We investigated relationships between mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisation rates and additional manure amendment with different crop types through an analysis of soil environmental characteristics and microbiomes, soil N₂O and N₂ emissions as well as biomass production. The results show that wheat grew well at a fertilisation rate of 80 kg N ha⁻¹, and newly introduced sorghum showed good potential for cultivation in temperate climates.

We conducted a service soil laboratory comparison study and tested the individual effect of common sieving, grinding, drying, and quantification methods on total, inorganic, and organic soil carbon (C) measurements. We found that inter-lab variability is large and each soil processing step impacts C measurement accuracy and/or precision. Standardizing soil processing methods is needed to ensure C measurements are accurate and precise, especially for C credit allocation and model calibration.

We incubated 10 Japanese soils to study CO₂ release under drying–rewetting cycles (DWCs). CO₂ release was increased by DWCs among all soils, showing soil-by-soil variations in CO₂ release increase magnitude. The organo-Al complex was the primary predictor for the increase magnitude, suggesting vulnerability of carbon protection by reactive minerals against DWCs. Microbial biomass decrease by DWCs was also suggested, although its link with the CO₂ release increase is still unclear.

Soil mixing (bioturbation) plays a key role in soil functions, but the underlying processes are poorly understood and difficult to quantify. In this study, we use luminescence, a light-sensitive soil mineral property, and numerical models to better understand different types of bioturbation. We provide a conceptual model that helps to determine which types of bioturbation processes occur in a soil and a numerical model that can derive quantitative process rates from luminescence measurements.

This work implemented automated electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for belowground field phenotyping alongside conventional field breeding techniques, thereby closing the phenotyping gap. We show that ERT is not only capable of measuring differences between crops but also has sufficient precision to capture the differences between genotypes of the same crop. We automatically derive indicators, which can be translated to static and dynamic plant traits, directly useful for breeders.

The differences in organic matter contents and clay mineralogy are the fundamental reasons for the differences in colloidal suspension stability behind the size effects of Anthrosol and Calcisol colloids.  The present study revealed the size effects of two alkaline soil colloids on carbon content, clay minerals, surface properties and suspension stability, emphasizing that soil nanoparticles are prone to be more stably dispersed instead of being aggregated.  

Our study uses a noninvasive geoelectrical method to monitor hydroquinone oxidation in MnO₂-rich soil. We combined it with chemical analyses to observe real-time changes in soil pH, calcium, and manganese levels. Our findings reveal that MnO₂ oxidation of hydroquinone triggers reactions such as calcite dissolution and amorphous manganese oxide formation. This research advances the understanding of soil–pollutant interactions and highlights the method's potential in tracking soil remediation.

Farmers frequently apply fresh organic matter such as crop residues to soil to boost its carbon content. Yet, one burning question remains: does the quantity of applied organic matter affect its decomposition and that of native soil organic matter? Our experiment suggests that smaller application doses might deplete soil organic matter more rapidly, at least in coarser-textured soil. In contrast, applying intermediate or high doses might be a promising strategy for maintaining it.

To assess the impact of the groundwater table (GWT) depth on soil moisture and C mineralization, we designed a laboratory setup using 200 cm undisturbed soil columns. Surprisingly, the moisture increase induced by a shallower GWT did not result in enhanced C mineralization. We presume this upward capillary moisture effect was offset by increased C mineralization upon rewetting, particularly noticeable in drier soils when capillary rise affected the topsoil to a lesser extent due to a deeper GWT.

Here, we investigated how biochar, a potential C sequestration tool, affects early carbon storage in different soils. We created artificial soils to isolate the impact of soil texture. We found that biochar significantly reduces plant residue’s breakdown in all soil textures but mainly in sandy soils, which naturally hold less carbon. This suggests that biochar could be a valuable tool for improving soil health, especially in sandy soils.

This work maps both current soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and the SOC that can be realistically added to soils over 25 years under a scenario of management strategies promoting plant productivity. We consider how soil type influences current and maximum SOC stocks regionally. Over 25 years, land use and management have the strongest influence on SOC accrual, but certain soil types have disproportionate SOC stocks at depths that need to be preserved.

Chinese tea plantations are facing soil acidification, nutrient deficiencies, and imbalances. Less than 45 % of tea plantations are of high quality. The status of soil nutrients and pH are closely related to geological and climatic factors, varies among soil types, and significantly shaped by managerial practices such as cultivation period and fertilization strategy. Recommendations are made to tackle soil issues.

In this article, we make comments on some methodological issues and on the general approach of the paper Back to the future? Conservative grassland management can preserve soil health in the changing landscapes of Uruguay  (Säumel et al., 2023; https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-425-2023). We identified several design and methodological problems in the aforementioned publication that may induce potential misinterpretations. 

Soil erosion is a major issue in vineyards due to often steep slopes and fallow interlines. While cover crops are typically used for erosion control, moss restoration has not yet been explored. In this study, moss restoration reduced surface runoff by 71.4 % and sediment discharge by 75.8 % compared with bare soil, similar to cover crops. Mosses could serve as ground cover where mowing is impractical, potentially reducing herbicide use in viticulture, although further research is needed.