[MCN] Food and forest : Same as trees, "Adequate soil moisture is critical to support root establishment..." for wheat supply

[Lance Olsen]

Weather: Dry conditions in US Midwest could stress winter wheat crops - AgriCensus <https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.agricensus.com/Article/Weather-Dry-conditions-in-US-Midwest-could-stress-winter-wheat-crops-39390.html&ct=ga&cd=CAEYBioUMTEwNzEyMjM5NzU4ODUxNzI2MTcyGmI4ZDUwZTdmYTIzN2IyMmM6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw3FoRPbBfYuR7iSJ9p8UbC9>
AgriCensus <>
Adequate soil moisture is critical to support root establishment during this stage. In the Southern Plains, warmer-than-average temperatures, with ...



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“Soil is the planet’s single most biodiverse habitat . . . . Soil organisms are responsible for multiple ecosystem functions, including decomposition of plant material, mineralization of nutrients into plant-available forms, replenishment of soil organic matter, and sequestration of carbon. The diversity of soil organisms is strongly and positively related to ecosystem functioning (Wagg et al., 2014) and ecosystem services (de Vries et al., 2013). 

“Given their fundamental importance for ecosystem functioning, one might assume that soil biodiversity would be central in our thinking about how to best manage forests. It is, however, rarely considered, and forestry policies are still based on an outdated vision of soil as a physical substrate, rather than a living ecosystem. Policies are often limited to preventing erosion and compaction of soil, or limiting such degradation to no more than 15% of the harvested area. Curiously, policies in some areas require retaining certain amounts of woody material on the soil surface, recognizing that woody material harbour distinct saproxylic organisms. There is, however, no explicit consideration of the critical biodiversity present in forest floors and mineral soils” 

“The vital role of plant photosynthates released from living roots in fueling belowground ecosystems has been recognized in regenerative agriculture (Moyer et al., 2020). Indeed, the central focus of regenerative agriculture is promoting the flux of labile plant compounds from living roots into the soil, where they increase the abundance, diversity and activity of soil organisms, replenish soil organic matter, and increase soil fertility.

Field experiments in forests with C-labeled tree photosynthate have revealed a similar flux of labile C into the belowground ecosystem in forests. There is now evidence of a rapid flow of photosynthate below- ground—into mycorrhizal fungi within 2 days and into soil microbes, enchytraeids, mites and collembola within 2–6 days of being fixed in the tree canopy (Ho ̈gberg et al., 2008; Ho ̈gberg et al., 2010; Churchland et al., 2012). 

Cindy E. Prescott. Perspectives: Regenerative forestry – Managing forests for soil life. Forest Ecology and Management 554 (2024) 121674 



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