Complete Issue

Abstract

A com pre hen sive reso urce on cov er cro ps and thei r role in soil eco sys tem sCove r crops are a reem ergin g strate gy to impro ve and main tain the servic es that soils provi de. They can have an enorm ous affec t on agric ultura l outcome s, preve nting soil erosi on, resto ring vital soil nutrie nts, sequ ester ing C from the atmo sphe re, and more . The succ essfu l mana geme nt and use of cove r crops is there fore critic al to ensu re soil ecos ystem servi ces are main taine d or impro ved not only to meet our dema nds for food, fuel, fiber, and feed but also to reduc e pollu tion and impro ve the soil.Cove r Crop s and Soil Ecos ystem Servi ces provi des a heavi ly resea rched and highl y reada ble introd uctio n to cove r crops and their role in soil ecos ystem s.It range s from a detai led discu ssion of cove r crop biom ass prod uctio n to a thoro ugh treatm ent of soil ecos ystem s and their vulne rabili ties. The resul t is an esse ntial guide to a critic al area of agric ultura l scien ce.Cove r Crop s and Soil Ecos ystem Servi ces reade rs will also find:• Deta iled treatm ent of cove r crop biom ass prod uctio n, soil erosi on, green hous e gas fluxe s, nitrat e leach ing, soil C sequ estra tion, and more• Discu ssion of emer ging issue s, inclu ding extre me weat her even ts and the econ omic s of cove r crop farmi ng• Wide -rang ing summ aries of interd iscip linary soil and cove r crop resea rch Cove r Crop s and Soil Ecos ystem Servi ces is a usefu l refere nce for stude nts and resea rcher s at all levels of study relati ng to cove r crop agric ulture .Hum berto Blanc o is Profe ssor of Soil Mana geme nt and Appli ed Soil Phys ics in the Depa rtmen t of Agro nomy and Horti cultu re,