Anoxic conditions drive phosphorus limitation in humid tropical forest soil microorganisms

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, A.; Pett-Ridge, J.; Weber, P. K.; Blazewicz, S.; Silver, W. L.

2017-12-01

The elemental stoichiometry of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) of soil microorganisms (C:N:P ratios) regulates transfers of energy and nutrients to higher trophic levels. In humid tropical forests that grow on P-depleted soils, the ability of microbes to concentrate P from their surroundings likely plays a critical role in P-retention and ultimately in forest productivity. Models predict that climate change will cause dramatic changes in rainfall patterns in the humid tropics and field studies have shown these changes can affect the redox state of tropical forest soils, influencing soil respiration and biogeochemical cycling. However, the responses of soil microorganisms to changing environmental conditions are not well known. Here, we incubated humid tropical soils under oxic or anoxic conditions with substrates differing in both C:P stoichiometry and lability, to assess how soil microorganisms respond to different redox regimes. We found that under oxic conditions, microbial C:P ratios were similar to the global optimal ratio (55:1), indicating most microbial cells can adapt to persistent aerated conditions in these soils. However, under anoxic conditions, the ability of soil microbes to acquire soil P declined and their C:P ratios shifted away from the optimal ratio. NanoSIMS elemental imaging of single cells extracted from soil revealed that under anoxic conditions, C:P ratios were above the microbial optimal value in 83% of the cells, in comparison to 41% under oxic conditions. These data suggest microbial growth efficiency switched from being energy limited under oxic conditions to P-limited under anoxic conditions, indicating that, microbial growth in low P humid tropical forests soils may be most constrained by P-limitation when conditions are oxygen-limited. We suggest that differential microbial responses to soil redox states could have important implications for productivity of humid tropical forests under future climate scenarios.

Improvement of soil carbon sink by cover crops in olive orchards under semiarid conditions. Influence of the type of soil and weed

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F. Márquez-García

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The olive tree is one of the most important crops in Spain, and the main one in the region of Andalusia. Most orchards are rain-fed, with high slopes where conventional tillage (CT is the primary soil management system used. These conditions lead to high erosion and a significant transport of organic carbon (OC. Moreover, soil tillage accelerates the oxidation of the OC. Cover crops (CC are the conservation agriculture (CA approach for woody crops. They are grown in-between tree rows to protect the soil against water erosion and their organic residues also help to increase the soil carbon (C sink. Soil and OC losses associated to the sediment were measured over four seasons (2003-07 using micro-plots for the collection of runoff and sediment in five experimental fields located in rain-fed olive orchards in Andalusia. Two soil management systems were followed, CC and CT. Furthermore, the changes in soil C in both systems were analyzed at a depth of 0-25 cm. CC reduced erosion by 80.5%, and also OC transport by 67.7%. In addition, Cover crops increased soil C sink by 12.3 Mg ha-1 year-1 of carbon dioxide (CO2 equivalent, with respect to CT. CC in rainfed olive orchards in a Mediterranean climate could be an environmental friendly and profitable system for reducing erosion and increasing the soil C sink. However, C fixing rate is not regular, being very high for the initial years after shifting from CT to CC and gradually decreasing over time.

(AJST) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SOIL-CONDITIONING ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ABSTRACT:- This study assesses the soil conditioning capacity of tree gums based on the level of resistance to ... enable their destruction by microorganism and (2) minimize soil loss .... and moulded into a cylindrical core using a small plastic.

The Potential of Improved Fallows to Improve and Conserve the Fertility of Nutrients-Depleted Soils of Western Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jama, B.; Amandou, I.; Niang; Amadalo, B.; Wolf, J.; Rao, M.R.; Buresh, R.J.

1999-01-01

Maize yields are low low and declining in the densely populated highlands of Western Kenya where soils are deficient mainly in nitrogen, phosphrous and, in some areas potassium. Over the last seven years, a team of scientists from several agricultural institutions, national and international has been developing and testing on-farm soil fertility improving technologies. Improved fallows of fast-growing leguminous species appear to be one such technology that could be a more productive alternative to the commonly practiced natural fallows. Sesbania session, Crotolaria grahamiana and Tephrosia vogelii are some the promising species. In six to eight months, fallows of these species can root to N rich subsoil (0.5-2 m) below the soil surface and recycle it to the surface soil through leaf and root litter. Within this period, N sufficient for the requirements of moderate maize yields (3-4 t ha -1 ) can be recycled particular y in sites not limited by available soil P. Such fallows can also recycle sufficient K in K deficient sites. Unfortunately soils in most areas of Western Kenya are P deficient and although improved fallows can enhance the availability of soil P less available to crops, they cannot increase its supply. Under these conditions, P inputs from external sources is necessary to improve crop yields meaningfully and economically. Agronomic evaluations of inorganic P sources for maize suggests Minjingu phosphates rock can be alternative to more expensive water-soluble P sources, e.g., triple superphosphate. The need for P input and the benefits of integrating it with improved fallows in order to overcome deficiencies of other nutrients, particularly N and K is highlighted in this paper

Improvement of CBR and compaction characteristics of bauxite rich dispersive soils available in pakistan: a case study of khushab soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batool, S.

2016-01-01

Dispersion of dispersive soil occurs when it comes in contact with water and clay particles deflocculate and disperse away from each other. Thus dispersive soils undergo erosion under low seepage velocity leading to instability problems of slopes and earth retaining structures. The amount of dispersion depends upon the mineralogy and geochemistry of clayey soil as well as the dissolved salts of the pore fluid. The dispersivity of the soil mainly depends on the amount of exchangeable sodium present in its formation. Under saturated conditions, the attractive forces are less than the repulsive forces and this will help the particles to disperse and go into colloidal suspension. The use of chemical stabilizers such as lime and cement to bind the clay particles and reduce the dispersivity of soil and to improve the compaction and CBR characteristics of bauxite rich dispersive soil present in Khushab district have been studied in this research. Soil behavior was studied after addition of 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% Lime and Cement, at optimum level of 6% for Lime and Cement; it has been observed that the CBR and compaction characteristics of Khushab soil have been improved. (author)

Effects of Soil Oxygen Conditions and Soil pH on Remediation of DDT-contaminated Soil by Laccase from White Rot Fungi

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Yuechun Zhao

2010-04-01

Full Text Available High residues of DDT in agricultural soils are of concern because they present serious threats to food security and human health. This article focuses on remediation of DDT-contaminated soil using laccase under different soil oxygen and soil pH conditions. The laboratory experiment results showed significant effects of soil oxygen conditions and soil pH on remediation of DDT-contaminated soil by laccase at the end of a 25-d incubation period. This study found the positive correlation between the concentration of oxygen in soil and the degradation of DDT by laccase. The residue of DDTs in soil under the atmosphere of oxygen decreased by 28.1% compared with the atmosphere of nitrogen at the end of the incubation with laccase. A similar pattern was observed in the remediation of DDT-contaminated soil by laccase under different flooding conditions, the higher the concentrations of oxygen in soil, the lower the residues of four DDT components and DDTs in soils. The residue of DDTs in the nonflooding soil declined by 16.7% compared to the flooded soil at the end of the incubation. The residues of DDTs in soils treated with laccase were lower in the pH range 2.5–4.5.

Almond tree and organic fertilization for soil quality improvement in southern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Macci, Cristina; Doni, Serena; Peruzzi, Eleonora; Masciandaro, Grazia; Mennone, Carmelo; Ceccanti, Brunello

2012-03-01

The semi-arid Mediterranean region, characterized by long dry periods followed by heavy bursts of rainfall, is particularly prone to soil erosion. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the soil quality under different practices of bio-physical amelioration which involve the soil-plant system (almond trees) and microorganism-manure. This study, carried out in the South of Italy (Basilicata Region- Pantanello farm), considered two types of fertilization (mineral and organic) and three slope gradients (0, 2 and 6%), in order to evaluate the effects of management practices in resisting soil erosion. Chemical (organic carbon and nitrogen), physical (soil shrinkage and bulk density) and biochemical (dehydrogenase activity and hydrolytic enzyme activities) parameters were selected as markers to follow agro-ecological changes with time. The organic treatment affected soil microbiological and physico-chemical properties by increasing soil nutrient availability, microbial activity, and improving soil structure. The consistently higher values of the hydrolytic enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, phosphatase, urease and protease) often observed in the presence of plants and on the 0 and 2% slopes, suggested the stimulation of nutrient cycles by tree roots, which improve the conditions for soil microorganisms in carrying out their metabolic activity. In the 6% slope and, in particular, in the mineral fertilizer treatment, soil metabolism was lower as suggested by the dehydrogenase activity which was 50% lower than that found in the 0 and 2% slopes, this seemed to be related to a slowdown in the nutrient cycling and organic carbon metabolism. However, on this slope, in both mineral and organic treatments, a significant stimulation of hydrolytic enzyme activities and an improvement of soil structure (reduction of bulk density of about 10% and increase in total shrinkage from 20 to 60%) were observed with plants compared to the control soil. The combination of organic

Polluted soil leaching: unsaturated conditions and flow rate effects

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Chourouk Mathlouthi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, soil samples are extracted from a polluted site at different depths. Soils texture and pollutant presence are different with depth. Preliminary analyzes showed pollution by heavy metals. To simulate soil leaching operation in static condition, a series of leaching tests are conducted in laboratory column under conditions of upflow unsaturated soil. Electrical conductivity and pH measurements on the recovered leachate are performed. Different flow rates are tested. Comparison of different profiles shows that the dissolved pollutants are concentrated in the upper soil levels and disperse weakly in the lower parts which confirm the nature of anthropogenic pollution of heavy metals. Water mobilizes a high amount of dissolved ionic substances up to 80% of the initial concentration. The increase in flow rate requires more pore volume injected to achieve the maximum clearance rate. The down flow condition extracts a small amount of dissolved substances.

Effects of plant–soil feedback on tree seedling growth under arid conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, S.S.; Holmgren, M.; Van der Putten, W.H.

2011-01-01

Aims Plants are able to influence their growing environment by changing biotic and abiotic soil conditions. These soil conditions in turn can influence plant growth conditions, which is called plant–soil feedback. Plant–soil feedback is known to be operative in a wide variety of ecosystems ranging

Effects of plant-soil feedback on tree seedling growth under arid conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, S.S.; Holmgren, M.; Putten, van der W.H.

2011-01-01

Aims: Plants are able to influence their growing environment by changing biotic and abiotic soil conditions. These soil conditions in turn can influence plant growth conditions, which is called plant–soil feedback. Plant–soil feedback is known to be operative in a wide variety of ecosystems ranging

Improvements of soil quality for increased food production in Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Øygarden, Lillian; Klakegg, Ove; Børresen, Trond; Krogstad, Tore; Kjersti Uhlen, Anne

2016-04-01

Since the 1990ties, agricultural land in use in Norway has diminished and yields per hectare for cereals and forages have stagnated. An expert panel appointed to advice on how to increase Norwegian grain production emphasizes low profitability and poor soil quality as limiting factors. A White Paper from the Norwegian Government, Report No.9 (2011-2012), stated that the main goal for the agricultural sector is to increase food production proportional to the expected increase in population (20 % by 2030) in order to maintain self-sufficiency at the present level. This is the background for the interdisciplinary project AGROPRO "Agronomy for increased food production - Challenges and solutions" (2013 - 2017)" financed by the Norwegian research council. A mail goal is seeking possibilities for improvements in agronomic practices for increased and sustainable food production and to identify drivers and challenges for their implementation. Are the key to higher yields hidden in the soil? The paper present an overview of the research activities in the project and some results of the improvements of soil quality to minimize yield gap in cereal and forage production. Detailed new soil maps provide soil information on field scale of soil quality and the suitability for growing different crops like cereal production or vegetables. The detailed soil information is also beeing used for development and adaptation of the planning tool «Terranimo» to reduce risk of soil compaction.The farmer get available soil information for each field, provide information about the maschinery in use- tractors and equipment, tyres, pressure. The decision tool evaluate when the soil is suitable for tillage, calculate the risk of compaction for dry, moist and wet soil. New research data for compaction on Norwegian clay and silt soil are included. Climate change with wetter conditions gives challenges for growing cereals. The project is testing genetic variation in cereals for tolerance to water

Strength Improvement of Clay Soil by Using Stone Powder

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Ahmed Sameer Abdulrasool

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Soil stabilization with stone powder is a good solution for the construction of subgrade for road way and railway lines, especially under the platforms and mostly in transition zones between embankments and rigid structures, where the mechanical properties of supporting soils are very influential. Stone powder often has a unique composition which justifies the need for research to study the feasibility of using this stone powder type for ground improvement applications. This paper presents results from a comprehensive laboratory study carried out to investigate the feasibility of using stone powder for improvement of engineering properties of clays. The stone powder contains bassanite (CaSO4. ½ H2O, and Calcite (CaCO3. Three percentages are used for stone powder (1%, 3% and 5% by dry weight of clay. Several tests are made to investigate the soil behavior after adding the stone powder (Atterberg limits, Standard Proctor density, Grain size distribution, Specific gravity, Unconfined Compressive test, and California bearing ratio test. Unconfined Compressive tests conducted at different curing. The samples are tested under both soaked and unsoaked condition. Chemical tests and X-ray diffraction analyses are also carried out. Stone powder reacts with clay producing decreasing in plasticity and The curves of grain size distribution are shifted to the coarse side as the stone powder percentage increase; the soil becomes more granular, and also with higher strength.

Soil aquifer treatment of artificial wastewater under saturated conditions

KAUST Repository

Essandoh, H. M K

2011-05-01

A 2000 mm long saturated laboratory soil column was used to simulate soil aquifer treatment under saturated conditions to assess the removal of chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD and BOD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen and phosphate, using high strength artificial wastewater. The removal rates were determined under a combination of constant hydraulic loading rates (HLR) and variable COD concentrations as well as variable HLR under a constant COD. Within the range of COD concentrations considered (42 mg L-1-135 mg L-1) it was found that at fixed hydraulic loading rate, a decrease in the influent concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen and phosphate improved their removal efficiencies. At the high COD concentrations applied residence times influenced the redox conditions in the soil column. Long residence times were detrimental to the removal process for COD, BOD and DOC as anoxic processes and sulphate reduction played an important role as electron acceptors. It was found that total COD mass loading within the range of 911 mg d-1-1780 mg d-1 applied as low COD wastewater infiltrated coupled with short residence times would provide better effluent quality than the same mass applied as a COD with higher concentration at long residence times. The opposite was true for organic nitrogen where relatively high concentrations coupled with long residence time gave better removal efficiency. © 2011.

Soil physical conditions in Nigerian savannas and biomass production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salako, F.K.

2004-01-01

Nigeria is located in the tropical zone, with a vast area having savanna vegetation. This is a region that is itself diverse, necessitating a classification into derived savanna, southern Guinea savanna and northern Guinea savanna. These classifications reflect environmental characteristics such as length of growing period, which for instance is 151-180 days for the northern Guinea savanna, 181-210 days for the southern Guinea savanna and 211-270 days for the derived savanna/coastal savanna. The major soils found in the various agro-ecological zones have coarse-textured surface soil, and are low in organic matter and chemical fertility. Although, yields can be improved by addition of inorganic and organic fertilizer, this can only be sustained and assured with high soil physical qualities. Soil physical qualities can be sustained at a high level with conservation tillage and soil conservation measures. Tillage is physical manipulation of the soil. Thus, the most profound effect of tillage is in relation to soil physical properties. For socio-economic and cultural reasons, manual tillage is still widely practiced in Africa as farming is largely at subsistence level. However, there are now a number of commercial farms especially for cash crop production in many parts of Africa. Many of these are located in locations which were hitherto reserved as forest and a need for sustainable production in pertinent to maintain ecological balance. Soils with coarse texture are not often sensitive to some physical parameters while some physical parameters are more relevant in a given study than others. Sustainable crop production researches in the tropics have focused on the role of planted fallows and their spatial arrangement (e.g., as in alley cropping) for many decades. Application of soil physics in the area of food production and environmental management still lags behind other sub-disciplines of soil science, particularly soil fertility in the tropics. A great challenge is

Soil susceptibility to compaction under use conditions in southern Brazil

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Michael Mazurana

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The degree of soil compaction is intensified by its inadequate management, compaction being variable depending on soil type since even under identical management conditions, different types have different abilities to withstand load. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility to compaction of different classes of soils under no-tillage (NT croping system compared to the original condition. Thus, i soils with the same source material have distinct resistance to compression with increased NT adoption time; ii the most sensitive indicators of this change are the ratios mass:volume and volume:volume and; iii there is a relationship between resistance and compaction susceptibility with the amount and type of oxide. Soil samples were collected in areas under NT and under natural condition in order to assess the impact imposed by the NT on the attributes density and porosity, precompression stress and compressibility index and relate them to the oxide type of, and content in, the soils under study. The results show that the density and macroporosity were those most affected by the NT agricultural use, regardless of soil type, that is, its dynamic is related more to soil use and less to mineralogical characteristics. The soil resistance and compaction susceptibility were higher in soil developed in basalt, followed by those developed in sandstone and granite. Both the organic matter content and type and concentration of iron oxides were related to the soil resistance and susceptibility to compaction.

Reuse of Sewage Sludge for Agricultural Soil Improvement (Case Study: Kish Island

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Shahnaz Shafieepour

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Sludge from wastewater treatment plants is a valuable source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are necessary for the plants growth. The purpose of this research was to control sludge quality to use it for soil improvement in Kish Island, Iran. Because of soil with low qualified for agricultural activities and high import expenses of fertile soils from outside of the Island, application of sludge as a cheap source of soil amendment is an easy and economical mean to improve the soil in KishIsland. Comparison of laboratory data of domestic sludge with global standard has shown that it has suitable for application on landscapes and agriculture from the point of view of fertility and heavy metals concentration. Biological data has also shown that the sludge was in class A or B of EPA standard, to fecal coliform, based on the ambient conditions such as water, air, temperature, sun radiation and storage time. The soil test data indicated that salinity, sodium and calcium ions were between 5000-7000 mg/kg which cause a decrease in plant's growth. Transplanting of garden petunia in the region has been done in different samples mixed with sludge rate of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ton/ha during December 2008 to March 2009. In the first period of the growth study, the results have shown a decrease in the amended soil with sludge retard in comparison with control plant, but after 5 months probably because of spring rains and decrease in the salinity of amended soil, the plant has shown very good growth in leaves and petal, whereas the control plant was dried. Soil and plant analyses were also approved the results because physical (humidity increase and chemical (EC decrease characteristics of the amended soil with sludge were improved. Most of the time, the concentrations of micro-nutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper and nutrients in soil and leaves showed an increase in values by an increase in the rate of applied sludge. Other results were

Effectiveness of the GAEC cross-compliance standard Ploughing in good soil moisture conditions in soil structure protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Dell'Abate

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Researches have been carried out within the framework on the EFFICOND Project, focused at evaluating the effectiveness of the standards of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs established for Cross Compliance implementation under EC Regulation 1782/2003. In particular the standard 3.1b deals with soil structure protection through appropriate machinery use, with particular reference to ploughing in good soil moisture conditions. The study deals with the evaluation of soil structure after tillage in tilth and no-tilth conditions at soil moisture contents other than the optimum water content for tillage. The Mean Weight Diameter (MWD of water stable aggregates was used as an indicator of tillage effectiveness. The study was carried out in the period 2008-2009 at six experimental farms belonging to Research Centres and Units of the Italian Agricultural Research Council (CRA with different pedo-climatic and cropping conditions. Farm management and data collection in the different sites were carried out by the local CRA researchers and technicians. The comparison of MWD values in tilth and no tilth theses showed statistically significant differences in most cases, depending on topsoil texture. On clay, clay loam, silty clay, and silty clay loam topsoils a general and significant increase of MWD values under no tilth conditions were observed. No significant differences were observed in silt loam and sandy loam textures, probably due to the weak soil structure of the topsoils. Moreover, ploughing in good soil moisture condition determined higher crop production and less weed development than ploughing in high soil moisture conditions.

