Climate-smart agroecological practices for reducing soil degradation and GHG emissions in temperate farming systems: Evidence from Heilongjiang Province

Climate change, soil degradation and intensive agricultural development jointly threaten the long-term productivity of temperate farming systems. Heilongjiang Province, a key grain-producing region of China with extensive black soils, has experienced soil organic matter losses, erosion and increasing greenhouse gas emissions from rapid mechanization and input-intensive monocultures. This article evaluates how climate-smart agroecological practices can simultaneously improve soil condition and reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity in representative farming systems of Heilongjiang Province. The analysis combines multi-year plot-level measurements of soil physical properties with farm records on crop yields, fertilizer use, residue management and fuel consumption. The dataset covers representative black-soil farming systems in Heilongjiang Province and compares conventional intensive management with agroecological practice bundles. Results show that conservation tillage, residue retention, cover crops, organic nutrient management and integrated crop–livestock systems significantly increase soil organic carbon, reduce erosion risk and lower greenhouse gas emission intensity per unit of output. The findings inform regional strategies for low-carbon, soil-conserving agricultural development in temperate continental climates.