Browse

Agricultural production is expected to increase in the world, which will be determined by the growing population and the rising demand for food, feed, fibre and energy. However, an increase in agricultural output could result in an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural sector. In order to avoid it, emissions have to be ?decoupled? from agricultural production, i.e. it is necessary to decrease the GHG emissions per unit of agricultural production. This is particularly important for Latvia...

The issues of rational use of land resources have become increasingly relevant, as all economies depend on the goods and services provided by the natural environment. Soils as a natural resource perform a number of key environmental, social and economic functions. In Latvia, utilised agricultural land occupies 2.3 mln. ha, yet no research investigations into organic soils have been conducted. The use of agricultural land, organic soils in particular, is associated with negative environmental impacts. Therefore, th...

Soil and its quality are the key factor that determines opportunities for agricultural production in a particular territory. However, through lasting land management practices, soil structure can be significantly modified. In the context of climate change, soils can contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions; for this reason, the techniques that contribute to sustainable land management have to be used in agricultural production. In many Central European countries, organic soils have been extensively used an...

The development of the agricultural industry and increasing demands for bio-based products adds pressure on natural resources, such as water and soil. Soil is non-renewable resource and provides many ecosystem services, namely food and biomass production, water purification, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and habitats for biodiversity. The simultaneous achievement of socio-economic and climate policy objectives is challenging and requires careful management of soils as a pivotal resource. In Latvia, the ke...