Ridge-furrow mulching systems—an innovative technique for boosting crop productivity in semiarid rain-fed environments

Y Gan, KHM Siddique, NC Turner, XG Li, JY Niu… - Advances in …, 2013 - Elsevier
Increasing food demands by a growing human population require substantial increases in
crop productivity. In rain-fed arid and semiarid areas where the water supply is limited, an …

Selected soil enzymes: examples of their potential roles in the ecosystem

JHJR Makoi, PA Ndakidemi - African Journal of Biotechnology, 2008 - ajol.info
Soil enzymes regulate ecosystem functioning and in particular play a key role in nutrient
cycling. In this review we briefly summarise potential roles of selected enzymes such as …

Agroforestry delivers a win-win solution for ecosystem services in sub-Saharan Africa. A meta-analysis

S Kuyah, CW Whitney, M Jonsson, GW Sileshi… - Agronomy for …, 2019 - Springer
Agricultural landscapes are increasingly being managed with the aim of enhancing the
provisioning of multiple ecosystem services and sustainability of production systems …

Drought decreases soil enzyme activity in a Mediterranean Quercus ilex L. forest

J Sardans, J Peñuelas - Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2005 - Elsevier
Longer and more severe drought periods are expected in the near future for Mediterranean
ecosystems. Soil enzymes play an essential role in the nutrient mineralization and their …

Microbial biomass and activity in salt affected soils under arid conditions

BC Yuan, ZZ Li, H Liu, M Gao, YY Zhang - Applied Soil Ecology, 2007 - Elsevier
The effects of salinity on the size, activity and community structure of soil microorganisms in
salt affected arid soils were investigated in Shuangta region of west central Anxi County …

Contrasting effects of wheat straw and its biochar on greenhouse gas emissions and enzyme activities in a Chernozemic soil

F Wu, Z Jia, S Wang, SX Chang, A Startsev - Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2013 - Springer
Biochar produced from plant biomass through pyrolysis has been shown to be much more
resistant to biodegradation in the soil as compared with the raw biomass, such as cereal …

Organic and inorganic fertilizers respectively drive bacterial and fungal community compositions in a fluvo-aquic soil in northern China

H Pan, M Chen, H Feng, M Wei, F Song, Y Lou… - Soil and Tillage …, 2020 - Elsevier
Soil microbes play vital roles in energy flow and nutrient cycling and, thus, are important for
agricultural production. A better understanding of the complex responses of microbial …

Ridge-furrow and plastic-mulching tillage enhances maize–soil interactions: Opportunities and challenges in a semiarid agroecosystem

LM Zhou, SL Jin, CA Liu, YC Xiong, JT Si, XG Li… - Field crops …, 2012 - Elsevier
Understanding plant–soil relationships may help maximize crop productivity while
maintaining and improving soil quality. Field experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007 …

Dynamics of soil microbial biomass C and soil fertility in cropland mulched with plastic film in a semiarid agro-ecosystem

FM Li, QH Song, PK Jjemba, YC Shi - Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2004 - Elsevier
Microbial biomass C (MBC) is one of the soil properties used as an indicator for the fertility
status of a soil. A study was conducted on a semi-arid Loess Plateau in China. The field was …

Effects of three soil tillage systems on some biological activities in an Ultisol from southern Chile

M Alvear, A Rosas, JL Rouanet, F Borie - Soil and Tillage Research, 2005 - Elsevier
Intensive tillage for annual crop production may be affecting soil health and quality.
However, tillage intensity effects on biological activities of volcanic-derived soils have not …