Amount of agronomical valuable structure was the highest on biofarm and varies from 42% in the depth 0 – 20 cm, 55% in 20 – 40 cm to 69% in the depth 40 – 60 cm. In comparison the traditional cultivation shows 40% in the depth of 0 – 20 cm, 31% in 20 – 40 cm and 47% in the depth of 40 – 60 cm. Amount of microaggregates shows that soil with traditional cultivation has the highest portion of such aggregates in the depth from 20 to 40 cm. All these results can be evaluated as lower aggregates stability, which is direct effect of ploughing in comparison with the soil on organic farm, which is cultivated without ploughing.Our results showed that land use connected with specialised management practices directly influence the spatial distribution as well as functioning ecology of earthworms in land. The earthworms density in soil monoliths from ecological farm recalculated per square meter shows that the amount of individuals was 249 – 246 – 7 for 5 years ecological farming, 3 years ecological farming and conventional farming respectively. Ploughing contributes to a reduction in the population size and diversity of species of earthworms, as it physically disturbs the environment of earthworms and causes mechanical damage to earthworms, especially epigeic and anecic ones. These conclusions were clearly confirmed also in our study. In organic farm, where the amount of earthworms’ individuals exceeds several times the respective number in conventional soil cultivation, the soil is not ploughed, not turned, just cultivated by spade. Concerning biomass, these results show significant positive effect of organic farming on the amount of earthworms in comparison to conventional cultivation . The biomass was the highest in 3 years ecological farming comparing with 5 years. Experimental farm Borovce Microbial activity expressed as CO2 productivity and dehydrogenase activity shows positive effect of soil saving technologies—good agricultural practices on its development . Soil saving cultivation practises increase dramatically the CO2 productivity in comparison with conventional cultivation.
The best results are in soil with mulch. Dehydrogenase activity is an accelerator of biological oxidation of organic substances in soil. It is influenced by several soil factors as soil type, pH and organic carbon. According to Mucha the dehydrogenase activity is influenced by complex of agrotechnical measures focused on increase of biological potential. This is in accordance with our findings. The dehydrogenase increases together with humus content, hydroponic bucket which can be visible from Figure 3 and Figure 4 respectively. In comparison with conventional cultivation was always higher for alternative technologies, where also the highest humus content was determined.Concerning soil moisture, the increase in it was the highest in mulch type of cultivation followed with minimum and no-till. Except the depth 0.10 – 0.20 m the mulch had higher soil moisture content in comparison with the other soil saving cultivation technologies. From the depth of 0.4 m the minimum till field had the second highest soil moisture content. It can be the reason of better soil permeability after minimum till in comparison with no-till. Soil moisture content was always the lowest in the field with conventional cultivation but this can be also influence of plants uptake as the yield was high here.The yield was not always the highest on soil with soil saving technologies applied . In case of winter wheat and corn the trend has been balanced but in case of soybean and mainly in case of spring barley the trend was declining for the yield average in soils with alternative cultivation in comparison with traditional one.Anyhow, the positive environmental effect is considerable and it is possible to expect in prolonged time also its positive effect on soil fertility as well. At present time, it is important to consider the soil cultivation not only according to yields but also according to its influence on soil properties development from long timeline and according to the principles of sustainability. Cultivation of soil without ploughing—turning the soil can have several positive effects. It influences soil aggregates stability and biodiversity—reflected as development of rich earthworms population. All these influences are complex processes including soil physical, chemical and biological regimes. Dehydrogenase activity is influenced by the presence of readily degradable organic substances but humus content as well. It reflects the level of microbiological settlement of the soil as well as the supply of soil with organic matter. It is part of the metabolism of all microorganisms.
Even if several external agents can influence it, DHA can be used as a general indicator of soil biological activity. DHA increases together with CO2 production in soil and shows positive effect of soil saving cultivation technologies. Increase of stable humus content is also complex, time demanding process. Soil as CO2 sink has an important role in climate change mitigation. The yield on the farm in Borovce shows that not always the good agricultural practises have to lead immediately to the increase of soil fertility but from environmental point of view and with respect to cultivation of soil in sustainable way are these practises a good and achievable solution.Forest is defined as an area occupied by ecosystems where the minimum density of tree cover is 10 percent, with a height of more than 3 meters, usually associated with flora and fauna, on natural soils. From a botanical point of view, a forest is a plant formation, characterized by the importance of the tree layer, but also includes shrubs, low plants, climbers and epiphytes. Many forest trees live in symbiosis with fungi and other microorganisms, and many depend on animals for the transport of pollen, seeds or propagules. From an ecological point of view, the forest is a complex and rich ecosystem, offering many habitats to many species and populations of animals, plants, fungal and microbial maintaining, for the most part, interdependence relationships. Forest degradation is defined by changes that negatively affect forest population, particularly reducing production capacity . Therefore, forest degradation is not to be confused with deforestation. Tropical ecosystems are the main source of emissions due to land-use change and the greatest uncertainty is that emissions come from African rainforests . More than 99% of the forest area in the Congo Basin area is made up of primary or regenerated as opposed to plantations. Today, these forests, like many others around the world, are being de-deeded and degraded resulting in a fragmentation of the landscape, and the consequences of which are not only for ecosystems but also for the way of life of local people are becoming increasingly critical. This loss is also one of the causes of climate change that currently threatens the survival of the human species on the planet. Deforestation and forest degradation are two phenomena that under the basis of the implementation of a new economic incentive instrument adopted at the 13th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Bali in 2006.