Hydrologic-Process-Based Soil Texture Classifications for Improved Visualization of Landscape Function

Science.gov (United States)

Groenendyk, Derek G.; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Thorp, Kelly R.; Rice, Amy K.

2015-01-01

Soils lie at the interface between the atmosphere and the subsurface and are a key component that control ecosystem services, food production, and many other processes at the Earth’s surface. There is a long-established convention for identifying and mapping soils by texture. These readily available, georeferenced soil maps and databases are used widely in environmental sciences. Here, we show that these traditional soil classifications can be inappropriate, contributing to bias and uncertainty in applications from slope stability to water resource management. We suggest a new approach to soil classification, with a detailed example from the science of hydrology. Hydrologic simulations based on common meteorological conditions were performed using HYDRUS-1D, spanning textures identified by the United States Department of Agriculture soil texture triangle. We consider these common conditions to be: drainage from saturation, infiltration onto a drained soil, and combined infiltration and drainage events. Using a k-means clustering algorithm, we created soil classifications based on the modeled hydrologic responses of these soils. The hydrologic-process-based classifications were compared to those based on soil texture and a single hydraulic property, Ks. Differences in classifications based on hydrologic response versus soil texture demonstrate that traditional soil texture classification is a poor predictor of hydrologic response. We then developed a QGIS plugin to construct soil maps combining a classification with georeferenced soil data from the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The spatial patterns of hydrologic response were more immediately informative, much simpler, and less ambiguous, for use in applications ranging from trafficability to irrigation management to flood control. The ease with which hydrologic-process-based classifications can be made, along with the improved quantitative predictions of soil responses and visualization of landscape

Impact of regression methods on improved effects of soil structure on soil water retention estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Phuong Minh; De Pue, Jan; Le, Khoa Van; Cornelis, Wim

2015-06-01

Increasing the accuracy of pedotransfer functions (PTFs), an indirect method for predicting non-readily available soil features such as soil water retention characteristics (SWRC), is of crucial importance for large scale agro-hydrological modeling. Adding significant predictors (i.e., soil structure), and implementing more flexible regression algorithms are among the main strategies of PTFs improvement. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the improved effect of categorical soil structure information on estimating soil-water content at various matric potentials, which has been reported in literature, could be enduringly captured by regression techniques other than the usually applied linear regression. Two data mining techniques, i.e., Support Vector Machines (SVM), and k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), which have been recently introduced as promising tools for PTF development, were utilized to test if the incorporation of soil structure will improve PTF's accuracy under a context of rather limited training data. The results show that incorporating descriptive soil structure information, i.e., massive, structured and structureless, as grouping criterion can improve the accuracy of PTFs derived by SVM approach in the range of matric potential of -6 to -33 kPa (average RMSE decreased up to 0.005 m3 m-3 after grouping, depending on matric potentials). The improvement was primarily attributed to the outperformance of SVM-PTFs calibrated on structureless soils. No improvement was obtained with kNN technique, at least not in our study in which the data set became limited in size after grouping. Since there is an impact of regression techniques on the improved effect of incorporating qualitative soil structure information, selecting a proper technique will help to maximize the combined influence of flexible regression algorithms and soil structure information on PTF accuracy.

Rimsulfuron in Soil: Effects on Microbiological Properties under Varying Soil Conditions

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Ljiljana Radivojević

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of rimsulfuron a sulfonylurea herbicide on the growth and activity of soil microorganisms under laboratory conditions was investigated in two soils. The application rates were: 0.2, 2.0 and 20.0 mg a.i kg-1 soil. The lowest concentration tested was the label rate (0.2 mg a.i kg-1, and the other two were ten and hundred timeshigher. No adverse effects on microbiological processes were observed for the label rate. Decrease in microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase activity, fungi and bacteria in comparison with untreated control, were found at higher rates. The magnitude of these effects were generally slight and transitory.

Measurement of uranium in soil environment optimization of liquid fluorescent method improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Guangcheng; Li Yan

2013-01-01

Measurement of uranium in soil environment were introduced in this paper optimization improvement fluid fluorescence analysis method. Use 'on the determination of uranium in soil, rocks, etc. Samples of liquid fluorescent method' when measuring low environment soil samples can not meet the required precision of 8% or less in gansu province and method detection limit of 0.3 mg/kg or less. In affecting the method detection limit, recovery rate and precision of the soil sample decomposition temperature, measuring the temperature of the sample, sample pH value measurement, the background fluorescence measurement condition optimization of analysis is determined, the method detection limit of 0.133 mg/kg, the average recovery rate was 96.6%, the precision is 3.80%. The experimental results show that the method can meet the requirements for determination of trace uranium m environment soil samples. (authors)

Disaggregation of remotely sensed soil moisture under all sky condition using machine learning approach in Northeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S.; Kim, H.; Choi, M.; Kim, K.

2016-12-01

Estimating spatiotemporal variation of soil moisture is crucial to hydrological applications such as flood, drought, and near real-time climate forecasting. Recent advances in space-based passive microwave measurements allow the frequent monitoring of the surface soil moisture at a global scale and downscaling approaches have been applied to improve the spatial resolution of passive microwave products available at local scale applications. However, most downscaling methods using optical and thermal dataset, are valid only in cloud-free conditions; thus renewed downscaling method under all sky condition is necessary for the establishment of spatiotemporal continuity of datasets at fine resolution. In present study Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique was utilized to downscale a satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. The 0.1 and 0.25-degree resolution of daily Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) L3 soil moisture datasets from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) were disaggregated over Northeast Asia in 2015. Optically derived estimates of surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and its cloud products were obtained from MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the purpose of downscaling soil moisture in finer resolution under all sky condition. Furthermore, a comparison analysis between in situ and downscaled soil moisture products was also conducted for quantitatively assessing its accuracy. Results showed that downscaled soil moisture under all sky condition not only preserves the quality of AMSR2 LPRM soil moisture at 1km resolution, but also attains higher spatial data coverage. From this research we expect that time continuous monitoring of soil moisture at fine scale regardless of weather conditions would be available.

Development of methods for remediation of artificial polluted soils and improvement of soils for ecologically clean agricultural production systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogachev, V.; Adrianova, G.; Zaitzev, V.; Kalinin, V.; Kovalenko, E.; Makeev, A.; Malikova, L.; Popov, Yu.; Savenkov, A.; Shnyakina, V.

1996-01-01

The purpose of the research: Development of methods for the remediation of artificial polluted soils and the improvement of polluted lands to ecologically clean agricultural production.The following tasks will be implemented in this project to achieve viable practical solutions: - To determine the priority pollutants, their ecological pathways, and sources of origin. - To form a supervised environmental monitoring data bank throughout the various geo system conditions. - To evaluate the degree of the bio geo system pollution and the influence on the health of the local human populations. - To establish agricultural plant tolerance levels to the priority pollutants. - To calculate the standard concentrations of the priority pollutants for main agricultural plant groups. - To develop a soil remediation methodology incorporating the structural, functional geo system features. - To establish a territory zone division methodology in consideration of the degree of component pollution, plant tolerance to pollutants, plant production conditions, and human health. - Scientific grounding of the soil remediation proposals and agricultural plant material introductions with soil pollution levels and relative plant tolerances to pollutants. Technological Means, Methods, and Approaches Final proposed solutions will be based upon geo system and ecosystem approaches and methodologies. The complex ecological valuation methods of the polluted territories will be used in this investigation. Also, laboratory culture in vitro, application work, and multi-factor field experiments will be conducted. The results will be statistically analyzed using appropriate methods. Expected Results Complex biogeochemical artificial province assessment according to primary pollutant concentrations. Development of agricultural plant tolerance levels relative to the priority pollutants. Assessment of newly introduced plant materials that may possess variable levels of pollution tolerance. Remediation

Comparison the Efficiency of Aquasorb and Accepta Superabsorbent Polymers in Improving Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Soil and Tomato Turnover under Greenhouse Condition

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mehdi nourzadeh haddad

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Water shortage in arid and semiarid regions is the most serious factor in limiting agricultural activities as it leads to the rapid reduction of yields from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. Under conditions of water scarcity, leaf temperature rises, which causes plant wilting and premature senescence of leaves and, eventually, severes reduction of dry matter production. Use of high-efficient irrigation practices, improvement of soil's physical properties, and use of soil amendments such as superabsorbent polymers are some ways of compensating for water shortage, especially during the growing season. Some materials such as plant residues, manure, various types of compost, and superabsorbent polymeric hydrogels can store various amounts of water and thus increase water retention and storage capacity of soils. Superabsorbent hydrogels, which are also called superabsorbent polymers (SAPs or hydrophilic polymeric gels, are hydrogels that can absorb substantial quantities of water. Hydrogels are a class of polymeric materials having network structures (with physical or chemical crosslinks that are very capable of swelling and absorbing large amounts of water. These materials are formed from water-solublepolymers by crosslinking them either using radiation or a crosslinker. Superabsorbents are widely used in many products such as disposable diapers, feminine napkins, soils for agricultural and horticultural purposes, gel actuators, water blocking tapes, medicine for the drug delivery systems and absorbent pads where water absorbency or water retention is important. Water is a major constraint for crop growth in arid and semi-arid regions, as the precipitation is low and uncertain in these areas. Efficient utilization of meager soil and water resources necessitates the adaptation of appropriate water management techniques. Suitable soil moisture increases the biological activities as result of physical and chemical

Improvement of Faba Bean Yield Using Rhizobium/Agrobacterium Inoculant in Low-Fertility Sandy Soil

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Sameh H. Youseif

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility is one of the major limiting factors for crop’s productivity in Egypt and the world in general. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF has a great importance as a non-polluting and a cost-effective way to improve soil fertility through supplying N to different agricultural systems. Faba bean (Vicia faba L. is one of the most efficient nitrogen-fixing legumes that can meet all of their N needs through BNF. Therefore, understanding the impact of rhizobial inoculation and contrasting soil rhizobia on nodulation and N2 fixation in faba bean is crucial to optimize the crop yield, particularly under low fertility soil conditions. This study investigated the symbiotic effectiveness of 17 Rhizobium/Agrobacterium strains previously isolated from different Egyptian governorates in improving the nodulation and N2 fixation in faba bean cv. Giza 843 under controlled greenhouse conditions. Five strains that had a high nitrogen-fixing capacity under greenhouse conditions were subsequently tested in field trials as faba bean inoculants at Ismaillia Governorate in northeast Egypt in comparison with the chemical N-fertilization treatment (96 kg N·ha−1. A starter N-dose (48 kg N·ha−1 was applied in combination with different Rhizobium inoculants. The field experiments were established at sites without a background of inoculation under low fertility sandy soil conditions over two successive winter growing seasons, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. Under greenhouse conditions, inoculated plants produced significantly higher nodules dry weight, plant biomass, and shoot N-uptake than non-inoculated ones. In the first season (2012/2013, inoculation of field-grown faba bean showed significant improvements in seed yield (3.73–4.36 ton·ha−1 and seed N-yield (138–153 Kg N·ha−1, which were higher than the uninoculated control (48 kg N·ha−1 that produced 2.97 Kg·ha−1 and 95 kg N·ha−1, respectively. Similarly, in the second season (2013

Effectiveness of the application of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi and organic amendments to improve soil quality and plant performance under stress conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Azcón, R.; Medina, A.

2010-01-01

Plant growth is limited in arid and/or contaminated sites due to the adverse conditions coming from heavy metal (HM) contamination and/or water stress. Moreover, soils from these areas are generally characterised by poor soil structure, low water-holding capacity, lack of organic matter and nutrient

Bacterial polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers from arid soils improve water retention capacity and humidity uptake in sandy soil

KAUST Repository

Raddadi, Noura

2018-05-31

Water stress is a critical issue for plant growth in arid sandy soils. Here, we aimed to select bacteria producing polyextremotolerant surface-active compounds capable of improving water retention and humidity uptake in sandy soils.From Tunisian desert and saline systems, we selected eleven isolates able to highly emulsify different organic solvents. The bioemulsifying activities were stable with 30% NaCl, at 4 and 120 °C and in a pH range 4-12. Applications to a sandy soil of the partially purified surface-active compounds improved soil water retention up to 314.3% compared to untreated soil. Similarly, after 36 h of incubation, the humidity uptake rate of treated sandy soil was up to 607.7% higher than untreated controls.Overall, results revealed that polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers of bacteria from arid and desert soils represent potential sources to develop new natural soil-wetting agents for improving water retention in arid soils.

Bacterial polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers from arid soils improve water retention capacity and humidity uptake in sandy soil

KAUST Repository

Raddadi, Noura; Giacomucci, Lucia; Marasco, Ramona; Daffonchio, Daniele; Cherif, Ameur; Fava, Fabio

2018-01-01

Water stress is a critical issue for plant growth in arid sandy soils. Here, we aimed to select bacteria producing polyextremotolerant surface-active compounds capable of improving water retention and humidity uptake in sandy soils.From Tunisian desert and saline systems, we selected eleven isolates able to highly emulsify different organic solvents. The bioemulsifying activities were stable with 30% NaCl, at 4 and 120 °C and in a pH range 4-12. Applications to a sandy soil of the partially purified surface-active compounds improved soil water retention up to 314.3% compared to untreated soil. Similarly, after 36 h of incubation, the humidity uptake rate of treated sandy soil was up to 607.7% higher than untreated controls.Overall, results revealed that polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers of bacteria from arid and desert soils represent potential sources to develop new natural soil-wetting agents for improving water retention in arid soils.

Bacterial polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers from arid soils improve water retention capacity and humidity uptake in sandy soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Raddadi, Noura; Giacomucci, Lucia; Marasco, Ramona; Daffonchio, Daniele; Cherif, Ameur; Fava, Fabio

2018-05-31

Water stress is a critical issue for plant growth in arid sandy soils. Here, we aimed to select bacteria producing polyextremotolerant surface-active compounds capable of improving water retention and humidity uptake in sandy soils. From Tunisian desert and saline systems, we selected eleven isolates able to highly emulsify different organic solvents. The bioemulsifying activities were stable with 30% NaCl, at 4 and 120 °C and in a pH range 4-12. Applications to a sandy soil of the partially purified surface-active compounds improved soil water retention up to 314.3% compared to untreated soil. Similarly, after 36 h of incubation, the humidity uptake rate of treated sandy soil was up to 607.7% higher than untreated controls. Overall, results revealed that polyextremotolerant bioemulsifiers of bacteria from arid and desert soils represent potential sources to develop new natural soil-wetting agents for improving water retention in arid soils.

Soil aquifer treatment of artificial wastewater under saturated conditions

KAUST Repository

Essandoh, H. M K; Tizaoui, Chedly; Mohamed, Mostafa H A; Amy, Gary L.; Brdjanovic, Damir

2011-01-01

A 2000 mm long saturated laboratory soil column was used to simulate soil aquifer treatment under saturated conditions to assess the removal of chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD and BOD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen

Using Agricultural Residue Biochar to Improve Soil Quality of Desert Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunhe Zhang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A laboratory study was conducted to test the effects of biochars made from different feedstocks on soil quality indicators of arid soils. Biochars were produced from four locally-available agricultural residues: pecan shells, pecan orchard prunings, cotton gin trash, and yard waste, using a lab-scale pyrolyzer operated at 450 °C under a nitrogen environment and slow pyrolysis conditions. Two local arid soils used for crop production, a sandy loam and a clay loam, were amended with these biochars at a rate of 45 Mg·ha−1 and incubated for three weeks in a growth chamber. The soils were analyzed for multiple soil quality indicators including soil organic matter content, pH, electrical conductivity (EC, and available nutrients. Results showed that amendment with cotton gin trash biochar has the greatest impact on both soils, significantly increasing SOM and plant nutrient (P, K, Ca, Mn contents, as well as increasing the electrical conductivity, which creates concerns about soil salinity. Other biochar treatments significantly elevated soil salinity in clay loam soil, except for pecan shell biochar amended soil, which was not statistically different in EC from the control treatment. Generally, the effects of the biochar amendments were minimal for many soil measurements and varied with soil texture. Effects of biochars on soil salinity and pH/nutrient availability will be important considerations for research on biochar application to arid soils.

Practical improvements in soil redox potential (Eh) measurement for characterisation of soil properties. Application for comparison of conventional and conservation agriculture cropping systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Husson, Olivier, E-mail: Olivier.husson@cirad.fr [CIRAD/PERSYST/UPR 115 AIDA and AfricaRice Centre, 01 BP 2031 Cotonou (Benin); Husson, Benoit, E-mail: bhusson@ideeaquaculture.com [IDEEAQUACULTURE, Parc Euromédecine 2, 39 Rue Jean Giroux, 34080 Montpellier (France); Brunet, Alexandre, E-mail: brunet.alexandre@outlook.com [CIRAD/US 49 Analyse, Avenue Agropolis, TA B-49/01, 34398 Montpellier Cedex (France); Babre, Daniel, E-mail: Daniel.babre@cirad.fr [CIRAD/US 49 Analyse, Avenue Agropolis, TA B-49/01, 34398 Montpellier Cedex (France); Alary, Karine, E-mail: Karine.alary@cirad.fr [CIRAD/US 49 Analyse, Avenue Agropolis, TA B-49/01, 34398 Montpellier Cedex (France); Sarthou, Jean-Pierre, E-mail: sarthou@ensat.fr [ENSAT/INRA/INP UMR AGIR. BP 52627, Chemin de Borde Rouge, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex (France); Charpentier, Hubert, E-mail: Charpentier.hub@wanadoo.fr [La Boisfarderie, Brives 36100 (France); Durand, Michel, E-mail: earldeslacs@orange.fr [Le Cazals, Castanet 81 150 (France); Benada, Jaroslav, E-mail: benada@vukrom.cz [Agrotest fyto, Kromeriz Institute, Havlíckova 2787, 76701 Kromeriz (Czech Republic); Henry, Marc, E-mail: henry@unistra.fr [UMR CNRS/UdS 7140, Université de Strasbourg, Institut Le Bel, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, CS 90032, Strasbourg 67081 (France)

2016-02-04

The soil redox potential (Eh) can provide essential information to characterise soil conditions. In practice, however, numerous problems may arise regarding: (i) Eh determination in soils, especially aerobic soils, e.g. variations in the instrumentation and methodology for Eh measurement, high spatial and temporal Eh variability in soils, irreversibility of the redox reaction at the surface electrode, chemical disequilibrium; and (ii) measurement interpretation. This study aimed at developing a standardised method for redox potential measurement in soils, in order to use Eh as a soil quality indicator. This paper presents practical improvements in soil Eh measurement, especially regarding the control of electromagnetic perturbations, electrode choice and preparation, soil sample preparation (drying procedure) and soil:water extraction rate. The repeatability and reproducibility of the measurement method developed are highlighted. The use of Eh corrected at pH7, pe+pH or rH{sub 2}, which are equivalent notions, is proposed to facilitate interpretation of the results. The application of this Eh measurement method allows characterisation of soil conditions with sufficient repeatability, reproducibility and accuracy to demonstrate that conservation agriculture systems positively alter the protonic and electronic balance of soil as compared to conventional systems. - Highlights: • Electromagnetic fields can dramatically perturb soil Eh measurement. • Our method overcomes the main difficulties in soil Eh measurement. • Accurate and reproducible measurement of mean soil Eh are achieved. • Eh{sub pH7}, pe+pH and rH{sub 2} are equivalent notions characterising electron activity. • Agricultural practices alter soil protonic and electronic characteristics.

Soil hydraulic properties near saturation, an improved conductivity model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Børgesen, Christen Duus; Jacobsen, Ole Hørbye; Hansen, Søren

2006-01-01

of commonly used hydraulic conductivity models and give suggestions for improved models. Water retention and near saturated and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured for a variety of 81 top and subsoils. The hydraulic conductivity models by van Genuchten [van Genuchten, 1980. A closed-form equation...... for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 892–898.] (vGM) and Brooks and Corey, modified by Jarvis [Jarvis, 1991. MACRO—A Model of Water Movement and Solute Transport in Macroporous Soils. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Department of Soil Sciences....... Optimising a matching factor (k0) improved the fit considerably whereas optimising the l-parameter in the vGM model improved the fit only slightly. The vGM was improved with an empirical scaling function to account for the rapid increase in conductivity near saturation. Using the improved models...

