Conservation tillage has been promoted as a solution to counteract constraints caused by intensive agriculture. In this work the effects of two conservation tillage systems, reduced tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT) were compared to the traditional tillage (TT) in a long(15 years, RT) and short-term experiment (3 years, NT). Both experiments were carried out under semi-arid, rainfed agriculture ...

The taxonomic hierarchy and nationwide distribution of soils with a salic horizon were studied using the USA Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database to provide a more holistic view of the role of soil-forming factors in pedogenesis than from isolated case studies. Soils with a salic horizon occupied an area of 11 000 km2, i.e., 0.1% of land area in the co...

In 1991, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established its Soil Moisture–Soil Temperature (SM–ST) Pilot Network consisting of 21 stations in 19 states in the contiguous United States. At each station, soil temperatures were measured at up to six different depths from 5.08 to 203.20 cm (or 2–80 in.) below the surface. Before 1997, the observa...

Pollinators provide an essential ecosystem service that contributes to the maintenance of biodiversity and ensures the survival of pt species including crop pts. Furthermore, the reproductive success in pts is often pollinator limited. Most of the vegetable crops are cross-pollinated i.e. the flowers of these crops need conspecific foreign pollen for pollination and seed set. Insect pollinators...

Hydrologic simulation employing computer models has advanced rapidly and computerized models have become essential tools for understanding human influences on river flows and designing ecologically sustainable water management approaches. The HEC-HMS is a reliable model developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers that could be used for many hydrological simulations. This model is not calibrated...

We illustrate a strategy for valuation of forest ecosystem services by studying the demand for its weak complement, agricultural labor –a commodity that has market prices. In our case study forest protection in Ruteng Park of Flores, Indonesia, provides soil conservation benefits to farmers living near the protected area. Econometric analyses of forest hydrology and household data shows that so...

Soil microorganisms are important for climate regulation as well as for plant nutrition. In agricultural soils the microorganisms are affected by management choices, like which type of tillage that is used. Moldboard plowing, the most common tillage practice, increases mineralization which leads to soil organic carbon (SOC) loss, and may thus reduce soil quality. Conservation tillage practices ...

Water conservation is a priority in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and other major Texas cities that routinely face water shortages and drought. Soil management is fundamental to water conservation efforts. Incorporation of composted biosolids (CB) in low quality soils can enhance water conservation and provide organic carbon and nutrients that improve growth of vegetation and limit sediment loss...

Soil erosion from agricultural lands can be reduced by adoption of conservation management practices. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effectiveness and cost-benefit of conservation management practices on sediment reduction under a corn–soybean rotation. The experimental site was 6.4 ha (15.8 ac) and located within the Four Mile Creek watershed in eastern Iowa. Management p...