Author
Mark E. Caulfield
Other affiliations: Colorado State University, International Livestock Research Institute
Bio: Mark E. Caulfield is an academic researcher from Wageningen University and Research Centre. The author has contributed to research in topics: Land degradation & Farm income. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 7 publications receiving 151 citations. Previous affiliations of Mark E. Caulfield include Colorado State University & International Livestock Research Institute.
Papers
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Leipzig University1, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg2, Universidade Positivo3, University of Vigo4, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária5, ETH Zurich6, Moscow State University7, University of Freiburg8, University of Jena9, University of Catania10, Wageningen University and Research Centre11, Free University of Berlin12, Senckenberg Museum13, Colorado State University14, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization15, University of Nairobi16, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation17, National Scientific and Technical Research Council18, Brandenburg University of Technology19, Cornell University20, University College Dublin21, United States Forest Service22, University of Toronto23, Aberystwyth University24, State University of New York at Cortland25, National University of Luján26, University of Trier27, University of the Philippines Mindanao28, Razi University29, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek30, Kyushu University31, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency32, Aarhus University33, Northern Kentucky University34, Lincoln University (Missouri)35, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad36, Fukushima University37, Matej Bel University38, Lancaster University39, Université d'Abobo-Adjamé40, Tarbiat Modares University41, Pachhunga University College42, University of São Paulo43, University of Hawaii at Hilo44, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources45, Oklahoma State University–Stillwater46, Forest Research Institute47, University of Extremadura48, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven49, Research Institute for Nature and Forest50, Natural Resources Institute Finland51, University of Alcalá52, King Abdulaziz University53, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology54, University of Minnesota55, Federal University of Maranhão56, Jagiellonian University57, Technical University of Berlin58, University of Wisconsin-Madison59, Leibniz Association60, Braunschweig University of Technology61, University of Innsbruck62, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics63, Russian Academy of Sciences64, Khalsa College, Amritsar65, University of La Laguna66, Kōchi University67, Universidad Pública de Navarra68, McGill University69, The Nature Conservancy70, University of Giessen71, Henan University72, University of Saint Mary73
TL;DR: It was found that local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms, which suggest that climate change may have serious implications for earthworm communities and for the functions they provide.
Abstract: Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, their distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as a basis for predicting patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass. We found that local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms. However, high species dissimilarity across tropical locations may cause diversity across the entirety of the tropics to be higher than elsewhere. Climate variables were found to be more important in shaping earthworm communities than soil properties or habitat cover. These findings suggest that climate change may have serious implications for earthworm communities and for the functions they provide.
223 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors employed household surveys and semi-structured interviews to generate a small, but detailed and relatively complete set of data (43 out of a total of 57 households) from a rural indigenous Kichwa community in the Andean highlands of Ecuador.
52 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored locally developed options for hedgerows that address water erosion and nutrient depletion in the Andes poses serious existential threats to small-scale farming, and they concluded that although hedgers are unlikely to produce sufficient quantities of organic resources to satisfy all nutrient input requirements, their potential to decrease erosion and supplement existing organic matter inputs indicates that they should be strongly considered as an option for improved agricultural management within this and similar resource constrained contexts.
Abstract: Land degradation caused by erosion and nutrient depletion in the Andes poses serious existential threats to small-scale farming. Although the potential of hedgerows to decrease water erosion is well recognised, their potential dual-use as a source of organic amendments to supplement farmer inputs is much less studied. The objective of this investigation was therefore to explore locally developed options for hedgerows that address these twin challenges. Experimental plots were installed to assess water erosion control by hedgerows and the effect of organic amendments harvested from the hedgerows on soil productivity, soil moisture, and soil fertility over the course of 2 years and three crop cycles (two of barley and one of rye). The experiment was conducted in two sites within the community at distinct elevations and associated biophysical contexts. At each site, four treatments were established, comparing a control treatment versus three types of hedgerows: (a) Andean alder, (b) canary grass strips, and (c) mixed canary grass and Andean alder. Results demonstrated that hedgerows and associated organic inputs comprised canary grass, and mixed canary grass and Andean alder reduced water erosion by 50-60% and increased biomass production by up to 1.1 Mg ha(-1) and grain yield by up to 0.5 Mg ha(-1). We conclude that although hedgerows are unlikely to produce sufficient quantities of organic resources to satisfy all nutrient input requirements, their potential to decrease erosion and supplement existing organic matter inputs indicates that they should be strongly considered as an option for improved agricultural management within this and similar resource constrained contexts.
9 citations
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19 Aug 2021
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how off-farm income influences rural livelihoods, elucidate factors that determine different livelihood strategies, as well as understand how these livelihood strategies are associated with different approaches to farm management.
Abstract: Rural households across the world are increasingly turning to off-farm sources of income to complement or replace farm income. A better understanding of these livelihood adaptations, their consequences, and the processes behind them will facilitate more effective rural development policies and projects. The objective of this research was to examine how off-farm income influences rural livelihoods, elucidate factors that determine different livelihood strategies, as well as understand how these livelihood strategies are associated with different approaches to farm management. Using data from 588 Rural Household Multi-Indicator Surveys (RHoMIS) in three rural Andean regions in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, we identified a typology of farming household livelihood strategies, and assessed the differences among these household types with regard to household and farm level characteristics, and farm management. We found that among the household types that incorporated off-farm income into their livelihood strategies, there were significant differences in approaches to farm management. Specifically, we observed an increased use of industrialized farming techniques among one household type, a deintensification, or a stepping-out of farming activities in another household type, and a tendency toward livestock specialization in the other household type. Moreover, our findings revealed that household level characteristics (age and education level of head(s) of household, and household composition) played an important role in mediating which type of livelihood strategy the households employed. For example, “stepping-out” households generally had younger and more educated household heads. Location-specific factors such as access to markets, irrigation, and off-farm employment opportunities were also likely to be highly influential in terms of which pathways farming households adopted as their livelihood strategy. We conclude that rural development programmes and projects must be driven by the rural communities themselves taking into account this heterogeneity in household characteristics and livelihoods and engaging in the already advanced conversations around different approaches to farming and the conservation of common natural resources.
