2026 Douglas L. Karlen: Plant Science and Agronomy Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Plant Science and Agronomy	90	273	255	97	90	329	40501

Research.com Recognitions

2026 - Research.com Plant Science and Agronomy in United States Leader Award
2002 - Soil Science Applied Research Award, American Society of Agronomy
2001 - Carl Sprengel Agronomic Research Award, American Society of Agronomy
2001 - Werner L. Nelson Award for Diagnosis of Yield-Limiting Factors, American Society of Agronomy
1996 - Agronomic Achievement Award-Soils, American Society of Agronomy
1994 - Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Overview

What is he best known for?

The fields of study he is best known for:

Agriculture
Ecology
Agronomy

His scientific interests lie mostly in Agronomy, Soil quality, Soil water, Soil management and Crop rotation. His Agronomy research integrates issues from Soil organic matter and No-till farming. Douglas L. Karlen has included themes like Scale, Soil health, Land use and Environmental planning in his Soil quality study.

His Soil water study is related to the wider topic of Soil science. The concepts of his Soil management study are interwoven with issues in Soil test and Soil functions. His study in Crop rotation is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing from both Cropping system and Environmental engineering.

His most cited work include:

FIELD-SCALE VARIABILITY OF SOIL PROPERTIES IN CENTRAL IOWA SOILS (2358 citations)
Soil Quality: A Concept, Definition, and Framework for Evaluation (A Guest Editorial) (1321 citations)
Impact of biochar amendments on the quality of a typical Midwestern agricultural soil (764 citations)

What are the main themes of his work throughout his whole career to date?

Douglas L. Karlen mainly investigates Agronomy, Tillage, Soil quality, Soil water and Soil management. His work on Agronomy is being expanded to include thematically relevant topics such as Corn stover. His Tillage study incorporates themes from Cover crop, No-till farming, Loam and Bulk density.

His research on Soil quality also deals with topics like

Soil organic matter that connect with fields like Soil structure,
Agroforestry which is related to area like Soil conservation. His Soil water study is focused on Soil science in general. His research in Soil management intersects with topics in Soil health and Soil functions.

He most often published in these fields:

Agronomy (58.87%)
Tillage (25.81%)
Soil quality (24.60%)

What were the highlights of his more recent work (between 2016-2021)?

Agronomy (58.87%)
Soil health (11.29%)
Tillage (25.81%)

In recent papers he was focusing on the following fields of study:

Douglas L. Karlen mostly deals with Agronomy, Soil health, Tillage, Soil carbon and Soil water. Douglas L. Karlen interconnects Soil structure, No-till farming, Corn stover and Soil quality in the investigation of issues within Agronomy. His work carried out in the field of Soil health brings together such families of science as Soil management, Agricultural engineering and Manure.

His biological study spans a wide range of topics, including Soil type, Bulk density, Crop rotation, Topsoil and Cropping system. His Soil water research incorporates themes from Water quality, Nutrient and Crop production. His Crop residue research is multidisciplinary, incorporating perspectives in Soil organic matter and Stover.

Between 2016 and 2021, his most popular works were:

Crop Residue Management Challenges: A Special Issue Overview (90 citations)
Soil Health Assessment: Past Accomplishments, Current Activities, and Future Opportunities (34 citations)
Topographic metric predictions of soil redistribution and organic carbon in Iowa cropland fields (26 citations)

In his most recent research, the most cited papers focused on:

Agriculture
Ecology
Agronomy

His primary areas of study are Agronomy, Soil health, Tillage, Soil carbon and Soil quality. Douglas L. Karlen combines subjects such as Soil structure and Ultisol with his study of Agronomy. The Soil health study combines topics in areas such as Crop yield and Environmental planning.

His Tillage study integrates concerns from other disciplines, such as Soil type, Cover crop, Crop rotation, Topsoil and Cropping system. His work deals with themes such as Soil organic matter, Crop residue, Erosion and Corn stover, which intersect with Soil carbon. His studies deal with areas such as Technical support, Natural resource and Soil retrogression and degradation as well as Soil quality.

