Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

A substantial increase in the number of studies using the optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence) of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a proxy for its chemical properties in estuaries and the coastal and open ocean has occurred during the last decade. We are making progress on finding the actual chemical compounds or phenomena responsible for DOM’s optical properties. Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, in particular, has made important progress in making the key connections between optics and chemistry. But serious questions remain and the last major special issue on DOM optics and chemistry occurred nearly 10 years ago. Controversies remain from the non-specific optical properties of DOM that are not linked to discrete sources, and sometimes provide conflicting information. The use of optics, which is relatively easier to employ in synoptic and high resolution sampling to determine chemistry, is a critical connection to make and can lead to major advances in our understanding of organic matter cycling in all aquatic ecosystems. The contentions and controversies raised by our poor understanding of the linkages between optics and chemistry of DOM are bottlenecks that need to be addressed and overcome.

CDOM --- dissolved organic matter --- Absorbance --- fluorescence --- biomarkers --- Stable isotopes --- Mass Spectrometry --- dissolved organic carbon

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Forest ecosystems are often disturbed by agents such as harvesting, fire, wind, insects and diseases, and acid deposition, with differing intensities and frequencies. Such disturbances can markedly affect the amount, form, and stability of soil organic carbon in, and the emission of greenhouse gases, including CO2, CH4, and N2O from, forest ecosystems. It is vitally important that we improve our understanding of the impact of different disturbance regimes on forest soil carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions to guide our future research, forest management practices, and policy development. This Special Issue provides an important update on the disturbance effects on soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in forest ecosystems in different climate regions.

greenhouse gas emission --- heterotrophic respiration --- Camellia oleifera --- Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr --- soil microbial residue --- assisted natural regeneration --- soil organic carbon --- soil carbon sequestration --- soil CO2 --- surface soil layer --- landform --- anthropogenic effect --- South Korea --- CO2 effluxes --- storm damage --- microbial properties --- calcareous soil --- land use pattern --- soil total nitrogen --- generation --- tree mortality --- land use types --- forest conversion --- DCD --- carbon source–sink --- stoichiometric ratios --- autotrophic respiration --- N2O --- CO2 emission --- organic carbon mineralization --- CH4 emissions --- clear-cutting --- CO2 production and diffusion --- soil quality --- nitrification inhibitor --- organic carbon accumulation --- climate change mitigation --- global change --- greenhouse gas inventory --- warming --- soil properties --- bacterial community --- sensitivity --- soil characteristics --- forest --- insect outbreak --- biochar --- nitrous oxide --- CO2 --- soil respiration --- land-use change --- decomposition --- soil --- natural forest --- calcareous soils --- greenhouse gas --- forest soils --- karst graben basin --- plantation --- rocky desertification --- fitting parameters --- temperature --- forest disturbance --- microbe --- subtropical forest --- N addition --- carbon stock changes --- IPCC --- next-generation sequencing --- nitrogen --- N2O emissions --- red soils --- CH4 --- coastal wetlands --- CO2 emissions --- stand age --- successive planting --- plum plantation ages

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Soil degradation is one of the most topical environmental threats. A number of processes causing soil degradation, specifically erosion, compaction, salinization, pollution, and loss of both organic matter and soil biodiversity, are also strictly connected to agricultural activity and its intensification. The development and adoption of sustainable agronomic practices able to preserve and enhance the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and improve agroecosystem functions is a challenge for both scientists and farmers. The Special Issue entitled “Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation” collects 12 original contributions addressing the state of the art of sustainable agriculture and soil conservation. The papers cover a wide range of topics, including organic agriculture, soil amendment and soil organic carbon (SOC) management, the impact of SOC on soil water repellency, the effects of soil tillage on the quantity of SOC associated with several fractions of soil particles and depth, and SOC prediction, using visible and near-infrared spectra and multivariate modeling. Moreover, the effects of some soil contaminants (e.g., crude oil, tungsten, copper, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are discussed or reviewed in light of the recent literature. The collection of the manuscripts presented in this Special Issue provides a relevant knowledge contribution for improving our understanding on sustainable agriculture and soil conservation, thus stimulating new views on this main topic.

