Orchard recycling improves climate change adaptation and mitigation potential of almond production systems

activity of NAG, involved in chitin degradation, that is likely due to an increase in fungal abun- dance [55]. These results suggest that incorporation of woody biomass has a notable positive effect on facilitating biologically active soils, capable of more effectively recycling and storing C and essential nutrients for plants and microbial processes. Soil TN was also higher under WOR and was correlated to increases in microbial C cycling. The relatively high quantity of TN under WOR did not however translate to significant increases in inorganic N but did significantly correlate to increases in MBN. This indicates that competition for soil N may be higher under WOR and that, while more TN is present, a Fig 5. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of soil health indicators and treatment clusters. BD, bulk density; Cmpt, compaction; Inflt, infiltration; MWD, mean weight diameter; EC, electrical conductivity; TN, total nitrogen; SOM, soil organic matter; SOC, soil organic carbon; POxC, permanganate oxidizable carbon; CB, cellulose; BG; β –glucosidase; NAG; β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229588.g005 PLOS ONE Whole orchard recycling PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229588 March 27, 2020 14 / 22