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The shifting agriculture (popularly known as 'Jhum') in north-eastern Himalayas is plagued by substantial reduction in paddy yield and soil quality. The region's paddy yield and soil condition may be improved by the use of right integrated nutrient management (INM) technology on the jhum lands. We used 7 treatments replicated thrice in a randomized block design (RBD) to evaluate the soil health and yield of direct-seeded upland paddy (Oryza sativa L.) in this study. The results showed that the combination of inorganic fertilization, organic manure, and bio-fertilizers (T5) significantly (P < 0.05) increased paddy height, number of tillers hill−1, number of grains panicle−1 and test seed weight. Simultaneously, these combined treatments significantly increased soil organic carbon and available Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) contents. All the soil chemical properties except the soil pH significantly (p < 0.05; n = 7) affected various growth and yield parameters of paddy. The INM of organic manure and bio-fertilizers (T7) significantly enhanced the soil's biological properties. Thus, INM technology is recommended to enhance paddy yield while sustaining the soil health in upland paddy cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting cultivation, an age-old agricultural practice, is a major factor in forest cover change across Southeast Asia, where repeated cycles of vegetation disturbance and regrowth lead to far-reaching environmental and socio-economic impacts. The present study aims to assess the spatio-temporal patterns of vegetation disturbance and regrowth caused by shifting cultivation in Tripura state of India, over the past three decades, utilizing temporal segmentation of time-series Landsat data. The study analyzed vegetation disturbance and regrowth patterns in a shifting cultivation landscape from 1991 to 2020 using normalized burn ratio trends through LandTrendr, validated by the TimeSync tool. Six land use and land cover classes, viz., forests and trees outside forests, rubber plantation, shifting cultivation, water bodies, agriculture, and settlements, were mapped with an accuracy of 83.08% using a random forest classifier. This classification enabled the identification of the effective study area, which included forest areas with shifting cultivation patches. The analysis revealed that 2533.96 km2 of the study area remained undisturbed, 568.43 km2 experienced low-magnitude disturbance, 1501.11 km2 were moderately disturbed, and 184.82 km2 were highly disturbed. The shifting cultivation cycles in the study area show considerable variation. Low-magnitude disturbance indicates a single slash-and-burn event in the past three decades, moderate-magnitude disturbance involves fallow periods of over 10 years, and high-magnitude disturbance occurs with fallow periods of less than 8 years. The study revealed a shift from traditional shifting cultivation to more permanent agricultural practices in parts of Tripura. In response to incentives for commercial crops, cultivators are increasingly adopting long-term cultivation, including the growing of pineapple, areca nut, and rubber, as well as intercropping with papaya, banana, lemon, tapioca, pepper, and ginger. These plots are, however, abandoned if the yields become economically unviable. The expansion of monoculture cultivation significantly reduces the available area for shifting cultivation, thereby compelling jhum cultivators to revisit their jhum patches more frequently. This study is a first-of-its-kind attempt in the Indian context and sheds light on changing patterns in an age-old agricultural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slash-and-burn agriculture (SBA) is critical to maintaining rural peoples' livelihoods. Yet, it causes environmental degradations that challenge its sustainability. Such degradations are often underestimated, as they are usually assessed at the local (stand) scale, overlooking larger-scale impacts. Here, we drew upon existing SBA and landscape ecology knowledge to assess the multiscale abiotic and biotic effects of SBA. This agroecosystem involves four stages (slashing of vegetation, burning of vegetation, farming, and forest recovery) but the SBA research is biased towards biotic impacts, especially during forest recovery. Despite its importance for key abiotic (e.g., soil fertility) and biotic (e.g., species richness) attribute recovery, this stage is typically too short (<10 years) to compensate for the environmental degradation caused by the previous stages. Successional and landscape ecology theory suggests that such compensatory dynamics can promote SBA sustainability in landscapes dominated by old-growth forests. Yet, when old-growth forest loss exceeds certain boundaries, abiotic and biotic SBA impacts may compromise the conservation value and sustainability of this ancient agroecosystem. We highlight that SBA sustainability should be comprehensively assessed by including landscape-scale variables (e.g., percent old-growth forest cover) that may be key for maintaining biodiversity patterns and processes in landscapes where SBA is practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotational shifting cultivation (RSC) is commonly practiced in northern Thailand for upland rice cultivation, primarily for household consumption. However, the potential health risks from heavy metal contamination in these soils have not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to evaluate the contamination of six heavy metals (Arsenic (As), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), and Chromium (Cr)) in upland rice across RSC fields with varying fallow periods and assess the associated health risks from rice consumption. Four RSC fields with 5, 6, 10, and 12-year fallow periods were examined. The RSC-6Y and RSC-12Y fields were used for upland rice cultivation in 2022, while the RSC-5Y and RSC-10Y fields were cultivated in 2023. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) was calculated, and translocation factors (TF) were assessed for the transfer of heavy metals from soil to straw (TFStraw/Soil), straw to grain (TFGrain/Straw), and soil to grain (TFGrain/Soil). The results indicated that after burning vegetation in the RSC fields, the highest concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Hg were found in the ash. In RSC soils, Cu, Cr, As, Pb, and Hg levels were below reference standards, with Cd undetected. In rice grains, the order of concentration was Pb > Cu > Cr > As, with Hg and Cd undetected. Pb levels in rice grains exceeded the safety threshold. Igeo values indicated no contamination to moderate contamination across sites, with negative Igeo values for Cr and Cu, and zero values for Cd. The TF results showed limited transfer of As, Hg, and Cd from soil to rice plants (TFStraw/Soil < 0.1), but notable transfer for Pb, Cr, and Cu. Pb was readily transferred from soil to grain (TFGrain/Soil), posing a potential health risk. The study highlights potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from heavy metal exposure, particularly Pb, and underscores the need for further research to determine contamination sources and mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial discusses the importance of microbial OMICS in advancing sustainability in agricultural and environmental microbiology. Microorganisms provide essential ecosystem services and play crucial roles in global ecosystems. The use of OMICS technologies has led to significant progress in sustainable agriculture and environmental management by elucidating microbial functions and interactions in diverse ecosystems. Studies highlighted in the editorial demonstrate how microbial OMICS can impact soil health, crop productivity, and the diversity of soil bacterial communities, offering potential solutions to challenges such as food scarcity and environmental protection. [Extracted from the article]

