Soil Moisture Conservation

Shaxson, T. F.

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-1143-2_38

Cited by 16 publications

(18 citation statements)

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“…We disentangle the effects of climate change from those of agricultural practices using a multiple linear regression analysis. Note that soil properties, microclimate and topography intrinsically affect soil moisture content 12 and may vary from county to county due to heterogeneity in the environmental conditions; their effects on soil water content may overshadow the effects induced by agricultural practices 12 27 . We define the variable “county effect” ( C m ) to account for differences in soil moisture level caused by differences in the environmental conditions across different counties/stations.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Excessive fertilizer use can increase water consumption and deplete soil moisture as revealed by our results ( Fig 2a ), while having little impact on crop yield 37 . In addition, fertilizer use and other agricultural practices may aggravate soil salinity and soil compaction, leading to decrease of infiltration rates and soil water holding capacity 12 , which further limits the available soil water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), topography and land cover. These factors regulate infiltration, permeability, water holding capacity and moisture loss rates 12 . Current agricultural practices, such as crop type selection, agronomic measures, fertilizer application, or irrigation management, are expected to change the water use and the dynamics of soil moisture 13 due to their impacts on the physical and biogeochemical interactions within ecosystems 14 15 .…”

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Agriculture intensifies soil moisture decline in Northern China

Liu

Pan

Zhuang

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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Northern China is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Agricultural activities have intensified since the 1980s to provide food security to the country. However, this intensification has likely contributed to an increasing scarcity in water resources, which may in turn be endangering food security. Based on in-situ measurements of soil moisture collected in agricultural plots during 1983–2012, we find that topsoil (0–50 cm) volumetric water content during the growing season has declined significantly (p < 0.01), with a trend of −0.011 to −0.015 m3 m−3 per decade. Observed discharge declines for the three large river basins are consistent with the effects of agricultural intensification, although other factors (e.g. dam constructions) likely have contributed to these trends. Practices like fertilizer application have favoured biomass growth and increased transpiration rates, thus reducing available soil water. In addition, the rapid proliferation of water-expensive crops (e.g., maize) and the expansion of the area dedicated to food production have also contributed to soil drying. Adoption of alternative agricultural practices that can meet the immediate food demand without compromising future water resources seem critical for the sustainability of the food production system.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Agriculture intensifies soil moisture decline in Northern China

Liu

Pan

Zhuang

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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“…Contrary to what is conventionally believed, 'offshore' spaces of finance did not come about simply as a means to avoid or evade taxation (Palan and Nestetailova, 2014). Such spaces owe their existence to the development of the Euromarkets in London in the 1950s, described earlier, which required a novel space in which to conduct transactions in currencies other than that of the host market (Shaxson, 2011). While the UK authorities were looking the other way, so to speak, US banks in London in particular took full advantage of the fact that the 'offshore' status of the Euromarkets enabled them to behave as if they were conducting business 'elsewhere'; that is, beyond the regulatory reach of the US authorities.…”

Section: Invented Spacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The circulation of financial elites

Allen¹

2018

Handbook on the Geographies of Power

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“…Results from the region show that CA has immediate biophysical and socio-economic benefits: increased water infiltration into the soil due to the protection of surface structure by mulch (Thierfelder and Wall 2009); reduced water run-off and loss of top soil by maximizing the capture of rainfall through infiltration from the ponding effect of the residues (Thierfelder and Wall 2010a, b;Munyati 1997). Reduced evaporation of soil moisture occurs as the crop residues protect the surface from solar radiation (Lal 1974), leading to an improved crop water balance (Thierfelder and Wall 2009;Shaxson 2003) and less frequent Time (years) 1 9 7 0 1 9 7 2 1 9 7 4 1 9 7 6 1 9 7 8 1 9 8 0 1 9 8 2 1 9 8 4 1 9 8 6 1 9 8 8 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 2 1 9 9 4 1 9 9 6 1 9 9 8 2 0 1970(FAOSTAT 2013 and intense moisture stress because of increased infiltration and reduced evaporation (Mupangwa et al 2008;Thierfelder and Wall 2010a). Soil carbon can be stabilized and in some cases increased (Thierfelder et al 2013b;Thierfelder and Wall 2012), with aggregate stability being greater on CA than conventionally treated control plots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Where is the limit? lessons learned from long-term conservation agriculture research in Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe

Thierfelder¹,

Mutenje²,

Mujeyi³

et al. 2014

Food Sec.

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Smallholder farming in Zimbabwe is increasingly affected by dwindling maize (Zea mays L.) yields due to declining soil fertility and the negative effects of climate variability and change. A long-term on-farm study was established between 2004 and 2013 at the Zimuto Communal Area near Masvingo, Southern Zimbabwe to test the feasibility and viability of conservation agriculture (CA) systems under the circumstances of low fertility and erratic rainfall. CA seeding systems based on animal traction excelled and significantly increased maize productivity by up to 235% (1761 kg ha -1 ) and legume productivity by 173% (265 kg ha -1 ) as compared to the conventional control treatment. Soil quality indicators such as infiltration and soil carbon improved 64-96% and 29-97 %, respectively, over time. However, a direct link between increased infiltration and grain yield could not be established. Increased plant population, because of greater precision and moisture conservation during direct seeding as well as an improved response to fertilizer application due to gradually increasing soil carbon could be the reasons why yields on CA systems outyielded the conventional control. CA systems were more economically viable than planting crops under the normal conventional practice with mouldboard ploughs and removal of crop residues. Farmers generally rated important crop characteristics of maize planted under CA as high but weed control was rated as low, due to the lack of an appropriate herbicide under the prevailing environment. The results of this study show that CA is a potential option even in areas of climate risk and low soil fertility. However, the adoption of CA was low amongst members of the rural farming community due to the perceived risk of crop failure, lack of appropriate and accessible inputs and markets for farm produce, and lack of appropriate information and knowledge about alternative agricultural methods. This highlights the need for better resource and input availability as well as more vibrant and efficient extension services. Successful CA promotion requires that the systems are adapted to farmers' circumstances. However, CA cannot expand where farmers depend on remittances, are donor dependent, and where crop production in general is doubtful. Land uses such as extensive livestock production or game ranching may be better and more profitable alternatives for farmers in these situations.

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Soil Moisture Conservation

Cited by 16 publications

References 1 publication

Agriculture intensifies soil moisture decline in Northern China

Agriculture intensifies soil moisture decline in Northern China

The circulation of financial elites

Where is the limit? lessons learned from long-term conservation agriculture research in Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe

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