Frontiers in Soil Science

This study evaluates soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in Mediterranean agroecosystems using the Carbon, Aggregation, and Structure Turnover (CAST) model, with a focus on agroecological and regenerative practices that support carbon farming (CF) strategies. Three case studies across Greece, Italy, and Spain were assessed to quantify SOC dynamics and carbon storage potential. In Koiliaris, G…

Introduction Soil salinity fundamentally reshapes geochemical controls governing metal mobility and plant uptake, yet its effects across soils with different salinity histories remain poorly resolved. Methods We conducted four controlled experiments using NaCl treatments ranging from 1.0 to 20.0 dS m −1 , combining freshly salinized soils with soils previously exposed to salinity, and evaluated m…

Introduction Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) serves as a critical indicator of soil health, reflecting particularly microbial activity and soil aggregate stability. Despite the known effects of management practices for GRSP accumulation, the role of soil properties remains under-researched. Methods This study aimed to evaluate how soil chemical properties and soil type influence GRSP accumul…

This study investigated the effects of combining chemical fertilizer and fulvic acid (FA) organic fertilizer on soil enzyme activity, bacterial communities, and peanut yield. Seven treatments were established using the peanut cultivar Shanhua No. 9: no fertilization control (CK), conventional chemical fertilizer (A), 100% FA (B), 20% FA + 80% chemical fertilizer (C), 40% FA + 60% chemical fertili…

Introduction Soil organic carbon (SOC) content plays a fundamental role in regulating the global carbon cycle and mitigating climate change. It is also a key marker of soil health and a vital plant component. Its distribution in space varies in dry ecosystems, where climate and land use affect it. This study aimed to estimate and map SOC in the Motupe River Basin, northern Peru, by applying machi…

Tequila production yields 10–12 liters of tequila vinasses (TV) per liter of product, posing significant waste management challenges. Land application offers a cost-effective disposal method with potential fertilization benefits, though its impact on soil microbial ecology remains uncertain. In this one-year field case study in Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico, seven TV treatments were tested: raw TV at…

The energy-intensive production and environmental repercussions of synthetic fertilizers pose significant challenges to agricultural sustainability. Nutrient recovery from human urine, an underutilized renewable resource rich in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), offers a low-energy pathway that supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 6 and 12). This review synthesizes glob…

Introduction Identifying organic amendments that can retain stable organic carbon is essential for improving soil health and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Methods This study assessed the carbon stability of 104 fertilizing residual materials (including manure) using a biochemical fractionation method (Van Soest) and a standardized 91-day incubation protocol. Two kinetic parameters, residua…

The green revolution enhanced global food production, ensuring food security for a rapidly growing population. However, overreliance on traditional fertilizers has led to environmental degradation and poor nutrient use efficiency. This necessitates a paradigm shift toward sustainable agriculture. Nanofertilizers are a frontier technology having the potential to overcome such challenges by optimiz…

Biochar amendment improves soil health and mitigates the impacts of climate change on agriculture by promoting sustained crop production. Biochar is modified to further optimize its agronomic and environmental benefits; however, the magnitude and mechanism of microbial community, soil organic carbon (SOC), and crop yield responses remain unclear. This study evaluated the impact of different feeds…

Land-use conversion from tropical forests to agriculture represents one of the most widespread environmental transformations globally, with profound implications for soil ecosystem services. In West Africa, extensive forest conversion has led to soil degradation and loss of critical ecosystem services. This study quantified land-use change impacts on soil ecosystem services using static Soil Func…

Introduction Rapid land-use change in the Peruvian Amazon threatens soil processes that sustain productivity and ecosystem resilience. This study assessed soil functioning indicators along a land-use intensification gradient in Ucayali, Peru. Methods We evaluated physicochemical (texture fractions, pH, organic matter, cation-exchange capacity, carbon, and micronutrients) and biological indicators…

The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in agricultural soils poses significant risks to food safety and ecosystem health, necessitating rapid and cost-effective monitoring approaches. While inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) provides accurate PTE quantification, its high cost, time requirements, and chemical reagent necessitate the search for green, …

Heavy metals are a persistent threat in soils formed after mining (minesoils). This study was conducted in a 20-year randomized complete block design experiment installed within an active coal mine in Candiota, southern Brazil. Thus, this work provides a unique opportunity to assess long-term environmental and human health risks as affected by consistent and well-documented minesoil restoration p…

Context Soil degradation and water scarcity pose critical challenges for vineyard sustainability in semi-arid regions. Objectives This study evaluates the long-term effects of spontaneous cover cropping (CC) on soil health in a rainfed vineyard in central Spain, managed without irrigation or pesticides for over two decades. Methodology By comparing soils under CC and conventional tillage (TILL), …

Phytopathogenic fungi represent a significant challenge in agriculture due to their high incidence and severe losses in various crops. These pathogens are responsible for numerous foliar, root, and vascular diseases, including rusts, downy mildews, anthracnose, and wilts, which affect plant physiology and compromise the yield and quality of harvested products (1,2). Fungal diseases are estimated …

Biochar is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional amendment capable of restoring soil health and mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, where fragile soils, high salinity, and erratic moisture regimes exacerbate climate vulnerability. Despite the growing global interest, only ~3% of biochar studies target arid lands, leaving a critical knowled…

Introduction In the San Martın region, several studies have reported Cd concentrations in surface soils approaching the upper limit (UL), with mean values ranging from 0.27 to 1.351 mg·kg - ¹. Methods Cadmium (Cd) transfer to Theobroma cacao (CCN-51) seedlings was evaluated under 12 factorial combinations of phosphate rock (RFP) and foliar zinc sulphate (ZnSO 4 ) applications, using relative upta…

The growing reliance on nitrogen-based fertilizers to fulfil global food demand has prompted worries about nitrogen losses, notably ammonia volatilization, which leads to environmental degradation and lowers fertilizer efficiency. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a new Nutriseed Pack approach in minimizing ammonia volatilization in different soil types. Fertilizer and manure pellets we…

Phosphatases play a key role in the mineralization of organic phosphorus in soils; however, the relative contributions of bacteria and fungi to phosphatase activities remain unclear. Sources of activities of two phosphomonoesterases (acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase) and phosphodiesterase in two arable Andisols and two forested Inceptisols were evaluated using selective inhibition with a…