Half of all migratory bird species have declined over the past 30 years, with intercontinental migrants declining faster than their short‐distance migratory counterparts. One potential cause of these declines is habitat loss and degradation on tropical wintering grounds, where agricultural conversion of natural habitats and intensification of traditional, low‐intensity agricultural systems are frequently occurring. Although the broad patterns of wintering migrant abundance are well understood along most flyways, how species' habitat associations vary across disturbance gradients in agricultural landscapes remains a key question, with implications for landscape‐level farm management and restoration activities. We used 328 point count locations and associated habitat assessments targeted at a cohort of eight severely declining Afro‐Palaearctic migratory passerines in the Guineo–Congolian transition zone of Western Africa to model the probability of the presence of migrants within grass, shrub, forb and forest‐covered areas. We found support for the widespread use of early successional habitats retained within traditionally managed farmland by migrants. Most species utilize scrubland on fallows within the agricultural mosaic, especially Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Whinchat and Common Nightingale. Only Pied Flycatcher relied upon mature forested areas. The avoidance of mature forested habitats by most species suggests that habitat requirements of severely declining migrant birds must be explicitly considered within conservation and restoration schemes, via mechanisms to retain low‐intensity farming, especially short‐term abandoned fallows that regenerate scrubby areas within the agricultural matrix. Any habitat management within the agricultural matrix should be considered in the context of the needs of local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2023 is celebrated as the International Year of Millets, declared by the United Nation's General Assembly in March 2021 on the proposal submitted by the Government of India. Millet cultivation and consumption are being championed as the panacea for climate change and a solution for global hunger and nutrition. India's lead in this connection is to make herself the global hub for millets. The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN recognise and promote millets as a pathway for sustainable development, enhancement of biodiversity and transformer of agrifood systems, besides empowering smallholder farmers and providing new sustainable market opportunities for the producers and consumers. However, the indigenous people of the globe or the Adivasis in India, who have predominantly cultivated and consumed millets primarily through the technology of shifting cultivation, find little mention or no mention in the context. The contemporary environment is ripe to revisit the intricacies of the closely knitted culture of the Adivasi and their shifting cultivation. The overarching challenges of climate change and sustainable development seem to compel the bringing back of the discarded 'baby with the bath water'. The article will focus on the Konda Reddis (Andhra Pradesh state) and podu, their traditional way of cultivation (shifting cultivation). Podu is not an isolated cultivation technology, it is, for the Konda Reddis, the prism of their culture. Will the politics of policy resurrect the Adivasi and shifting cultivation? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Special Report on Climate Change and Land, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global potential for removal of carbon from the atmosphere by making biochar and amending it to soils in shifting cultivation systems was estimated to approximately 0.21 – 0.35 Gt C/year, corresponding to 2.1 – 3.6% of current global CO2 emissions. Here we review these estimates and present experiences from pilot field trials making biochar in shifting cultivation fields. Making use of some more recent data, we calculated a revised estimate of 0.17 Gt C/yr as the minimum feasible potential, and 0.32, Gt C/yr for the technical potential. The difference between these is that in order to realize the former, production costs as well as negative environmental impacts are minimal, whereas realizing the latter, on the other hand implies significant, potentially prohibitive, production cost and might also imply significant negative environmental impacts, including the emission of GHGs that in the worst case might offset the climate benefits provided by the biochar it. Taking into account that the addition of biochar to the soil increases tree growth rates, these estimates increase to 0.22 and 0.42 Gt C/yr, respectively. Remaining key challenges are to 1) identify production methods that ensure that emissions of GHGs and other environmental pollutants from biochar production are minimized, 2) reduce production costs, and 3) design procedures for monitoring the storage of biochar in soils under shifting cultivation and mechanisms for payments to shifting cultivators who carry out this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast India, a region characterised by great geo-political and ecological significance, is geographically divided into the plains and the hills and is home to many tribal communities that largely depend on natural resource-based livelihoods. While shifting cultivation (jhum) has been a dominant traditional system of land use among tribes both in the hills and the plains, most of them in the plains abandoned this practice on account of colonial-era encroachment. In the hills, however, shifting cultivation still plays a critical role in maintaining agricultural biodiversity and providing food security to the indigenous communities. The advent of colonial development in the region in the 19th century left a long-term impact on its natural and social landscapes. After independence, especially after the early 1960s, the hills that remained largely excluded from the process of colonial development were also brought under the development agenda of the Indian state. However, in recent times, under the neoliberal Indian state, the development discourse in the region has witnessed an unprecedentedly aggressive character seriously undermining the traditional ecology, land ownership system, livelihood and culture of the tribal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meghalaya, 'the abode of clouds' is one of the states of North East India. The state witnesses several forest fire incidents every year. In this study, MODIS-based forest fire counts from 2003 to 2023 have been used for the generation of forest fire-prone and vulnerability maps. The forest fire vulnerability map has been generated at 1: 10 k for the entire state and at 1: 5 k for Reserve Forests, Community Reserve Forests and other Protected Areas. Ri Bhoi and West Khasi Hills districts witness high forest fire incidents compared to all the other districts. Maximum number of forest fire occurs in moderately dense and very dense forests. The eForest Fire Information System, viz. 