We studied whether reduced soil disturbance can lower nitrate losses from farmland in Switzerland. In a large lysimeter experiment, we compared chisel ploughing with conventional ploughing.

Reduced tillage lowered nitrate leaching by up to 42 percent in some soils during a very rainy period without crop cover. The results suggest that reduced soil management could help protect water quality under future climate conditions with wetter winter and spring conditions.

Soil is the largest terrestrial carbon pool but vulnerable to loss under warming. Using a +4 °C whole-soil warming experiment at Blodgett Forest Research Station to 1 m depth, we investigated density fractions across depths. Below 50 cm, carbon quantity and composition shifted, mainly from losses of unprotected soil organic carbon. Soil carbon protected by minerals stayed largely stable, indicating organo-mineral protection buffers subsoil carbon loss.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Healthy soil is vital for nature, farming, and society, but disagreements about what "healthy" means make it hard to create effective policies. Our research develops a value-based framework that brings together six perspectives, from food production to ecosystem services and social benefits. We show that no single policy works for all needs, and that a mix of approaches is essential. This framework helps decision makers design fair and flexible strategies to support long-term soil stewardship.

This study evaluates compost made from rice straw and sewage sludge in Mediterranean citrus orchards. Compost improved some indicators of soil fertility, nutrient availability, and biological activity, while maintaining crop nutritional status. Yield and fruit quality were largely unaffected. These findings support the recycling of organic residues as a strategy to improve soil health and promote more sustainable citrus production.