Application of Prefabricated Vertical Drain in Soil Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tedjakusuma B.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Although the use of Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD in soil improvement is not new, this paper is interesting since it gives the full spectrum from preliminary design stage; trial embankment and pilot test to final soil improvement. The final installation of the PVD was based on the soil investigation report and the results of instrumentation monitoring. Finally, using back analysis, vertical and horizontal coefficients of consolidation and compression index can be determined, which can be applied to predict a more accurate prediction of settlement.

Understanding the Role of Microorganisms in Soil Quality and Fertility under changing Climatic Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dercon, Gerd; Adu-Gyamfi, Joseph; Heiling, Maria; Aigner, Martina; Nguyen, Minh-Long [Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf (Austria); Schwartz, Egbert [Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, (United States); Dexin, Lin [Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, (Austria); Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fujian (China)

2013-01-15

The Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition (SWMCN) Subprogramme (Section and Laboratory) assists FAO and IAEA Member States in the development, validation and dissemination of a range of soil, water and crop management technology packages using nuclear and nuclear-related techniques. In the coming years, SWMCN aims to (i) improve soil quality and soil resilience against the impacts of climate change and variability and (ii) reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase soil carbon sequestration in both productive and marginal lands. To achieve these aims, the SWMCN Subprogramme is planning to put major emphasis on applied microbial ecology. Microbial communities play a major role in soil fertility improvement through the decomposition of crop residues, live- stock manure and soil organic matter. These microbes are often affected by variations in rainfall and temperature patterns caused by climate change. Recent advances in the use of stable isotopes like carbon-3, nitrogen-5 and oxygen-18 as biomarkers to characterize microbial communities and their interactions with soil nutrient and organic matter processes, known as stable isotope probing (SIP), are important for soil-water-nutrient management. SIP helps us to understand the interactions between soil microbial communities and their specific functions in soil carbon sequestration, soil organic matter stabilization, soil fertility and soil resilience, as well as the soil productive capacity for sustainable intensification of cropping and livestock production. SIP involves the introduction of a stable isotope labelled substrate into a soil microbial community to trace the fate of the substrate. This allows direct observations of substrate assimilation to be made in minimally disturbed communities of microorganisms. Microorganisms that are actively involved in specific metabolic processes can be identified under in-situ conditions. SIP is most developed for carbon-13 probing, but studies using nitrogen-15 and

Monitor Soil Degradation or Triage for Soil Security? An Australian Challenge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Koch

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The Australian National Soil Research, Development and Extension Strategy identifies soil security as a foundation for the current and future productivity and profitability of Australian agriculture. Current agricultural production is attenuated by soil degradation. Future production is highly dependent on the condition of Australian soils. Soil degradation in Australia is dominated in its areal extent by soil erosion. We reiterate the use of soil erosion as a reliable indicator of soil condition/quality and a practical measure of soil degradation. We describe three key phases of soil degradation since European settlement, and show a clear link between inappropriate agricultural practices and the resultant soil degradation. We demonstrate that modern agricultural practices have had a marked effect on reducing erosion. Current advances in agricultural soil management could lead to further stabilization and slowing of soil degradation in addition to improving productivity. However, policy complacency towards soil degradation, combined with future climate projections of increased rainfall intensity but decreased volumes, warmer temperatures and increased time in drought may once again accelerate soil degradation and susceptibility to erosion and thus limit the ability of agriculture to advance without further improving soil management practices. Monitoring soil degradation may indicate land degradation, but we contend that monitoring will not lead to soil security. We propose the adoption of a triaging approach to soil degradation using the soil security framework, to prioritise treatment plans that engage science and agriculture to develop practices that simultaneously increase productivity and improve soil condition. This will provide a public policy platform for efficient allocation of public and private resources to secure Australia’s soil resource.

Impact of future climatic conditions on the potential for soil organic matter priming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reinsch, Sabine; Ambus, Per; Thornton, Barry

2013-01-01

Terrestrial carbon (C) storage and turnover are of major interest under changing climatic conditions. We present a laboratory microcosm study investigating the effects of anticipated climatic conditions on the soil microbial community and related changes in soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition....... Soil samples were taken from a heath-land after six years of exposure to elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) in combination with summer drought (D) and increased temperature (T). Soil C-dynamics were investigated in soils from: (i) ambient, (ii) eCO2, and (iii) plots exposed to the combination of factors...... simulating future climatic conditions (TDeCO2) that simulate conditions predicted for Denmark in 2075. 13C enriched glucose (3 atom% excess) was added to soil microcosms, soil CO2 efflux was measured over a period of two weeks and separated into glucose- and SOM-derived C. Microbial biomass was measured...

[Soil Microbial Respiration Under Different Soil Temperature Conditions and Its Relationship to Soil Dissolved Organic Carbon and Invertase].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Chen, Shu-tao; Hu, Zheng-hua; Zhang, Xu

2015-04-01

In order to investigate the soil microbial respiration under different temperature conditions and its relationship to soil dissolved organic carbon ( DOC) and invertase, an indoor incubation experiment was performed. The soil samples used for the experiment were taken from Laoshan, Zijinshan, and Baohuashan. The responses of soil microbial respiration to the increasing temperature were studied. The soil DOC content and invertase activity were also measured at the end of incubation. Results showed that relationships between cumulative microbial respiration of different soils and soil temperature could be explained by exponential functions, which had P values lower than 0.001. The coefficient of temperature sensitivity (Q10 value) varied from 1.762 to 1.895. The Q10 value of cumulative microbial respiration decreased with the increase of soil temperature for all soils. The Q10 value of microbial respiration on 27 days after incubation was close to that of 1 day after incubation, indicating that the temperature sensitivity of recalcitrant organic carbon may be similar to that of labile organic carbon. For all soils, a highly significant ( P = 0.003 ) linear relationship between cumulative soil microbial respiration and soil DOC content could be observed. Soil DOC content could explain 31.6% variances of cumulative soil microbial respiration. For the individual soil and all soils, the relationship between cumulative soil microbial respiration and invertase activity could be explained by a highly significant (P soil microbial respiration.

Improved representations of coupled soil-canopy processes in the CABLE land surface model (Subversion revision 3432)

Science.gov (United States)

Haverd, Vanessa; Cuntz, Matthias; Nieradzik, Lars P.; Harman, Ian N.

2016-09-01

CABLE is a global land surface model, which has been used extensively in offline and coupled simulations. While CABLE performs well in comparison with other land surface models, results are impacted by decoupling of transpiration and photosynthesis fluxes under drying soil conditions, often leading to implausibly high water use efficiencies. Here, we present a solution to this problem, ensuring that modelled transpiration is always consistent with modelled photosynthesis, while introducing a parsimonious single-parameter drought response function which is coupled to root water uptake. We further improve CABLE's simulation of coupled soil-canopy processes by introducing an alternative hydrology model with a physically accurate representation of coupled energy and water fluxes at the soil-air interface, including a more realistic formulation of transfer under atmospherically stable conditions within the canopy and in the presence of leaf litter. The effects of these model developments are assessed using data from 18 stations from the global eddy covariance FLUXNET database, selected to span a large climatic range. Marked improvements are demonstrated, with root mean squared errors for monthly latent heat fluxes and water use efficiencies being reduced by 40 %. Results highlight the important roles of deep soil moisture in mediating drought response and litter in dampening soil evaporation.

24 CFR 3285.201 - Soil conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Soil conditions. 3285.201 Section 3285.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING-FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL MANUFACTURED HOME...

Improvement of engineering soil properties using non -traditional additives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waheed Mohanned

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Laboratory experiments are conducted to evaluate the effect of some non-traditional additives on the engineering properties of clayey soil, which show problematic phenomenon when used as a construction material. The conducted tests covered the influence of these additives on various parameters like consistency limits, compaction characteristics and CBR value. Two nontraditional stabilizers are selected in this study, polymers and phosphoric acid at three different percent which are (1%, 3% and 5% of the dry soil weight. It is concluded that addition of the polymer to the clayey soil results in a slight increase in plastic limit while the liquid limit is not affected accompanied by a marginal decrease in the dry unit weight while the optimum moisture content remains unaffected. The addition of phosphoric acid to the clayey soil has no effect on its Atterberg limits. In general, it is observed that polymer is found to be ineffective as a stabilizer to improve clayey soils, especially in small amounts of about (3%. The phosphoric acid treated soil gained better improvement for all amounts of additive used. For (3% acid treated soil the CBR is about (360% compared to that of untreated soil, for that, it can be concluded that the improvement using phosphoric acid in the clay soils is a promising option and can be applied to solve the geotechnical stabilization problems.

Utilisation of rice husk ash for improvement of deficient soils in Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The studies generally showed improvement in the geotechnical properties of soils, either modified or stabilised with the ash, thus indicating the potentials of using this agricultural waste for improvement of geotechnical properties of ... Keywords: Black cotton soil, Deficient soil, Laterite, Rice husk ash, Soil improvement ...

Biochar Improves Performance of Plants for Mine Soil Revegetation

Science.gov (United States)

Biochar (the solid by-product of pyrolysis of biomass), has the potential to improve plant performance for revegetation of mine soils by improving soil chemistry, fertility, moisture holding capacity and by binding heavy metals. We investigated the effect of gasified conifer sof...

Bioventing of gasoline-contaminated soil under varied laboratory conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallman, M.; Shewfelt, K.; Lee, H.; Zytner, R.G.

2002-01-01

Bioventing is becoming a popular in situ soil remediation technology for the treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Bioventing relies on enhancing the growth of indigenous microorganisms, which can mineralize the contaminant in the presence of sufficient nutrients. Although bioventing is currently being used as a remediation technology, there are some important questions that remain to be answered in order to optimize the process. These questions include the optimum soil moisture content, type and amount of nutrients necessary, and the best means of producing these conditions in the field. To address these questions, two distinct phases of experiments were conducted. The first experimental phase was designed to determine the optimum moisture content, C:N ratio and form of nitrogen supply for this soil. Using approximately 200g of contaminated soil in each of a series of sealed respirometers, microbial degradation of gasoline under bioventing conditions was quantified for C:N ratios of 5, 10 and 20:1, using varying mixtures of NH 4 + - and NO 3 - -N. The results of the studies indicated that the optimum soil moisture content was 15 wt%, with a C:N ratio of 10:1, using a 100% ammonium application. Using the results of the first phase, a second phase of laboratory research was initiated. Five mesoscale reactors have been developed to simulate the bioventing process that takes place in the field. These reactors are filled with approximately 4kg of gasoline-contaminated soil. The initial results are favourable. (author)

Combining phytoextraction and biochar addition improves soil biochemical properties in a soil contaminated with Cd.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Huanping; Li, Zhian; Fu, Shenglei; Méndez, Ana; Gascó, Gabriel; Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge

2015-01-01

The main goal of phytoremediation is to improve ecosystem functioning. Soil biochemical properties are considered as effective indicators of soil quality and are sensitive to various environmental stresses, including heavy metal contamination. The biochemical response in a soil contaminated with cadmium was tested after several treatments aimed to reduce heavy metal availability including liming, biochar addition and phytoextraction using Amaranthus tricolor L. Two biochars were added to the soil: eucalyptus pyrolysed at 600 °C (EB) and poultry litter at 400 °C (PLB). Two liming treatments were chosen with the aim of bringing soil pH to the same values as in the treatments EB and PLB. The properties studied included soil microbial biomass C, soil respiration and the activities of invertase, β-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase, urease and phosphomonoesterase. Both phytoremediation and biochar addition improved soil biochemical properties, although results were enzyme specific. For biochar addition these changes were partly, but not exclusively, mediated by alterations in soil pH. A careful choice of biochar must be undertaken to optimize the remediation process from the point of view of metal phytoextraction and soil biological activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lignin decomposition and microbial community in paddy soils: effects of alternating redox conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Cerli, Chiara; Liu, Qin; Hanke, Alexander; Kaiser, Klaus; Kalbitz, Karsten

2013-04-01

Paddy soils are characterised by interchanging cycles of anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Such fluctuations cause continuous changes in soil solution chemistry as well as in the composition and physiological responses of the microbial community. Temporary deficiency in oxygen creates conditions favourable to facultative or obligates anaerobic bacteria, while aerobic communities can thrive in the period of water absence. These alterations can strongly affect soil processes, in particular organic matter (OM) accumulation and mineralization. In submerged soils, lignin generally constitutes a major portion of the total OM because of hampered degradation under anoxic conditions. The alternating redox cycles resulting from paddy soil management might promote both degradation and preservation of lignin, affecting the overall composition and reactivity of total and dissolved OM. We sampled soils subjected to cycles of anoxic (rice growing period) and oxic (harvest and growth of other crops) conditions since 700 and 2000 years. We incubated suspended Ap material, sampled from the two paddy plus two corresponding non-paddy control soils under oxic and anoxic condition, for 3 months, interrupted by a short period of three weeks (from day 21 to day 43) with reversed redox conditions. At each sampling time (day 2, 21, 42, 63, 84), we determined lignin-derived phenols (by CuO oxidation) as well as phospholipids fatty acids contents and composition. We aimed to highlight changes in lignin decomposition as related to the potential rapid changes in microbial community composition. Since the studied paddy soils had a long history of wet rice cultivation, the microbial community should be well adapted to interchanging oxic and anoxic cycles, therefore fully expressing its activity at both conditions. In non-paddy soil changes in redox conditions caused modification of quantity and composition of the microbial community. On the contrary, in well-established paddy soils the microbial

Improvements of the Profil Cultural Method for a better Low-tech Field Assessment of Soil Structure under no-till

Science.gov (United States)

Roger-Estrade, Jean; Boizard, Hubert; Peigné, Josephine; Sasal, Maria Carolina; Guimaraes, Rachel; Piron, Denis; Tomis, Vincent; Vian, Jean-François; Cadoux, Stephane; Ralisch, Ricardo; Filho, Tavares; Heddadj, Djilali; de Battista, Juan; Duparque, Annie

2016-04-01

In France, agronomists have studied the effects of cropping systems on soil structure, using a field method based on a visual description of soil structure. The "profil cultural" method (Manichon and Gautronneau, 1987) has been designed to perform a field diagnostic of the effects of tillage and compaction on soil structure dynamics. This method is of great use to agronomists improving crop management for a better preservation of soil structure. However, this method was developed and mainly used in conventional tillage systems, with ploughing. As several forms of reduced, minimum and no tillage systems are expanding in many parts of the world, it is necessary to re-evaluate the ability of this method to describe and interpret soil macrostructure in unploughed situations. In unploughed fields, soil structure dynamics of untilled layers is mainly driven by compaction and regeneration by natural agents (climatic conditions, root growth and macrofauna) and it is of major importance to evaluate the importance of these natural processes on soil structure regeneration. These concerns have led us to adapt the standard method and to propose amendments based on a series of field observations and experimental work in different situations of cropping systems, soil types and climatic conditions. We improved the description of crack type and we introduced an index of biological activity, based on the visual examination of clods. To test the improved method, a comparison with the reference method was carried out and the ability of the "profil cultural" method to make a diagnosis was tested on five experiments in France, Brazil and Argentina. Using the improved method, the impact of cropping systems on soil functioning was better assessed when natural processes were integrated into the description.

Improvements in the biotreatment of soil contaminated by heavy hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paquin, J. [Sanexen Environmental Services Inc., Varennes, PQ (Canada)

2006-07-01

This presentation discussed improvements in the biotreatment of soil contaminated by heavy hydrocarbons. The presentation provided information on the background for the investigation such as: difficulty for biotreatment in soil to deal with heavy weathered hydrocarbons and fine grained soils; the involvement of the Montreal Centre of Excellence for Brownfield Remediation (MCEBR) to develop state of the art environmental solutions; and, the selection of Sanexen as the organization with the best price and best performance warranty to perform the required decontamination. The objectives of the study were to improve the performance of biotreatment of soil contaminated with heavy petroleum hydrocarbons; reduce soil biotreatment costs by 30 per cent; improve knowledge and understanding for this type of treatment; and, better identify constraints and optimal strategies in view of these constraints. Specific objectives that were discussed included: improving the microbial flora, attaining a favorable soil temperature at a low cost, identifying the best amendments for bulking of soil, increasing bio-availability of the contaminants, and identifying optimal mechanical handling of the soil. The presentation discussed soils treated; research and development carried out; standard method of biotreatment; alternative methods tested; initial investigation by the MCEBR; pilot test carried out by Sanexen; and, results of the pilot test. As part of the research program with MCEBR, soils that received different amendments were tested at the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) of the National Research Council for their ability to degrade added hexadecane and naphthalene. Soil at various stages of the treatment was also sampled and tested by the (BRI). It was concluded that the biotreatment of heavy hydrocarbons in fine grained soils is feasible and that the techniques used reduced biotreatment costs by approximately 25 per cent.

Chapter 7. Assessing soil factors in wildland improvement programs

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur R. Tiedemann; Carlos F. Lopez

2004-01-01

Soil factors are an important consideration for successful wildland range development or improvement programs. Even though many soil improvement and amelioration practices are not realistic for wildlands, their evaluation is an important step in selection of adapted plant materials for revegetation. This chapter presents information for wildland managers on: the...

Study of the Permeability of Foam Conditioned Soils with Laboratory Tests

OpenAIRE

Borio, Luca; Peila, Daniele

2010-01-01

Problem statement: EPB tunneling requires that the excavated soil has a plastic and pulpy behavior to be able to apply a stabilizing pressure to the face, but it should also be impervious to counteract filtration forces that could develop ahead of the face. The evaluation of this parameter in granular soil, before and after conditioning, is therefore of key importance for a correct conditioning agents choice. Approach: A new laboratory procedure for testing the permeability of conditioned soi...

Post-cold-storage conditioning time affects soil denitrifying enzyme activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chirinda, Ngonidzashe; Olesen, Jørgen Eivind; Porter, John Roy

2011-01-01

Soil denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) is often assessed after cold storage. Previous studies using the short-term acetylene inhibition method have not considered conditioning time (post-cold-storage warm-up time prior to soil analysis) as a factor influencing results. We observed fluctuations...

