Conventional tillage decreases the abundance and biomass of earthworms and alters their community structure in a global meta‐analysis

Briones, M. J. I.; Schmidt, Olaf

doi:10.1111/gcb.13744

Cited by 255 publications

(203 citation statements)

References 146 publications

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“…A number of often chemical-industry-funded agronomic trials of conservation, reduced or minimum tillage/direct drill treatments show earthworm increases: e.g., Briones & Schmidt (2017) [56] have numbers and biomass raised on average by 132% and 148%, respectively. However, as the total numbers are often much lower than those under proper organic production, then any conclusions are contextual (cf.…”

Section: Agriculture-the Primary Causal Factor Of Biotic Declinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Decline of Earthworms from Organic Origins under Intensive, Humic SOM-Depleting Agriculture

Blakemore

2018

Soil Systems

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Abstract:In view of recent reports of critical declines of microbes, plants, insects and other invertebrates, birds and other vertebrates, the situation pertaining to neglected earthworms was investigated. Entomological reports found the probable cause of general loss was lack of recruitment from surrounding fields (except for pest species). Earthworm decline under agricultural intensification compared to organic fertilizing is herein charted from several long-term agronomic trials, some operational >170 years. Relative biomass losses of -50-100% (with a mean of -83.3 %) match or exceed those reported for other faunal groups, thus earthworms are conclusively shown to be similarly depleted from their optima in agrichemical fields. Concomitant mean loss of SOC/SOM humus is -56.8% and soil moisture is reduced by -22.3%. Organic farming lessens humic degradation and topsoil erosion, conserves essential soil moisture and biota, and produces equivalent or higher crop and pasture yields (on average +17.8% in this study) at lower cost. Loss of earthworms adds weight for rational re-evaluation of viable means for food production compatible with environmental conservation (agroecology), hence various interlinked benefits of organic husbandry in terms of yields, soil restoration, biodiversity and economics are briefly discussed. Persistence with failing chemical agriculture makes neither ecological nor economic sense.

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Section: Agriculture-the Primary Causal Factor Of Biotic Declinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Decline of Earthworms from Organic Origins under Intensive, Humic SOM-Depleting Agriculture

Blakemore

2018

Soil Systems

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“…For example, conservation tillage reduces soil disturbance and the soil organic matter decomposition rate (Salinas- Garcia, Hons, & Matocha, 1997) and promotes fungal and earthworm biomass (Lavelle, Brussaard, & Hendrix, 1999;Briones & Schmidt, 2017), thereby improving SOC stabilization (Liang & Balser, 2012). For example, conservation tillage reduces soil disturbance and the soil organic matter decomposition rate (Salinas- Garcia, Hons, & Matocha, 1997) and promotes fungal and earthworm biomass (Lavelle, Brussaard, & Hendrix, 1999;Briones & Schmidt, 2017), thereby improving SOC stabilization (Liang & Balser, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of soil carbon sequestration to climate‐smart agriculture practices: A meta‐analysis

Bai

Huang

Ren

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

267

116

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Climate‐smart agriculture (CSA) management practices (e.g., conservation tillage, cover crops, and biochar applications) have been widely adopted to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity. However, current measurements regarding the influences of CSA management practices on SOC sequestration diverge widely, making it difficult to derive conclusions about individual and combined CSA management effects and bringing large uncertainties in quantifying the potential of the agricultural sector to mitigate climate change. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 3,049 paired measurements from 417 peer‐reviewed articles to examine the effects of three common CSA management practices on SOC sequestration as well as the environmental controlling factors. We found that, on average, biochar applications represented the most effective approach for increasing SOC content (39%), followed by cover crops (6%) and conservation tillage (5%). Further analysis suggested that the effects of CSA management practices were more pronounced in areas with relatively warmer climates or lower nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Our meta‐analysis demonstrated that, through adopting CSA practices, cropland could be an improved carbon sink. We also highlight the importance of considering local environmental factors (e.g., climate and soil conditions and their combination with other management practices) in identifying appropriate CSA practices for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity.

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“…). A recent meta‐analysis shows greater responses of earthworms to soil tillage disturbance in more humid conditions globally (Briones & Schmidt ). Therefore, the recovery of the macrofauna community following deforestation might be encouraged at drier conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amazonian deforestation and soil biodiversity

Franco

Sobral

Silva

et al. 2019

Conservation Biology

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Clearance and perturbation of Amazonian forests are one of the greatest threats to tropical biodiversity conservation of our times. A better understanding of how soil communities respond to Amazonian deforestation is crucially needed to inform policy interventions that effectively protect biodiversity and the essential ecosystem services it provides. We assessed the impact of deforestation and ecosystem conversion to arable land on Amazonian soil biodiversity through a meta‐analysis. We analyzed 274 pairwise comparisons of soil biodiversity in Amazonian primary forests and sites under different stages of deforestation and land‐use conversion: disturbed (wildfire and selective logging) and slash‐and‐burnt forests, pastures, and cropping systems. Overall, 60% and 51% of responses of soil macrofauna and microbial community attributes (i.e., abundance, biomass, richness, and diversity indexes) to deforestation were negative, respectively. We found few studies on mesofauna (e.g., microarthropods) and microfauna (e.g., protozoa and nematodes), so those groups could not be analyzed. Macrofauna abundance and biomass were more vulnerable to the displacement of forests by pastures than by agricultural fields, whereas microbes showed the opposite pattern. Effects of Amazonian deforestation on macrofauna were more detrimental at sites with mean annual precipitation >1900 mm, and higher losses of microbes occurred in highly acidic soils (pH < 4.5). Limited geographic coverage, omission of meso‐ and microfauna, and low taxonomic resolution were main factors impairing generalizations from the data set. Few studies assessed the impacts of within‐forest disturbance (wildfires and selective logging) on soil species in Amazonia, where logging operations rapidly expand across public lands and more frequent severe dry seasons are increasing the prevalence of wildfires.

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Conventional tillage decreases the abundance and biomass of earthworms and alters their community structure in a global meta‐analysis

Cited by 255 publications

References 146 publications

Critical Decline of Earthworms from Organic Origins under Intensive, Humic SOM-Depleting Agriculture

Critical Decline of Earthworms from Organic Origins under Intensive, Humic SOM-Depleting Agriculture

Responses of soil carbon sequestration to climate‐smart agriculture practices: A meta‐analysis

Amazonian deforestation and soil biodiversity

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