'Meghalaya Forest Fire Information System' has a dashboard with geospatial forest fire information and a forest fire incident reporting android based app developed for fire managers both at Government and community level. Shifting cultivation (jhum) is a predominant land-use pattern; therefore the framework has embedded jhum area information for improving forest fire management strategies to match the local scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates that phosphate oxygen isotope (δ18OPO4) analysis effectively detects and monitors fire‐induced transformation in soil phosphorus (P). Fires increase bioavailable P, potentially limiting primary production in terrestrial ecosystems. However, understanding the effects of fire on soil P dynamics in the field remains challenging due to the interaction between fire spread and soil properties with high spatial heterogeneity. Soil burning experiments were conducted using a surface soil sample collected in central Japan. The soil was burned in an electric furnace from 50 to 550°C for 3 h, and P concentrations and δ18OPO4 values were determined. The results revealed that high temperatures (>350°C) depleted the soil of organic P (Po) and increased labile and stable inorganic P (Pi) concentrations while significantly decreasing δ18OPO4 values. By contrast, low temperatures (150°C) increased labile Pi and Po concentrations without isotopic shift, indicating that low‐intensity fires could increase bioavailable P while conserving soil organic matter. These findings indicate that δ18OPO4 analysis can provide insight into the relationship between P transformations and fire intensity and track subsequent changes in P dynamics over time. Our research highlights the potential of δ18OPO4 in predicting and managing postfire ecological and agricultural impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has been disturbing the present species distribution ranges, resulting in the shifting of cultivation areas and decreases in production and quality. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), which seeks optimum climatic resources, is a key cash crop economically in Kenya. In this study, the shifting of tea suitability was projected with the MaxEnt model under the SSP (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) climate scenarios for the 2050s and 2090s relative to the 1970–2000 distribution. Analysis under the current climatic condition showed that the proportions of optimal and medium- and marginal-suitable areas were 2%, 3%, and 24% of the total area, respectively, and located in south-western (SW), central, and north-eastern (NE) Kenya and, to some extent, in the Rift Valley. It was projected that the potential suitable tea-growing areas would migrate from the western areas to the central, eastern, and north-eastern highlands in Kenya. It was detected that the precipitation of the driest period (July), precipitation of the wettest quarter (April, May, and June), and annual temperature range could be the main climatic factors determining the shift in tea distribution. Compared to the current distribution (29%), the climatically suitable areas for tea production could reach 32.58% of Kenya's land area under the SSP1-2.6 scenarios in the 2050s and 35.08% in the 2090s under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. On the contrary, it was found that the optimal climate-suitable habitats were projected to shrink by 2% and 1% in the 2050s and 2090s under all scenarios on the west side of the Great Rift Valley compared to the current distribution. In comparison, the sizes of medium- and marginal-suitable habitats would increase by 1% and 3%, respectively. The findings indicated that unless adaptive climate actions are taken, climate change could reduce the tea planting areas in western Kenya. Meanwhile, climate suitability was projected to expand upward on the east side of the Rift Valley, enhancing the potential distribution of tea. The developed climate information could be used to design and implement adaptation interventions in the lower elevation areas. Finally, we highlight that the available scientific literature on the climate suitability of tea in Kenya should be broadened by adding non-climatic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewed excavations at Shimao, the largest stone walled urban site in northern China dating to around 4200–3700 BP, have focused on Shimao's unusual architecture and material culture, but there remains much to be known about the subsistence system and agricultural strategies the inhabitants employed around this site. In this paper we provide new archaeobotanical and isotopic evidence for the agricultural systems and strategies that supported Shimao and nearby sites, from 5000 to 3000 BP. Our data show that the system gradually shifted from one based on common millet as the main staple—requiring a high level of labour-input—to a system dependent on extensive cultivation of foxtail millet, which is better suited to dryland cultivation in colder environments. We argue that this shift in cultivation coincided with regional climate change, and helped sustain early Bronze Age state societies, which fuelled the rapid emergence of social complexity in the semi-arid and arid area of the northern Loess Plateau from 4200 to 3000 BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire, a prevalent land management tool in rotational shifting cultivation (RSC), has long been debated for its immediate disruption of surface soil, vegetation, and microbial communities. While low-intensity and short-duration slash-and-burn techniques are considered beneficial for overall soil function, the dual nature of fire's impact warrants a comprehensive exploration. This review examines both the beneficial and detrimental effects of fire on soil properties within the context of RSC. We highlight that research on soil microbial composition, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics following fire events in RSC is gaining momentum. After fires, soil typically shows decreases in porosity, clay content, aggregation, and cation exchange capacity, while sand content, pH, available phosphorus, and organic nitrogen tend to increase. There remains ongoing debate regarding the effects on bulk density, silt content, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and exchangeable ions (K+, Ca2+, Mg2+). Certain bacterial diversity often increases, while fungal communities tend to decline during post-fire recovery, influenced by the soil chemical properties. Soil erosion is a major concern because fire-altered soil structures heighten erosion risks, underscoring the need for sustainable post-fire soil management strategies. Future research directions are proposed, including the use of advanced technologies like remote sensing, UAVs, and soil sensors to monitor fire impacts, as well as socio-economic studies to balance traditional practices