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Evolution of the transport properties of soil aggregates and their relationship with soil organic carbon following land use changes (2021)
Journal Article
Wang, F., Zhang, X., Neal, A. L., Crawford, J. W., Mooney, S. J., & Bacq-Labreuil, A. (2022). Evolution of the transport properties of soil aggregates and their relationship with soil organic carbon following land use changes. Soil and Tillage Research, 215, Article 105226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2021.105226

Aggregates are functional units to describe the impact of soil structural changes on physical and biogeochemical processes in soil. Both incubation and field experiments have shown that changing agricultural practices could reshape the intra-aggregat... Read More about Evolution of the transport properties of soil aggregates and their relationship with soil organic carbon following land use changes.

Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation (2021)
Journal Article
George, P. B., Fidler, D. B., Van Nostrand, J. D., Atkinson, J. A., Mooney, S. J., Creer, S., …Jones, D. L. (2021). Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.735022

Soil organic matter is composed of a variety of carbon (C) forms. However, not all forms are equally accessible to soil microorganisms. Deprivation of C inputs will cause changes in the physical and microbial community structures of soils; yet the tr... Read More about Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation.

Soil penetration by maize roots is negatively related to ethylene-induced thickening (2021)
Journal Article
Vanhees, D. J., Schneider, H. M., Sidhu, J. S., Loades, K. W., Bengough, A. G., Bennett, M. J., …Lynch, J. P. (2021). Soil penetration by maize roots is negatively related to ethylene-induced thickening. Plant, Cell and Environment, https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14175

Radial expansion is a classic response of roots to a mechanical impedance that has generally been assumed to aid penetration. We analysed the response of maize nodal roots to impedance to test the hypothesis that radial expansion is not related to th... Read More about Soil penetration by maize roots is negatively related to ethylene-induced thickening.

No-till alley cropping using leguminous trees biomass: a farmer- and eco-friendly sustainable alternative to shifting cultivation in the Amazonian periphery? (2021)
Journal Article
de Moura, E. G., Mooney, S. J., Campos, L. S., Bastos, K. D. O., Aguiar, A. C., & Jewitt, S. (2022). No-till alley cropping using leguminous trees biomass: a farmer- and eco-friendly sustainable alternative to shifting cultivation in the Amazonian periphery?. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 24(5), 7195-7212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01744-y

Agricultural growth is essential for both alleviating poverty and feeding the population of the Brazilian Amazonian periphery, where slash-and-burn agriculture continues to support the livelihoods of between 3.5 and 4 million people. We developed a n... Read More about No-till alley cropping using leguminous trees biomass: a farmer- and eco-friendly sustainable alternative to shifting cultivation in the Amazonian periphery?.

Relationship between soil carbon sequestration and the ability of soil aggregates to transport dissolved oxygen (2021)
Journal Article
Zhang, X., Gregory, A. S., Whalley, W. R., Coleman, K., Neal, A. L., Bacq-Labreuil, A., …Illangasekare, T. H. (2021). Relationship between soil carbon sequestration and the ability of soil aggregates to transport dissolved oxygen. Geoderma, 403, Article 115370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115370

A key finding in soil carbon studies over the past decade is that soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization is not controlled by its molecular complexity or adsorption to clay, but by its physicochemical protection including occlusion in aggregates an... Read More about Relationship between soil carbon sequestration and the ability of soil aggregates to transport dissolved oxygen.

Microbial Metal Resistance within Structured Environments Is Inversely Related to Environmental Pore Size (2021)
Journal Article
Harvey, H. J., Mitzakoff, A. M., Wildman, R. D., Mooney, S. J., & Avery, S. V. (2021). Microbial Metal Resistance within Structured Environments Is Inversely Related to Environmental Pore Size. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 87(20), Article e01005-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01005-21

The physical environments in which microorganisms naturally reside rarely have homogeneous structure, and changes in their porous architecture may have effects on microbial activities that are not typically captured in conventional laboratory studies... Read More about Microbial Metal Resistance within Structured Environments Is Inversely Related to Environmental Pore Size.

