Bringing together emerging lessons from biophysical and social sciences as well as newly available data, we take stock of what can be learned about the relationship among subjective (reported) and objective (measured) soil fertility and farmer input use in east Africa. We identify the correlates of Kenyan and Tanzanian maize farmers’ reported perceptions of soil fertility and assess the extent ...

Determining how anthropogenic disturbances affect site productivity through bioassays requires a complete understanding of both overstory and understory vegetation. This study was installed in 1997 to determine how soil compaction and intensive harvesting affected the inherent site productivity of pine stands on the western boundary of loblolly pine’s (Pinus taeda L.) natural range. We measured...

Biological soil crusts (BSCs, or biocrusts) have important positive ecological functions such as erosion control and soil fertility improvement, and they may also have negative effects on soil moisture in some cases. Simultaneous discussions of the two-sided impacts of BSCs are key to the rational use of this resource. This study focused on the contribution of BSCs while combining with specific...

In this article we investigate if qualitative soil fertility datasets derived during participatory processes can be combined with a corresponding land use change model (i) to improve the understanding of the socialecological complexity of land use change and (ii) to allow testing of alternative scenarios even in datapoor environments. To test this hypothesis, a participatory assessment approach...

Colorless sulfur oxidizing bacteria comprise an important part of sulfur cycle in nature and hold significant value for biotechnological applications such as, increasing soil fertility, reduction of environmental pollution by biologically oxidizing toxic sulfides present in waste waters from different industries and sewage, leaching of economically important metals from poor ores. Present artic...

راش، گونه­های علفی، حاصل خیزی خاک، آنالیزهای چندمتغیره. this study was carried out in carpino-fagetum orientalis, rusco-fagetum orientalis,fagetum oriental and alno-fagetum orientalisforest communities of namkhaneh, gorazbon and chelir districts of kheiroudkenar forest. the aim of the research was investigation on relationship between understory vegetation and soil condition and to determine th...

Restoration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon- (PAH-) polluted sites is presently a major challenge in agroforestry. Consequently, microorganisms with PAH-degradation ability and soil fertility improvement attributes are sought after in order to achieve sustainable remediation of polluted sites. This study isolated PAH-degrading bacteria from enriched cultures of spent automobile engine-oil po...

In many parts of the world food security is at risk. One of the biophysical root causes of falling per-capita food production is the declining quality and quantity of soils. To reverse this trend and increase soil fertility soil and plant nutrients have to be replenished. This review provides a literature survey of experiences of using multi-nutrient rock fertilizers for soil fertility enhancem...

In many parts of the world food security is at risk. One of the biophysical root causes of falling per-capita food production is the declining quality and quantity of soils. To reverse this trend and increase soil fertility soil and plant nutrients have to be replenished. This review provides a literature survey of experiences of using multi-nutrient rock fertilizers for soil fertility enhancem...

Rapid deforestation in Sumatra, Indonesia is presently occurring due to the expansion of palm oil and rubber production, fueled by an increasing global demand. Our study aimed to assess changes in soil-N cycling rates with conversion of forest to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations. In Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, we selected two soil landscapes - loa...