with modern sustainability goals. This review aims to inform sustainable land management practices that balance agricultural productivity with ecological health in RSC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Maintaining soil quality is crucial to achieving 'zero hunger', particularly in tropical climates, as described in 'Sustainable Development Goal 2' by the United Nations. This study aims to assess the effects of different land uses, including shifting or jhum cultivation (JC), abandoned jhum (AJ), plantation cropland (PC), teak plantation (TP), and settled cultivation (SC), on soil quality (SQ) in a warm per humid region in India. Soil samples were collected from the surface and subsurface horizons of the soil profile in twenty different locations, and fourteen different soil attributes were analyzed. The principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were performed to obtain the normalized soil quality index (SQI) as well as to screen soil quality indicators for different soil horizons. In surface soils, the different soil quality classes were found as "high quality" (SQI > 0.65) in SC, "medium quality" (0.52 ≤ SQI ≤ 0.65) in JC, TP, and PC, and "low quality" (SQI < 0.52) in AJ. In subsurface soils, only two distinct classes of soil quality were obtained. Exchangeable Ca (Exch. Ca) with a high positive coefficient of 0.80 in discriminant function 1, was the most powerful indicator to monitor changes in SQ on the surface soil horizon. In the subsurface soil horizon (B1), Exch. Ca with a high positive coefficient of 1.2 in discriminant function 1 and Exch. Al with 0.85 in discriminant function 2, were found to be essential indicators. Whereas, Exch. Mg, with a high negative coefficient of − 1.01, was screened for deep subsurface soils (B2 horizon) under different land use. Overall, maintaining base saturation and reducing Exch. Al could be the key to maintaining and improving the soil resources of hilly terrain in Mizoram under various land uses in the northeastern region of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural and anthropogenic changes in the composition of tropical forests are expected to alter soil properties. Thus, an understanding of the effects on changes in crop/plant composition on soil properties is needed to choose better land-use options. So, the primary goal of this study was to examine the impacts of land-use change (from shifting cultivation to teak and rubber plantation) on some physico-chemical features (available P, K, N, pH, moisture content (MC), bulk density, organic matter (OM)) of soil. Soil physico-chemical properties were compared to a shifting cultivation land with a 14-year-old teak plantation and a 16-year-old rubber plantation that had previously been used for shifting cultivation. Results showed that soil properties change with the changes of crop/plant composition, such as phosphorus (P), K, and OM was significantly high in teak and rubber plantation than the shifting cultivation area both in surface (0–10 cm) and sub-surface (10–20 cm) soil layers. Teak (3.5689 mg/kg) and rubber (3.5478 mg/kg) plantations exhibited significantly higher mean P content (p < .01) compared to shifting cultivation (3.4678 mg/kg). Shifting cultivation had the maximum K levels (0.2233 meq/100 g), while teak (0.2833 meq/100 g) and rubber (0.2733 meq/100 g) plantations showed significantly higher values (p < .05). Moisture content was 1.13% higher in teak and 1.2% higher in rubber plantations than in shifting cultivation. Furthermore, OM content was significantly higher in teak and rubber plantations (5.2744%, 5.2567%) compared to shifting cultivation (4.5067%). On the other hand, total nitrogen (N) and pH levels showed no significant difference among the land-use types. Finally, the study showed that conversion to teak and rubber plantation could lead to positive change in the soil properties. Hence it suggested that this can be undertaken/chosen as a better land cover option for shifting cultivated land in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) from soil conservation point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest conversion to agricultural land has been shown to deplete soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) stocks. However, research on how soil properties respond to forest conversion to shifting cultivation has produced conflicting results. The conflicting findings suggest that the agricultural system may influence the response of SOC and STN to forest conversion to agriculture, depending on the presence of vegetative cover throughout the year. Due to the unique characteristics of montane evergreen forests (MEF) and banana plantations (BP), SOC and STN response to MEF conversion to BP may differ from existing models. Nevertheless, research on how soil properties are affected by MEF conversion to BP is scarce globally. In order to fill this research gap, the goal of this study was to evaluate how much deforestation for BP affects SOC, STN, and soil quality by analysing these soil parameters in MEF and BP fields down to 1-m depth, using standard profile-based procedures. Contrary to the specified hypothesis that SOC and STN losses would be restricted to the upper 20-cm soil layer, SOC losses were extended to the 40-cm depth layer and STN losses to the 60-cm depth layer. The soils lost 18.56 Mg ha – 1 (37%) of SOC from the upper 20 cm and 33.15 Mg ha – 1 (37%) from the upper 40 cm, following MEF conversion to BP. In terms of STN, the upper 20, 40, and 60 cm lost 2.98 (43%), 6.62 (47%), and 8.30 Mg ha – 1 (44%), respectively. Following MEF conversion to BP, the SOC stratification ratio decreased by 49%, implying a decline in soil quality. Massive exportation of nutrients, reduced C inputs due to complete removal of the arboreal component and crop residues, the erodibility of the soils on the study area's steep hillslopes, and the potential for banana plantations to increase throughfall kinetic energy, and splash erosion through canopy dripping are thought to be the leading causes of SOC and STN losses. More research is needed to identify the extent to which each cause influences SOC and STN losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) is pivotal in enhancing food security and nutritional well-being and preserving governance systems and cultural practices within indigenous communities. Despite its significance, the literature on food sovereignty practices within Indian tribal communities and strategies for bolstering them remains limited. The present study draws upon primary data collected from 97 households in Manipur, Northeast India to address this gap. This study employs a mixedmethods research approach and systematically investigates the intricate dynamics of shifting cultivation (SC), agrobiodiversity and their collective contributions to IFS. Empirical findings underscore that SC provides culturally relevant food resources, thereby amplifying dietary diversity and contributing significantly to IFS. The indigenous SC system in the present study site encompasses 32 crop species and 4 local livestock breeds, featuring numerous landraces that ensure nutritional security and preserve food culture. Integrating wild edible plants from forests and fallow lands supplements the traditional food basket, reinforcing indigenous food