Effect of operating conditions in soil aquifer treatment on the removals of pharmaceuticals and personal care products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Kai, E-mail: hekai@urban.env.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Echigo, Shinya; Itoh, Sadahiko

2016-09-15

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) is an alternative advanced treatment for wastewater reclamation, and it has the potential to control micropollutants including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). However, the relationship of operating conditions in SAT and removals of micropollutants was not clear. In this study, the effects of operating conditions on the removals of PPCPs were evaluated by using lab-scale columns and plant pilot-scale reactors under different operating conditions. Firstly, weathered granite soil (WGS), standard sand (SAND) and Toyoura standard sand (TS) have different soil characteristics such as total organic carbon (TOC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). In the columns with these packing materials, the removals of carboxylic analgesics and antilipidemics were effective regardless packing materials. The removals of antibiotics were more effective in WGS than in TS and SAND, indicating high TOC and CEC enhance the sorption in SAT. Secondly, with the extension of hydraulic retention time (HRT), the removals of sulfamethoxazole, acetaminophen, crotamiton, and antipyrine were improved in WGS columns, and adaptable biodegradation for moderately removable PPCPs was formed. Thirdly, the removal efficiencies of sulfamethoxazole and crotamiton were higher in the WGS column under vadose condition than in the WGS column under saturated condition, because of aerobic condition in WGS column under vadose condition. Though long HRT and vadose condition had positive influence on the removals of several PPCPs such as sulfamethoxazole, WGS column with an HRT of 7 days under saturated condition removed most PPCPs. - Highlights: • Soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity enhanced the removals of antibiotics in SAT. • A hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 days was sufficient for the removals of most PPCPs. • The removals of most selected PPCPs were similar under vadose and saturated conditions. • Vadose condition contributed to the

STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SOIL CEMENT ELEMENTS WHEN STABILIZING ROADBED MODEL IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

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V. D Petrenko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose.Experimental studies allow determining th estress-strain state or bearing capacity of the tested soil body. A preliminary study of the results of model testing and experimental research allows us to find the optimal solutions and to justify the parameters of the chosen technology. The purpose of this work is to determine the effect of soil cement elements when stabilizing the roadbed on a weak subgrade using the soil tests in laboratory conditions. Methodology. During the development of measures for the reconstruction and consolidation of soil bodies, their strength is tested using many methods. In all cases, we take into account the physical and mechanical characteristics of soils obtained as a result of research, as well as the existing regulatory documents. We performed the experimental studies by model testing in laboratory conditions. The model testing was based on the corresponding relationships between geometric sizes, mechanical properties of materials, loads and other factors on which the stress-strain state depends. During testing, the model was loaded gradually. We maintained each load level up to conditional stabilization of the soil deformation. We took the readings from measuring devices at each stage of loading after achievement of stabilization of soil mass deformations. We fixed the readings in the test journal. Findings. During stabilization with soil cement piles there is an improvement in mechanical properties, which leads to a decrease in deformations by 2…3.5 times. Each test is accompanied with graphs of relative deformations-stress dependence, as well as deformation curves and compression curves. According to the results of experimental stu-dies, it can be seen that when testing a model with cement piles, compared with a model without soil cement piles, the relative deformations of the samples taken prior to the experiment and after the experiment almost coincide, indicating a decrease in deformability under

Soil quality improvement through conversion to sprinkler irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Conversion from furrow to sprinkler irrigation is a recommended conservation practice for improved water use efficiency (and/or erosion control), but effects on soil quality indicators were unknown. Several soil quality indicators were therefore quantified within a northwestern U.S. Conservation Eff...

Feedback of the behaviour of a silo founded on a compressible soil improved by floating stone columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahar Ramdane

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The coastal city of Bejaia, located 250 kilometers east of the capital Algiers, Algeria, is characterized by soft soils. The residual grounds encountered on the first 40 meters usually have a low bearing capacity, high compressibility, insufficient strength, and subject to the risk of liquefaction. These unfavorable soil conditions require deep foundations or soil improvement. Since late 1990s, stone columns technique is used to improve the weak soils of the harbor area of the city. A shallow raft foundation on soft soil improved by stone columns was designed for a heavy storage steel silo and two towers. The improvement of 18m depth have not reached the substratum located at 39m depth. The stresses transmitted to the service limit state are variable 73 to 376 kPa. A rigorous and ongoing monitoring of the evolution of loads in the silo and settlements of the soil was carried out during 1400 days that is from the construction of foundations in 2008 to 2012. After the loading of the silo in 2010, settlement occurred affecting the stability of the towers due to excessive differential settlements. Consequently, the towers were inclined and damaged the transporter. This paper presents and discusses the experience feedback of the behavior of these structures. Numerical calculations by finite elements have been carried and the results are compared with the measurements.

THE WORMS COMPOST - EFFECTIVE FERTILIZER FOR IMPROVING DEGRADED SOILS

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Larisa CREMENEAC

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Management of organic waste is a difficult, complex and intractable in Moldova, according to international standards. Acute problem of organic matter from livestock sector waste is generated by storing them in unauthorized areas. Organic waste management strategies require different methods. One of them is organic waste bio conversion technology by worm’s cultivation. As the main natural wealth of the Republic of Moldova, soil requires a special care. Agriculture, in particular, should pay attention to the soil’s humus and nutrient status – and restore losses of humus and the nutrients used by crops. This requires measures to improve soil fertility. Land use provides, first of all return losses of humus and nutrients used by plants. Therefore measures required to improve soil fertility. The essence of the research was to highlight the role of worms compost improve the soil. To this end, in ETS "Maximovca" was organized an experiment that included three groups (two - experimental, to fund worms compost and one - control the natural background. Observations on soil fertility have been conducted over three years. The soil samples were collected by usual methods determined values of organic matter and humus. The results of the investigations, to determine the values of organic matter and humus samples collected from surface and depth 15 cm exceeded that of the sample control group to 29,7%; 11,4% and 34,3%; 37,1% in experimental group I and 9,3%; 11,6% and 45,5%; 45,5% in experimental group II. Therefore, worms compost embedded in a dose of 3-4 tons / ha during three years, has improved the fertility of the soil

Properties of volcanic soils in cold climate conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsova, Elena

2017-04-01

Layers of volcanic ash and the Andosol soils derived from them may play an important role in preserving snow and ice as well as developing permafrost conditions in the immediate vicinity of volcanoes of high elevation or those situated at high latitudes, and land areas, often distant from volcanic activity that are either prone to permafrost or covered by snow and ice, but are affected by the deposition of subaerial ash. The special properties of volcanic ash that are responsible are critically reviewed particularly in relation to recent research in Kamchatka in the Far East of Russia. Of particular importance are the thermal properties and the unfrozen water contents of ash layers and the rate at which the weathering of volcanic glass takes place. Volcanic glass is the most easily weathered component of volcanic ejecta (Shoji et al., 1993; Kimble et al., 2000). There are many specific environmental conditions, including paleoclimate and present-day climate, the composition of volcanic tephra and glaciation history, which cause the differences in weathering and development of volcanic ash soils (Zehetner et al., 2003). The preservation of in situ, unweathered, and unaltered surficial ash-fall deposits in the cold regions has important implications for paleoclimate and glacial history. Ash-fall deposits, which trap and preserve the soils, sediments, and landforms on which they fall, can be used to resolve local climate conditions (temperature and moisture) at the ash site during ash-fall deposition. The preservation of detailed sedimentary features (e.g. bedding in the ash, sharpness of stratigraphic contacts) can tell us about their post-depositional history, whether they have been redeposited by wind or water, or overridden by glaciers (Marchant et al., 1996). Weathering of volcanic glass results in the development of amorphous clay minerals (e.g. allophane, opal, palagonite) but this takes place much slower in cold than under warmer climate conditions. Only few

Soil-plant transfer models for metals to improve soil screening value guidelines valid for São Paulo, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Dos Santos-Araujo, Sabrina N; Swartjes, Frank A; Versluijs, Kees W; Moreno, Fabio Netto; Alleoni, Luís R F

2017-11-07

In Brazil, there is a lack of combined soil-plant data attempting to explain the influence of specific climate, soil conditions, and crop management on heavy metal uptake and accumulation by plants. As a consequence, soil-plant relationships to be used in risk assessments or for derivation of soil screening values are not available. Our objective in this study was to develop empirical soil-plant models for Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn, in order to derive appropriate soil screening values representative of humid tropical regions such as the state of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Soil and plant samples from 25 vegetable species in the production areas of SP were collected. The concentrations of metals found in these soil samples were relatively low. Therefore, data from temperate regions were included in our study. The soil-plant relations derived had a good performance for SP conditions for 8 out of 10 combinations of metal and vegetable species. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) values for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in lettuce and for Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in carrot were determined under three exposure scenarios at pH 5 and 6. The application of soil-plant models and the BCFs proposed in this study can be an important tool to derive national soil quality criteria. However, this methodological approach includes data assessed under different climatic conditions and soil types and need to be carefully considered.

The improvement of Pilot-scale Electrokinetic for Radioactive Soil Decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hye Min; Kim, Gye Nam; Kim, Wan Suk; Moon, Jai Kwon

2012-01-01

Most nuclear facility sites have been contaminated by leakage of radioactive waste-solution due to corrosion of the waste-solution tanks and connection pipes by their long-term operation, set up around underground nuclear facilities. Therefore it was needed that the method to remediate a large volume of radioactive soil should be developed. Until now the soil washing method has studied to remediate soil contaminated with uranium, cobalt, cesium, and so on. But it has a lower removal efficiency of nuclide from soils and generated a large volume of waste-solution. And its application to the soil composed of fine particle is impossible. So, the electrokinetic method has been studied as a new technology for soil remediation recently. In this study, the original electrokinetic equipment of 50L suitable to soil contamination characteristics of Korean nuclear facility sites was manufactured for the remediation of soil contaminated with uranium. During experiment with the original electrokinetic equipment, many metal oxides were generated and were stuck on the cathod plate. Several methods to reduce the generation quantity of metal oxides in the electrokinetic equipment and to take off metal oxides from the cathod plate were improved. The soil with uranium was remediated with the improved electrokinetic equipment. The required time to remediate a radioactive soil to under a clearance concentration level was yielded through demonstration experiment with the improved electrokinetic equipment for its different radioactivity concentration

The improvement of Pilot-scale Electrokinetic for Radioactive Soil Decontamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hye Min; Kim, Gye Nam; Kim, Wan Suk; Moon, Jai Kwon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Most nuclear facility sites have been contaminated by leakage of radioactive waste-solution due to corrosion of the waste-solution tanks and connection pipes by their long-term operation, set up around underground nuclear facilities. Therefore it was needed that the method to remediate a large volume of radioactive soil should be developed. Until now the soil washing method has studied to remediate soil contaminated with uranium, cobalt, cesium, and so on. But it has a lower removal efficiency of nuclide from soils and generated a large volume of waste-solution. And its application to the soil composed of fine particle is impossible. So, the electrokinetic method has been studied as a new technology for soil remediation recently. In this study, the original electrokinetic equipment of 50L suitable to soil contamination characteristics of Korean nuclear facility sites was manufactured for the remediation of soil contaminated with uranium. During experiment with the original electrokinetic equipment, many metal oxides were generated and were stuck on the cathod plate. Several methods to reduce the generation quantity of metal oxides in the electrokinetic equipment and to take off metal oxides from the cathod plate were improved. The soil with uranium was remediated with the improved electrokinetic equipment. The required time to remediate a radioactive soil to under a clearance concentration level was yielded through demonstration experiment with the improved electrokinetic equipment for its different radioactivity concentration

Over de bodemgesteldheid rondom Wageningen = Soil conditions in the environments of Wageningen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buringh, P.

1951-01-01

Because of the growing need for more experimental ground for the Agricultural University and the Agricultural Institutes, this study was made to indicate soil qualities around Wageningen and the possibilities of soil improvement (water control). Soil classification was based on the concepts of soil

Gaseous losses of fertilizer nitrogen from soils under various conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, P.M.; Pedishyus, R.K.

1974-01-01

Effects of aerobic and anaerobic conditions; pH, and soil sterilization on the nitrogen loss from ( 15 NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , Ca( 15 NO 3 ) 2 and Na 15 NO 2 have been studied in vitro. Composition of the liberated gases has been determined by the adsorption chromatography technique. Gaseous losses of fertilizer nitrogen are shown to proceed most intensely during first 10 to 30 days after nitrogen application, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 nitrogen loss being much higher than that of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 . Under anaerobic conditions nitrogen losses are markedly higher than in the presence of oxygen. Nitrogen of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 is lost mainly as N 2 O and N 2 , the proportion of NO and NO 2 under aerobic and, particularly, anaerobic conditions is very small. Fertilizer type and aeration affect strongly the composition of liberated gases and the N 2 O:N 2 ratio. Under anaerobic conditions, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 nitrogen, beginning from the first days, is lost mainly as N 2 (75-80%), N 2 O makes up only 12 to 14%. Under aerobic conditions, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and Ca(NO 3 ) 2 release initially a considerable amount of N 2 O, its reduction to N 2 being inhibited. In the course of time, however, a noticeable growth of the N 2 fraction occurs and it is accompanied by the decrease in N 2 O. Soil pH effects are related mainly to the composition of gases released rather than to the total nitrogen loss by Ca(NO 3 ) 2 . Under anaerobic conditions, more reduced gaseous products N 2 O and N 2 - are formed at acidic and neutral soil reaction, the amount of N 2 being greater at pH 7 than at pH 4.4. Under aerobic conditions, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 at pH 7 loses nitrogen mostly as N 2 , while under acidic soil reaction (pH 4.1-4.4) the losses occur as N 2 O and in part as NO and NO 2 . Sterilized soil at acidic pH liberates primarily nitrogen oxide which is formed apparently as a result of chemical reactions with participation of nitrites

Structure and organic matter under different soil management conditions in the center of Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bricchi, E.

2004-01-01

In Central Argentina, Cordoba Province, as in different parts of the world, the equilibrium state of soil under natural condition has been modified by both the replacement of natural vegetation and by tillage. With time, these two disturbing factors have led to a new soil state whose main characteristic is an important decrease of chemical, physical and biological soil functions. The degree of these changes is directly related to soil resistance according to soil genesis. The soil organic matter and the structure of the superficial profile of soil are suitable indicators mainly for physical functions. Recently, it became necessary to look for a combination of technologies leading to an energy input throughout conservation tillage systems, soil covering and agro-chemicals which tend to improve soil quality in order to obtain a sustainable production. The removal of natural vegetation and tillage systems have caused the following effects on the first centimetres of soils: A 77 to 80% loss of organic matter during a period of about 80 years. Changes in the water stable aggregates distribution. A 77% loss of large aggregates and a 55% gain of fine aggregates. Our results would indicate that the disturbance level was higher to the natural resistance of soil. The organic carbon content in the first centimetres of soil is increased when all crop stubble remains on the field and conservationist tillage is applied. Conservation tillages are more efficient in the lower position of relief, meaning the beginning of a change of organic matter tendency that would possibly tend to new equilibrium state. On the other hand, the percentage of water stable aggregates would also be increased as consequence of a higher organic carbon content

Robust Initial Wetness Condition Framework of an Event-Based Rainfall–Runoff Model Using Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wooyeon Sunwoo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Runoff prediction in limited-data areas is vital for hydrological applications, such as the design of infrastructure and flood defenses, runoff forecasting, and water management. Rainfall–runoff models may be useful for simulation of runoff generation, particularly event-based models, which offer a practical modeling scheme because of their simplicity. However, there is a need to reduce the uncertainties related to the estimation of the initial wetness condition (IWC prior to a rainfall event. Soil moisture is one of the most important variables in rainfall–runoff modeling, and remotely sensed soil moisture is recognized as an effective way to improve the accuracy of runoff prediction. In this study, the IWC was evaluated based on remotely sensed soil moisture by using the Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number (SCS-CN method, which is one of the representative event-based models used for reducing the uncertainty of runoff prediction. Four proxy variables for the IWC were determined from the measurements of total rainfall depth (API5, ground-based soil moisture (SSMinsitu, remotely sensed surface soil moisture (SSM, and soil water index (SWI provided by the advanced scatterometer (ASCAT. To obtain a robust IWC framework, this study consists of two main parts: the validation of remotely sensed soil moisture, and the evaluation of runoff prediction using four proxy variables with a set of rainfall–runoff events in the East Asian monsoon region. The results showed an acceptable agreement between remotely sensed soil moisture (SSM and SWI and ground based soil moisture data (SSMinsitu. In the proxy variable analysis, the SWI indicated the optimal value among the proposed proxy variables. In the runoff prediction analysis considering various infiltration conditions, the SSM and SWI proxy variables significantly reduced the runoff prediction error as compared with API5 by 60% and 66%, respectively. Moreover, the proposed IWC framework with

Mechanical Behaviour of Soil Improved by Alkali Activated Binders

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Enza Vitale

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The use of alkali activated binders to improve engineering properties of clayey soils is a novel solution, and an alternative to the widely diffused improvement based on the use of traditional binders such as lime and cement. In the paper the alkaline activation of two fly ashes, by-products of coal combustion thermoelectric power plants, has been presented. These alkali activated binders have been mixed with a clayey soil for evaluating the improvement of its mechanical behaviour. One-dimensional compression tests on raw and treated samples have been performed with reference to the effects induced by type of binder, binder contents and curing time. The experimental evidences at volume scale of the treated samples have been directly linked to the chemo-physical evolution of the binders, investigated over curing time by means of X Ray Diffraction. Test results showed a high reactivity of the alkali activated binders promoting the formation of new mineralogical phases responsible for the mechanical improvement of treated soil. The efficiency of alkali activated binders soil treatment has been highlighted by comparison with mechanical performance induced by Portland cement.

Three Gorges Reservoir Area: soil erosion under natural condition vs. soil erosion under current land use

Science.gov (United States)

Schönbrodt, Sarah; Behrens, Thorsten; Scholten, Thomas

2010-05-01

Apparently, the current most prominent human-induced example for large scale environmental impact is the Three Gorges Dam in China. The flooding alongside the Yangtze River, and its tributaries results in a vast loss of settlement and farmland area with productive, fertile valley soils. Due to the associated high land use dynamic on uphill-sites, the soil resources are underlying high land use pressure. Within our study, the soil erosion under natural conditions is compared to the soil erosion under current land use after the impoundment. Both were modeled using the empirical Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) which is able to predict long-term annual soil loss with limited data. The database consists of digital terrain data (45 m resolution DEM, erosive slope length based on Monte-Carlo-Aggregation according to Behrens et al. (2008)), field investigations of recent erosion forms, and literature studies. The natural disposition to soil erosion was calculated considering the USLE factors R, S, and K. The soil erosion under current land use was calculated taking into account all USLE factors. The study area is the catchment of the Xiangxi River in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Within the Xiangxi Catchment (3,200 km²) the highly dynamic backwater area (580 km²), and two micro-scale study sites (Xiangjiaba with 2.8 km², and Quyuan with 88 km²) are considered more detailed as they are directly affected by the river impoundment. Central features of the Xiangxi Catchment are the subtropical monsoon climate, an extremely steep sloping relief (mean slope angle 39°, SD 22.8°) artificially fractured by farmland terraces, and a high soil erodibility (mean K factor 0.37, SD 0.13). On the catchment scale the natural disposition to soil erosion makes up to mean 518.0 t ha-1 a-1. The maximum potential soil loss of 1,730.1 t ha-1 a-1 under natural conditions is reached in the Quyuan site (mean 635.8 t ha-1 a-1) within the backwater area (mean 582.9 t ha-1 a-1). In the

Modeling Bacteria-Water Interactions in Soil: EPS Dynamics Under Evaporative Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Furrer, J.; Hinestroza, H. F.; Guo, Y. S.; Gage, D. J.; Cho, Y. K.; Shor, L. M.

2017-12-01

The soil habitat represents a major linkage between the water and carbon cycles: the ability of soils to sequester or release carbon is determined primarily by soil moisture. Water retention and distribution in soils controls the abundance and activity of soil microbes. Microbes in turn impact water retention by creating biofilms, composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). We model the effects of bacterial EPS on water retention at the pore scale. We use the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), a well-established fluid dynamics modeling platform, and modify it to include the effects of water uptake and release by the swelling/shrinking EPS phase. The LB model is implemented in 2-D, with a non-ideal gas equation of state that allows condensation and evaporation of fluid in pore spaces. Soil particles are modeled according to experimentally determined particle size distributions and include realistic pore geometries, in contrast to many soil models which use spherical soil particles for simplicity. Model results are compared with evaporation experiments in soil micromodels and other simpler experimental systems, and model parameters are tuned to match experimental results. Drying behavior and solid-gel contact angle of EPS produced by the soil bacteria Sinorhizobium meliloti has been characterized and compared to the behavior of deionized water under the same conditions. The difference in behavior between the fluids is used to parameterize the model. The model shows excellent qualitative agreement for soil micromodels with both aggregated and non-aggregated particle arrangements under no-EPS conditions, and reproduces realistic drying behavior for EPS. This work represents a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding microbe-soil interactions at the pore scale.