DRC is firmly committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is still no national consensus on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. Changes in land use, such as deforestation and forest degradation, are a major source of global carbon dioxide emissions after the burning of fossil fuels. Deforestation in Africa and mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a poorly measured phenomenon. Forest ecosystems in the Democratic Republic of Congo contain nearly half of Africa’s dense, wet tropical forests. This resource is under increasing pressure from commercial or artisanal logging, slash-and-burn itinerant agriculture, firewood harvesting, mining and urban centre expansion. Deforestation, which leads to a reduction in forest cover in favour of other land use and use, is the result of multiple causes. These causes are often controversial, and impacts, depending on local conditions, can be more or less intense depending on the area. It is also worth noting the difficulty of assessing the direct factors of deforestation, and indirect factors related to other underlying issues may be in fact responsible for deforestation. Thus, logging can be carried out according to principles of sustainable management but generate indirect effects; for example, opening forest trails can eventually lead to their permanent or itinerant use by farmers seeking land to be cleared for their livelihoods. The attribution of deforestation to direct or underlying causes can, if not taken precautions, stackable planters produce double-counting in the overall estimate of deforestation. Deforestation corresponds to a clear conversion of forest land to other uses with a reduction in forest cover to a density of less than 10 percent. Deforestation and degradation are not evenly distributed throughout the country, and it is worth noting the existence of “hot spots” of deforestation, particularly on the edge of major cities in the Savanicole strip as well as in the Bowl , in the North of the Province of Ecuador as well as in the Albertin Rift area. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the border of deforestation in Africa where 22 billion metric tons of carbons are stored in living biomass its forests and forested savannahs. Rapid deforestation here will not only lead to loss of local ecosystem services and goods, but it can also lead to significant carbon emissions. The consequences of deforestation are many. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the plundering of the forest and the clear cuts caused by the increase in logging roads and the devastation of the forest could lead to the loss of 40% of the forest cover. The three main drivers of deforestation and degradation cited by the study are agriculture commercial and food crops and the cutting of firewood . Failure to act quickly, the study asserts that around 10% of the forest land of the Democratic Republic of Congo is at risk of disappearing by 2030, and 15% – 20% by 2050. Study says deforestation is expected to reduce DRC’s forest heritage from 12 to 13 million ha by 2030.The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the largest countries in Africa, covering 2,345,409 km2 . Located straddling Ecuador, it shares nearly 9000 km of borders with nine countries . Stretching across Ecuador, the Democratic Republic of Congo enjoys a warm and humid equatorial climate all year round in the Central, and tropical in the south and north with alternating dry and rainy seasons. Rainfall is plentiful and the DRC has 52% of the continent’s total fresh water reserves. It has an extensive, dense and well-distributed water system throughout its territory. It is dominated by the Congo Basin, a 4670-m long river with a flow of 30,000 m3 per second at the mouth, making it the second largest in the world after the Amazon.
The relief of the Democratic Republic of Congo is very diverse with a large bowl to the centre and west, bordered to the east and south by high plateaus. The east of the country is dominated by a volcanic chain interspersed with lakes. Vegetation defines three major natural regions: the dense rainforest in the central basin and to the west; dry forests and savannahs in the southern part and on the northern fringe; and mountain ecosystems along the eastern border. The forest, which covers 155 million hectares of the national territory, makes the DRC one of the largest forest countries in the world, with more than half of the forest in the Congo Basin. The Democratic Republic of Congo has 155 million hectares of forests divided between 4 major ecosystems: dense rainforest, mountain forests, clear forest and forest-savannah mosaic. All Congolese forests currently sequester a carbon stock that can be estimated at 40 Gigatonnes , the equivalent of 140 Gt of potential CO2 emissions . The historical deforestation rate has fluctuated between 0.2% and 0.3% in the DRC over the last 20 years, which is relatively low compared to the global average over the same period . DRC has 19.441 million tonnes of carbon stocks in live forest biomass . The Democratic Republic of Congo has 155 million hectares of forest.