culture and promoting biodiversity conservation. This study emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between SC-based agrobiodiversity and dietary diversity and highlights their critical role in fortifying IFS resilience, particularly in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forests of the Western Ghats (WG) of India are a highly diverse ecosystem though altered over time by human interference. The Northern Western Ghats (NWG) differ in bioclimatic and geological characteristics from the rest of the Western Ghats, featuring a mix of forested and open landscapes. Human activities such as shifting cultivation, cutting, lopping, periodic fire, constructions (road and dam), and mining have further increased their fragmentation, leading to a decrease in biodiversity. While the region has been extensively investigated for its floristic diversity, quantitative ecological studies are limited. This review seeks to identify research gaps and new research directions in the forest ecology of the NWG by compiling various periodical studies carried out in the region. It covers various works on vegetation types, species diversity and composition, and forest degradation due to anthropogenic activities. We provide compiled comparative vegetation types applicable to the region. The present review also discusses works carried out on forest areas under various protection regimes, such as legally protected areas, sacred groves, and private forests, using quantitative and remote sensing tools. We believe that understanding the NWG as an entire unit using uniform methods is essential, and this review serves as an important step in achieving this. It provides a comprehensive overview of the NWG, which can be used to plan out future research in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the impact of altitudinal variations on soil quality, physical and chemical properties in jhum, or shifting cultivation, fields in Churachandpur district in Manipur, India. The study observes the differences in soil moisture content, water holding capacity, organic carbon, available nitrogen and potassium between high and low altitudes. It examines organic matter decomposition rates, nutrient losses through erosion and leaching, and anthropogenic disturbances.

Globally, the forced displacement of socially vulnerable communities causes significant contestation, irrespective of whether that occurs for mega-projects or smaller infrastructural, agricultural, urban renewal, or property developments. Despite multilateral guidelines for "socially inclusive" development, it is difficult to avoid the marginalization of evicted, local communities. Grounded on the credibility thesis, this article provides a new, theoretical basis for understanding the "social function of property" and how this may be used as a criterion to assess whether development-induced and resettlement projects should be given the go-ahead. Methodologically, this article employs the FAT (Formal, Actual, and Targeted) Institutional Framework to unpack the social function of property. To this end, it analyzes the acquisition and privatization of the common property of Indigenous Peoples to construct the Malaysian Bakun Hydroelectric Project, purportedly Asia's second-largest dam. The FAT analysis ascertains the following three conditions on which basis projects should be halted: (1) the property of the evicted communities fulfills a critical role in providing social welfare; (2) the said function is disregarded by the expropriating agency; (3) the power divides between the expropriator and expropriated prevent meaningful participation by the latter. This study demonstrates that the social function of property can be effectively measured and validates the FAT Framework as a viable tool to analyze development-induced projects (and policies), with particular reference to expropriation, privatization, and formalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecology needs a unified view of the patterns and processes of secondary succession; we addressed that on the Coiba Island, Panama. We measured tree diameters and determined the land-use histories and structural properties for nine stands. We detected land-use history-legacy gradients ranging from no-use to still-in-use sites (Linear Regressions, R2=0.87 for Above-Ground Biomass and Basal Area, n=7 stands). Three successional pathways derived from a meadow, another from shifting agriculture, another from a >400y-old forest, and four were related to a river and a camp. Our results clarify discussions like convergence-vs-divergence, organismic-vs-individualistic successions, chance-vsdeterminism, and provide land-use history-based suggestions for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen, plant macrofossils and charcoal analyses were used to study tree diversity, fire history and forest disturbance over the past c. 3500 years at three forest remnant sites in Vendsyssel, northern Denmark. All locations had a more diverse tree composition in the past including abundant Alnus, Betula, Corylus, Pinus, Quercus, Salix, Tilia and Ulmus. The changes in tree diversity through time can be attributed to a combination of factors including climate change, burning linked to shifting cultivation, grazing and felling. The balance between arboreal and non-arboreal pollen was already being influenced by human activities in the late Bronze Age c. 3000 years ago. The high pollen abundance values recorded for Tilia pre-2000 years ago are exceptional as compared to later periods at these sites. At one location, the transition from Tilia to Fagus indicated that Tilia prevailed until c. 1300 years ago. Subsequent periods of forest clearance, with charcoal and cereal cultivation, initially including Hordeum and subsequently also Secale, were recorded. There was pollen evidence for grazing followed by shrub regeneration including Calluna, Erica, Juniperus and herbaceous taxa, and following that, a forest recovery of mainly Fagus, Picea and Pinus. This recovery is also recorded in historical forest records from 1880 CE onwards, emphasising the dominant role of plantation schemes. Results are placed in a wider framework of other sites in Denmark and southern Scandinavia, which have also documented a reduction of tree diversity and forest cover over the same period. The evidence from the long-term record is used to draw conclusions to assist forest restoration programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the main contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) in paddy soil, information on methane (CH4) emission characteristics under different tillage and cultivation practices are limited. A five-year field trial was conducted from 2019 in a single-cropping rice system in Taihu Lake region, east of China. The experiment had a completely randomized block design, and the treatments included rotary tillage plus rice dry direct seeding (RD), rotary tillage plus rice mechanical transplanting (RT), and plowing tillage plus rice mechanical transplanting (PT). We determined the rice yield, GHG emission, soil traits, and methanogens and methanotrophs in 2022 and 2023. The results revealed that PT and RT significantly increased rice yield compared to RD, whereas PT simultaneously increased CH4 emissions. The year-averaged cumulative CH4 