Improving Soil Seed Bank Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Haring, Steven C; Flessner, Michael L

2018-05-08

Problems associated with simplified weed management motivate efforts for diversification. Integrated weed management uses fundamentals of weed biology and applied ecology to provide a framework for diversified weed management programs; the soil seed bank comprises a necessary part of this framework. By targeting seeds, growers can inhibit the propagule pressure on which annual weeds depend for agricultural invasion. Some current management practices affect weed seed banks, such as crop rotation and tillage, but these tools are often used without specific intention to manage weed seeds. Difficulties quantifying the weed seed bank, understanding seed bank phenology, and linking seed banks to emerged weed communities challenge existing soil seed bank management practices. Improved seed bank quantification methods could include DNA profiling of the soil seed bank, mark and recapture, or 3D LIDAR mapping. Successful and sustainable soil seed bank management must constrain functionally diverse and changing weed communities. Harvest weed seed controls represent a step forward, but over-reliance on this singular technique could make it short-lived. Researchers must explore tools inspired by other pest management disciplines, such as gene drives or habitat modification for predatory organisms. Future weed seed bank management will combine multiple complementary practices that enhance diverse agroecosystems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Soil texture and climatc conditions for biocrust growth limitation: a meta analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Thomas; Subbotina, Mariia

2015-04-01

Along with afforestation, attempts have been made to combat desertification by managing soil crusts, and is has been reported that recovery rates of biocrusts are dependent on many factors, including the type, severity, and extent of disturbance; structure of the vascular plant community; conditions of adjoining substrates; availability of inoculation material; and climate during and after disturbance (Belnap & Eldridge 2001). Because biological soil crusts are known to be more stable on and to prefer fine substrates (Belnap 2001), the question arises as to how successful crust management practices can be applied to coarser soil. In previous studies we observed similar crust biomasses on finer soils under arid and on coarser soils under temperate conditions. We hypothesized that the higher water holding capacity of finer substrates would favor crust development, and that the amount of silt and clay in the substrate that is required for enhanced crust development would vary with changes in climatic conditions. In a global meta study, climatic and soil texture threshold values promoting BSC growth were derived. While examining literature sources, it became evident that the amount of studies to be incorporated into this meta analysis was reversely related to the amount of common environmental parameters they share. We selected annual mean precipitaion, mean temperature and the amount of silt and clay as driving variables for crust growth. Response variable was the "relative crust biomass", which was computed per literature source as the ratio between each individual crust biomass value of the given study to the study maximum value reported. We distinguished lichen, green algal, cyanobacterial and moss crusts. To quantify threshold conditions at which crust biomass responded to differences in texture and climate, we (I) determined correlations between bioclimatic variables, (II) calculated linear models to determine the effect of typical climatic variables with soil

Reductive dechlorination of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers in soil under anaerobic conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middeldorp, P.J.M.; Doesburg, van W.C.J.; Schraa, G.; Stams, A.J.M.

2005-01-01

The biological anaerobic reductive dechlorination of -hexachlorocyclohexane under methanogenic conditions was tested in a number of contaminated soil samples from two locations in the Netherlands. Soils from a heavily polluted location showed rapid dechlorination of -hexachlorocyclohexane to benzene

Soil-plant transfer models for metals to improve soil screening value guidelines valid for São Paulo, Brazil.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dos Santos-Araujo, Sabrina N; Swartjes, Frank A; Versluijs, Kees W; Moreno, Fabio Netto; Alleoni, Luís R F

2017-01-01

In Brazil, there is a lack of combined soil-plant data attempting to explain the influence of specific climate, soil conditions, and crop management on heavy metal uptake and accumulation by plants. As a consequence, soil-plant relationships to be used in risk assessments or for derivation of soil

Soil microbial diversity, site conditions, shelter forest land, saline water drip-irrigation, drift desert.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Zhengzhong; Lei, Jiaqiang; Li, Shengyu; Xu, Xinwen

2013-10-01

Soil microbes in forest land are crucial to soil development in extreme areas. In this study, methods of conventional culture, PLFA and PCR-DGGE were utilized to analyze soil microbial quantity, fatty acids and microbial DNA segments of soils subjected to different site conditions in the Tarim Desert Highway forest land. The main results were as follows: the soil microbial amount, diversity indexes of fatty acid and DNA segment differed significantly among sites with different conditions (F 84%), followed by actinomycetes and then fungi (<0.05%). Vertical differences in the soil microbial diversity were insignificant at 0-35 cm. Correlation analysis indicated that the forest trees grew better as the soil microbial diversity index increased. Therefore, construction of the Tarim Desert Highway shelter-forest promoted soil biological development; however, for enhancing sand control efficiency and promoting sand development, we should consider the effects of site condition in the construction and regeneration of shelter-forest ecological projects. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving geotechnical properties of clayey soil using polymer material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karim Hussein

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study illustrates the application of polymer material for clayey soil stabilization. The article will focus on studying the strength behavior of the clayey soils reinforced with homogenously polymer fiber. In the current research, “polypropylene” was selected as polymer material to reinforce the natural clay soil. This polymer fiber was added to the clayey soil with four different percentages of (0, 1.5, 3, and 5% by weight of soil. Various tests with different polymer contents were performed to study the effect of using such a polymer as a stabilizing agent on geotechnical properties of clay. As the fiber content increases, the optimum moisture content (OMC is increased while the specific gravity decreases. For Atterberg’s limits, the results indicated increasing liquid limit and plasticity index while decreasing plastic limit with increase in polymer content. The outcomes of the tests also reflected a considerable improvement in the unconfined compressive strength with noticeable improvement in the shear strength parameter (undrained shear strength, cu of the treated soils. The undrained shear strength obtained from treated soil with 5% polymer addition is more than three times that of the untreated soil. With an increase in polymer content, the consolidation parameters (Compression index Cc and recompression index Cr decreases. Finally, the benefit of the reinforcement is increased with increasing polymer fiber content.

Studying soil organic carbon in Mediterranean soils. Different techniques and the effects of land management and use, climatic and topographic conditions, organic waste addition

Science.gov (United States)

Lozano-García, Beatriz; Parras-Alcántara, Luis

2014-05-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important component of global carbon cycle, and the changes of its accumulation and decomposition directly affect terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage and global carbon balance. The ability of soil to store SOC depends to a great extent on climate and some soil properties, in addition to the cultivation system in agricultural soils. Soils in Mediterranean areas are very poor in organic matter and are exposed to progressive degradation processes. Therefore, a lot of actions are conducted to improve soil quality and hence mitigate the negative environmental and agronomic limitations of these soils. Improved cultivation systems (conversion of cropland to pastoral and forest lands, conventional tillage to conservation tillage, no manure use to regular addition of manure) have been introduced in recent years, increasing the contents in SOC and therefore, enhancing the soil quality, reducing soil erosion and degradation, improving surface water quality and increasing soil productivity. Moreover, the organic waste addition to the soils is especially useful in Mediterranean regions, where the return of organic matter to soil not only does it help soils store SOC and improve soil structure and soil fertility but also it allows to reuse a wide range of agro-industrial wastes.

Soil map disaggregation improved by soil-landscape relationships, area-proportional sampling and random forest implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Anders Bjørn; Malone, Brendan P.; Odgers, Nathan

implementation generally improved the algorithm’s ability to predict the correct soil class. The implementation of soil-landscape relationships and area-proportional sampling generally increased the calculation time, while the random forest implementation reduced the calculation time. In the most successful......Detailed soil information is often needed to support agricultural practices, environmental protection and policy decisions. Several digital approaches can be used to map soil properties based on field observations. When soil observations are sparse or missing, an alternative approach...... is to disaggregate existing conventional soil maps. At present, the DSMART algorithm represents the most sophisticated approach for disaggregating conventional soil maps (Odgers et al., 2014). The algorithm relies on classification trees trained from resampled points, which are assigned classes according...

Antecedent conditions influence soil respiration differences in shrub and grass patches

Science.gov (United States)

Quantifying the response of soil respiration to past environmental conditions is critical for predicting how future climate and vegetation change will impact ecosystem carbon balance. Increased shrub dominance in semiarid grasslands has potentially large effects on soil carbon cycling. The goal of t...

Improvement of Expansive Soils Using Chemical Stabilizers

Science.gov (United States)

Ikizler, S. B.; Senol, A.; Khosrowshahi, S. K.; Hatipoğlu, M.

2014-12-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of two chemical stabilizers on the swelling potential of expansive soil. A high plasticity sodium bentonite was used as the expansive soil. The additive materials including fly ash (FA) and lime (L) were evaluated as potential stabilizers to decrease the swelling pressure of bentonite. Depending on the type of additive materials, they were blended with bentonite in different percentages to assess the optimum state and approch the maximum swell pressure reduction. According to the results of swell pressure test, both fly ash and lime reduce the swelling potential of bentonite but the maximum improvement occurs using bentonite-lime mixture while the swelling pressure reduction approaches to 49%. The results reveal a significant reduction of swelling potential of expansive soil using chemical stabilizers. Keywords: Expansive soil; swell pressure; chemical stabilization; fly ash; lime

Bacillus spp. from rainforest soil promote plant growth under limited nitrogen conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X-F; Zhou, D; Guo, J; Manter, D K; Reardon, K F; Vivanco, J M

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of PGPR (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) isolated from rainforest soil on different plants under limited nitrogen conditions. Bacterial isolates from a Peruvian rainforest soil were screened for plant growth-promoting effects on Arabidopsis (Col-0). Four selected isolates including one Bacillus subtilis, two B. atrophaeus and one B. pumilus significantly promoted growth of Zea mays L. and Solanum lycopersicum under greenhouse conditions. Moreover, the PGPRs significantly promoted growth of S. lycopersicum in both low and nitrogen-amended soil conditions. These PGPR strains were further studied to obtain insights into possible mechanisms of plant growth promotion. Volatile chemicals from those isolates promoted Arabidopsis growth, and the expression of genes related to IAA production was induced in the Arabidopsis plants treated with PGPRs. Further, selected PGPR strains triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 in Arabidopsis. PGPR strains isolated from the rainforest soil promoted the plant growth of Arabidopsis, corn and tomato. New PGPR that have wider adaptability to different crops, soils and environmental conditions are needed to decrease our reliance on agricultural amendments derived from fossil-based fuels. The PGPRs isolated from a nonagricultural site constitute new plant growth-promoting strains that could be developed for agricultural uses. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Soils and irrigation of three areas in the Lower Tana Region, Kenya : a comparative study of soil conditions and irrigation suitability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muchena, F.N.

1987-01-01

The soils and soil conditions of three areas situated in different physiographic positions in the Lower Tana Region of Kenya were investigated in respect of their suitability for irrigated agriculture. The soils vary widely in both physical and chemical properties. Most of the soils have an

The spatial variability in studies of soil physical condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madero M, Edgar; Herrera G Oscar A; Castano C, Alirio

2000-01-01

The testing procedure was carried out in 1996-2 at the experimental station of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Palmira using vertical tillage (by chiseling) in coherent vertisol (typic Haplustert isohiperthermic fine loamy 1%). eight physical properties in depth of 15-25 cm were studied. the sampling methodology for soil physical properties and corn yield accounted the regionalized variable, and the analysis of results was carried out accounting a map of each variable. the results proved that geostatystics is versatile and give accuracy results. it showed in most of the area that vertical tillage was more favorable than conventional tillage to improve coherence (more soil penetrability without degradation) in seedbed zone. it was not found influence over corn yield. soil organic matter; clay and silt had influence over the soil response to mechanical strengths

Effects of Comprehensive Technologies on the Improvement of Acidified Vineyard Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hongguo; Wang, Qiunan; Xu, Feng; Jin, Jun; Wang, Guoyu; Liu, Jianguo

2018-01-01

Soil acidification is an important factor that restricts the yield and quality of fruits. In this study, the comprehensive improving technologies were applied on the vineyards in which the soil pH is below 5.5. The technologies include application of soil conditioner, organic fertilizer and bacterial manure, and growth of green manure and natural grass. The results show that the comprehensive improving technologies can raise the pH of 0-15 cm soil layer by 0.5-0.8 unit and the pH of 15-30 cm soil layer by 0.3-0.6 unit. The soil bulk densities are decreased by 0.77-10.42%. The contents of organic matter, total N, available P and K in the soils are all increased. Therefore, the soil fertilities are improved. The yields of grape fruits are increased by 12.77-14.94%, and the contents of soluble solid in the grapes are raised by 7.01-9.55%, by the comprehensive measure of seaweed liquid silicon plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure. The comprehensive measure of soil conditioner Naduoli No. 1 plus bacterial manure plus natural grass increases the yields of grape by 7.67%, raises the content of soluble solid in the grape by 8.6%. But the effect of the comprehensive measure of unslaked lime plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure is not clear.

Germination of Blue Wildrye in Biochar Treated Mining Impacted Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Stabilization of mine sites with vegetation is an important management strategy to reduce metal movement off-site. Plant growth, however, is often hampered by poor soil conditions. Biochar is a novel soil amendment that may improve soil health conditions and improve plant growt...

utilisation of rice husk ash for improvement of deficient soils

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

1, 2 DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING,FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY,MINNA,NIGER STATE.NIGERIA ... industrial wastes in soil improvement is rapidly increasing ..... barriers, permeability characteristics of the treated soil,.

Immobilization remediation of Cd-polluted soil with different water condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianrui; Xu, Yingming

2017-05-15

To demonstrate effects of water management on soil Cd immobilization using palygorskite, the investigation evaluated impacts of palygorskite on uptake of Cd present in soils with different water condition by rice plant. Pot experiment results showed that, pH, available Fe and P in untreated soils were higher in continuous flooding than in traditional irrigation and wetting irrigation, which were reasons for lower soil exchangeable Cd and plant Cd in continuous flooding. In control group (untreated soils), compared to traditional irrigation, continuous flooding reduced brown rice Cd by 37.9%, that in wetting irrigation increased by 31.0%. At palygorskite concentrations of 5 g kg -1 , 10 g kg -1 and 15 g kg -1 , brown rice Cd reduced by 16.7%, 44.4% and 55.6% under continuous flooding, 13.8%, 34.5% and 44.8% under traditional irrigation, 13.1%, 36.8% and 47.3% under wetting irrigation (p soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochar from sugarcane filtercake reduces soil CO2 emissions relative to raw residue and improves water retention and nutrient availability in a highly-weathered tropical soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Eykelbosh, Angela Joy; Johnson, Mark S; Santos de Queiroz, Edmar; Dalmagro, Higo José; Guimarães Couto, Eduardo

2014-01-01

In Brazil, the degradation of nutrient-poor Ferralsols limits productivity and drives agricultural expansion into pristine areas. However, returning agricultural residues to the soil in a stabilized form may offer opportunities for maintaining or improving soil quality, even under conditions that typically promote carbon loss. We examined the use of biochar made from filtercake (a byproduct of sugarcane processing) on the physicochemical properties of a cultivated tropical soil. Filtercake was pyrolyzed at 575°C for 3 h yielding a biochar with increased surface area and porosity compared to the raw filtercake. Filtercake biochar was primarily composed of aromatic carbon, with some residual cellulose and hemicellulose. In a three-week laboratory incubation, CO2 effluxes from a highly weathered Ferralsol soil amended with 5% biochar (dry weight, d.w.) were roughly four-fold higher than the soil-only control, but 23-fold lower than CO2 effluxes from soil amended with 5% (d.w.) raw filtercake. We also applied vinasse, a carbon-rich liquid waste from bioethanol production typically utilized as a fertilizer on sugarcane soils, to filtercake- and biochar-amended soils. Total CO2 efflux from the biochar-amended soil in response to vinasse application was only 5% of the efflux when vinasse was applied to soil amended with raw filtercake. Furthermore, mixtures of 5 or 10% biochar (d.w.) in this highly weathered tropical soil significantly increased water retention within the plant-available range and also improved nutrient availability. Accordingly, application of sugarcane filtercake as biochar, with or without vinasse application, may better satisfy soil management objectives than filtercake applied to soils in its raw form, and may help to build soil carbon stocks in sugarcane-cultivating regions.

Biochar from Sugarcane Filtercake Reduces Soil CO2 Emissions Relative to Raw Residue and Improves Water Retention and Nutrient Availability in a Highly-Weathered Tropical Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Eykelbosh, Angela Joy; Johnson, Mark S.; Santos de Queiroz, Edmar; Dalmagro, Higo José; Guimarães Couto, Eduardo

2014-01-01

In Brazil, the degradation of nutrient-poor Ferralsols limits productivity and drives agricultural expansion into pristine areas. However, returning agricultural residues to the soil in a stabilized form may offer opportunities for maintaining or improving soil quality, even under conditions that typically promote carbon loss. We examined the use of biochar made from filtercake (a byproduct of sugarcane processing) on the physicochemical properties of a cultivated tropical soil. Filtercake was pyrolyzed at 575°C for 3 h yielding a biochar with increased surface area and porosity compared to the raw filtercake. Filtercake biochar was primarily composed of aromatic carbon, with some residual cellulose and hemicellulose. In a three-week laboratory incubation, CO2 effluxes from a highly weathered Ferralsol soil amended with 5% biochar (dry weight, d.w.) were roughly four-fold higher than the soil-only control, but 23-fold lower than CO2 effluxes from soil amended with 5% (d.w.) raw filtercake. We also applied vinasse, a carbon-rich liquid waste from bioethanol production typically utilized as a fertilizer on sugarcane soils, to filtercake- and biochar-amended soils. Total CO2 efflux from the biochar-amended soil in response to vinasse application was only 5% of the efflux when vinasse was applied to soil amended with raw filtercake. Furthermore, mixtures of 5 or 10% biochar (d.w.) in this highly weathered tropical soil significantly increased water retention within the plant-available range and also improved nutrient availability. Accordingly, application of sugarcane filtercake as biochar, with or without vinasse application, may better satisfy soil management objectives than filtercake applied to soils in its raw form, and may help to build soil carbon stocks in sugarcane-cultivating regions. PMID:24897522

Biochar from sugarcane filtercake reduces soil CO2 emissions relative to raw residue and improves water retention and nutrient availability in a highly-weathered tropical soil.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Joy Eykelbosh

Full Text Available In Brazil, the degradation of nutrient-poor Ferralsols limits productivity and drives agricultural expansion into pristine areas. However, returning agricultural residues to the soil in a stabilized form may offer opportunities for maintaining or improving soil quality, even under conditions that typically promote carbon loss. We examined the use of biochar made from filtercake (a byproduct of sugarcane processing on the physicochemical properties of a cultivated tropical soil. Filtercake was pyrolyzed at 575°C for 3 h yielding a biochar with increased surface area and porosity compared to the raw filtercake. Filtercake biochar was primarily composed of aromatic carbon, with some residual cellulose and hemicellulose. In a three-week laboratory incubation, CO2 effluxes from a highly weathered Ferralsol soil amended with 5% biochar (dry weight, d.w. were roughly four-fold higher than the soil-only control, but 23-fold lower than CO2 effluxes from soil amended with 5% (d.w. raw filtercake. We also applied vinasse, a carbon-rich liquid waste from bioethanol production typically utilized as a fertilizer on sugarcane soils, to filtercake- and biochar-amended soils. Total CO2 efflux from the biochar-amended soil in response to vinasse application was only 5% of the efflux when vinasse was applied to soil amended with raw filtercake. Furthermore, mixtures of 5 or 10% biochar (d.w. in this highly weathered tropical soil significantly increased water retention within the plant-available range and also improved nutrient availability. Accordingly, application of sugarcane filtercake as biochar, with or without vinasse application, may better satisfy soil management objectives than filtercake applied to soils in its raw form, and may help to build soil carbon stocks in sugarcane-cultivating regions.

Soil quality improvement for crop production in semi-arid West Africa

OpenAIRE

Ouédraogo, E.

2004-01-01

Soil quality maintenance and crop production improvement in semi-arid West Africa require appropriate cropping technologies, which are ecologically sound and economically viable. Thus, on-farm and on-station experiments have been carried out on the central plateau and in the south of Burkina Faso The results show that adoption of improved soil fertility technologies such as composting by farmers is determined by soil fertility status, access to the market and social reasons. Organic amendment...

Mineralization of 14C-labelled aromatic pesticide molecules in Egyptian soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zayed, S.M.A.D.; Earghaly, M.; Mahdy, F.; El-Maghraby, S.; Taha, H.; Soliman, S.M.