8 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify biophysical patterns in soil properties, biodiversity, and C stocks that emerge from natural landscape pedogenic processes, resulting from elevation-induced climate gradients, erosion and soil textural patterns.
Abstract: A poor understanding of the interactions between biophysical and social elements within rural mountainous landscapes can lead to suboptimal management and recommendations. The objective of this study was to contribute to more contextualized natural resource management in a rural landscape in the Ecuadorian Andes by (1) identifying biophysical patterns in soil properties, biodiversity, and C stocks that emerge from natural landscape pedogenic processes, resulting from elevation-induced climate gradients, erosion and soil textural patterns, and (2) assessing farm management and land-use effects on and their interactions with these biophysical patterns. Our findings revealed that the climate and soil texture gradients within the landscape led to an exponential increase in SOC with elevation moderated by slope gradient, indicating significant erosion processes. Farmers adapted their farm management according to the observed environmental patterns creating three distinct management zones. Differentiated agricultural management in these zones and asymmetrical distribution of land-uses in turn were observed to significantly influence soil and agroecosystem properties. For example, available P was found to be significantly higher in the upper and middle agricultural management zones (24.0 and 28.7 mg/kg, respectively), where agricultural inputs were higher compared to the lower agricultural management zone (8.9 mg/kg, P
7 citations
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01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: The GMTED2010 layer extents (minimum and maximum latitude and longitude) are a result of the coordinate system inherited from the 1-arcsecond SRTM.
Abstract: For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. 10. Diagram showing the GMTED2010 layer extents (minimum and maximum latitude and longitude) are a result of the coordinate system inherited from the 1-arc-second SRTM
802 citations
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Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg1, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ2, Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen3, Leipzig University4, Free University of Berlin5, University of Alicante6, King Juan Carlos University7, Braunschweig University of Technology8, University of Jena9, University of Manchester10, Saint Mary's University11, University of Pretoria12, Austral University of Chile13, University of Sydney14, Colorado State University15
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe.
Abstract: Soils harbor a substantial fraction of the world's biodiversity, contributing to many crucial ecosystem functions. It is thus essential to identify general macroecological patterns related to the distribution and functioning of soil organisms to support their conservation and consideration by governance. These macroecological analyses need to represent the diversity of environmental conditions that can be found worldwide. Here we identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe. These data gaps include important spatial, environmental, taxonomic, and functional gaps, and an almost complete absence of temporally explicit data. We also identify the limitations of soil macroecological studies to explore general patterns in soil biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with only 0.3% of all sampling sites having both information about biodiversity and function, although with different taxonomic groups and functions at each site. Based on this information, we provide clear priorities to support and expand soil macroecological research.
160 citations
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22 Jun 2020
TL;DR: Soil is an ecosystem with a myriad of interconnected parts, each influencing the other, and when all necessary parts are present and functioning (i.e., the soil is healthy), human health also benefits.
Abstract: Soil influences human health in a variety of ways, with human health being linked to the health of the soil. Historically, emphasis has been placed on the negative impacts that soils have on human health, including exposures to toxins and pathogenic organisms or the problems created by growing crops in nutrient-deficient soils. However, there are a number of positive ways that soils enhance human health, from food production and nutrient supply to the supply of medications and enhancement of the immune system. It is increasingly recognized that the soil is an ecosystem with a myriad of interconnected parts, each influencing the other, and when all necessary parts are present and functioning (ie, the soil is healthy), human health also benefits. Despite the advances that have been made, there are still many areas that need additional investigation. We do not have a good understanding of how chemical mixtures in the environment influence human health, and chemical mixtures in soil are the rule, not the exception. We also have sparse information on how most chemicals react within the chemically and biologically active soil ecosystem, and what those reactions mean for human health. There is a need to better integrate soil ecology and agronomic crop production with human health, food/nutrition science, and genetics to enhance bacterial and fungal sequencing capabilities, metagenomics, and the subsequent analysis and interpretation. While considerable work has focused on soil microbiology, the macroorganisms have received much less attention regarding links to human health and need considerable attention. Finally, there is a pressing need to effectively communicate soil and human health connections to our broader society, as people cannot act on information they do not have. Multidisciplinary teams of researchers, including scientists, social scientists, and others, will be essential to move all these issues forward.
127 citations
01 Jan 1964
TL;DR: In this article, a modified version of the Kjeldahl method was used for the determination of nitrogen in organic matter after the Kjøldahl digestion, and the catalysts including copper, selenium or mercury, which often interfere with the end point of oxidation-reduction titration, were removed by adding zinc granules.
Abstract: A modified oxidation-reduction titration method for the determination of nitrogen in organic matter after Kjeldahl digestion is described The catalysts including copper, selenium or mercury, which often interfere with the end point of oxidation-reduction titration, were removed by addition of zinc granules
96 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper , the authors reviewed 244 articles published between January 2003 and July 2021 and then summarised the progress in broad-scale (spatial extent > 10,000 km2) DSM, focusing on the 12 mandatory soil properties for GlobalSoilMap.
92 citations