emissions in PT were increased by 38.5% and 61.4% higher than RT and RD, respectively. Meanwhile, yield-scaled global warming potentials (GWPs) in RT and RD were lower than those in PT. Tillage and cultivation practices shifted mcrA and pmoA abundances, and PT significantly decreased pmoA abundance. The community structure and diversity of the methanogens and methanotrophs were not significantly affected. Structural equation model analyses illustrated that CH4 emissions were regulated by mcrA and pmoA directly, which in turn, regulated by soil carbon and nitrogen. Overall, rotary tillage plus mechanism transplanting was a feasible agronomic technology in a single-cropping rice system in Taihu Lake region, exhibiting higher and more stable rice productivity, accompanied with lower CH4 emissions and yield-scaled GWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws upon a quasi‐natural experiment of county‐city mergers in China to examine whether state‐led urbanisation makes a difference in local labour markets. Based on the difference‐in‐differences framework and three waves of data from the China Household Finance Survey, we show that, on the urban fringe, residents' probability of working in nonagricultural sectors increased by 6.69 percentage points after the policy. Residents responded mainly by shifts from the agriculture sector to being self‐employed. The results indicate that, after fringe counties connect to the corresponding big city in substance, residents in peripheral areas could benefit from the positive spillover effect from large cities and gain employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayan region has been experiencing stark impacts of climate change, demographic and livelihood pattern changes. The analysis of land use and land cover (LULC) change provides insights into the shifts in spatial and temporal patterns of landscape. These changes are the combined effects of anthropogenic and natural/climatic factors. The present study attempts to monitor and comprehend the main drivers behind LULC changes (1999–2021) in the Himalayan region of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. Pithoragarh district is a border district, remotely located in the north-east region of Uttarakhand, India. The study draws upon primary and secondary data sources. A total of 400 household surveys and five group discussions from 38 villages were conducted randomly to understand the climate perception of the local community and the drivers of change. Satellite imagery, CRU (Climatic Research Unit) climate data and climate perception data from the field have been used to comprehensively comprehend, analyze, and discuss the trends and reasons for LULC change. GIS and remote sensing techniques were used to construct LULC maps. This multifaceted approach ensures comprehensive and corroborated information. Five classes were identified and formed viz- cultivation, barren, settlement, snow, and vegetation. Results show that vegetation and built-up have increased whereas cultivation, barren land, and snow cover have decreased. The study further aims to elucidate the causes behind LULC changes in the spatially heterogeneous region, distinguishing between those attributed to human activities, climate shifts, and the interconnected impacts of both. The study provides a comprehensive picture of the study area and delivers a targeted understanding of local drivers and their potential remedies by offering a foundation for formulating sustainable adaptation policies in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mutis-Timau Forest Complex, located on Timor Island, Indonesia, is a mountainous tropical forest area that gradually decreases due to deforestation and forest degradation. Previous modelling studies based on patterns indicate that deforestation primarily occurs at lower elevations and near the boundaries of forests and settlements, often associated with shifting cultivation by local farmers. This study adopts a process-based modelling approach, specifically the agent-based model, to simulate land changes, particularly farmers' expansion of agricultural land around the Mutis mountain forest. The underlying concept of this agent-based approach is the interaction between the human and environmental systems. Farmers, representing the human system, interact with the land, which represents the environmental system, through land use decision-making mechanisms. The research was conducted in the Community Forest of the Timor Tengah Utara District, one of the sites within the Mutis-Timau Forest Complex with the highest deforestation rate. Land use change simulations were performed using agent-based modelling from 1999 to 2030, considering the socio-economic conditions of farmers, spatial preferences, land use decisions, and natural transitions. The results revealed that the agricultural area increased by 14% under the Business as Usual scenario and 5% under the Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation scenario, compared to the initial agricultural area of 245 hectares. The probability of farmers deciding to extend agricultural activities was positively associated with the number of livestock maintained by farmers and the size of the village area. Conversely, the likelihood of farmers opting for agricultural extensification decreased with an increase in the area of private land and the farmer's age. These findings are crucial for the managers of the Mutis-Timau Forest Complex and other relevant stakeholders, as they aid in arranging actions to combat deforestation, designing proper forest-related policies, and providing support for initiatives such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation programs or further incentive schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microarthropods play a crucial role in agricultural ecosystems and are necessary for the upkeep of fertile and productive soils. Limited knowledge exists regarding the composition of soil microarthropod communities in changing agricultural and impervious land use systems. Hence, we conducted a comparative analysis of the soil microarthropod diversity in shifting cultivation and impervious land areas, as well as the surrounding natural forest ecosystem in Aizawl, Mizoram, northeast India. Additionally, we evaluated the influence of shifting cultivation and impervious land use regimes on the diversity of these microarthropods. The investigation was done between 2022 and 2023. Soil and litter samples (n=50) were gathered from three distinct land use systems. The soil microarthropods were extracted using the Berlese funnel method. Microarthropod taxa were identified down to the most specific taxonomic level feasible. The variety of soil microarthropods was significantly affected by the practice of shifting cultivation and in the impervious land areas, in comparison to the natural forest system. The soil chemical profiles were notably altered in the shifting agriculture and impermeable land use systems, indicating their detrimental effects on soil microarthropod diversity. This study presented the startling information on the diversity of soil microarthropods and their relationship with the land-use systems in Mizoram, a region in northeast India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land management can moderate or intensify