Determining soil nutrient distribution is critical to identify sites which are at risk of N and P loading. Equally important are determining factors that influence such distribution (e.g. land use, land management, topography, etc.). In this research, soil nutrient distribution and its influencing factors were studied in a small-scaled watershed in the purple soil region of Sichuan Province, China. The watershed is 1.3km² with a complex land management system including agriculture and forestry.

Linkages between land management activities and stream water quality are reported for a 2480 ha catchment used for dairy farming, sheep-beef farming and forestry in Southland, New Zealand. Our approach was to reconcile measured loads of nutrients exported from the catchment with those estimated based on characterisation of farming practices within the catchment. The latter was based upon detailed surveys of farm practices and soil quality.

This special issue focuses on terrestrial biogeochemical cycles and their roles in determining current continental-scale budgets and future trends in biogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) for North America.

In this study, by using cellular analyze method according to ecological criteria, the determination of agricultural land suitability of Research and Practice Farm of Ankara University Agrucultural Faculty Farm and Haymana Research Farm of Central Research Institute for Field Crops lands, which are in Ankara province and Haymana district, was aimed. For this aim, by using Geographical Information Systems(GIS) techniques, the data layers such as some soil properties, topography and irrigation was examined for each land criterion to determine the weighted scale.

Land managers need increased temporal and spatial resolution of rangeland assessment and monitoring data. However, with flat or declining land management and monitoring agency budgets, such increases in sampling intensity are unlikely unless new methods can be developed that capture data of key rangeland indicators at a lower cost. Remote sensing techniques have shown promise for collecting plant community composition and ground cover data efficiently. However, many image analysis techniques require software and expertise not always available to field offices.

Extreme climatic events like the 2003 summer heatwave and inappropriate land management can threaten the existence of rare plants. We studied the response of Eryngium alpinum, a vulnerable species, to this extreme climatic event and different agricultural practices. A demographic study was conducted in seven field sites between 2001 and 2010. Stage-specific vital rates were used to parameterize matrix population models and perform stochastic projections to calculate population growth rates and estimate extinction probabilities.

Coronilla juncea is a leguminous shrub native to semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean Basin, particularly south-eastern Spain, and is browsed by livestock such as sheep and goats. We provide here information about this source of forage: allometric regression equations (phytovolume vs. total and forage phytomass), nutritive value and seed germination. The regression equations calculated were highly significant (r2= 0·86 for volume/total phytomass and 0·93 for volume/forage phytomass, p

Conservation actions often focus on restoration or creation of natural areas designed to facilitate the movements of organisms among populations. To be efficient, these actions need to be based on reliable estimates or predictions of landscape connectivity. While circuit theory and least‐cost paths (LCPs) are increasingly being used to estimate connectivity, these methods also have proven limitations. We compared their performance in predicting genetic connectivity with that of an alternative approach based on a simple, individual‐based “stochastic movement simulator” (SMS).

While the need for land-related investment for sustainable land management and increased productivity is well recognized, quantitative evidence on agricultural productivity effects of secure property rights in Africa is scant. Within-household analysis of investments by owner-cum-occupants in Uganda points toward significant and quantitatively large investment effects of full ownership. Registration is estimated to have no investment effects, whereas measures to strengthen occupancy rights attenuate investment disincentives.