Best Publications

FIELD-SCALE VARIABILITY OF SOIL PROPERTIES IN CENTRAL IOWA SOILS

C. A. Cambardella;T. B. Moorman;T. B. Parkin;D. L. Karlen

5854
Citations
Soil Quality: A Concept, Definition, and Framework for Evaluation (A Guest Editorial)

D. L. Karlen;M. J. Mausbach;J. W. Doran;R. G. Cline

2605
Citations
Impact of biochar amendments on the quality of a typical Midwestern agricultural soil

David A. Laird;Pierce Fleming;Dedrick D. Davis;Robert Horton

1794
Citations
Biochar impact on nutrient leaching from a Midwestern agricultural soil.

David Laird;Pierce Fleming;Baiqun Wang;Robert Horton

1600
Citations
A comparison of soil quality indexing methods for vegetable production systems in Northern California

S.S. Andrews;D.L. Karlen;J.P. Mitchell

1535
Citations
The Soil Management Assessment Framework

Susan S. Andrews;Douglas L. Karlen;Cynthia A. Cambardella

1472
Citations
Nitrogen Management Strategies to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Tile-Drained Midwestern Soils

Dana L. Dinnes;Douglas L. Karlen;Dan B. Jaynes;Thomas C. Kaspar

1307
Citations
Soil quality: why and how?

Douglas L. Karlen;Craig A. Ditzler;Susan S. Andrews

841
Citations
Corn Stover to Sustain Soil Organic Carbon Further Constrains Biomass Supply

W. W. Wilhelm;Jane M. F. Johnson;Douglas L. Karlen;David T. Lightle

747
Citations
Crop rotations for the 21st century

D. L. Karlen;G. E. Varvel;Donald Bullock;R. M. Cruse

700
Citations
Identification of regional soil quality factors and indicators : I. Central and Southern High Plains

John J. Brejda;Thomas B. Moorman;Douglas L. Karlen;Thanh H. Dao

647
Citations
Soil quality: Current concepts and applications

D.L. Karlen;S.S. Andrews;J.W. Doran

587
Citations
On-Farm Assessment of Soil Quality in California's Central Valley

Susan S. Andrews;Jeffrey P. Mitchell;Roberto Mancinelli;Douglas L. Karlen

575
Citations
Nitrate Loss in Subsurface Drainage as Affected by Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate

D.B. Jaynes;T.S. Colvin;D.L. Karlen;C.A. Cambardella

522
Citations
Understanding and Enhancing Soil Biological Health: The Solution for Reversing Soil Degradation

R. Michael Lehman;Cynthia A. Cambardella;Diane E. Stott;Veronica Acosta-Martinez

466
Citations
Crop Rotation Effects on Soil Quality at Three Northern Corn/Soybean Belt Locations

Douglas L. Karlen;Eric G. Hurley;Susan S. Andrews;Cynthia A. Cambardella

446
Citations
Long-term tillage effects on soil quality

Unknown

396
Citations
Evaluation of β-Glucosidase Activity as a Soil Quality Indicator for the Soil Management Assessment Framework

D. E. Stott;S. S. Andrews;M. A. Liebig;Brian J. Wienhold

337
Citations
Spatial Analysis of Soil Fertility Parameters

C. A. Cambardella;D. L. Karlen

324
Citations
Soil Health Assessment: Past Accomplishments, Current Activities, and Future Opportunities

Douglas L. Karlen;Kristen S. Veum;Kenneth A Sudduth;John F. Obrycki

310
Citations
Water Quality in Walnut Creek Watershed: Nitrate-Nitrogen in Soils, Subsurface Drainage Water, and Shallow Groundwater

C. A. Cambardella;T. B. Moorman;D. B. Jaynes;J. L. Hatfield

268
Citations
Aerial Accumulation and Partitioning of Nutrients by Corn

D. L. Karlen;R. L. Flannery;E. J. Sadler

267
Citations
Biological soil health indicators respond to tillage intensity: A US meta-analysis

Márcio R. Nunes;Douglas L. Karlen;Kristen S. Veum;Thomas B. Moorman

266
Citations
Bulk density as a soil quality indicator during conversion to no-tillage

Sally D Logsdon;Douglas L Karlen

242
Citations
Identification of Regional Soil Quality Factors and Indicators II. Northern Mississippi Loess Hills and Palouse Prairie

John J. Brejda;Douglas L. Karlen;Jeffrey L. Smith;Deborah L. Allan

241
Citations
No-tillage improvement of soil physical quality in calcareous, degradation-prone, semiarid soils

O. Fernández-Ugalde;I. Virto;P. Bescansa;M.J. Imaz

235
Citations
Distribution and Variability of Surface Soil Properties at a Regional Scale

John J. Brejda;Thomas B. Moorman;Jeffrey L. Smith;Douglas L. Karlen

226
Citations
Biochar impact on Midwestern Mollisols and maize nutrient availability

Natalia Rogovska;David A. Laird;Samuel J. Rathke;Douglas L. Karlen

219
Citations
Soil and crop management effects on soil quality indicators

D.L. Karlen;N.S. Eash;P.W. Unger

215
Citations
Conservation Reserve Program effects on soil quality indicators

D. L. Karlen;M. J. Rosek;J. C. Gardner;D. L. Allan

214
Citations
Soil quality response to long-term tillage and crop rotation practices

Douglas L. Karlen;Cynthia A. Cambardella;John L. Kovar;Thomas S. Colvin

205
Citations