Agriculture in the boreal and Arctic regions is perceived as marginal, low intensity and inadequate to satisfy the needs of local communities, but another perspective is that northern agriculture has untapped potential to increase the local supply of food and even contribute to the global food system. Policies across northern jurisdictions target the expansion and intensification of agriculture, contextualized for the diverse social settings and market foci in the north. However, the rapid pace of climate change means that traditional methods of adapting cropping systems and developing infrastructure and regulations for this region cannot keep up with climate change impacts. Moreover, the anticipated conversion of northern cold-climate natural lands to agriculture risks a loss of up to 76% of the carbon stored in vegetation and soils, leading to further environmental impacts. The sustainable development of northern agriculture requires local solutions supported by locally relevant policies. There is an obvious need for the rapid development of a transdisciplinary, cross-jurisdictional, long-term knowledge development, and dissemination program to best serve food needs and an agricultural economy in the boreal and Arctic regions while minimizing the risks to global climate, northern ecosystems and communities.
Under food security concerns and accelerated global warming, northern regions are becoming new agricultural frontiers. While diverse regional, national, and local policies support northern agricultural intensification and expansion through land use conversion, the scope and environmental consequences of northern agriculture are yet to be fully understood. As northern agriculture is poised to increase its role in both the local and global food production, its sustainable growth depends on a comprehensive understanding of opportunities and challenges. To evaluate the current perception of the status of northern agricultural research and the extent to which there is a need for a coordinated approach to its growth, we developed a targeted survey delivered online. Questions are aimed at revealing similarities and discrepancies in the awareness of northern agriculture and obtaining feedback on the need for a global synchronization of research and development. Out of 309 respondents, a curated dataset of 238 respondents was employed for analysis. This included respondents with knowledge and expertise in boreal and/or Arctic agriculture (41%), of temperate and/or alpine agriculture (37%), and other respondents (22%). Most are involved in agricultural (60%) or applied environmental (23.5%) sciences. Results revealed that scientists working in the northern regions are cautiously optimistic about climate change-driven expansion of northern agriculture while also realistic about the need for environmentally sustainable agricultural systems. Respondents with limited exposure to northern agriculture were more pessimistic about its expansion. Surprisingly, there was a limited and inconsistent knowledge of extant networks and research entities focusing on northern agriculture research. Nevertheless, there was a strong consensus that a concerted approach among multiple disciplines and across global regions would benefit northern agriculture and its ongoing growth. The survey's results illuminate for the very first time the need for better coordination and a greater emphasis on northern agriculture under climate change.
Context Climate change facilitated expansion of agriculture into northern regions increases the amount of Podzol dominated farmland. Biochar can improve poor growing conditions in soils. There are no universally accepted soil quality indicators for assessing the sustainability of expanding and intensifying boreal farming. Changes in the soil community structure can inform on soil functional status and the impact of management. Aims We assessed the impacts of biochar added to recently converted agricultural land on soil nematodes. We hypothesised that biochar addition would increase soil pH, correlate with total nematode abundance, and favour bacterivores over fungivores. Methods Biochar was added to soil at 10–80 Mg C ha−1 rates. Physicochemical soil properties, crop yields, nematode community trophic composition, trophic group ratios, and diversity indices were assessed. Key results Soil quality and fertility were improved with biochar, critically through increasing pH from 4.8 to 5.5. The interactions between pH, available metals, and micro-nutrients were related to biochar rate. Biochar was associated with increased bacterivore abundance (CI90 of 328 ± 132 vs 618 ± 50 individuals) indicating accelerated SOM degradation, and increased omnivore abundance (CI90 of 13 ± 17 vs 33 ± 7 individuals) indicating a more resilient community. Changes to Podzol quality may be most reliably indicated by bacterivore abundance and community complexity than by ratios and diversity indices. Conclusions Biochar application improved soil quality as suggested by nematode community structure. Implications Biochar application may be recommended to improve Podzol quality and fertility. Soil nematodes can indicate relative changes to Podzol quality.
Rock pulverization is recommended when converting boreal forests to agricultural land use to facilitate tillage operations. Resulting rock dust incorporation might alter physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. We assessed soil nematode trophic group abundances and indices, basal and burst respiration, and phosphorus extractability after land use conversion (LUC) and recent pulverization (<1 year) on three soil types in eastern Newfoundland, Canada. Nine treatments representing varied pulverization statuses (managed pulverized, managed unpulverized, natural) were nested in soil type (Podzol, Luvisol, and Organic). Conversion to agriculture impacted soil quality more than the recent rock pulverization. Nonetheless, nematode indices (fungivore/bacterivore, fungivore/fungivore+bacterivore, fungivore + bacterivore/herbivore) suggested no significant functional differences with either LUC or pulverization. Soil organic matter (SOM) and pH were substantial direct and indirect drivers of nematode community composition and soil respiration, mainly by altering availability of aluminium and iron. The functional parameters diverged between Organic and mineral soils. For all soils, most respiration parameters were significantly related to SOM, pH, available iron and aluminium. For nematodes, significant relationships were identified in the Organic soil: bacterivores and fungivores abundances were inversely related to SOM, and bacterivore abundance was positively related to pH. While for the mineral soils, citric acid extracted more phosphorus than the Mehlich-3 or water methods, Mehlich-3 was most effective for the Organic soil. Pulverization did not affect phosphorus extractability. The distinct relationships between soil quality properties and functional parameters between mineral and Organic soils are of interest for further investigations into the concepts of soil quality and soil health.
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