Tungsten --- corn uptake --- soil characteristics --- Freundlich model --- Biolog® --- community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) --- functional diversity indices --- metabolic bacterial diversity --- olive --- soil fertility --- soil quality --- maize --- stomata --- soil --- phenanthrene --- remediation --- qualitative multi-attribute model --- total energy output --- agro-ecological service crops --- ex-post sustainability --- organic systems --- amendment --- biochar --- brewers’ spent grain --- hop --- image analysis --- plant growth --- Beerkan method --- infiltration --- forest restoration --- soil water repellency --- tillage --- fertilization --- soil depth --- organic carbon --- clay minerals --- diffuse reflectance --- infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy --- bioremediation --- composting --- PAHs --- organic co-substrates --- mulching --- flattening --- irrigation --- photosynthesis --- transpiration --- water stress integral --- fruit growth --- water use efficiency --- productivity --- soil organic matter --- near-infrared spectroscopy --- spatial heterogeneity --- multivariate adaptive regression splines --- partial least squares regression --- anaerobic digestion residues --- soil amendment --- soil fertilization --- soil organic C --- soil porosity --- soil microbial community --- copper --- rhizosphere --- smart agriculture --- microbes --- vineyard --- organic agriculture --- soil organic carbon --- soil management --- soil contamination --- soil remediation --- sustainable fruit growing --- water conservation practices --- multivariate statistical models for SOC prediction

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Soil, water, and nitrogen management are critical for crop productivity and quality in horticulture as well as for reducing negative impacts on ecosystems and greenhouse gas emissions. This Special Issue is a collection of seven important research works addressing solutions or strategies that can be implemented in order to use these three factors of production in a more sustainable way and to reduce inorganic nitrogen applications by considering the great importance of circular agriculture and the use of microorganisms. Aside from the relevance of the topics in this Special Issue, the studies included within it may trigger the development of new strategies for more sustainable and environmentally friendly intensive agriculture.

drip irrigation --- arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi --- water relations --- N and P status --- soil organic carbon --- osmoregulation --- sugar accumulation --- water stress --- xylem tissue --- mulching film --- Trichoderma --- Lactuca sativa L. --- nitrogen dose --- nutritional quality --- yield --- sustainability --- by-products --- recycle --- smart agriculture --- nitrogen efficiency --- soil organic matter --- acidic soil --- pH --- nitrogen --- nutrient uptake --- photosynthetic pigments --- antioxidant activity --- Spinacia oleracea --- hexavalent Cr --- photosynthesis --- phosphorus uptake --- Cr(VI) tissue --- leaf characteristics --- purslane --- soil contamination --- heavy metals --- Ginger (Zingiber officinale) --- biochar --- plant growth --- root morphological traits --- chlorophyll content --- soil enzymes --- n/a

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Soil erosion by wind is significant to Earth systems and human health. There is a strong interest in understanding the factors and processes of soil erosion by wind as well as in developing and applying methods to control dust emission from soils and to stabilize active sands. The Special Issue contains information on applications of natural and synthetic materials to reduce soil erosion, development of materials and methods, experimental methods and modeling, impacts on the soil quality and the environments, and quantification of the efficiency in dust control and sand stabilization applications.

wind erosion --- dust --- suppressants --- PM10 --- wind tunnel --- lignin --- resin --- bitumen --- PVA --- brine --- direct shear test --- post-harvest waste --- Chinese Loess Plateau --- optimal dosage --- prevailing wind --- sand transport --- Hobq Desert --- Yellow River --- dune stabilization --- restoration --- coastal dune --- vegetation removal --- multi-taxa --- biodiversity --- LTER --- temporal dynamics --- shrub encroachment --- loess --- metakaolin --- dust control --- geopolymer --- soil erosion --- global carbon budget --- soil organic carbon erosion --- deposition --- gaseous emissions --- enrichment ratio --- soil depletion --- preferential removal --- microbial-induced calcite precipitation --- desert soil --- biostimulation --- erosion mitigation --- surface shear stress --- isolated dune --- bridge --- aeolian processes --- arid areas --- dust emission --- dust sources --- environmental pollution --- infrastructures --- human activities --- particle size distribution --- polymers --- sand dune --- soil quality