Progress 04/28/11 to 01/12/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Generally, we are designing crop and animal management strategies based on sound biogeochemical principles, that are profitable, and have positive environmental impacts. Specifically, we are developing strategies based on experiments evaluating tillage and cover crop management, crop selection and productivity, forage quality and availability, plant genetics, grazing pressure, animal health and productivity, animal manure application, nutrient cycling, soil quality, carbon storage, and water runoff and quality. Approach (from AD-416): To be able to simultaneously address production and environmental issues, we are taking a multidisciplinary approach to 1) understand biogeochemical mechanisms and processes involved in water and nutrient cycles, 2) evaluate alternative management options and 3) develop management systems to improve the sustainability of agriculture in the region. This requires both field and laboratory investigations, including fescue toxicosis effects on animal physiology. Several field studies will give long-term perspectives and yield realistic relationships between productivity and environmental health cropping studies include: 1) water catchments receiving poultry litter with different tillage management and 2) cover cropping trials based on plant species and method and timing of killing. Pasture studies include 1) evaluation of grazing pressure and organic-inorganic fertilization on soil organic C storage, nutrient runoff, and productivity and 2) water catchments with differences in endophyte association, organic-inorganic fertilization, and presence of cattle. Laboratory analyses from several long-term field studies and soil testing evaluations were processed and verified. Long-term studies remaining active in this project included the Water Quality Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to cropping systems and Cattle and Cotton Watershed Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to integrated crop-livestock systems. Other field studies that were outlined in the project plan and that had contributed to our objectives were terminated the previous year due to lack of funds and/or reallocation of resources, including the Dawson Field Grazing Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to pasture systems and the Pasture-Crop Rotation Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to integrated crop-livestock systems. Additional long-term field studies terminated in previous years due to reallocation of resources included the Silage Cropping Intensity Study to meet the objective of determining soil responses to cropping systems and Salem Road Grazing Study to meet the objective of determining soil responses to pasture systems. Soil organic carbon content under various cropping, pasture, and pasture- crop rotation systems was determined and data are contributing significantly to a growing demand for information on how conservation agricultural systems can contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists involved with this research project are active in assembling original data, reviewing the literature, and synthesizing available information for technical advisors. Scientific advice derived from this project has been offered to the Soil Science Society of America special committees, Cotton Incorporated, Grassland Carbon Working Group associated with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, Technical Working Group on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, Global Agriculture Climate Assessment, Field to Market: Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, and the USDA-NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Program for Pasture Lands. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations: Most forage/livestock operations in the Southern Piedmont are owned by small-farm producers with gross receipts well under $250,000. We are developing conservation agricultural systems appropriate for use by these small-farm producers, including no-tillage planting, cover cropping, land application of manures, and crop-livestock integration. Accomplishments 01 Biological soil quality tool evaluated. Soil quality is an essential feature of sustainable agricultural systems, as many important ecosystem services (e.g. nutrient cycling, water cycling, climate regulation, etc. are functionally derived from well-working soil properties and processes The biological component of soil quality has been difficult to assess du to its highly dynamic nature and diversity of processes controlled by so microorganisms. A group of scientists from Michigan State University, Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University, Cornell University University of New Hampshire, University of California, University of Illinois, U.S. Agency for International Development, and USDA Agricultur Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland and Watkinsville, Georgia collected soils from 12 studies at 53 sites to evaluate the potential of using a simple, rapid, biochemical method (permanganate oxidizable carbo as a biological soil quality tool. The biological soil quality tool was highly related to other more process-oriented and methodologically- sophisticated biological evaluation measures. In fact, this simple biological soil quality tool was sometimes more effective in discriminating among different soil treatments. Our rigorous and widespread evaluation across a diversity of soils suggests that this simple, rapid, and inexpensive biochemical method can be widely used to evaluate management-induced changes in biological soil quality. This ha important implications for assessing the impacts of land restoration and management for maintaining and improving ecosystem services derived from the world�s soils. 