Could more efficient utilization of ecosystem services improve soil quality indicators to allow sustainable intensification of Amazonian family farming? (2021)
Journal Article
de Moura, E. G., De Sousa, R. M., Campos, L. S., Cardoso-Silva, A. J., Mooney, S. J., & Aguiar, A. D. C. (2021). Could more efficient utilization of ecosystem services improve soil quality indicators to allow sustainable intensification of Amazonian family farming?. Ecological Indicators, 127, Article 107723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107723

In the Amazonian periphery, there are sources of numerous disservices, including deforestation, loss of wildlife habitat and biodiversity erosion. However, there are great opportunities to adopt appropriate agricultural management practices to take a... Read More about Could more efficient utilization of ecosystem services improve soil quality indicators to allow sustainable intensification of Amazonian family farming?.

Frequency Versus Quantity: Phenotypic Response of Two Wheat Varieties to Water and Nitrogen Variability (2021)
Journal Article
Cousins, O. H., Garnett, T. P., Rasmussen, A., Mooney, S. J., Smernik, R. J., Brien, C. J., & Cavagnaro, T. R. (2021). Frequency Versus Quantity: Phenotypic Response of Two Wheat Varieties to Water and Nitrogen Variability. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 21(2), 1631-1641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00467-3

Due to climate change, water availability will become increasingly variable, affecting nitrogen (N) availability. Therefore, we hypothesised watering frequency would have a greater impact on plant growth than quantity, affecting N availability, uptak... Read More about Frequency Versus Quantity: Phenotypic Response of Two Wheat Varieties to Water and Nitrogen Variability.

Long‐term zero‐tillage enhances the protection of soil carbon in tropical agriculture (2021)
Journal Article
Cooper, H. V., Sjögersten, S., Lark, R. M., Girkin, N. T., Vane, C. H., Calonego, J. C., …Mooney, S. J. (2021). Long‐term zero‐tillage enhances the protection of soil carbon in tropical agriculture. European Journal of Soil Science, 72(6), 2477-2492. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13111

Contrasting tillage strategies not only affect the stability and formation of soil aggregates but also modify the concentration and thermostability of soil organic matter associated with soil aggregates. Understanding the thermostability and carbon r... Read More about Long‐term zero‐tillage enhances the protection of soil carbon in tropical agriculture.

Determination of wheat spike and spikelet architecture and grain traits using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging (2021)
Journal Article
Hu, Z., Riche, A. B., Hawkesford, M. J., Whalley, W. R., Atkinson, B. S., Sturrock, C. J., & Mooney, S. J. (2021). Determination of wheat spike and spikelet architecture and grain traits using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging. Plant Methods, 17(1), Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-021-00726-5

© 2021, The Author(s). Background: Wheat spike architecture is a key determinant of multiple grain yield components and detailed examination of spike morphometric traits is beneficial to explain wheat grain yield and the effects of differing agronomy... Read More about Determination of wheat spike and spikelet architecture and grain traits using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging.

To till or not to till in a temperate ecosystem? Implications for climate change mitigation (2021)
Journal Article
Cooper, H. V., Sjögersten, S., Lark, R. M., & Mooney, S. J. (2021). To till or not to till in a temperate ecosystem? Implications for climate change mitigation. Environmental Research Letters, 16(5), Article 054022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abe74e

The management of agricultural soils affect the composition and scale of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There is conflicting evidence on the effect of zero-tillage on carbon storage and GHG emissions. Here we assess the effects of zero-tillage... Read More about To till or not to till in a temperate ecosystem? Implications for climate change mitigation.

The ability of maize roots to grow through compacted soil is not dependent on the amount of roots formed (2021)
Journal Article
Vanhees, D. J., Loades, K. W., Bengough, A. G., Mooney, S. J., & Lynch, J. P. (2021). The ability of maize roots to grow through compacted soil is not dependent on the amount of roots formed. Field Crops Research, 264, Article 108013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2020.108013

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Mechanical impedance is a primary constraint to root growth and hence the capture of soil resources. To investigate whether rooting depth and root length under mechanical impedance caused by compaction are correlated we evaluated... Read More about The ability of maize roots to grow through compacted soil is not dependent on the amount of roots formed.

Multiseriate cortical sclerenchyma enhance root penetration in compacted soils (2021)
Journal Article
Schneider, H. M., Strock, C. F., Hanlon, M. T., Vanhees, D. J., Perkins, A. C., Ajmera, I. B., …Lynch, J. P. (2021). Multiseriate cortical sclerenchyma enhance root penetration in compacted soils. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(6), Article e2012087118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2012087118

Mechanical impedance limits soil exploration and resource capture by plant roots. We examine the role of root anatomy in regulating plant adaptation to mechanical impedance and identify a root anatomical phene in maize (Zea mays) and wheat (Triticum... Read More about Multiseriate cortical sclerenchyma enhance root penetration in compacted soils.

