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Cited by 532Soil Management and Crop YieldSoil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsAgricultural Science and Fertilization

Liming impacts on soils, crops and biodiversity in the UK: a review

Holland, J.E., Bennett, A.E., Newton, A.C., White, P.J., McKenzie, B.M., George, T.S., Pakeman, R.J., Bailey, J.S. +2 more·2018·Science of The Total Environment
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.020
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Abstract

Fertile soil is fundamental to our ability to achieve food security, but problems with soil degradation (such as acidification) are exacerbated by poor management. Consequently, there is a need to better understand management approaches that deliver multiple ecosystem services from agricultural land. There is global interest in sustainable soil management including the re-evaluation of existing management practices. Liming is a long established practice to ameliorate acidic soils and many liming-induced changes are well understood. For instance, short-term liming impacts are detected on soil biota and in soil biological processes (such as in N cycling where liming can increase N availability for plant uptake). The impacts of liming on soil carbon storage are variable and strongly relate to soil type, land use, climate and multiple management factors. Liming influences all elements in soils and as such there are numerous simultaneous changes to soil processes which in turn affect the plant nutrient uptake; two examples of positive impact for crops are increased P availability and decreased uptake of toxic heavy metals. Soil physical conditions are at least maintained or improved by liming, but the time taken to detect change varies significantly. Arable crops differ in their sensitivity to soil pH and for most crops there is a positive yield response. Liming also introduces implications for the development of different crop diseases and liming management is adjusted according to crop type within a given rotation. Repeated lime applications tend to improve grassland biomass production, although grassland response is variable and indirect as it relates to changes in nutrient availability. Other indicators of liming response in grassland are detected in mineral content and herbage quality which have implications for livestock-based production systems. Ecological studies have shown positive impacts of liming on biodiversity; such as increased earthworm abundance that provides habitat for wading birds in upland grasslands. Finally, understanding of liming impacts on soil and crop processes are explored together with functional aspects (in terms of ecosystems services) in a new qualitative framework that includes consideration of how liming impacts change with time. This holistic approach provides insights into the far-reaching impacts that liming has on ecosystems and the potential for liming to enhance the multiple benefits from agriculturally managed land. Recommendations are given for future research on the impact of liming and the implications for ecosystem services.

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  • Several liming materials, such as carbonates, oxides, and hydroxides of Ca and Mg, have been used to immobilize PTEs with varying degrees of success.

    “Several liming materials, such as carbonates, oxides, and hydroxides of Ca and Mg and many others, have been used to immobilize PTEs with varying degrees of success (Bolan et al., 2003f;Holland et al., 2018).”

    From Soil amendments for immobilization of potentially toxic elements in contaminated soils: A critical review (2020) · cites this paper as Holland et al., 2018

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Authors
Holland, J. E., Bennett, A. E., Newton, A. C., White, P. J., McKenzie, B. M., George, T. S., Pakeman, R. J., Bailey, J. S., Fornara, D. A., & Hayes, R. C.
Affiliations
  • James Hutton Institute (GB)
  • Agri Food and Biosciences Institute (GB)
  • New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (AU)
Corresponding author
Holland, J.E.
ORCID
Venue
Science of The Total Environment
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-01
Volume
610-611
Pages
316-332
ISSN
0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.020
OpenAlex
W2743423301
Cited by
532
References
192
Citations by year
2026: 51 · 2025: 85 · 2024: 77 · 2023: 78 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 2
FWCI
2.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Agricultural Science and Fertilization
Keywords
liming, soil acidification, soil pH, soil carbon storage, nitrogen cycling, phosphorus availability, heavy metal uptake, crop yield response, crop diseases, grassland biomass, herbage quality, earthworm abundance, wading birds, ecosystem services, sustainable soil management, soil organisms, British agriculture
MeSH terms
Agriculture, Animals, Calcium Carbonate, Fertilizers, United Kingdom, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Soil, Ecosystem, Crops, Agricultural, Biodiversity, Carbon Sequestration, Nitrogen Cycle

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