•Relations among hedgerow structure, biodiversity & ecosystem services are unclear.•We performed a systematic review including 89 studies from Central Europe and UK from 1974 to 2022.•Arthropods & ...birds, were most often, earthworms & bats least often studied.•Structural diversity, layering & woody vegetation promoted biodiversity.•Connectivity, density & structural complexity improved ecosystem service provision.
Agricultural intensification decreases the heterogeneity of the landscape and leads to a decline in hedgerows. As hedgerows provide important habitats for many taxa, this contributes to the loss of biodiversity in agroecosystems. However, the extent to which hedgerows, and in particular their habitat quality in terms of structural characteristics, also influence biodiversity-based ecosystem services is poorly studied. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the Scopus and other literature databases focusing on Central European and UK studies examining (1) the influence of hedgerow habitat quality on the biodiversity of arthropods, earthworms, birds, bats and small mammals and (2) the relationship between selected hedgerow parameters, animal taxa, and ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, pest and disease control and soil quality regulation. A total of 2260 studies (cut-off date: 13 September 2022) published between 1974 and 2022 were found. After sorting based on inclusion criteria related to the research focus, 89 studies remained for evaluation. Arthropods, birds, and small mammals were studied most frequently, earthworms and bats least frequently. The selected studies showed that structural diversity, layering, woody biomass and density were strongly positively correlated with animal species diversity, while hedgerow length, width and age showed less relevant relationships. Hedgerow connectivity, density, structural diversity, and layering were strongly positive associated with the provision of ecosystem services. We conclude that the structural diversity of hedgerows needs to be increased if their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem service provision is to be improved. It is therefore recommended that hedgerow management measures should specifically consider the ecological importance of the structural diversity of hedgerows.
Zusammenfassung
Der Einfluss von ungebremstem Wind kann auf landwirtschaftlichen Flächen zu Winderosion, erhöhter unproduktiver Verdunstung und Schädigung von Pflanzengewebe führen. Die Anlage und ...der Erhalt von Bodenschutzanlagen sind agrarökologische Maßnahmen, um dieses Schadpotenzial zu verringern. Über deren Wirksamkeit im sommerwarmen Osten Österreichs ist noch wenig quantitative Information erhoben worden. Deshalb wurden an zwei beispielhaften Bodenschutzanlagen im Marchfeld Windgeschwindigkeiten und -richtungen in verschiedenen Entfernungen gemessen. Die Veränderungen des Windeinflusses in Abhängigkeit vom Auftreffwinkel des Windes auf die Bodenschutzanlage wurden anhand verschiedener Kenngrößen analysiert und mit Referenzmessungen im unbeeinflussten Bereich verglichen. Hohe und extreme Windgeschwindigkeiten wurden durch die Bodenschutzanlagen stärker verringert als geringe und mittlere Geschwindigkeiten, was eine starke rechnerische Verminderung der Gefährdung für Bodenerosion durch Wind zur Folge hatte. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass die Grenzgeschwindigkeit für Winderosion überschritten wird, ist noch in einer Entfernung des Sechsfachen der durchschnittlichen BSA-Höhe um bis zu 30 % geringer als im freien Feld. Auch die Referenzverdunstung war im Nahebereich der Bodenschutzanlage niedriger als im unbeeinflussten freien Feld. Die Ergebnisse ergänzten ähnliche Untersuchungen aus anderen Klimaten zum Ausmaß des Einflusses von Bodenschutzanlagen auf den Wind in deren Umfeld. Darüber hinaus konnte ein Eindruck über die resultierenden Veränderungen der Wuchsbedingungen in den umliegenden landwirtschaftlichen Flächen gewonnen werden.
Surface soil structure is sensitive to natural and anthropogenic impacts that alter soil hydraulic properties (SHP). These alterations have distinct consequences on the water cycle. In this review, ...we summarized published findings on the quantitative effects of different agricultural management practices on SHP and the subsequent response of the water balance components. Generally, immediately after tillage, soils show a high abundance of large pores, which are temporally unstable and collapse due to environmental factors like rainfall. Nevertheless, most hydrological modeling studies consider SHP as temporally constant when predicting the flow of water and solutes in the atmosphere-plant-soil system. There have been some developments in mathematical approaches to capture the temporal dynamics of soil pore space. We applied one such pore evolution model to two datasets to evaluate its suitability to predict soil pore space dynamics after disturbance. Lack of knowledge on how dispersion of pore size distribution behaves after tillage may have led to over-estimation of some values predicted by the model. Nevertheless, we found that the model predicted the evolution of soil pore space reasonably well (r2 > 0.80 in most cases). The limiting factor to efficiently calibrate and apply such modeling tools is not in the theoretical part but rather the lack of adequate soil structural and hydrologic data.
