An editorial to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Soil Research journal.

The western region of the Argentine Pampas is a large producer of grain. Fertilisers used are mainly urea and urea–ammonium nitrate. Most of the nitrous oxide emissions – a greenhouse gas with high global warming potential – are linked to nitrogen fertilisation. Total nitrous oxide emissions differed between the applied N rates, but not between the fertiliser types used. This study contributes to a low-carbon agriculture and the prevention of environmental damage.

Our results showed that the change of P fractions in soils under different treatments can be attributed to soil pH and OC concentration that responded to the application of different fertilisers. The sources of soil available P under organic fertilisation were significantly different from those of chemical fertilisation. Our results provide information to effectively utilising different P fractions in soils.

High inputs of wetland litters and slow decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) influence the biogeochemical cycling of soil carbon in flooded wetlands. However, the effects of high- vs low-quality litter inputs on SOC stability and storage in flooded wetlands are largely unclear. Our study suggests that inputs of low-quality litters can lead to more recalcitrant carbons and increase soil carbon stability and carbon sequestration, which is beneficial for flooded wetlands to play the role of carbon sink.

Image processing techniques were used for rupture width measurement. Optimisation of minimum draft with maximum rupture width was observed using response surface methodology (RSM). Artificial neural network and RSM models were developed for draft and rupture widths. Developed models performed better than analytical models in predicting the draft and rupture width.

Labile soil carbon and nitrogen are important indicators for evaluating carbon sequestration and nutrient availability under forest management such as thinning. This study assessed the effects of 15% and 30% thinning on labile soil carbon and nitrogen indices. Results showed that both thinning intensities increased labile carbon and nitrogen concentrations and caused nitrogen-limited conditions for microbes by incorporating additional deadwoods to the soil. Our findings highlight the significance of remaining deadwoods in terms of the ecosystem functions in thinned forests.