Articles | Volume 9, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-1-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-1-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Review article
| Highlight paper
| 
04 Jan 2023
Review article | Highlight paper |
| 04 Jan 2023
| 04 Jan 2023
Soil and crop management practices and the water regulation functions of soils: a qualitative synthesis of meta-analyses relevant to European agriculture
Guillaume Blanchy
Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester van Gansberghelaan 92/1, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Gilberto Bragato
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology
(CREA-VE), via Trieste 23, 34170 Gorizia, Italy
Claudia Di Bene
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), via della Navicella 2–4, 00184 Rome, Italy
Nicholas Jarvis
Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Mats Larsbo
Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Katharina Meurer
Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Sarah Garré
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester van Gansberghelaan 92/1, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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Executive editor
I think the paper contains some important messages for the management of soil water that have widespread implications
I think the paper contains some important messages for the management of soil water that have...
Short summary
European agriculture is vulnerable to weather extremes. Nevertheless, by choosing well how to manage their land, farmers can protect themselves against drought and peak rains. More than a thousand observations across Europe show that it is important to keep the soil covered with living plants, even in winter. A focus on a general reduction of traffic on agricultural land is more important than reducing tillage. Organic material needs to remain or be added on the field as much as possible.
European agriculture is vulnerable to weather extremes. Nevertheless, by choosing well how to...