Hydrodynamic characterization of soil compaction using integrated electrical resistivity and X-ray computed tomography (2021)
Journal Article
Cimpoiasu, M. O., Kuras, O., Wilkinson, P., Pridmore, T., & Mooney, S. J. (2021). Hydrodynamic characterization of soil compaction using integrated electrical resistivity and X-ray computed tomography. Vadose Zone Journal, 20(4), Article e20109. https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20109

© 2020 The Authors. Vadose Zone Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Soil Science Society of America Modern agricultural practices can cause significant stress on soil, which ultimately has degrading effects, such as compaction. Th... Read More about Hydrodynamic characterization of soil compaction using integrated electrical resistivity and X-ray computed tomography.

Plant roots sense soil compaction through restricted ethylene diffusion (2021)
Journal Article
Pandey, B. K., Huang, G., Bhosale, R., Hartman, S., Sturrock, C. J., Jose, L., …Bennett, M. J. (2021). Plant roots sense soil compaction through restricted ethylene diffusion. Science, 371(6526), 276-280. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf3013

© 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved. Soil compaction represents a major challenge for modern agriculture. Compaction is intuitively thought to reduce root growth by limiting the ability of roots to penetrate harder soils. We report that root gro... Read More about Plant roots sense soil compaction through restricted ethylene diffusion.

Impact of water availability on root growth of sugar beet varieties (2020)
Journal Article
Fitters, T. F., Mooney, S. J., & Sparkes, D. L. (2022). Impact of water availability on root growth of sugar beet varieties. Soil Use and Management, 38(1), 1033-1043. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12664

© 2020 The Authors. Soil Use and Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Society of Soil Science On average, sugar beet yield in the UK is reduced by 10% due to water limitation. The root system of a plant is responsible... Read More about Impact of water availability on root growth of sugar beet varieties.

Short-term impacts of different tillage practices and plant residue retention on soil physical properties and greenhouse gas emissions (2020)
Journal Article
Alskaf, K., Mooney, S. J., Sparkes, D. L., Wilson, P., & Sjögersten, S. (2021). Short-term impacts of different tillage practices and plant residue retention on soil physical properties and greenhouse gas emissions. Soil and Tillage Research, 206, Article 104803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104803

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Reducing tillage intensity and plant residue retention have the potential to mitigate climate change by reducing soil greenhouse gas emissions. Few comparative studies have explored the effects of different tillage practices and... Read More about Short-term impacts of different tillage practices and plant residue retention on soil physical properties and greenhouse gas emissions.

Challenges and approaches in assessing the interplay between microorganisms and their physical micro-environments (2020)
Journal Article
Harvey, H. J., Wildman, R. D., Mooney, S. J., & Avery, S. V. (2020). Challenges and approaches in assessing the interplay between microorganisms and their physical micro-environments. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 18, 2860-2866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2020.09.030

© 2020 The Author(s) Spatial structure over scales ranging from nanometres to centimetres (and beyond) varies markedly in diverse habitats and the industry-relevant settings that support microbial activity. Developing an understanding of the interpla... Read More about Challenges and approaches in assessing the interplay between microorganisms and their physical micro-environments.

Quantifying the influence of water deficit on root and shoot growth in wheat using X-ray Computed Tomography (2020)
Journal Article
Khalil, A. M., Murchie, E. H., & Mooney, S. J. (2020). Quantifying the influence of water deficit on root and shoot growth in wheat using X-ray Computed Tomography. AoB PLANTS, 12(5), https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plaa036

© 2020 The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. The potential increased frequency and severity of drought associated with environmental change represents a significant obstacle to efforts aim... Read More about Quantifying the influence of water deficit on root and shoot growth in wheat using X-ray Computed Tomography.

Soil as an extended composite phenotype of the microbial metagenome (2020)
Journal Article
Neal, A. L., Bacq-Labreuil, A., Zhang, X., Clark, I. M., Coleman, K., Mooney, S. J., …Crawford, J. W. (2020). Soil as an extended composite phenotype of the microbial metagenome. Scientific Reports, 10(1), Article 10649. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67631-0

© 2020, The Author(s). We use a unique set of terrestrial experiments to demonstrate how soil management practises result in emergence of distinct associations between physical structure and biological functions. These associations have a significant... Read More about Soil as an extended composite phenotype of the microbial metagenome.