The effects of 34 years cultivation on organic carbon content of the loess derived soils were studied in Golestan province, northern Iran. Soil organic carbon (SOC) showed significant decrease in most of cases. The minimum and maximum SOC decreases were 4 and 51.14 Mg C ha-1/30 cm for 34 years. In a few cases there was an increase in SOC up to 16.93 Mg C ha-1/30 cm over the period of 34 years i...

a r t i c l e i n f o In Soil Taxonomy three diagnostic subsurface horizons reflect clay enrichment: the argillic, kandic, and natric horizons. Clay illuviation is recognized in Soil Taxonomy at some level in 10 of the 12 orders, including the percent of the soil series in the USA contain taxonomically defined clay-enriched horizons. However, many other soils contain Bt horizons that do not qua...

Agricultural terraces are the most widespread archaeological landforms worldwide. Despite their far-reaching prevalence in many inhabited parts of world, soils (hereafter ‘terrace soils’) scarcely studied and nature is poorly defined. This study aims to depict a space–time framework for development calcareous stone-wall bench suggest modifications soil classification mapping. To do so, we exami...

A single ecosystem dominates the Midwestern United States, occupying 26 million hectares in five states alone: the corn-soybean agroecosystem [Zea mays L.-Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Nitrogen (N) fertilization could influence the soil carbon (C) balance in this system because the corn phase is fertilized in 97-100% of farms, at an average rate of 135 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1). We evaluated the impact...

Soil ecosystem services (ES) (e.g., provisioning, regulation/maintenance, and cultural) disservices (ED) are dependent on soil diversity/pedodiversity (variability of soils), which needs to be accounted for in the economic analysis business decision-making. The concept pedodiversity (biotic + abiotic) is highly complex can broadly interpreted because it formed from interaction atmospheric diver...

The physiographic region of the Central Russian Upland, situated in the Central part of Eastern Europe, is characterized by very fertile grassland soils—Chernozems (Mollisols in the USDA taxonomy). However, over the last several centuries this region has experienced intense land-use conversion. The most widespread and significant land-use change is the extensive cultivation of these soils. As a...