02 Soil carbon sequestration promoted with perennial grasses. Soils rooted with perennial grasses have high organic matter content, and therefore, can contribute to an agricultural future with high soil quality; a condition that can help to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through soi carbon sequestration and improve a multitude of other ecosystem response including controlling water quality, improving water and nutrient cyclin and supporting biological diversity. A scientist at the USDA Agricultur Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia described a viewpoint to sugge that agricultural soils will benefit from the re-introduction of perenni grasses and legumes into the landscape by regaining soil organic matter and strengthening their capacity for long-term productivity and environmental resiliency. A renewed research effort is needed towards effectively integrating grass roots into agricultural strategies for soi carbon sequestration. The food provisioning service of agriculture must be supported with appropriate conservation approaches, including the utilization of perennial grasses, for it to be fully functional and capable of meeting the growing demands on Earth�s natural resources. 03 Integrated crop-livestock systems explored. Agriculture in developed countries like the USA has become increasingly specialized in response t political and economic pressures to meet market demands of an ever-large food and fiber processing sector. Conservation agricultural systems tha integrate crops and livestock could provide opportunities to vigorously capture ecological interactions to more efficiently cycle of nutrients, rely more on renewable natural resources, and improve the inherent functioning of soils, while achieving acceptable or improved economic returns for the farmer. Scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia and St. Paul, Minnesota collaborated wi a scientist at the Ohio State University to describe the opportunities a challenges for integrating North American crop and livestock systems in book focused on grassland productivity and ecosystem services. The book chapter describes the need to renew agriculture and outlines the potenti paths toward sustainable and integrated agricultural systems. Examples integrated crop/livestock systems are briefly outlined, including sod- based rotations, grazing of cover crops, integrated crop/livestock/woodlands, replacement of bare fallow with forages, winte grazing of wheat, and replacement of intensively irrigated monoculture crops with a diversity of dryland crops and rangeland. A transformation of agriculture in North America is needed to increase production, mitiga past environmental damage, protect biological diversity, reduce dependen on fossil fuels, provide healthier foods, and increase economic and cultural opportunities in rural America. Greater integration of crops a livestock offers a substantial contribution towards meeting the goals of sustainability in agriculture. 04 Soil microbial diversity examined in land use chronosequences. Diversit of microorganisms in soil is enormous. Little is known about how land-u change might affect the composition and genetic diversity of bacteria an fungi in soil. A collaborative research effort among scientists at the University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, Michigan State University, and USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia was developed to understand the role of successional land-use change from agriculture to grassland or forest on soil microbial diversi in soils from the Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners MI. Contents of soil organic carbon and nitrogen increased with increasing years of grassland or forest succession. With succession, abundance and composition of soil bacteria increased. Although microbial communities were relatively similar in native deciduous forest and long-term mowed grassland, history of land use was a stronger determinant of microbial composition than vegetation and soil properties. These results have important implications for scientists in their quest to preserve global genetic diversity and for society to understand the impact of agricultur on the environment. 