2001-01-01

The mineralization of 2,4-D, carbofuran and pirimiphos-methyl in Egyptian soils was studied over a period of 90 days. Laboratory studies under aerobic and anaerobic conditions were conducted using 14 C-ring labelled pesticides. Under anaerobic conditions 10-14% of applied ring labelled 2,4-D mineralized during 90 days with no significant variations due to soil type. Under aerobic conditions, 2,4-D mineralized more readily in clay soil to reach 29-34% of applied dose within 90 days. In clay loam soil, 14 C-carbofuran and 14 C-pirimiphos-methyl mineralized at a rather slow rate to reach 12-14% and 12-13% of applied dose in 90 days, respectively under aerobic conditions. Generally, soils repeatedly treated with pesticides gave a slightly lower percentage of mineralization than control soils. In all studies, the soil extractable pesticide residues decreased with time and the bound residues gradually increased. The highest binding affinity of about 26-29% was observed with 2,4-D in clay soil under aerobic conditions in 90 days. Carbofuran, and pirimiphos-methyl, on the other hand, had lower binding capacity that did not exceed 16% of applied radioactivity. (author)

Activity and stability of a complex bacterial soil community under simulated Martian conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Merrison, Jonathan; Nørnberg, Per; Aagaard Lomstein, Bente; Finster, Kai

2005-04-01

A simulation experiment with a complex bacterial soil community in a Mars simulation chamber was performed to determine the effect of Martian conditions on community activity, stability and survival. At three different depths in the soil core short-term effects of Martian conditions with and without ultraviolet (UV) exposure corresponding to 8 Martian Sol were compared. Community metabolic activities and functional diversity, measured as glucose respiration and versatility in substrate utilization, respectively, decreased after UV exposure, whereas they remained unaffected by Martian conditions without UV exposure. In contrast, the numbers of culturable bacteria and the genetic diversity were unaffected by the simulated Martian conditions both with and without UV exposure. The genetic diversity of the soil community and of the colonies grown on agar plates were evaluated by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) on DNA extracts. Desiccation of the soil prior to experimentation affected the functional diversity by decreasing the versatility in substrate utilization. The natural dominance of endospores and Gram-positive bacteria in the investigated Mars-analogue soil may explain the limited effect of the Mars incubations on the survival and community structure. Our results suggest that UV radiation and desiccation are major selecting factors on bacterial functional diversity in terrestrial bacterial communities incubated under simulated Martian conditions. Furthermore, these results suggest that forward contamination of Mars is a matter of great concern in future space missions.

Effect of Drainage Conditions on Cone Penetration Testing in Silty Soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Rikke; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl; Ibsen, Lars Bo

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the challenges that occur when performing Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) in silty soil due to changes in drainage conditions. In this paper, CPT results from various papers and researchers are collected and interpreted. Results from cone penetrations tests with various penetrat......This paper discusses the challenges that occur when performing Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) in silty soil due to changes in drainage conditions. In this paper, CPT results from various papers and researchers are collected and interpreted. Results from cone penetrations tests with various...

Pore-scale investigation on the response of heterotrophic respiration to moisture conditions in heterogeneous soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Zhifeng; Liu, Chongxuan; Todd-Brown, Katherine E.; Liu, Yuanyuan; Bond-Lamberty, Ben; Bailey, Vanessa L.

2016-11-15

The relationship between microbial respiration rate and soil moisture content is an important property for understanding and predicting soil organic carbon degradation, CO₂ production and emission, and their subsequent effects on climate change. This paper reports a pore-scale modeling study to investigate the response of heterotrophic respiration to moisture conditions in soils and to evaluate various factors that affect this response. X-ray computed tomography was used to derive soil pore structures, which were then used for pore-scale model investigation. The pore-scale results were then averaged to calculate the effective respiration rates as a function of water content in soils. The calculated effective respiration rate first increases and then decreases with increasing soil water content, showing a maximum respiration rate at water saturation degree of 0.75 that is consistent with field and laboratory observations. The relationship between the respiration rate and moisture content is affected by various factors, including pore-scale organic carbon bioavailability, the rate of oxygen delivery, soil pore structure and physical heterogeneity, soil clay content, and microbial drought resistivity. Simulations also illustrates that a larger fraction of CO₂ produced from microbial respiration can be accumulated inside soil cores under higher saturation conditions, implying that CO₂ flux measured on the top of soil cores may underestimate or overestimate true soil respiration rates under dynamic moisture conditions. Overall, this study provides mechanistic insights into the soil respiration response to the change in moisture conditions, and reveals a complex relationship between heterotrophic microbial respiration rate and moisture content in soils that is affected by various hydrological, geochemical, and biophysical factors.

Bioremediation of endosulfan contaminated soil and water-Optimization of operating conditions in laboratory scale reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Mathava; Philip, Ligy

2006-01-01

A mixed bacterial culture consisted of Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus circulans-I and -II has been enriched from contaminated soil collected from the vicinity of an endosulfan processing industry. The degradation of endosulfan by mixed bacterial culture was studied in aerobic and facultative anaerobic conditions via batch experiments with an initial endosulfan concentration of 50 mg/L. After 3 weeks of incubation, mixed bacterial culture was able to degrade 71.58 ± 0.2% and 75.88 ± 0.2% of endosulfan in aerobic and facultative anaerobic conditions, respectively. The addition of external carbon (dextrose) increased the endosulfan degradation in both the conditions. The optimal dextrose concentration and inoculum size was estimated as 1 g/L and 75 mg/L, respectively. The pH of the system has significant effect on endosulfan degradation. The degradation of alpha endosulfan was more compared to beta endosulfan in all the experiments. Endosulfan biodegradation in soil was evaluated by miniature and bench scale soil reactors. The soils used for the biodegradation experiments were identified as clayey soil (CL, lean clay with sand), red soil (GM, silty gravel with sand), sandy soil (SM, silty sand with gravel) and composted soil (PT, peat) as per ASTM (American society for testing and materials) standards. Endosulfan degradation efficiency in miniature soil reactors were in the order of sandy soil followed by red soil, composted soil and clayey soil in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In bench scale soil reactors, endosulfan degradation was observed more in the bottom layers. After 4 weeks, maximum endosulfan degradation efficiency of 95.48 ± 0.17% was observed in red soil reactor where as in composted soil-I (moisture 38 ± 1%) and composted soil-II (moisture 45 ± 1%) it was 96.03 ± 0.23% and 94.84 ± 0.19%, respectively. The high moisture content in compost soil reactor-II increased the endosulfan concentration in the leachate. Known intermediate metabolites of

Improvement of geotechnical properties of sabkha soil utilizing cement kiln dust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah A. Al-Homidy

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Improvement of properties of weak soils in terms of strength, durability and cost is the key from engineering point of view. The weak soils could be stabilized using mechanical and/or chemical methods. Agents added during chemical stabilization could improve the engineering properties of treated soils. Stabilizers utilized have to satisfy noticeable performance, durability, low price, and can be easily implemented. Since cement kiln dust (CKD is industrial by-product, it would be a noble task if this waste material could be utilized for stabilization of sabkha soil. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing CKD for improving the properties of sabkha soil. Soil samples are prepared with 2% cement and 10%, 20% or 30% CKD and are tested to determine their unconfined compressive strength (UCS, soaked California bearing ratio (CBR and durability. Mechanism of stabilization is studied utilizing advanced techniques, such as the scanning electron microscope (SEM, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX, backscattered electron image (BEI and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD. It is noted that the sabkha soil mixed with 2% cement and 30% CKD could be used as a sub-base material in rigid pavements. The incorporation of CKD leads to technical and economic benefits.

Soil water dynamics and evapotranspiration of forage cactus clones under rainfed conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thieres George Freire da Silva

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate soil water dynamics in areas cultivated with forage cactus clones and to determine how environmental conditions and crop growth affect evapotranspiration. The study was conducted in the municipality of Serra Talhada, in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Crop growth was monitored through changes in the cladode area index (CAI and through the soil cover fraction, calculated at the end of the cycle. Real evapotranspiration (ET of the three evaluated clones was obtained as the residual term in the soil water balance method. No difference was observed between soil water balance components, even though the evaluated clones were of different genus and had different CAI increments. Accumulated ET was of 1,173 mm during the 499 days of the experiment, resulting in daily average of 2.35 mm. The CAI increases the water consumption of the Orelha de Elefante Mexicana clone. In dry conditions, the water consumption of the Miúda clone responds more slowly to variation in soil water availability. The lower evolution of the CAI of the IPA Sertânia clone, during the rainy season, leads to a higher contribution of the evaporation component in ET. The atmospheric demand controls the ET of clones only when there is higher soil water availability; in this condition, the water consumption of the Miúda clone decreases more rapidly with the increase of atmospheric demand.

An interdisciplinary approach towards improved understanding of soil deformation during compaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, T.; Lamandé, Mathieu; Peth, S.

2013-01-01

and validation of new soil compaction models. The integration of concepts underlying dynamic processes that modify soil pore spaces and bulk properties will improve the understanding of how soil management affect vital soil mechanical, hydraulic and ecological functions supporting plant growth.......Soil compaction not only reduces available pore volume in which fluids are stored, but it alters the arrangement of soil constituents and pore geometry, thereby adversely impacting fluid transport and a range of soil ecological functions. Quantitative understanding of stress transmission...... and deformation processes in arable soils remains limited. Yet such knowledge is essential for better predictions of effects of soil management practices such as agricultural field traffic on soil functioning. Concepts and theory used in agricultural soil mechanics (soil compaction and soil tillage) are often...

The impact of informal irrigation practices on soil drainage condition, soil pollution and land suitability for agriculture in El Saf area of El Giza Governorate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanan E.M. El Azab

2015-12-01

(poorly drained soils, but Co exceeded the total permissible concentrations. Continuing these informal irrigation practices, drainage condition will be deteriorated in extra areas and all heavy metal concentrations will exceed the standards of permissible levels. Improving the land qualities of drainage is required and Jojoba cultivation is proposed to replace the edible crop cultivation in the alluvial terraces to avoid the heavy metal contamination risk and to be used for developing a bio-fuel crop production of renewable energy.

Behaviour of lindane (gamma HCH) in soil under laboratory conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennaceur, M.; Ghezal, F.; Coste, C.M.

1997-01-01

The degradation of lindane in solid after multiple application was studied. The rate of disappearance of lindane increased at long periods after application. The dissipation of lindane was more rapid in soil collected from treated a plot than an untreated plot, owing to the degradation by micro-organisms suggesting that microorganisms had become adapted to degrade it. The rates of mineralization, mobility and degradation of lindane were also investigated under laboratory conditions using 14 C-labelled lindane. The results showed that most of the applied dose remained on the upper 6cm in the soil columns. Over a periods of three months, extractable residues, bound residues and evolution of 14 CO 2 were recorded. After 12 weeks, the soil contained about 50% of the initially applied 14 C and 20% was bound to the soil. The evolution of 14 CO 2 increased with time, amounting to 3.1% in non-sterile soil and less than 1% in sterile soil. The hexane 14 C-extractable residues were shown, by TLC, to contain lindane as the main product. (author). 5 refs, 4 tabs

Effect of the soil's redox conditions on the mobility of Se

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darcheville, O.; Fevrier, L.; Martin-Garin, A.

2005-01-01

Full text of publication follows: 79 Se is a long-life fission product found in the nuclear wastes. Understanding its behaviour in soils is of major concern because of its bioavailability with almost all living organisms (plants and animals). This study is part of a wider multi-disciplinary program that aims at studying 'the effect of the geochemical transformations and the microbial activities on the fate of Se in soils' [1]. The first part of this program is focused on the interactions between Se and the organic compartment of soils, including both biotic (microorganisms, plants,...) and abiotic (humic, fulvic substances,...) components. Special attention is paid to their consequence on the mobility of Se. The second part of the study, presented here, aims specifically at understanding the effect of the soil's redox status on the mobility of Se and at identifying the nature of the processes involved (microbiological vs chemical). Different types of experiments are performed under laboratory controlled conditions. They consist in mixing a 2 mm-sieved sandy soil from the Rhone borders (France) with radio-labelled selenite ( 75 SeIV). In batch experiments, the soil is incubated in a closed vessel under various atmospheres (O 2 or N 2 ) and amended with specific nutrients in order to create contrasted redox conditions and to stimulate specific microbial communities. These conditions are also used in column experiments to determine their impact on Se mobility. They are completed by varying the degree of water saturation in the column and the structure of the soil. The percolation front of Se is followed in-situ with a mobile gamma detector without disturbing the system. In both experimental designs, mass recoveries of 75 Se are precisely determined in the soil-solution systems thanks to the quantification of Se concentrations in the aqueous, solid and gaseous phases. In addition, the non reversibly sorbed Se fraction is assessed by performing sequential extractions

the use of integrated soil fertility approach in the improvement of soil

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sammy

improvement of soil texture and structure, thus boosters food production in the ecological region. ... the farm (Strainer 1984, Nicholaida et al 1985, Juo 1987, Renand et al 1997, ... degraded each year, due principally to water and wind erosion.

L-band microwave remote sensing and land data assimilation improve the representation of pre-storm soil moisture conditions for hydrologic forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Recent advances in remote sensing and land data assimilation purport to improve the quality of antecedent soil moisture information available for operational hydrologic forecasting. We objectively validate this claim by calculating the strength of the relationship between storm-scale runoff ratio (i...

Lasting effects of soil health improvements with management changes in cotton-based cropping systems in a sandy soil

Science.gov (United States)

The soil microbial component is essential for sustainable agricultural systems and soil health. This study evaluated the lasting impacts of 5 years of soil health improvements from alternative cropping systems compared to intensively tilled continuous cotton (Cont. Ctn) in a low organic matter sandy...

Long-term manure applications improve soil productivity and sustain high crop yield for acidic red soils

Science.gov (United States)

Intensive use of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers has resulted in severely reduced productivity of red soils (Ferralic Cambisol) due to accelerated acidification. Manure has been shown to be effective in improving soil productivity by preventing or reversing the acidification process, but little in...

Hydrological behaviour of sealing under different soil management conditions in the Center South Cordoba, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bricchi, E.

2004-01-01

The susceptibility of soils to form seals induced by rain depends on a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes, which are, indeed, affected by climatic characteristics and the type of soil. If we consider the weather factors, the energy of rain, as a function of quantity and intensity, is the most important one. The soil properties that favor the formation of sealing are texture, organic matter content, structural stability and sodium adsorption relationship. Regarding texture, silt is the particle, which is most highly involved. In central Argentina, specifically in the central southern region of Cordoba Province, the most representative soils show a low content of clays and a high content of silt and fine sand. This land has undergone different production systems, not only agricultural ones but also combined systems, as summer crops, with intense labouring and scarce, even lacking, stubble supply. Therefore these soils have had important loss in organic matter, degradation of the structure of the superficial horizons. It became necessary, then, to look for a combination of technologies leading to an energy input throughout conservation tillage systems, soil covering and agrochemicals which tend to improve soil quality in order to obtain a sustainable production. The trial was conducted by using a simple at-random design with two repetitions for each treatment. Only in F the initial saturated hydraulic conductivity (K si ) (non-sealing condition) and the final hydraulic conductivity (K sf ) (sealing conditions) were determined in the superficial of soil in 2000, by means of a rain simulator using an intensity up to 50 mm/h for 60 minutes (kinetic energy of 0.1336 J.cm -2 ). The K s values obtained by applying Darcy's equation were used to fit the Horton type exponential decay function which describes Ks as a function of the time of exposure to a simulated rain. It can be concluded that the removal of natural vegetation and crop systems have

Soil Improvement By Jet Grout Method And Geogrid Against Liquefaction: Example Of Samsun-Tekkeköy

Science.gov (United States)

Öztürk, Seda; Banu İkizler, S.; Şadoǧlu, Erol; Dadaşbilge, Ozan; Angın, Zekai

2017-04-01

Liquefaction that occurs due to cyclic and temporary loads on non-cohesive and water-logged sandy soil during earthquake causes considerable loss of lives and property in Turkey and the world. Turkey is a country of which a major part of territories is under earthquake risk due to its tectonic characteristics. Therefore, necessary precautions should be taken against possible disasters such as earthquakes that cannot be prevented in existing conditions. This study focuses on soil improvement applications for a site, located in the influence area of the North Anatolian Fault Zone that is one of the most active strike-slip fault systems of the world. The site was found to have liquefaction potential as a result of the analyses taking into account seismicity of the region and soil conditions. The investigation site is located in the industrial installations, Tekkeköy district of Samsun province and 8 new fuel tanks will be built in the area. Accordingly, as a result of the drilling works performed on the ground for site investigation, the filling layer between 0,9-1,2 m up the ground surface, the medium-tight and medium sand between 6-8 m after filling layer and then at the bottom, following this, medium tight-dense fine-medium sand layers have been encountered. In the Standard Penetration Tests made in this layer, values within N30=11-Refusal (>50) were obtained. It has been determined that the underground water level varies between 1.4-4 m according to the data obtained from the inspection well. In addition, the natural unit weight of the soil was determined as approximately 18 kN/m3 and the internal friction angle as (φ), 30o. The soil is composed of alluviums and layers of medium dense sand of the Holocene age originating from the sea. When all these conditions are evaluated, detailed risk analyses have been deemed necessary, since they indicate a risk of liquefaction. Liquefaction risk analyses were performed according to Seed and Idriss (1971) method for four

The soil sulphate effect and maize plant (Zea mays L.) growth of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) inoculation in acid sulfate soils with the different soil water condition

Science.gov (United States)

Asmarlaili, S.; Rauf, A.; Hanafiah, D. S.; Sudarno, Y.; Abdi, P.

2018-02-01

The objective of the study was to determine the potential application of sulphate reducing bacteria on acid sulfate soil with different water content in the green house. The research was carried out in the Laboratory and Green House, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. This research used Randomized Block Design with two treatments factors, ie sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) isolate (control, LK4, LK6, TSM4, TSM3, AP4, AP3, LK4 + TSM3, LK4 + AP4, LK4 + AP3, LK6 + TSM3, LK6 + AP4, LK6 + AP3, TSM4 + TSM3, TSM4 + AP4, TSM4 + AP3) and water condition (100% field capacity and 110% field capacity). The results showed that application of isolate LK4 + AP4 with water condition 110% field capacity decreased the soil sulphate content (27.38 ppm) significantly after 6 weeks. Application of isolate LK4 + AP3 with water condition 110% field capacity increased soil pH (5.58) after-week efficacy 6. Application of isolate LK4 with water condition 110% field capacity increased plant growth (140 cm; 25.74 g) significantly after week 6. The best treatment was application isolate LK4 with water condition 110% field Capacity (SRB population 2.5x108; soil sulphate content 29.10ppm; soil acidity 4.78; plant height 140cm; plant weight 25.74g).

Evidence for groundwater contamination by heavy metals through soil passage under acidifying conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilkens, B.J.

