The Influence of Manure Application on Soil Health and Agricultural Ecosystem: A Review Focusing on China

Authors

  • Yumei Shan

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
  • Ru Ya

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010010, China
  • Jianxin Wu

    Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Forestry and Grassland Station, Hohhot 010010, China
  • Baolin Wang

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
  • Chao Wen

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
  • Jiaqi Cui

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010010, China
  • Shuyan Fan

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010010, China
  • Haijun Chen

    Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010010, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.12818
Received: 25 November 2025 | Revised: 26 March 2026 | Accepted: 31 March 2026 | Published Online: 6 July 2026

Abstract

Manure is essential for integrating crop and livestock systems, but intensive farming has led to a mismatch between massive manure output and its proper use. In China, about 4 billion tons are produced yearly, and raw manure application remains common, posing risks like disease transmission, root damage, soil pollution (e.g., heavy metals, antibiotics), and greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, well-composted manure improves nutrient supply and soil health while mitigating these risks. This review systematically compares raw and composted manure, analyzing their impacts on soil, water, and air within China’s policy framework (e.g., "Action Plan for Livestock Waste Utilization") and technical standards (e.g., GB/T 25246-2025). while delving into scientific evaluation methods for manure, efficient decomposition processes (including loose stacking, compact stacking, alternating loose-compact stacking, and enhancement techniques such as adding composite microbial agents and biochar), as well as safe application strategies. Key findings indicate that, compared to untreated manure, decomposed manure can increase nitrogen utilization efficiency by 47%, significantly boost soil organic matter (ranging from 122.5% to 354.8%) and humic acid content, and elevate the Shannon–Wiener diversity index of soil microbial communities to 5.6–6.0. Through the adoption of innovative processes such as the "1-Hour Nano-Composting Technology," the decomposition cycle can be substantially shortened, while effectively immobilizing or degrading emerging pollutants such as antibiotics and heavy metals. This paper aims to provide theoretical foundations and practical guidance for promoting the safe and efficient resource utilization of manure.

Keywords:

Uncomposted Manure; Composted Manure; Soil Environment; Safety Assessment; Compost Maturity; Resource Utilization

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How to Cite

Shan, Y., Ya, R., Wu, J., Wang, B., Wen, C., Cui, J., Fan, S., & Chen, H. (2026). The Influence of Manure Application on Soil Health and Agricultural Ecosystem: A Review Focusing on China. Research in Ecology, 8(4), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.12818

Issue

Vol.8, Iss.4 (August 2026): In Progress

Article Type

Review

License

Copyright © 2026 Yumei Shan, Ru Ya, Jianxin Wu, Chao Wen, Jiaqi Cui, Shuyan Fan, Haijun Chen

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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