Ecosystem productivity commonly increases asymptotically with plant species diversity, and determining the mechanisms responsible for this well-known pattern is essential to predict potential changes in ecosystem productivity with ongoing species loss. Previous studies attributed the asymptotic diversity-productivity pattern to plant competition and differential resource use (e.g., niche comple...

BACKGROUND Maintaining soil productivity is essential if agriculture production systems are to be sustainable. However, there is a paucity of tools for measurement for the purpose of understanding changes in soil productivity. Fuzzy logic-based analysis offers this possibility. It is a new method on the evaluation of soil productivity in Turkey and even in the world. RESULTS Values for pH, sa...

Three soils in the Loess Plateau were selected to explore the potential of applying the decision support system for agrotechnology transfer (DSSAT) crop models in the areas and to test the CERES-Wheat model under DSSAT shell. The predicted maturity dates and grain yields were similar to the actual measured values. The manural loessial soil had the highest productivity. The loessial soil had the...

Evaluation of soil quality can be crucial for designing efficient farming systems and ensuring sustainable agriculture. The present study aimed at evaluating the quality of waterlogged purple paddy soils with different productivities in Sichuan Basin. The approach involved comprehensive analyses of soil physical and chemical properties, as well as enzyme activities and microbial community struc...

One robust result from many small-scale experiments has been that plant community productivity often increases with increasing plant diversity. Most frequently, resource-based or competitive interactions are thought to drive this positive diversity-productivity relationship. Here, we ask whether suppression of plant productivity by soil fungal pathogens might also drive a positive diversity-pro...

Microbes are the unseen majority in soil and comprise a large portion of life's genetic diversity. Despite their abundance, the impact of soil microbes on ecosystem processes is still poorly understood. Here we explore the various roles that soil microbes play in terrestrial ecosystems with special emphasis on their contribution to plant productivity and diversity. Soil microbes are important r...

This study examined the relative importance of soil, stand development and climate hypotheses in driving productivity for a species that is widely distributed in North America. Inventory plots, 3548 of such, either dominated by aspen or made up of species mixture of which aspen occurs in dominant canopy position were sampled along a longitudinal gradient from Quebec to British Columbia. Site in...

Points:  On-the-go soil sensors are able to map soil texture, organic matter, and pH, along with topography  A multi-sensor system effectively mapped a set of 10 fields across 6 states, delineating variability not detected by USDA soil surveys  A proprietary fuzzy logic system that classifies productivity zones was able to estimate productivity differences  Detailed quantitative soil maps a...

Soil quality indices can help ensure that site productivity and soil function are maintained. Biological indices yield evidence of how a soil functions and interacts with the plants, animals and climate that comprise an ecosystem. Soil scientists can identify and quantify both chemical and biological soil-quality indicators for ecosystems with a single main function, such as agricultural lands ...