, 75–109, 2007.
Lal, R.: Soil degradation by erosion, Land Degrad. Dev., 12, 519–539, 2001.
Lal, R.: Managing soils for a warming earth in a food-insecure and energy-starved world, J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 173, 4–15, 2010.
Li, P. and Li, Z.: Soil reinforcement by a root system and its effects on sediment yield in response to concentrated flow in the loess plateau, Agr. Sci., 2, 86–93, 2011.
Linkohr, B. I., Williamson, L. C., Fitter, A. H., and Leyser, O.: Nitrate and phosphate availability and distribution have different effects on root system architecture of Arabidopsis, Plant Journal, 29, 751–760, 2002.
Loades, K. W., Bengough, A. G., Bransby, M. F., and Hallet, P. D.: Plant density influence on fibrous root reinforcement of soils, Ecol. Eng., 36, 276–284, 2010.
López-Bucio, J., Cruz-Ramírez, A., and Estrella-Herrera, L.: The role of nutrient availability in regulating root architecture, Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 6, 280–287, 2003.
Lynch, J. P. and Brown, K. M.: New roots for agriculture: exploiting the root phenome, Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. B, 367, 1598–1604, 2012.
Macleod, C. J. A., Binley, A., Hawkins, S. L., Humphreys, M. W., Turner, L. B., Whalley, W. R., and Haygarth, P. M.: Genetically modified hydrographs: what can grass genetics do for temperate catchment hydrology?, Hydrol. Process., 21, 2217–2221, 2007.
Malamy, J. E.: Intrinsic and environmental response pathways that regulate root system architecture, Plant, Cell Environ., 28, 67–77, 2005.
Mamo, M. and Bubenzer, G. D.: Detachment rate, soil erodibility and soil strength as influenced by living plant roots: Part II. Field study, Am. Soc. Agr. Eng., 44, 1175–1181, 2001a.
Mamo, M. and Bubenzer, G. D.: Detachment rate, soil erodibility and soil strength as influenced by living plant roots: Part I. Laboratory study, Am. Soc. Agr. Eng., 44, 1167–1174, 2001b.
McCully, M. E.: Roots in soil: unearthing the complexities of roots and their rhizospheres, Ann. Rev. Plant Phys., 50, 695–718, 1999.
Meek, B. D., Rechel, E. A., Carter, L. M., and De Tar, W. R.: Changes in infiltration under alfalfa as influenced by time and wheel traffic, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 53, 238–241, 1989.
Mitchell, A. R., Ellsworth, T. R., and Meek, B. D.: Effects of root systems on preferential flow in swelling soils, Communication in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 26, 2655–2666, 1995.
Morel, J. L., Habib, L., Plantureux, S., and Guckert, A.: Influence of maize root mucilage on soil aggregate stability, Plant Soil, 136, 111–119, 1991.
Moreno-Espíndola, I. P., Rivera-Becerril, F., De Jésus Ferrera-Guerrero, M., and De Léon-González, F.: Role of root-hairs and hyphae in adhesion of sand particles, Soil Biol. Biochem., 39, 2520–2526, 2007.
Morgan, R. P. C.: Soil Erosion & Conservation, 2nd Edn., Longman, Harlow, Uk, 1986.
Morgan, R. P. C., Quinton, J. N., and Edwards, J.: 3.05 Vegetation strategies for combating desertification. MEDALUS II Project 3 Managing Desertification. Contract EV5V-CT92-0165, Final Report covering the period 1 January 1991 to 30 September 1995.
Müller, M. and Schmidt, W.: Environmentally induced plasticity of root hair development in Arabidopsis, Plant Physiol., 134, 409–419, 2004.
Oades, J. M.: Soil organic matter and structural stability: mechanisms and implications for management, Plant Soil, 76, 319–337, 1984.
Paterson, E., Sim, A., Standing, D., Dorward, M., and McDonald, A. J. S.: Root exudation from Hordeum vulgare }in response to localized nitrate supply. J. Experiment. Bot., {57, 2413–2420, 2006.
Pierret, A., Latchackak, K., Chathanvongsa, P., Sengtaheuanghoung, O., and Valentin, C.: Interactions between root growth, slopes and soil detachment depending on land use: a case study of a small mountain catchment in Northern Laos, Plant Soil, 301, 51–64, 2007.
Pimentel, D.: Soil erosion: a food and environmental threat, Environ. Develop. Sustain., 8, 119–137, 2006.
Pimentel, D. and Kounang, N.: Ecology of soil erosion in ecosystems, Ecosystems, 1, 416–426, 1998.
Pohl, M., Alig, D., Körner, C., and Rixen, C.: Higher plant diversity enhances soil stability in disturbed alpine ecosystems, Plant Soil, 324, 91–102, 2009.
Pojasok, T. and Kay, B. D.: Effect of root exudates from corn and bromegrass on soil structural stability, Can. J. Soil Sci., 70, 351–362, 1990.
Posthumus, H., Deeks, L. K., Rickson, R. J., and Quinton, J. N.: Costs and benefits of erosion control measures in the UK, Soil Use Manage., https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12057, 2013.
