Soil Respiration

“Pairing 13C-labeled tracer incubations across sandy-to-loamy soils (17-67% sand) with Cycles model runs for continuous maize in Nebraska and Illinois shows that soil texture strongly controls whether added carbon is respired as CO2 or retained as soil organic matter, and that texture, precipitation and drying-rewetting frequency together with tillage regime (no-till vs. conventional) determine future soil carbon change. The dataset provides the respiration, soil carbon retention and simulated soil organic carbon and maize yield outputs behind those comparisons.”

“A 5-year statewide Nebraska on-farm experiment (2016–2021, 17 farmer collaborators, UNL + USDA-NRCS) found cover crop use had the greatest impact on soil organic matter, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics across all practices tested. Effects were practice-specific: cover crops improved biological activity and reduced recommended N inputs; reduced tillage and diversified rotations showed variable results. No single practice improved all soil properties — a systems-level approach combining multiple practices delivered the most consistent gains.”

“Soil health and nutrient dynamics in pasturelands: A decadal study on the effects of alternative grazing management.”