the impacts of a warming atmosphere. Since the early 1980s, nearly 116,000 km2 of cropland that was once held in fallow during the summer is now planted in the northern North American Great Plains. To simulate the impacts of this substantial land cover change on regional climate processes, convection‐permitting model experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting model were performed to simulate modern and historical amounts of summer fallow. The control simulation was extensively validated using multiple observational data products as well as eddy covariance tower observations. Results of these simulations show that the transition from summer fallow to modern land cover led to ∼1.5°C cooler temperatures and decreased vapor pressure deficit by ∼0.15 kPa during the growing season across the study region, which is consistent with observed cooling trends. The cooler and wetter land surface with vegetation led to a shallower planetary boundary layer and lower lifted condensation level, creating conditions more conducive to convective cloud formation and precipitation. Our model simulations however show little widespread evidence of land surface changes effects on precipitation. The observed precipitation increase in this region is more likely related to increased moisture transport by way of the Great Plains Low Level Jet as revealed by the ERA5 reanalysis. Our results demonstrate that land cover change is consistent with observed regional cooling in the northern North American Great Plains but changes in precipitation cannot be explained by land management alone. Plain Language Summary: The northern part of the North American Great Plains have seen a globally‐unique early season climate cooling over the past five decades, with a corresponding increase in precipitation. This cooling and moistening trend has coincided with a large‐scale decrease in the practice of leaving fields bare ("fallow") during the growing season that was recommended in the early twentieth century to help conserve water for subsequent crops. Fallow fields can become quite hot in the absence of cooling from plant transpiration, and add less moisture to the atmosphere that can help contribute to rainfall. Cooler and moister air that arises from planted fields can make precipitation more likely, but is this the cause of observed climate trends in the northern Plains? We ran the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with historical and modern expanses of fallow on the land surface. Model results are consistent with observed early growing season climate cooling but do not predict substantial changes in precipitation, which instead are more consistent with additional moisture transport from the southern border of our study region. Key Points: Early growing season cooling in the northern North American Great Plains is consistent with summer fallow reductionWeather Research and Forecasting model predictions indicate that fallow reduction does not explain increases in precipitationIncreased moisture transport from the Great Plains Low Level Jet is consistent with observed increases in precipitation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather events have led to widespread yield losses and significant global economic damage in recent decades. African agriculture is particularly vulnerable due to its harsh environments and limited adaptation capacity. This systematic review analyzes 96 articles from Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, focusing on biophysical studies related to maize in Africa and worldwide. We investigated the observed and projected extreme weather events in Africa, their impacts on maize production, and the approaches used to assess these effects. Our analysis reveals that drought, heatwaves, and floods are major threats to African maize production, impacting yields, suitable cultivation areas, and farmers' livelihoods. While studies have employed various methods, including field experiments, statistical models, and process-based modeling, African research is often limited by data gaps and technological constraints. We identify three main gaps: (i) lack of reliable long-term experimental and empirical data, (ii) limited access to advanced climate change adaptation technologies, and (iii) insufficient knowledge about specific extreme weather patterns and their interactions with management regimes. This review highlights the urgent need for targeted research in Africa to improve understanding of extreme weather impacts and formulate effective adaptation strategies. We advocate for focused research on data collection, technology transfer, and integration of local knowledge with new technologies to bolster maize resilience and food security in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The dynamics of the soil bacterial communities in rotational shifting cultivation fields were investigated. A six-year interval of fallow years did not result in any differences in the soil bacterial communities. A recovery in the abundance of the soil bacterial communities was observed during the rainy season. An increase in bacterial richness occurred during the year after a burn. After one year, the diversity of the bacterial communities reverted to pre-burning levels. Fire is a common practice in rotational shifting cultivation (RSC), but little is known about the dynamics of bacterial populations and the impact of fire disturbance in northern Thailand. To fill the research gap, this study aims to investigate the dynamics of soil bacterial communities and examine how the soil's physicochemical properties influence the bacterial communities in RSC fields over a period of one year following a fire. Surface soil samples (0–2 cm depth) were collected from sites with 6 (RSC-6Y) and 12 (RSC-12Y) years of fallow in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand at six different time points: before burning, 5 min after burning (summer), 3 months after burning (rainy season), 6 months after burning (rainy season), 9 months after burning (winter), and 12 months after burning (summer). The results revealed a reduction in the soil bacterial communities' diversity and an increase in soil nutrient levels immediately after the fire. The fire significantly influenced the abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes, but not that of Actinobacteria. At the genus level, Bacillus, Conexibacter, and Chthoniobacter showed increased abundance following the fire. During the rainy season, a recovery in the abundance of the soil bacterial communities was observed, although soil nutrient availability declined. Soil physicochemical properties such as pH, organic matter, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, nitrate-nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, total nitrogen, bulk density, sand, and silt contents significantly influenced the composition of bacterial communities. Alpha diversity indices indicated a decrease in diversity immediately after burning, followed by an increase from the early rainy season until the summer season, indicating that seasonal variation affected the composition of the soil bacterial communities. After one year of burning, an increase in bacterial richness was observed, while the diversity of the bacterial communities reverted to pre-burning levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ketosis is currently regarded as a major metabolic disorder of dairy cows, reflective of the animal's efforts to adapt to energy deficit while transitioning into lactation. Currently viewed as a pathology by some, ketosis is associatively implicated in milk production losses and peripartal health complications that increase the risk of early removal of cows from the herd, thus carrying economic losses for dairy farmers and jeopardizing the sustainability of the dairy industry. Despite decades of intense research in the mitigation of ketosis and its sequelae, our ability to lessen its purported effects remains limited. Moreover, the association of ketosis to reduced milk production and peripartal disease is often erratic and likely mired by concurrent potential confounders. In this review, we discuss the potential reasons for these apparent paradoxes in the light of currently available evidence, with a focus on the limitations of observational research and the necessary steps to unambiguously identify the effects of ketosis on cow health and performance via controlled randomized experimentation. A nuanced perspective is proposed that considers the dissociation of ketosis—as a disease—from healthy hyperketonemia. Furthermore, in consideration of a growing body of evidence that highlights positive roles of ketones in the mitigation of metabolic dysfunction and chronic diseases, we consider the hypothetical functions of ketones as health-promoting metabolites and ponder on their potential usefulness to enhance dairy cow health and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting cultivation (Jhum) continues to be a dominant mode of food production in Northeast India, including the district of Wokha, Nagaland. Assessing how changes in shifting cultivation impact social, economic, and cultural advances is crucial for understanding the impact of modernization and development on traditional agricultural practices. Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change is essential for creating policies to ensure the food security of the growing population in Wokha, especially for managing the usage and management of water assets in the region. We assess changes in LULC and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over the last few decades in the Wokha district of Nagaland, India, using the Landsat images for 1993, 2003, 2013, and 2022. In order to detect LULC changes, we apply Supervised Classification using the Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) technique in ERDAS Imagine by classifying six major LULC types: Forest, Waterbodies, Built-up Areas, Barren Land, Cropland, and Grassland. Our results reveal that the Forests were reduced from 74.23% in 1993 before the construction of Doyang Dam to 66.28% in 2022 post dam construction, whereas Grassland significantly increased from 16.12% in 1993 to 26.56% in 2022. At the same time Built-up Areas, Barren Land, and Waterbodies also increased between 1993 and 2022. In NDVI analysis, high vegetation has significantly decreased from 26.94% in 1993 to 18.26% in 2022. At the same time, low vegetation has increased from 5.73% in 1993 to 13.43% in 2022. Our observations of alterations in LULC and Vegetation Mapping can provide the government and policymakers with valuable data for the formulation of effective policies focussing on land management development for Wokha district from a financial perspective that can enhance district-level engagement and increase both the quality and quantity of agricultural output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly all plants and their organs are inhabited by endophytic microbes which play a crucial role in plant fitness and stress resilience. Harnessing endophytic services can provide effective solutions for a sustainable increase in agriculture productivity and can be used as a complement or alternative to agrochemicals. Shifting agriculture practices toward the use of nature-based solutions can contribute directly to the global challenges of food security and environmental sustainability. However, microbial inoculants have been used in agriculture for several decades with inconsistent efficacy. Key reasons of this inconsistent efficacy are linked to competition with indigenous soil microflora and inability to colonize plants. Endophytic microbes provide solutions to both of these issues which potentially make them better candidates for microbial inoculants. This article outlines the current advancements in endophytic research with special focus on endophytic bacilli. A better understanding of diverse mechanisms of disease control by bacilli is essential to achieve maximum biocontrol efficacy against multiple phytopathogens. Furthermore, we argue that integration of emerging technologies with strong theoretical frameworks have the potential to revolutionize biocontrol approaches based on endophytic microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tropical landscapes have experienced the loss of traditional cultivation practices as they have transitioned to other land use systems.The Tanintharyi Region of southern Myanmar is a landscape experiencing a rapid land use regime shift from traditional subsistence farming to permanent cash crop agriculture. Despite previous research in this region on the expansion of large‐scale agribusiness, such as oil palm and rubber plantations, little is known about how the small‐scale shifting cultivation system practiced by the local Karen ethnic people in Tanintharyi has changed over recent decades or the underlying reasons for this transition.Our study explores this transition process and its drivers from a social and land system change perspective in four villages of Bokpyin Township in Tanintharyi. We investigated the drivers of land cover and land use change by collecting information through focus groups and individual interviews with community members who previously practised shifting cultivation. We also quantified the overall change in land cover and land use through remote sensing analysis of Landsat 8 (2020) and declassified KH‐9 satellite imagery (1976).Prior to a period of civil war in the 1980s, cultivators used a traditional 'slash‐and‐burn' agricultural system for subsistence use. The present land use system is dominated by permanent betel nut cultivation, which represents the primary income source for farming households. The reported drivers of the transition to cash crop farming are greater income potential and livelihood security, risk of losing fallow land due to the needs for new cultivation areas for in‐migration and new centralized land use policies and administration after the national ceasefire agreement in 2012. The documented change in land use systems has been paired with a concurrent net loss of forest that, given the conflicted governance within the landscape, seems likely to continue without additional land use planning efforts.Our study contributes to an increased understanding of changes in shifting cultivation systems that are being documented globally. Furthermore, our example of combining qualitative interviews with analysis of historical satellite imagery to detect and explain land use regime shifts can serve as a model for future work in different landscapes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]