•Limit the wind erosion risk map to the most prone fields.•Selection of unprotected sites perpendicular to the main wind direction.•Suggestions for suitable sites for the potential planting of new ...windbreaks.
Wind erosion is a process in which soil particles are detached from soils and transported downwind. One effective measure to reduce wind erosion are vegetated windbreaks such as hedgerows as they reduce wind speeds and likewise the forces which detach and transport soil particles.
However, the planting of new windbreaks is driven by policy decisions as well as planning considerations. To get an initial idea of potential locations for new windbreaks, we present an automated routine as a model in ESRI ArcGIS Pro to propose plantation locations. The main input to the model is a wind erosion risk map. The results are potential locations for windbreaks that are ranked according to their suitability. The model parameters are adjustable, transferable to other regions and can be altered by to the user's needs.•Limit the wind erosion risk map to the most prone fields•Selection of unprotected sites perpendicular to the main wind direction•Suggestions for suitable sites for the potential planting of new windbreaks
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Various large-scale risk maps show that the eastern part of Austria, in particular the Pannonian Basin, is one of the regions in Europe most vulnerable to wind erosion. However, comprehensive ...assessments of the severity and the extent of wind erosion risk are still lacking for this region. This study aimed to prove the results of large-scale maps by developing high-resolution maps of wind erosion risk for the target area. For this, we applied a qualitative soil erosion assessment (DIN 19706) with lower data requirements and a more data-demanding revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) within a GIS application to evaluate the process of assessing wind erosion risk. Both models defined similar risk areas, although the assignment of severity classes differed. Most agricultural fields in the study area were classified as not at risk to wind erosion (DIN 19706), whereas the mean annual soil loss rate modeled by RWEQ was 3.7 t ha−1 yr−1. August was the month with the highest modeled soil loss (average of 0.49 t ha−1 month−1), due to a low percentage of vegetation cover and a relatively high weather factor combining wind speed and soil moisture effects. Based on the results, DIN 19706 is suitable for a general classification of wind erosion-prone areas, while RWEQ can derive additional information such as seasonal distribution and soil loss rates besides the spatial extents of wind erosion.
Zusammenfassung
Das System Schwammstadt für Baume ist eine spezielle blau-grüne Infrastrukturmaßnahme, die neben dem dezentralen Rückhalt von Niederschlagswasser im verbauten Siedlungsraum vor allem ...das Potenzial und den Fokus hat, die Vitalität und die Wachstumschancen von Bäumen maßgeblich zu verbessern. Obwohl bereits einige Projekte dieser Art in Österreich umgesetzt wurden, gibt es noch viele offene Fragen und Unklarheiten zur Dimensionierung, Planung und Ausführung des Systems und vor allem Potenzial für dessen Optimierung, sodass seine Multifunktionalität in größtmöglichem Ausmaß erfüllt werden kann. Basierend auf Erkenntnissen aus bodenhydrologischen Laboruntersuchungen des Schwammstadtsubstrats und aus etablierten und bereits mehrjährig betriebenen Monitoringprojekten im Reallabor- und Straßenraummaßstab beschreibt die vorliegende Arbeit die neuralgischen Elemente und Fehlerquellen auf der Basis einer konzeptionellen Analyse der stattfindenden hydrologischen Prozesse. Sie soll aufzeigen, worauf bei der Etablierung eines solchen Systems geachtet werden soll, um neben der Konstruktion eines unterirdischen Retentionsraums die Versorgung des Baums als zentrales Element mitzudenken. Zusätzlich werden verschiedene bekannte Fehler bei der Ausführung aufgezeigt, welche die hydrologische Funktionalität maßgeblich beeinflussen können. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse und Gedanken sollen Anstoß zur Diskussion sein und in laufenden und zukünftigen Projektvorhaben als Stütze dienen.
Global climate change is projected to continue and result in prolonged and more intense droughts, which can increase soil water repellency (SWR). To be able to estimate the consequences of SWR on ...vadose zone hydrology, it is important to determine soil hydraulic properties (SHP). Sequential modeling using HYDRUS (2D/3D) was performed on an experimental field site with artificially imposed drought scenarios (moderately M and severely S stressed) and a control plot. First, inverse modeling was performed for SHP estimation based on water and ethanol infiltration experimental data, followed by model validation on one selected irrigation event. Finally, hillslope modeling was performed to assess water balance for 2014. Results suggest that prolonged dry periods can increase soil water repellency. Inverse modeling was successfully performed for infiltrating liquids, water and ethanol, with R2 and model efficiency (E) values both > 0.9. SHP derived from the ethanol measurements showed large differences in van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM) parameters for the M and S plots compared to water infiltration experiments. SWR resulted in large saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) decrease on the M and S scenarios. After validation of SHP on water content measurements during a selected irrigation event, one year simulations (2014) showed that water repellency increases surface runoff in non-structured soils at hillslopes.