05 Soil organic carbon stratification explored in conservation agricultural systems. Assessing soil quality of a diversity of soils around the worl is complicated due to unique characteristics that pose challenges when using standard analytical techniques. Collaboration among scientists at the Spanish National Research Council (IRNAS-CSIC), University of Cordob and USDA Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia was undertaken to evaluate long-term changes in soil quality of a Vertisol i Spain using a relatively new concept of stratification ratio of soil organic matter fractions. Soil organic matter fractions were enhanced i the surface layer under no tillage, more so than in the surface layer under conventional tillage. Stratification ratio of �-glucosidase activity was the most sensitive soil property to long-term effects of management. Low stratification ratios were observed relative to ratios from other soils around the world, which may have been due to the self- tilling properties of the high-clay content soil. Tillage and crop rotation were more important than N fertilizer rate in affecting stratification ratio. These results have important implications for determining (1) soil quality in a diversity of soils around the world an (2) the impacts of crop and tillage management on soil quality. 06 Factors affecting soil respiration examined from global studies. Prediction of carbon dioxide flux from soils (i.e. soil respiration) is important for understanding global carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions from natural sources, and potential impacts affecting climate. Although we know that temperature and moisture are the largest factors influencing soil respiration, experimental evidence is wide ranging in h respiration responds to moisture. A group of investigators from UMR Bioemco in France, Ghent University in Belgium, CSIRO in Australia, ESR New Zealand, Kansas State University, CREAF in Spain, Johann Heinrich vo Thuenen-Institut in Germany, UMR EEF in France, Mendel University in the Czech Republic, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden, M Planck Institut fuer Biogeochemie in Germany, Estaci�n Experimental de Zonas �ridas in Spain, Aarhus University in Denmark, University of Stirling in Scotland, and USDA Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville Georgia collaborated on a project to assess soil respiratio in response to moisture variations from 90 soils at 42 sites from around the world. Soil respiration was generally responsive to soil moisture variations in a coherent manner in all soils, but there were subtle differences due to unique soil physical properties that resulted in concerns when soil respiration was modeled on a regional-level scale in England and Wales. This integrated analysis of diverse soils will help improve process-based soil carbon models for use by scientists around th world to predict the effects of climate change on future greenhouse gas emissions. 07 The need to understand soil change proclaimed. The Earth and its soils are changing in response to human activities all around the world. A working group of scientists associated through the Soil Science Society America, including several with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, has proposed a set of coordinated activities to better understand, predi and manage humanity�s negative and positive influences on soils. This report outlines (1) what is meant by soil change, (2) why soil change is important to society, and (3) a proposed structure for soil scientists t address this global issue. The impact of this work is the survival of t Earth�s ability to provide ecosystem services and ultimately the surviva of humanity. Time is ticking, while changes keep occurring. The unknow is when critical thresholds may be reached; will this be in millennia, centuries, or decades.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Moyano, F., Bouckaert, L., Cook, F., Orchard, V., Craine, J., Yuste, J.C., Axel, D., Epron, D., Formanek, P., Franzluebbers, A.J., Llstedt, U., Katterer, T., Reichstein, M., Simo, A.R., Ruamps, L., Thomsen, I., Chenu, C., Vasilyeva, N., Subke, J.A. 2011. The moisture response of soil heterotrophic respiration: Interaction with soil properties. Biogeosciences. 8:11577-11599. 2011.
- Culman, S.W., Snapp, S.S., Freeman, M.A., Schipanski, M.E., Beniston, J., Lal, R., Drinkwater, L.E., Franzluebbers, A.J., Glover, J.D., Grandy, A.S., Lee, J., Six, J., Maul, J.E., Mirsky, S.B., Spargo, J.T., Wander, M.M. 2012. Permanganate oxidizable carbon reflects a processed soil fraction that is sensitive to management. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 76:494-504.
- Franzluebbers, A.J., Sulc, M.R., Russelle, M.P. 2011. Opportunities and challenges for integrating North American crop and livestock systems. In: Lemaire, G., Hodgson, J., Chabbi, A., editors. Grassland Productivity and Ecosystems Services. Oxford, UK: CABI(Council of Applied Biology International).p. 208-218.
- De B Richter, D., Andrews, S.S., Billings, S., Cambardella, C.A., Cavallaro, N., De Meester, J., Franzluebbers, A.J., Glasener, K., Grandy, S., Grunwald, S., Gruver, J., Hartshorn, A.S., Janzen, H., Kramer, M., Ladha, J.K., Lajtha, K., Liles, G., Markewitz, D., Megonigal, P.J., Mermut, A., Palm, C., Rasmussen, C., Richardson, C.J., Robinson, D.A., Smith, P., Stiles, C., Tate, R.L., Thompson, A., Tugel, A.J., Van Es, H., West, L., Wills, S., Yaalon, D., Zobeck, T.M. 2011. Human relations with soil are changing rapidly: SSSA's new Work Group on Soil Change. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 75:2079-2084.