1995-01-01

The research reported here is aimed at improving the knowledge of the mobility of the heavy metals cadmium and zinc in vulnerable soil types. We use the term vulnerable with reference to vulnerability of groundwater for contamination by soil leaching. At diffuse soil immissions of heavy metals,

Evidence for groundwater contamination by heavy metals through soil passage under acidifying conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilkens, B.J,

1995-01-01

The research reported here is aimed at improving the knowledge of the mobility of the heavy metals cadmium and zinc in vulnerable soil types. We use the term vulnerable with reference to vulnerability of groundwater for contamination by soil leaching. At diffuse soil immissions of heavy

Testing of multistep soil washing for radiocesium-contaminated soil containing plant matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funakawa, Masafumi; Tagawa, Akihiro; Okuda, Nobuyasu

2012-01-01

Decontamination work following radiocesium exposure requires a vast reduction in the amount of contaminated soil generated. The current study subjected 4 types of contaminated soil with different properties to multistep soil washing under the same conditions. This study also determined the effectiveness of radiocesium decontamination and the extent to which the amount of contaminated soil was reduced. In addition, the effectiveness of plant matter separation, adsorbent addition, and grinding as part of multistep soil washing was determined using the same contaminated soil. Results of testing indicated that the rate of radiocesium decontamination ranged from 73.6 to 89.2% and the recovery rate ranged from 51.5 to 84.2% for twice-treated soil, regardless of the soil properties or cesium level. Plant matter in soil had a high radiocesium level. However, there was little plant matter in our soil sample. Therefore, plant matter separation had little effect on the improvement in the percentage of radiocesium decontamination of twice-treated soil. Soil surface grinding improved the rate of radiocesium decontamination of twice-treated soil. However, radiocesium in soil tightly bound with minerals in the soil; thus, the addition of an adsorbent also failed to improve the rate of radiocesium decontamination. (author)

Analysis of Eh Condition and Evolutional Trend of Paddy Soils in a Toposequence

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javad seyedmohammadi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Paddy soils are important and the base of agriculture in Guilan province. It is necessary to recognize these soils for understanding of their limitations and optimum use. Unsaturated soil submerging is the cause of collection of chemical and electrochemical process that has significant effects on soil fertility. Eh, rH and pH are important indexes that are used to investigate oxidation and reduction condition in submerged soils and have abundant effects on activity and sorption rate of nutrients. Decrease of Eh and rH in poorly drainage of paddy soils affects availability and solubility of nutrient. Different Fe forms are used for analysis of soils evolution trend and submerging influences on changes of Fe forms. The aim of the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of redox potential changes on soil characteristics and analysis of soils evolutional trend in different physiographic units. Materials and Methods: The study area with 40000ha (at the east of Rasht city is located between 49° 31' to 49° 45' E longitude and 37° 7' to 37° 27' N latitude in North of Guilan Province, Northern Iran, in the southern coast of the Caspian sea with different water table depth. The climate of the region is very humid with the mean annual precipitation of 1293.6 mm. The mean annual temperature is 15.8°C. The soil moisture and temperature regimes are Aquic, Udicand Thermic, respectively. The parent materials are derived from river sediments. The soils formed on the plateaues and upper terraces, river alluvial plain and lowland physiographic units were classified as Inceptisols and the soils formed on coastal plain physiographic unit as Entisols. Air-dried soil samples were crushed and passed through a 2mm sieve. Particle-size distribution, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity were determined by hydrometric, wet oxidation and ammonium acetate methods, respectively. Eh by Eh electrode, total iron, free iron and amorphous

Furfural and its biochar improve the general properties of a saline soil

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Y.; Xu, G.; Shao, H. B.

2014-07-01

Organic materials (e.g., furfural residue) are generally believed to improve the physical and chemical properties of saline soils with low fertility. Recently, biochar has been received more attention as a possible measure to improve the carbon balance and improve soil quality in some degraded soils. However, little is known about their different amelioration of a sandy saline soil. In this study, 56 d incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of furfural and its biochar on the properties of saline soil. The results showed that both furfural and biochar greatly reduced pH, increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content and cation exchange capacity (CEC), and enhanced the available phosphorus (P) in the soil. Furfural is more efficient than biochar in reducing pH: 5% furfural lowered the soil pH by 0.5-0.8 (soil pH: 8.3-8.6), while 5% biochar decreased by 0.25-0.4 due to the loss of acidity in pyrolysis process. With respect to available P, furfural addition at a rate of 5% increased available P content by 4-6 times in comparison to 2-5 times with biochar application. In reducing soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), biochar is slightly superior to furfural because soil ESP reduced by 51% and 43% with 5% furfural and 5% biochar at the end of incubation. In addition, no significant differences were observed between furfural and biochar about their capacity to retain N, P in leaching solution and to increase CEC in soil. These facts may be caused by the relatively short incubation time. In general, furfural and biochar exhibited a different effect depending on the property: furfural was more effective in decreasing pH and increasing available P, whereas biochar played a more important role in increasing SOC and reducing ESP of saline soil.

Co-effects of pyrene and nitrate on the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers under anaerobic condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhi-Feng; Yao, Yan-Hong; Wang, Ming-Xia; Zuo, Xiao-Hu

2017-10-01

It has previously been confirmed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be degraded by soil microbes coupling with denitrification, but the relationships among soil denitrifiers, PAHs, and nitrate under obligate anaerobic condition are still unclear. Here, co-effects of pyrene and nitrate on the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers were investigated through a 45-day incubation experiment. Two groups of soil treatments with (N 30 ) and without (N 0 ) nitrate (30 mg kg -1 dry soil) amendment were conducted, and each group contained three treatments with different pyrene concentrations (0, 30, and 60 mg kg -1 dry soil denoted as P 0 , P 30 , and P 60 , respectively). The pyrene content, abundances of denitrification concerning genes (narG, periplasmic nitrate reductase gene; nirS, cd 1 -nitrite reductase gene; nirK, copper-containing nitrite reductase gene), and productions of N 2 O and CO 2 were measured at day 3, 14, 28, and 45, and the bacterial community structures in four represented treatments (N 0 P 0 , N 0 P 60 , N 30 P 0 , and N 30 P 60 ) were analyzed at day 45. The results indicated that the treatments with higher pyrene concentration had higher final pyrene removal rates than the treatments with lower pyrene concentration. Additionally, intensive emission of N 2 O was detected in all treatments only at day 3, but a continuous production of CO 2 was measured in each treatment during the incubation. Nitrate amendment could enhance the activity of soil denitrifiers, and be helpful for soil microbes to sustain their activity. While pyrene seemed had no influence on the productions of N 2 O and CO 2 , and amendment with pyrene or nitrate both had no obvious effect on abundances of denitrification concerning genes. Furthermore, it was nitrate but not pyrene had an obvious influence on the community structure of soil bacteria. These results revealed that, under anaerobic condition, the activity and abundance of soil denitrifiers both were

IMPROVEMENT OF EXPANSIVE SOIL BY USING SILICA FUME

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Kawther Y. AL-Soudany

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Expansive soils are characterized by their considerable volumetric deformations representing a serious challenge for the stability of the engineering structures such as foundations. Consequently, the measurements of swelling properties, involving swelling and swell pressure, become extremely important in spite of their determination needs a lot of time with costly particular equipment. Thus, serious researches attempts have been tried to remedy such soils by means of additives such as cement, lime, steel fibers, stone dust, fly ash and silica fume. In this research the study of silica fume has studied to treatment expansion soil, the clay soil was brought from Al-Nahrawan in Baghdad. The soil selected for the present investigation prepared in laboratory by mixing natural soil with different percentages of bentonite (30, 50 and 70% by soil dry weight. The test program included the effect of bentonite on natural soil then study the effect of silica fume (SF on prepared soil by adding different percentage of silica fume (3, 5, and 7 by weight to the prepared soils and the influence of these admixtures was observed by comparing their results with those of untreated soils (prepared soils. The results show that both liquid limit and plasticity index decreased with the addition of silica fume, while the plastic limit is increase with its addition. As well as, a decrease in the maximum dry unit weight with an increase in the optimum water contents have been obtained with increasing the percentage of addition of the silica fume. It is also observed an improvement in the free swell, swelling pressure by using silica fume. It can be concluded that the silica fume stabilization may be used as a successful way for the treatment of expansive clay.

The Impact of Organo-Mineral Complexation on Mineral Weathering in the Soil Zone under Unsaturated Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Michael, H. A.; Tan, F.; Yoo, K.; Imhoff, P. T.

2017-12-01

While organo-mineral complexes can protect organic matter (OM) from biodegradation, their impact on soil mineral weathering is not clear. Previous bench-scale experiments that focused on specific OM and minerals showed that the adsorption of OM to mineral surfaces accelerates the dissolution of some minerals. However, the impact of natural organo-mineral complexes on mineral dissolution under unsaturated conditions is not well known. In this study, soil samples prepared from an undisturbed forest site were used to determine mineral weathering rates under differing conditions of OM sorption to minerals. Two types of soil samples were generated: 1) soil with OM (C horizon soil from 84-100cm depth), and 2) soil without OM (the same soil as in 1) but with OM removed by heating to 350°for 24 h). Soil samples were column-packed and subjected to intermittent infiltration and drainage to mimic natural rainfall events. Each soil sample type was run in duplicate. The unsaturated condition was created by applying gas pressure to the column, and the unsaturated chemical weathering rates during each cycle were calculated from the effluent concentrations. During a single cycle, when applying the same gas pressure, soils with OM retained more moisture than OM-removed media, indicating increased water retention capacity under the impact of OM. This is consistent with the water retention data measured by evaporation experiments (HYPROP) and the dew point method (WP4C Potential Meter). Correspondingly, silicon (Si) denudation rates indicated that dissolution of silicate minerals was 2-4 times higher in OM soils, suggesting that organo-mineral complexes accelerate mineral dissolution under unsaturated conditions. When combining data from all cycles, the results showed that Si denudation rates were positively related to soil water content: denundation rate increased with increasing water content. Therefore, natural mineral chemical weathering under unsaturated conditions, while

Research on Wetting-Drying Cycles’ Effect on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Soil Improved by OTAC-KCl

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Bao-tian Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Expansive soil experiences periodic swelling and shrinkage during the alternate wet and dry environments, which will result in severe damage to the slope stability. In this study, a promising modifier OTAC-KCl is introduced, which has a good diffusivity and is soluble in water or other solvents easily. Firstly, a reasonable combination of ameliorant 0.3% STAC and 3% KCl is chosen referring to the free swell test. Then, the best curing period, 14 days, is gotten from UCS tests. The effect of wetting and drying cycles on engineering properties of expansive soil improved by OTAC-KCl admixtures after 14-day curing is also studied accordingly. Both treated and untreated expansive soil samples are prepared for the cyclic wetting-drying tests which mainly include cyclic swelling potential and cyclic strength tests. Experimental results show that the swelling potential of expansive soil samples stabilized with OTAC-KCl is suppressed efficiently, and the untreated soil specimens will collapse when immersed in water while the treated specimens keep in good conditions. Moreover, expansive soil samples modified with 0.3% OTAC + 3% KCl show enough durability on the swelling ability, shear strength, and unconfined compressive strength, which means, that both the physical and the mechanical properties of stabilized expansive soil have been improved effectively.

Updated global soil map for the Weather Research and Forecasting model and soil moisture initialization for the Noah land surface model

Science.gov (United States)

DY, C. Y.; Fung, J. C. H.

2016-08-01

A meteorological model requires accurate initial conditions and boundary conditions to obtain realistic numerical weather predictions. The land surface controls the surface heat and moisture exchanges, which can be determined by the physical properties of the soil and soil state variables, subsequently exerting an effect on the boundary layer meteorology. The initial and boundary conditions of soil moisture are currently obtained via National Centers for Environmental Prediction FNL (Final) Operational Global Analysis data, which are collected operationally in 1° by 1° resolutions every 6 h. Another input to the model is the soil map generated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (FAO-UNESCO) soil database, which combines several soil surveys from around the world. Both soil moisture from the FNL analysis data and the default soil map lack accuracy and feature coarse resolutions, particularly for certain areas of China. In this study, we update the global soil map with data from Beijing Normal University in 1 km by 1 km grids and propose an alternative method of soil moisture initialization. Simulations of the Weather Research and Forecasting model show that spinning-up the soil moisture improves near-surface temperature and relative humidity prediction using different types of soil moisture initialization. Explanations of that improvement and improvement of the planetary boundary layer height in performing process analysis are provided.

Estimating Regional Scale Hydroclimatic Risk Conditions from the Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP Satellite

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Catherine Champagne

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Satellite soil moisture is a critical variable for identifying susceptibility to hydroclimatic risks such as drought, dryness, and excess moisture. Satellite soil moisture data from the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP mission was used to evaluate the sensitivity to hydroclimatic risk events in Canada. The SMAP soil moisture data sets in general capture relative moisture trends with the best estimates from the passive-only derived soil moisture and little difference between the data at different spatial resolutions. In general, SMAP data sets overestimated the magnitude of moisture at the wet extremes of wetting events. A soil moisture difference from average (SMDA was calculated from SMAP and historical Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS data showed a relatively good delineation of hydroclimatic risk events, although caution must be taken due to the large variability in the data within risk categories. Satellite soil moisture data sets are more sensitive to short term water shortages than longer term water deficits. This was not improved by adding “memory” to satellite soil moisture indices to improve the sensitivity of the data to drought, and there is a large variability in satellite soil moisture values with the same drought severity rating.

Improvements to SOIL: An Eulerian hydrodynamics code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, C.G.

1988-04-01

Possible improvements to SOIL, an Eulerian hydrodynamics code that can do coupled radiation diffusion and strength of materials, are presented in this report. Our research is based on the inspection of other Eulerian codes and theoretical reports on hydrodynamics. Several conclusions from the present study suggest that some improvements are in order, such as second-order advection, adaptive meshes, and speedup of the code by vectorization and/or multitasking. 29 refs., 2 figs

Soil quality improvement under an ecologically based farming system in northwest Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

Ecologically based farming conserves and improves the soil resource and protects environmental quality by using organic or natural resources without application of synthetic chemicals. Soil quality assessment indicates the ability of management systems to optimize soil productivity and to maintain i...

Survival of a microbial soil community under Martian conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, A. A.; Noernberg, P.; Merrison, J.; Lomstein, B. Aa.; Finster, K. W.

2003-04-01

Because of the similarities between Earth and Mars early history the hypothesis was forwarded that Mars is a site where extraterrestrial life might have and/or may still occur(red). Sample-return missions are planned by NASA and ESA to test this hypothesis. The enormous economic costs and the logistic challenges of these missions make earth-based model facilities inevitable. The Mars simulation system at University of Aarhus, Denmark allows microbiological experiments under Mars analogue conditions. Thus detailed studies on the effect of Mars environmental conditions on the survival and the activity of a natural microbial soil community were carried out. Changes in the soil community were determined with a suite of different approaches: 1) total microbial respiration activity was investigated with 14C-glucose, 2) the physiological profile was investigated by the EcoLog-system, 3) colony forming units were determined by plate counts and 4) the microbial diversity on the molecular level was accessed with Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis. The simulation experiments showed that a part of the bacterial community survived Martian conditions corresponding to 9 Sol. These and future simulation experiments will contribute to our understanding of the possibility for extraterrestrial and terrestrial life on Mars.

Modeling Soil Sodicity Problems under Dryland and Irrigated Conditions: Case Studies in Argentina and Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Pla-Sentís, Ildefonso

2014-05-01

Salt-affected soils, both saline and sodic, my develop both under dryland and irrigated conditions, affecting negatively the physical and chemical soil properties, the crop production and the animal and human health.Among the development processes of salt-affected soils, the processes of sodification have been generally received less attention and is less understood than the development of saline soils. Although in both of them, hydrological processes are involved in their development, in the case of sodic soils we have to consider some additional chemical and physicochemical reactions, making more difficult their modeling and prediction. In this contribution we present two case studies: one related to the development of sodic soils in the lowlands of the Argentina Pampas, under dryland conditions and sub-humid temperate climate, with pastures for cattle production; the other deals with the development of sodic soils in the Colombia Cauca Valley, under irrigated conditions and tropical sub-humid climate, in lands used for sugarcane cropping dedicated to sugar and ethanol production. In both cases the development of sodicity in the surface soil is mainly related to the effects of the composition and level of groundwater, affected in the case of Argentina Pampas by the off-site changes in dryland use and management in the upper zones and by the drainage conditions in the lowlands, and in the case of the Cauca Valley, by the on-site irrigation and drainage management in lands with sugarcane. There is shown how the model SALSODIMAR, developed by the main author, based on the balance of water and soluble componentes of both the irrigation water and groundwater under different water and land management conditions, may be adapted for the diagnosis and prediction of both problems, and for the selection of alternatives for their management and amelioration.

Mixed artificial grasslands with more roots improved mine soil infiltration capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Gao-Lin; Yang, Zheng; Cui, Zeng; Liu, Yu; Fang, Nu-Fang; Shi, Zhi-Hua

2016-04-01

Soil water is one of the critical limiting factors in achieving sustainable revegetation. Soil infiltration capacity plays a vital role in determining the inputs from precipitation and enhancing water storage, which are important for the maintenance and survival of vegetation patches in arid and semi-arid areas. Our study investigated the effects of different artificial grasslands on soil physical properties and soil infiltration capacity. The artificial grasslands were Medicago sativa, Astragalus adsurgens, Agropyron mongolicum, Lespedeza davurica, Bromus inermis, Hedysarum scoparium, A. mongolicum + Artemisia desertorum, A. adsurgens + A. desertorum and M. sativa + B. inermis. The soil infiltration capacity index (SICI), which was based on the average infiltration rate of stage I (AIRSI) and the average infiltration rate of stage III (AIRS III), was higher (indicating that the infiltration capacity was greater) under the artificial grasslands than that of the bare soil. The SICI of the A. adsurgens + A. desertorum grassland had the highest value (1.48) and bare soil (-0.59) had the lowest value. It was evident that artificial grassland could improve soil infiltration capacity. We also used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine that the main factors that affected SICI were the soil water content at a depth of 20 cm (SWC20), the below-ground root biomasses at depths of 10 and 30 cm (BGB10, BGB30), the capillary porosity at a depth of 10 cm (CP10) and the non-capillary porosity at a depth of 20 cm (NCP20). Our study suggests that the use of Legume-poaceae mixtures and Legume-shrub mixtures to create grasslands provided an effective ecological restoration approach to improve soil infiltration properties due to their greater root biomasses. Furthermore, soil water content, below-ground root biomass, soil capillary porosity and soil non-capillary porosity were the main factors that affect the soil infiltration capacity.

Foliar antitranspirant and soil superabsorbent hydrogel affects photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency of maize grown under low rainfall conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei; Guo, Shi-Wen; Li, Pin-Fang; Song, Ri-Quan; Yu, Jian

2018-06-08

Two lysimeter experiments with maize plants were conducted to inquiry the effect of combined superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and fulvic acid (FA) application on photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency (WUE) under deficit irrigation conditions. Soil SAP (45 kg ha -1 ) was applied while sowing, and FA solution (2 g L -1 ) was sprayed onto crop canopy three times at later plant growth periods. Combining SAP and FA application significantly improved plant photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, and instantaneous WUE, while maintaining the optimal leaf stomatal transpiration. The effect of combined two chemicals use on photosynthesis and leaf instantaneous WUE was superior compared with the effects of their individual applications. As compared with plots not treated with chemicals, soil SAP significantly improved the yield by 12% and grain WUE by 10% when averaged across the two experiments, whereas foliar FA application did not affect yield and grain WUE. In contrast, the combined use of two chemicals significantly increased the yield by 20% and grain WUE by 26%, largely attributed to the increase in grain number. Soil SAP and foliar FA use, under low rainfall conditions, had little influence on crop water consumption but improved plant WUE by enhancing photosynthesis and increasing kernel number. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

IT-based soil quality evaluation for agroecologically smart land-use planning in RF conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Vasenev, Ivan

2016-04-01

Activated in the first decades of XXI century global climate, economy and farming changes sharply actualized novel IT-based approaches in soil quality evaluation to address modern agricultural issues with agroecologically smart land-use planning. Despite global projected climate changes will affect a general decline of crop yields (IPCC 2014), RF boreal and subboreal regions will benefit from predicted and already particularly verified temperature warming and increased precipitation (Valentini, Vasenev, 2015) due to essential increasing of growing season length and mild climate conditions favorable for most prospective crops and best available agrotechnologies. However, the essential spatial heterogeneity is mutual feature for most natural and man-changed soils at the Central European region of Russia which is one of the biggest «food baskets» in RF. In these conditions potentially favorable climate circumstances will increase not only soil fertility and workability features but also their dynamics and spatial variability that determine crucial issues of IT-based soil quality evaluation systems development and agroecologically smart farming planning. Developed and verified within the LAMP project (RF Governmental projects #11.G34.31.0079 and #14.120.14.4266) regionally adapted DSS (ACORD-R - RF #2012612944) gives effective informational and methodological support for smart farming agroecological optimization in global climate and farming changes challenges. Information basis for agroecologically smart land-use planning consists of crops and agrotechnologies requirements, regional and local systems of agroecological zoning, local landscape and soil cover patterns, land quality and degradation risk assessments, current and previous farming practices results, agroclimatic predictions and production agroecological models, environmental limitations and planned profitability, fertilizing efficiency DSS ACORD-R. Smart land-use practice refers to sustainable balance

Improved Seasonal Prediction of European Summer Temperatures With New Five-Layer Soil-Hydrology Scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Bunzel, Felix; Müller, Wolfgang A.; Dobrynin, Mikhail; Fröhlich, Kristina; Hagemann, Stefan; Pohlmann, Holger; Stacke, Tobias; Baehr, Johanna

2018-01-01

We evaluate the impact of a new five-layer soil-hydrology scheme on seasonal hindcast skill of 2 m temperatures over Europe obtained with the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). Assimilation experiments from 1981 to 2010 and 10-member seasonal hindcasts initialized on 1 May each year are performed with MPI-ESM in two soil configurations, one using a bucket scheme and one a new five-layer soil-hydrology scheme. We find the seasonal hindcast skill for European summer temperatures to improve with the five-layer scheme compared to the bucket scheme and investigate possible causes for these improvements. First, improved indirect soil moisture assimilation allows for enhanced soil moisture-temperature feedbacks in the hindcasts. Additionally, this leads to improved prediction of anomalies in the 500 hPa geopotential height surface, reflecting more realistic atmospheric circulation patterns over Europe.