Established measurement methods for hydraulic soil properties cover a limited soil moisture range. Simulations of soil water dynamics based on such observations are therefore rarely representative ...for all conditions from saturation to drought. Recent technical developments facilitate efficient and cheap collecting of soil water characteristics data, but the quantitative benefit of extended measurement campaigns has not been adequately tested yet. In this study, a combination of four methods to measure water retention and hydraulic conductivity at different moisture ranges was applied. Evaporation method, dewpoint psychrometry, hood infiltrometer experiments, and falling head method for saturated conductivity were conducted at two experimental sites in eastern Austria. Effects of including the particular methods in the measurement strategy were examined by visual evaluation and a 1D-modelling sensitivity study including drainage, infiltration and drought conditions. The evaporation method was considered essential due to its broad measurement range both for water retention and hydraulic conductivity. In addition to that, the highest effect on simulated water balance components was induced by the inclusion of separate conductivity measurements near saturation. Water content after three days of drainage was 15 percent higher and the transpiration rate in a drought period was 22 percent higher without near-saturated conductivity measurements. Based on relative comparisons between different combinations, we suggested combining evaporation method and hood infiltrometer experiments as the basis for representative predictions of soil water dynamics.
Transition towards soil-health sustaining crop production is at the core of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in agriculture. Improving soil conditions for resilience to variable and ...extreme weather conditions are among the main expectations of farmers implementing sustainable management practices. In this study, we evaluate whether the transition from conventional arable towards soil-health oriented farming systems restores soil pore characteristics towards non-arable natural soils and identify factors predominantly shaping different pore domains. Pore size distributions (PSD) at 20 sites with diverse soil types from adjacent fields of (1) standard arable, (2) soil health-oriented pioneer farming and (3) non-arable natural reference soils were measured. Based on parametric PSD descriptors, management-responsive functional pore classes and the role of textural, biochemical and structural drivers in different pore domains were analysed by a novel data-driven evaluation method. Parametric descriptors indicate an evolution from non-disturbed natural to intensively disturbed standard arable soils towards larger structural pores within a less heterogeneous structural domain. These shifts go along with less medium-sized storage pores, which overall was the most management sensitive pore fraction. Our novel data-driven approach confirmed a partial regeneration of natural pore characteristics with soil-health oriented practices. The most responsive pore domain was found in the range of ∼0.3–0.5 µm. The SOC-to-clay ratio was the predominant driver for structural porosity in both pioneer arable and natural reference soils. On the contrary, soil texture exerted the main control on the PSD pattern over the entire range of pore classes for standard farming systems. Overall, our study demonstrated that soil-health oriented pioneer farmers could effectively advance in managing functionally relevant pore domains for climate change resilience by promoting biological agents of structure formation.
•Soil health-oriented farming partly restores pore characteristics of natural soils.•Functionally relevant pore domains for water storage were also restored.•Pore formation in soil health-oriented farming systems overcomes texture dependency.•We present a novel method for evaluating management-responsive pore domains.
Abstract
Every application of soil erosion models brings the need of proper parameterisation, that is, finding physically or conceptually plausible parameter values that allow a model to reproduce ...measured values. No universal approach for model parameterisation, calibration and validation exists, as it depends on the model, spatial and temporal resolution and the nature of the datasets used. We explored some existing options for parameterisation, calibration and validation for erosion modelling exemplary with a specific dataset and modelling approach. A new Morgan‐Morgan‐Finney (MMF)‐type model was developed, representing a balanced position between physically‐based and empirical modelling approaches. The resulting model termed ‘calculator for soil erosion’ (CASE), works in a spatially distributed way on the timescale of individual rainfall events. A dataset of 142 high‐intensity rainfall experiments in Central Europe (AT, HU, IT, CZ), covering various slopes, soil types and experimental designs was used for calibration and validation with a modified Monte‐Carlo approach. Subsequently, model parameter values were compared to parameter values obtained by alternative methods (measurements, pedotransfer functions, literature data). The model reproduced runoff and soil loss of the dataset in the validation setting with
R
2
adj
of 0.89 and 0.76, respectively. Satisfactory agreement for the water phase was found, with calibrated saturated hydraulic conductivity (k
sat
) values falling within the interquartile range of k
sat
predicted with 14 different pedotransfer functions, or being within one order of magnitude. The chosen approach also well reflected specific experimental setups contained in the dataset dealing with the effects of consecutive rainfall and different soil water conditions. For the sediment phase of the tested model agreement between calibrated cohesion, literature values and field measurements were only partially in line. The methods we explored may specifically be interesting for use with other MMF‐type models, or with similar datasets.
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