BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Replacing paddy rice by upland systems such as maize cultivation is an on-going trend in SE Asia caused by increasing water scarcity and higher demand for meat. How such land management changes will feedback on soil C and N cycles and soil greenhouse gas emissions is not well understood at present. METHODS: A new LandscapeDNDC biogeochemical module was developed that allows the effect of land management changes on soil C and N cycle to be simulated.

Soil microorganisms drive cycling and storage of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) through decomposition of plant root and litter inputs. However, microbial activities vary greatly in time and space as well as with land management. The goal of this study was to address the seasonal role of microbial activity in soil C and N storage and cycling in harvested prairie and corn ecosystems.

The concept of ecosystem services has received increased attention in recent years, and is seen as a useful construct for the development of policy relevant indicators and communication for science, policy and practice. Soil erosion is one of the main environmental problems for European Mediterranean agro-forestry systems, making soil erosion prevention a key ecosystem service to monitor and assess.

Various land management decisions are based on local soil properties. These soil properties include average values from soil characterization for each soil series. In reality, these properties might be variable due to substantially different management, even for similar soil series. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that for claypan soils, hydraulic properties can be significantly affected by long-term soil and crop management. Sampling was conducted during the summer of 2008 from two fields with Mexico silt loam (Vertic Epiaqualfs).

The Northwest Forest Plan was implemented in 1994 to protect habitat for species associated with old-growth forests, including Northern Spotted Owls ( Strix occidentailis caurina) in Washington, Oregon, and northern California (U.S.A.). Nevertheless, 10-year monitoring data indicate mixed success in meeting the ecological goals of the plan.

Phosphorus deficiency is well known as a major agronomic constraint in the highly weathered Oxisols of Brazil and reasonable economic returns are not possible without application of high rates of phosphorus. Poultry litter, which is enriched in P, is increasingly being used in organic management of cultivated lands. Due to the great P fixing capacity of these soils, any limit to the soil sink of P is not recognized.

Communal forests, or Montes Veciñais en Man Común (MVMC), are a specific form of communal land tenure and a singular legal category in Galicia. The growing demographic decline in rural areas and, particularly, in inner areas of Galicia has led to a decrease in the economic interest of forest resources. The complexity of the different management modes or levels of organization of forest communities cannot be explained through a homogeneous interpretation.

The restoration of riparian sites following aggregate extraction frequently aims to expand the wetland habitat, and enhance the wetland wildlife community. However, aggregate extraction sites, typically on river flood plains, are subject to unpredictable flooding along with climate variability and other factors beyond the control of local management that may be equally important in determining the success or failure of a restoration project.

Public agencies sometimes seek outside guidance when capacity to achieve their mission is limited. Through a cooperative agreement and collaborations with the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), we developed recommendations for a conservation program for migratory species. Although NPS manages ∼36 million hectares of land and water in 401 units, there is no centralized program to conserve wild animals reliant on NPS units that also migrate hundreds to thousands of kilometers beyond parks.

Land managements and agricultural practices in China changed significantly during the past 25 years. Differences in soil fertility parameters between 1981 and 2006 in Jingzhou County, China were investigated, with the changes of land management and agricultural practices. The results showed that, from 1981 to 2006, soil pH and organic matter decreased by 3.35% and 32.2%, while total nitrogen (TN), available N (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) increased by 0.4 g kg⁻¹, 21 mg kg⁻¹, 8 mg kg⁻1, and 32 mg kg⁻¹, respectively.