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Generally, we are designing crop and animal management strategies based on sound biogeochemical principles, that are profitable, and have positive environmental impacts. Specifically, we are developing strategies based on experiments evaluating tillage and cover crop management, crop selection and productivity, forage quality and availability, plant genetics, grazing pressure, animal health and productivity, animal manure application, nutrient cycling, soil quality, carbon storage, and water runoff and quality. Approach (from AD-416) To be able to simultaneously address production and environmental issues, we are taking a multidisciplinary approach to 1) understand biogeochemical mechanisms and processes involved in water and nutrient cycles, 2) evaluate alternative management options and 3) develop management systems to improve the sustainability of agriculture in the region. This requires both field and laboratory investigations, including fescue toxicosis effects on animal physiology. Several field studies will give long-term perspectives and yield realistic relationships between productivity and environmental health cropping studies include: 1) water catchments receiving poultry litter with different tillage management and 2) cover cropping trials based on plant species and method and timing of killing. Pasture studies include 1) evaluation of grazing pressure and organic-inorganic fertilization on soil organic C storage, nutrient runoff, and productivity and 2) water catchments with differences in endophyte association, organic-inorganic fertilization, and presence of cattle. Laboratory analyses from several long-term field studies and soil testing evaluations continued to be processed and verified. Long-term studies remaining active in this project included the Water Quality Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to cropping systems and Cattle and Cotton Watershed Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to integrated crop-livestock systems. Other field studies that were outlined in the project plan and that had contributed to our objectives were terminated this year due to lack of funds and/or reallocation of resources, including the Dawson Field Grazing Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to pasture systems and the Pasture-Crop Rotation Study contributing to the objective of determining soil responses to integrated crop-livestock systems. Additional long-term field studies terminated in previous years due to reallocation of resources included the Silage Cropping Intensity Study to meet the objective of determining soil responses to cropping systems and Salem Road Grazing Study to meet the objective of determining soil responses to pasture systems. Soil organic carbon content under various cropping, pasture, and pasture- crop rotation systems is being determined and data are contributing significantly to a growing demand for information on how conservation agricultural systems can contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists involved with this research project are active in assembling original data, reviewing the literature, and synthesizing available information for technical advisors. Scientific advice derived from this project has been offered to the Soil Science Society of America special committees, Cotton Incorporated, Grassland Carbon Working Group associated with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, Technical Working Group on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, Global Agriculture Climate Assessment, Field to Market: Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, and the USDA-NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Program for Pasture Lands. This project replaced Project 6612-11120-003-00D. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Most forage/livestock operations in the Southern Piedmont are owned by small-farm producers with gross receipts well under $250,000. We are developing conservation agricultural systems appropriate for use by these small-farm producers, including no-tillage planting, cover cropping, land application of manures, and crop-livestock integration. Accomplishments 01 Better management of soil will improve our future global prospects. Tumultuous changes in Earth�s natural resources are alarming. Forests a shrinking, species are vanishing, fresh water is receding, skies are besmirching, soils are being washed to the sea, and climate appears more capricious. A committee of scientists from the Soil Science Society of America assembled the following questions of great importance that conne the sustainability of our future with greater knowledge and appreciation of soil. How do we double the output of food in the next 50 years withou harming our soils or the broader environment? How can we manage our soi to use dwindling pools of fresh water more wisely? With increasing cost and scarcity of nutrients, how do we preserve and enhance the fertility our soils while expecting even bigger harvests? How can we manage our lands to adjust for increasing demands for energy? How will changes to climate affect the productivity and resilience of our soils? How can we better understand and enhance the diversity of organisms within and upon the soil to create more resilient and fructuous ecosystems? How can we better use soils as biogeochemical reactors to re-cycle wastes, thereby avoiding contamination and maintaining soil productivity? How can we develop a seamless global perspective of lands that still allows us to optimize management practices for local places, wherever they may be? W suggest that soil scientists: 1) re-focus and re-double research effort on these questions; 2) entice new scientists with the grandeur of the issues; 3) ensure that expertise is available globally across geographic geopolitical and economic boundaries; and 4) improve communication with society to tell the story of soils� fundamental and evolving role in our future. 02 Global research alliance aims for collaboration to assess greenhouse gas Increasing human population pressure on the Earth is of great concern a a key reason why agricultural and natural resource sciences must be full engaged to develop solutions for a sustainable future. Increasing population puts pressure on the demand for food, clean water, healthy so and a stable climate. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists alo with scientists from 30 other countries have become a part of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases to share scientific resources globally to make more rapid change toward adoption of best management practices for greater productivity and mitigation of greenhou gases under the diversity of agricultural conditions in the world. This report outlines the short-term objectives of the croplands, livestock, a paddy rice research groups in the Alliance. The Alliance was undertaken transcend the science of natural resource management beyond political borders to secure a sustainable future.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Franzluebbers, A.J. 2010. Soil organic carbon in managed pastures of the southeastern USA [CDROM]. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Technical Workshop Report.
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