Prosser, I. P., Dietrich, W. E., and Stevenson, J.: Flow resistance and sediment transport by concentrated overland flow in a grassland valley, Geomorphology, 13, 71–86, 1995.
Puigdefábregas, J.: The role of vegetation patterns in structuring runoff and sediment fluxes in drylands, Earth Surf. Proc. Landf., 30, 133–147, 2005.
Quinton, J. N., Edwards, G. M., and Morgan, R. P. C.: The influence of vegetation species and plant properties on runoff and soil erosion: results from a rainfall simulation study in south east Spain, Soil Use Manage., 13, 143–148, 1997.
Quinton, J. N., Morgan, R. P. C., Archer, N. A., Hall, G. M., and Green, A.: Bioengineering principles and desertification mitigation, in: Mediterranean desertification, A mosaic of processes and responses, edited by: Brandt, C. J., Geeson, N. A., and Thornes, J. B., John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 93–105, 2002.
Reubens, B., Poesen, J., Danjon, F., Geudens, G., and Muys, B.: The role of fine and coarse roots in shallow slope stability and soil erosion control with a focus on root system architecture: a review, Trees, 21, 385–402, 2007.
Rilling, M. C., Wright, S. F., and Eviner, V. T.: The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and glomalin in soil aggregation: comparing effects of five plant species, Plant Soil, 238, 325–333, 2002.
Robinson, D.: The response of plants to non-uniformus supplies of nutrients, New Phytologist, 127, 635–674, 1994.
Robinson, D.: Root proliferation, nitrate inflow and their carbon costs during nitrogen capture by competing plants in patchy soil, Plant Soil, 232, 41–50, 2001.
Roycewicz, P. S. and Malamy, J. E.: Cell wall properties play an important role in the emergence of lateral root primordia from the parent root, J. Experiment. Bot., 65, 2057–2069, 2014.
Sattelmacher, B., Gerendas, J., Thoms, K., Brück, H., and Bagdady, N. H.: Interaction between root growth and mineral nutrition, Environ. Experiment. Bot., 33, 63–73, 1993.
Sharma, B. R. and Chaudhary, T. N.: Wheat root growth, grain yield and water uptake as influenced by soil water regime and depth of nitrogen placement in a loamy sand soil, Agr. Water Manage., 6, 365–373, 1983.
Smucker, A. J. M.: Soil environmental modifications of root dynamics and measurement, Ann. Rev. Phytopathol., 31, 191–216, 1993.
Stocking, M. and Elwell, H.: Vegetation and erosion: A review, Scottish Geogr. Mag., 92, 4–16, 1976.
Stokes, A., Atger, C., Bengough, A. G., Fourcaud, T., and Sidle, R. C.: Desirable plant root traits for protecting natural and engineered slopes against landslides, Plant Soil, 324, 1–30, 2009.
Tengbeh, G. T.: The effect of grass roots on shear strength variations with moisture content, Soil Technol., 6, 287–295, 1993.
Trimble, S. W. and Mendel, A. C.: The cow as a geomorphic agent – a critical review, Geomorphology, 13, 233–253, 1995.
Vásquez-Méndez, R., Ventura-Ramos, E., Oleschko, K., Hernández-Sandoval, L., Parrot, J.-F., and Nearing, M. A.: Soil erosion and runoff in different vegetation patches from semiarid Central Mexico, Catena, 80, 162–169, 2010.
Waldron, L. J.: Shear resistance of root-permeated homogenous and stratified soil, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 41, 843–849, 1977.
Walker, T. S., Harsh, P. B., Grotewold, E., and Vivanco, J. M.: Root exudates and rhizosphere biology, Plant Physiol., 132, 44–51, 2003.
Watt, M., McCully, M. E., and Canny, M. J.: Formation and stabilization of rhizosheats of Z. mays }L., Plant Physiol., {106, 179–186, 1994.
Wenzel, W. W.: Rhizosphere processes and management in plant-assisted bioremediation (phytoremediation) of soils, Plant Soil, 321, 385–408, 2009.
Zhang, H. and Forde, B. G.: An Arabidopsis MADS box gene that controls nutrient-induced changes in root architecture, Science, 279, 407–409, 1998.
Zhao, G., Mu, X., Wen, Z., Wang, F., and Gao, P.: Soil erosion, conservation, and eco-environment changes in the loess plateau of china, Land Degrad. Develop., 24, 499–510, 2013.
Zhou, Z. C. and Shangguan, Z. P.: The effects of ryegrass roots and shoots on loess erosion under simulated rainfall, Catena, 70, 350–355, 2007.
Zhu, J., Kaeppler, S., and Lynch, J. P.: Mapping of QTLs for lateral root branching and length in maize (Zea mays L.) under differential phosphorus supply, Theor. Appl. Genet., 111, 688–695, 2005.
Short summary
Plant roots are crucial in soil erosion control. Moreover, some species respond to nutrient-rich patches by lateral root proliferation. At the soil surface dense mats of roots may block soil pores thereby limiting infiltration, enhancing runoff; whereas at depth local increases in shear strength may reinforce soils at the shear plane. This review considers the potential of manipulating plant roots to control erosion.
Plant roots are crucial in soil erosion control. Moreover, some species respond to nutrient-rich...
