North American Soil Degradation: Processes, Practices, and Mitigating Strategies

Baumhardt, R. Louis; Stewart, B. A.; Sainju, Upendra M.

doi:10.3390/su7032936

Cited by 118 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Land‐use change is non‐sustainable if the management practices place the soil and services provided by the soil at risk. Worldwide the dominant practices impacting sustainability are adoption of practices that do not maintain soil health and soil organic C, do not minimize erosion, do not protect the soil from the accumulation of Na and other salts, and do not consider other services provided by the resource (Baumhardt et al, 2015). In South Dakota all of these factors impact sustainability (Clay et al, 2012, 2014, 2015; Cook et al, 2015; He et al, 2013, 2015).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land‐Use Change Impact on Soil Sustainability in a Climate and Vegetation Transition Zone

Reitsma¹,

Dunn

Mishra

et al. 2015

Agronomy Journal

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A growing world population and climate change are expected to influence future agricultural productivity and land use. This study determined the impact of land‐use change on soil sustainability and discussed the factors contributing to these changes. South Dakota was selected as a model system because corn (Zea mays L.) grain prices tripled between 2006 and 2012 and it is located in a climate and grassland/cropland transition zone. High resolution imagery was used to visually determine land uses (cropland, grassland, nonagricultural, habitat, and water) at 14,400 points in 2006 and 2012. At each point, land‐use change and the USDA land capability class (LCC) were determined. Over the 6‐yr study period, 6.87% of the grasslands (730,000 ha) were converted to cropland, with 93% occurring on lands generally considered suitable for crop production (LCC ≤ IV) if appropriate practices are followed. Converted grasslands, however, had higher LCC values than existing croplands and lower LCC values than remaining grasslands. In addition, 4.2% of the croplands (250,000 ha) were converted to grasslands, and statewide, 20,000 ha of croplands were converted to grasslands in areas limited by excess water (LCC V). The conversion of grasslands could not be linked to one specific factor and may be related to: (i) a desire to increase financial returns, (ii) changes in the land ownership structure, (iii) technology improvements, (iv) governmental policies, (v) climate change, and (vi) an aging workforce. Research and outreach programs that balance the goods and services of different land uses are needed to maintain sustainable agroecosystems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land‐Use Change Impact on Soil Sustainability in a Climate and Vegetation Transition Zone

Reitsma¹,

Dunn

Mishra

et al. 2015

Agronomy Journal

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“…Integrated water management options include management to reduce aquifer and surface water depletion, and to prevent over extraction, and provide direct co-benefits for prevention of land degradation. Strategies such as water-use efficiency and irrigation improve soil health through increases in soil organic matter content, thereby delivering benefits for prevention or reversal of desertification (Baumhardt, Stewart, & Sainju, 2015;Datta, De Jong, & Singh, 2000;Evans & Sadler, 2008;He, Cai, Ran, Zhao, & Jiang, 2015). Climate change will amplify existing stresses on water availability and on agricultural systems, particularly in semiarid environments.…”

Section: Practices Based On Land Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Which practices co‐deliver food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and combat land degradation and desertification?

Smith

Calvin

Nkem

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

208

137

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There is a clear need for transformative change in the land management and food production sectors to address the global land challenges of climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, combatting land degradation and desertification, and delivering food security (referred to hereafter as “land challenges”). We assess the potential for 40 practices to address these land challenges and find that: Nine options deliver medium to large benefits for all four land challenges. A further two options have no global estimates for adaptation, but have medium to large benefits for all other land challenges. Five options have large mitigation potential (>3 Gt CO2eq/year) without adverse impacts on the other land challenges. Five options have moderate mitigation potential, with no adverse impacts on the other land challenges. Sixteen practices have large adaptation potential (>25 million people benefit), without adverse side effects on other land challenges. Most practices can be applied without competing for available land. However, seven options could result in competition for land. A large number of practices do not require dedicated land, including several land management options, all value chain options, and all risk management options. Four options could greatly increase competition for land if applied at a large scale, though the impact is scale and context specific, highlighting the need for safeguards to ensure that expansion of land for mitigation does not impact natural systems and food security. A number of practices, such as increased food productivity, dietary change and reduced food loss and waste, can reduce demand for land conversion, thereby potentially freeing‐up land and creating opportunities for enhanced implementation of other practices, making them important components of portfolios of practices to address the combined land challenges.

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“…Organic farmers may employ legumes as a way to provide substantial N through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and delivery of N to soils through incorporation of nitrogen-rich plant biomass (Fageria et al 2005). Legumes grown as cover crops may convey additional benefits, such as diversification (Tiemann et al 2015), stabilization of plant-microbe metabolic cycles (Blagodatskaya et al 2014), erosion control (Basche et al 2016), nutrient management (Bergtold et al 2012;Finney et al 2016;Syswerda et al 2012), weed suppression (Leavitt et al 2011), disruption of pest cycles (Ratnadass et al 2012), increased water infiltration (Baumhardt et al 2015), and temperature stabilization (Basche et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen fixation and productivity of winter annual legume cover crops in Upper Midwest organic cropping systems

Perrone

Grossman²,

Liebman

et al. 2020

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Legume cover crops can play a valuable role in maintaining and increasing soil quality and nitrogen availability, but are infrequently grown in the Upper Midwest due to short growing seasons with minimal management windows; cold, wet springs; and harsh winters. This study was performed to assess the viability of winter annual legume species in northern climates as a potential source of nitrogen (N) fertility to a 75-day sweet corn (Zea mays convar. saccharata var. rugosa) cash crop in Lamberton and Grand Rapids, MN in 2016 and 2017. Treatments included medium red clover (Trifolium pratense), two coldhardy ecotypes of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), a cereal rye-hairy vetch biculture (Secale cereale L., Vicia villosa Roth), cereal rye as a non-legume control, and a fallow weed-free control. Legumes were split into rhizobia inoculated and non-inoculated treatments. Inoculation had no effect on nodulation, biomass production, or N fixation likely due to competition with endogenous rhizobia strains. The rye monoculture and biculture produced the most biomass at all site-years averaging 7.7 and 7.0 Mg ha -1 respectively while the two vetch ecotypes averaged 4.5 and 3.9 Mg ha -1 . Both vetch ecotypes contributed among the most nitrogen in all site-years, contributing up to 211 kg N ha -1 from aboveground biomass. Data from natural abundance isotopic approaches indicate that 75% of vetch tissue N in Grand Rapids and 59% of vetch tissue N in Lamberton was derived from atmospheric N fixation, with equal or higher percent fixation of vetch in biculture at all site-years. More studies should be performed to better understand controls on N fixation of legume cover crops in cold climates.

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North American Soil Degradation: Processes, Practices, and Mitigating Strategies

Cited by 118 publications

References 69 publications

Land‐Use Change Impact on Soil Sustainability in a Climate and Vegetation Transition Zone

Land‐Use Change Impact on Soil Sustainability in a Climate and Vegetation Transition Zone

Which practices co‐deliver food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and combat land degradation and desertification?

Nitrogen fixation and productivity of winter annual legume cover crops in Upper Midwest organic cropping systems

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