Improvement in soil and sorghum health following the application of polyacrylate polymers to a Cd-contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guiwei, Q.; Varennes, A. de; Martins, L.L.; Mourato, M.P.; Cardoso, A.I.; Mota, A.M.; Pinto, A.P.; Goncalves, M.L.

2010-01-01

Contamination of soils with cadmium (Cd) is a serious global issue due to its high mobility and toxicity. We investigated the application of insoluble polyacrylate polymers to improve soil and plant health. Sorghum was grown in a Cd-contaminated sandy soil. Polyacrylate polymers at 0.2% (w/w) were added to half of the soil. Control soil without plants was also included in the experiment. Growth of sorghum was stimulated in the polymer-amended soil. The concentration of Cd in the shoots, and the activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase decreased in plants from polymer-amended soil compared with unamended control. The amount of CaCl 2 -extractable Cd in the polymer-amended soil was 55% of that in the unamended soil. The Cd extracted in sorghum shoots was 0.19 mg per plant grown on soil without polymer and 0.41 mg per plant grown on polymer-amended soil. The total amount of Cd removed from each pot corresponded to 1.5 and more than 6% of soil CaCl 2 -extractable Cd in unamended and polymer-amended soil, respectively. The activities of soil acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, urease, protease and cellulase were greatest in polymer-amended soil with sorghum. In conclusion, the application of polyacrylate polymers to reduce the bioavailable Cd pool seems a promising method to enhance productivity and health of plants grown on Cd-contaminated soils.

Types, harms and improvement of saline soil in Songnen Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhengjun; Zhuang, Jingjing; Zhao, Anping; Li, Xinxin

2018-03-01

Saline soil is an extremely difficult and modified soil, widely distributed around the world. According to UN-UNESCO and FAO, the world’s saline soil area is about 9.54×108hm2, and there is a growing trend, every year in 1.0×106-1.5×106hm2 speed growth, the effective utilization of land resources to the world is the most serious threat. The total area of saline-alkali land in China is about 9.91×107hm2, including the Songnen Plain, which is called one of the three major saline soil concentrations in the world. The Songnen plain is an important grain producing area in China, and the saline soil occupies most of the Songnen plain, so it is of great significance to study the saline soil and improvement in Songnen plain.

Long-term soil alteration in historical charcoal hearths affects Tuber melanosporum mycorrhizal development and environmental conditions for fruiting.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Barreda, Sergi; Molina-Grau, Sara; Forcadell, Ricardo; Sánchez, Sergio; Reyna, Santiago

2017-08-01

Abandoned charcoal hearths constitute a very particular habitat for spontaneous fruiting of Tuber melanosporum, leading some harvesters to hypothesise that the fungus could benefit from the alterations that these soils underwent. However, ecological mechanisms involved in this relation are not fully elucidated yet. As a first step to understand it, the influence of long-term soil alteration on the symbiotic stage of T. melanosporum and on selected soil properties considered key to fruiting was assessed by conducting a greenhouse bioassay and a field observational study. In the bioassay, percent root colonisation and relative abundance of T. melanosporum were significantly lower in hearth than in control soils. Hearth soils showed significantly lower resistance to penetration, larger temperature fluctuation, reduced plant cover and reduced herbaceous root abundance. The results do not support the hypothesis that soil from historical charcoal hearths currently enhances development of T. melanosporum mycorrhizas. However, whether this is due to increased infectivity of native ectomycorrhizal communities or to worse conditions for development of T. melanosporum mycorrhizas remains unresolved. Native ectomycorrhizal communities in hearths showed altered composition, although not a clear change in infectivity or richness. Direction of change in hearth soil properties is compared to alteration occurring in soils spontaneously producing T. melanosporum. The interest of these changes to improve T. melanosporum fruiting in plantations is discussed.

Mineralization of 14C-Pirimiphos-Methyl in Soil Under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zayed, S.M.A.D.; Farghly, M.; El-Maghrby, S.

2006-01-01

The mineralization of 14 C-ring labelled pirimiphos-methyl in clay loam soil was determined in a three months laboratory incubation period under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Evolution of 14 CO2 increased with time and reached 9.2% and 12 %, of the initial 14 C-concentration , within 90 days in case of anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively, at that time, soil contained about 61.5% of the applied dose as extractable residues under anaerobic conditions and 59% under aerobic conditions. the unextractable pesticide residues gradually increased with time and the highest binding capacity of about 11%-13% was observed after 90 days of incubation. the total 14 C-activity recovered from soil was generally between 82% and 92% of the applied radiocarbon. the nature of methanolic 14 C-residues was determined by chromatographic analysis and the results revealed the presence of pirimiphos- methyl as a main product together with its phenol. the principle of radio-respirometry has been used for evaluating the effect of different application rates of pirimiphos-methyl on soil microbial activity using U- 14 C-glucose as a substrate. At two concentrations used, pirimiphos-methyl showed an inhibition in the rate of 14 Co2 evolution over 14 days of incubation as a result of oxidation of 14 C-glucose by microorganisms especially in case of high concentration

A Combination of Biochar-Mineral Complexes and Compost Improves Soil Bacterial Processes, Soil Quality, and Plant Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jun; Zhang, Rui; Nielsen, Shaun; Joseph, Stephen D; Huang, Danfeng; Thomas, Torsten

2016-01-01

Organic farming avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and promises food production with minimal environmental impact, however this farming practice does not often result in the same productivity as conventional farming. In recent years, biochar has received increasing attention as an agricultural amendment and by coating it with minerals to form biochar-mineral complex (BMC) carbon retention and nutrient availability can be improved. However, little is known about the potential of BMC in improving organic farming. We therefore investigated here how soil, bacterial and plant properties respond to a combined treatment of BMC and an organic fertilizer, i.e., a compost based on poultry manure. In a pakchoi pot trial, BMC and compost showed synergistic effects on soil properties, and specifically by increasing nitrate content. Soil nitrate has been previously observed to increase leaf size and we correspondingly saw an increase in the surface area of pakchoi leaves under the combined treatment of BMC and composted chicken manure. The increase in soil nitrate was also correlated with an enrichment of bacterial nitrifiers due to BMC. Additionally, we observed that the bacteria present in the compost treatment had a high turnover, which likely facilitated organic matter degradation and a reduction of potential pathogens derived from the manure. Overall our results demonstrate that a combination of BMC and compost can stimulate microbial process in organic farming that result in better vegetable production and improved soil properties for sustainable farming.

A combination of biochar-mineral complexes and compost improves soil bacterial processes, soil quality and plant properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JUN eYE

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Organic farming avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and promises food production with minimal environmental impact, however this farming practice does not often result in the same productivity as conventional farming. In recent years, biochar has received increasing attention as an agricultural amendment and by coating it with minerals to form biochar-mineral complex (BMC carbon retention and nutrient availability can be improved. However, little is known about the potential of BMC in improving organic farming. We therefore investigated here how soil, bacterial and plant properties respond to a combined treatment of BMC and an organic fertilizer, i.e. a compost based on poultry manure. In a pakchoi pot trial, BMC and compost showed synergistic effects on soil properties, and specifically by increasing nitrate content. Soil nitrate has been previously observed to increase leaf size and we correspondingly saw an increase in the surface area of pakchoi leaves under the combined treatment of BMC and chicken manure. The increase in soil nitrate was also correlated with an enrichment of bacterial nitrifiers due to BMC. Additionally, we observed that the bacteria present in the compost treatment had a high turnover, which likely facilitated organic matter degradation and a reduction of potential pathogens derived from the manure. Overall our results demonstrate that a combination of BMC and compost can stimulate microbial process in organic farming that result in better vegetable production and improved soil properties for sustainable farming.

Analytical solution describing pesticide volatilization from soil affected by a change in surface condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, S R

2009-01-01

An analytical solution describing the fate and transport of pesticides applied to soils has been developed. Two pesticide application methods can be simulated: point-source applications, such as idealized shank or a hot-gas injection method, and a more realistic shank-source application method that includes a vertical pesticide distribution in the soil domain due to a soil fracture caused by a shank. The solutions allow determination of the volatilization rate and other information that could be important for understanding fumigant movement and in the development of regulatory permitting conditions. The solutions can be used to characterize differences in emissions relative to changes in the soil degradation rate, surface barrier conditions, application depth, and soil packing. In some cases, simple algebraic expressions are provided that can be used to obtain the total emissions and total soil degradation. The solutions provide a consistent methodology for determining the total emissions and can be used with other information, such as field and laboratory experimental data, to support the development of fumigant regulations. The uses of the models are illustrated by several examples.

Soil erosion and effluent particle size distribution under different initial conditions and rock fragment coverage

Science.gov (United States)

Jomaa, S.; Barry, D. A.; Brovelli, A.; Heng, B. C. P.; Sander, G. C.; Parlange, J.-Y.

2012-04-01

It is well known that the presence of rock fragments on the soil surface and the soil's initial characteristics (moisture content, surface roughness, bulk density, etc.) are key factors influencing soil erosion dynamics and sediment delivery. In addition, the interaction of these factors increases the complexity of soil erosion patterns and makes predictions more difficult. The aim of this study was (i) to investigate the effect of soil initial conditions and rock fragment coverage on soil erosion yields and effluent particle size distribution and (ii) to evaluate to what extent the rock fragment coverage controls this relationship. Three laboratory flume experiments with constant precipitation rate of 74 mm/h on a loamy soil parcel with a 2% slope were performed. Experiments with duration of 2 h were conducted using the 6-m × 2-m EPFL erosion flume. During each experiment two conditions were considered, a bare soil and a rock fragment-protected (with 40% coverage) soil. The initial soil surface state was varied between the three experiments, from a freshly re-ploughed and almost dry condition to a compacted soil with a well-developed shield layer and high moisture content. Experiments were designed so that rain splash was the primary driver of soil erosion. Results showed that the amount of eroded mass was highly controlled by the initial soil conditions and whether the steady-state equilibrium was un-, partially- or fully- developed during the previous event. Additionally, results revealed that sediment yields and particle size composition in the initial part of an erosion event are more sensitive to the erosion history than the long-time behaviour. This latter appears to be mainly controlled by rainfall intensity. If steady-state was achieved for a previous event, then the next event consistently produced concentrations for each size class that peaked rapidly, and then declined gradually to steady-state equilibrium. If steady state was not obtained, then

A soil technological study on effectuating and maintaining adequate playing conditions of grass sports fields

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijk, van A.L.M.

1980-01-01

Playing conditions of grass sports fields have been studied focusing on top layer soil strength meeting the requirements of usage. In a field investigation a reproducible soil strength criterion was found from firmness appraisals and simultaneous measurements of soil strength. From

Integrated double mulching practices optimizes soil temperature and improves soil water utilization in arid environments

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Wen; Feng, Fuxue; Zhao, Cai; Yu, Aizhong; Hu, Falong; Chai, Qiang; Gan, Yantai; Guo, Yao

2016-09-01

Water shortage threatens agricultural sustainability in many arid and semiarid areas of the world. It is unknown whether improved water conservation practices can be developed to alleviate this issue while increasing crop productivity. In this study, we developed a "double mulching" system, i.e., plastic film coupled with straw mulch, integrated together with intensified strip intercropping. We determined (i) the responses of soil evaporation and moisture conservation to the integrated double mulching system and (ii) the change of soil temperature during key plant growth stages under the integrated systems. Experiments were carried out in northwest China in 2009 to 2011. Results show that wheat-maize strip intercropping in combination with plastic film and straw covering on the soil surface increased soil moisture (mm) by an average of 3.8 % before sowing, 5.3 % during the wheat and maize co-growth period, 4.4 % after wheat harvest, and 4.9 % after maize harvest, compared to conventional practice (control). The double mulching decreased total evapotranspiration of the two intercrops by an average of 4.6 % ( P < 0.05), compared to control. An added feature was that the double mulching system decreased soil temperature in the top 10-cm depth by 1.26 to 1.31 °C in the strips of the cool-season wheat, and by 1.31 to 1.51 °C in the strips of the warm-season maize through the 2 years. Soil temperature of maize strips higher as 1.25 to 1.94 °C than that of wheat strips in the top 10-cm soil depth under intercropping with the double mulching system; especially higher as 1.58 to 2.11 °C under intercropping with the conventional tillage; this allows the two intercrops to grow in a well "collaborative" status under the double mulching system during their co-growth period. The improvement of soil moisture and the optimization of soil temperature for the two intercrops allow us to conclude that wheat-maize intensification with the double mulching system can be used as an

Use of mixed solid waste as a soil amendment for saline-sodic soil remediation and oat seedling growth improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yuan; Ge, Tian; Zheng, Yanli; Li, Hua; Cheng, Fangqin

2016-11-01

Soil salinization has become a worldwide problem that imposes restrictions on crop production and food quality. This study utilizes a soil column experiment to address the potential of using mixed solid waste (vinegar residue, fly ash, and sewage sludge) as soil amendment to ameliorate saline-sodic soil and enhance crop growth. Mixed solid waste with vinegar residue content ranging from 60-90 %, sewage sludge of 8.7-30 %, and fly ash of 1.3-10 % was added to saline-sodic soil (electrical conductivity (EC 1:5 ) = 1.83 dS m -1 , sodium adsorption ratio (SAR 1:5 ) = 129.3 (mmol c L -1 ) 1/2 , pH = 9.73) at rates of 0 (control), 130, 260, and 650 kg ha -1 . Results showed that the application of waste amendment significantly reduced SAR, while increasing soil soluble K + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ , at a dose of 650 kg ha -1 . The wet stability of macro-aggregates (>1 mm) was improved 90.7-133.7 % when the application rate of amendment was greater than 260 kg ha -1 . The application of this amendment significantly reduced soil pH. Germination rates and plant heights of oats were improved with the increasing rate of application. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of vinegar residue and the K/Na ratio in the soil solutions and roots. These findings suggest that applying a mixed waste amendment (vinegar residue, fly ash, and sewage sludge) could be a cost-effective method for the reclamation of saline-sodic soil and the improvement of the growth of salt-tolerant plants.

Cement conditioning of waste materials and polluted soil using the GEODUR process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocdersen, K.; Hjelmar, O.; Mortonsen, S.

1991-01-01

In this paper two areas of application of the GEODUR additive in cement stabilization of waste materials have been investigated: stabilization of radioactive contaminated soil and stabilization of municipal solid waste incinerator ash. Preliminary experimental work on a clayey soil contaminated with radioactive cesium and strontium has indicated that the GEODUR process is a technically feasible method for soil solidification. The retarding effects of humic materials in the soil are eliminated by the additive even at low cement contents. The solidified soil is not particularly strong, but that satisfactory water permeability. Retention of cesium is reasonably good, but not as good as for the untreated soil. Retention of strontium is not good but is considerably improved by carbonation. The volume stability during permanent immersion of the solidified products in water is satisfactory, but crack formation during dryout cannot be excluded

Strength Improvement of Clay Soil by Using Stone Powder

OpenAIRE

Ahmed Sameer Abdulrasool

2015-01-01

Soil stabilization with stone powder is a good solution for the construction of subgrade for road way and railway lines, especially under the platforms and mostly in transition zones between embankments and rigid structures, where the mechanical properties of supporting soils are very influential. Stone powder often has a unique composition which justifies the need for research to study the feasibility of using this stone powder type for ground improvement applications. This paper presents re...

A soil-based model to predict radionuclide transfer in a soil-plant system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roig, M.; Vidal, M.; Tent, J.; Rauret, G.; Roca, M.C.; Vallejo, V.R.

1998-01-01

The aim of this work was to check if the main soil parameters predefined as ruling soil-plant transfer were sufficient to predict a relative scale of radionuclide mobility in mineral soils. Two agricultural soils, two radionuclides ( 85 Sr and 134 Cs), and two crops (lettuce and pea) were used in these experiments following radioactive aerosol deposition simulating the conditions of a site some distance far away from the center of a nuclear accident, for which condensed deposition would be the more significant contribution. The available fraction of these radionuclides was estimated in these soils from experiments in which various reagents were tested and several experimental conditions were compared. As a general conclusion, the soil parameters seemed to be sufficient for prediction purposes, although the model should be improved through the consideration of physiological aspects, especially those depending of the plant selectivity according to the composition of the soil solution

Improving soil enzyme activities and related quality properties of reclaimed soil by applying weathered coal in opencast-mining areas of the Chinese loess plateau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hua [College of Environment and Resources, Shanxi University, Taiyuan (China); CAS/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Process, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai (China); Shao, Hongbo [CAS/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Process, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai (China); Institute for Life Sciences, Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST), Qingdao (China); Li, Weixiang; Bi, Rutian [Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu (China); Bai, Zhongke [Department of Land Science Technology, University of Geosciences, Beijing (China)

2012-03-15

There are many problems for the reclaimed soil in opencast-mining areas of the Loess Plateau of China such as poor soil structure and extreme poverty in soil nutrients and so on. For the sake of finding a better way to improve soil quality, the current study was to apply the weathered coal for repairing soil media and investigate the physicochemical properties of the reclaimed soil and the changes in enzyme activities after planting Robinia pseucdoacacia. The results showed that the application of the weathered coal significantly improved the quality of soil aggregates, increased the content of water stable aggregates, and the organic matter, humus, and the cation exchange capacity of topsoil were significantly improved, but it did not have a significant effect on soil pH. Planting R. pseucdoacacia significantly enhanced the activities of soil catalase, urease, and invertase, but the application of the weathered coal inhibited the activity of catalase. Although the application of appropriate weathered coal was able to significantly increase urease activity, the activities of catalase, urease, or invertase had a close link with the soil profile levels and time. This study suggests that applying weathered coals could improve the physicochemical properties and soil enzyme activities of the reclaimed soil in opencast-mining areas of the Loess Plateau of China and the optimum applied amount of the weathered coal for reclaimed soil remediation is about 27 000 kg hm{sup -2}. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Micaceous Soil Strength And Permeability Improvement Induced By Microbacteria From Vegetable Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Omar, R. C.; Roslan, R.; Baharuddin, I. N. Z.; Hanafiah, M. I. M.

2016-11-01

Green technology method using vegetable waste are introduced in this paper for improvement of phyllite residual soil from UNITEN, Campus. Residual soil from phyllite are known as micaceous soils and it give problem in managing the stability of the slope especially in wet and extensively dry seasons. Micaceous soil are collected using tube sampler technique and mixed with liquid contain microorganism from fermented vegetable waste name as vege-grout to form remolded sample. The remolded sample are classify as 15.0%, 17.5%, 20.00% and 22.5% based on different incremental percentages of vege-grout. The curing time for the sample are 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days before the tests were conducted. Observation of the effect of treatment shows 20.0% of liquid contain Bacillus pasteurii and Bacillus Subtilis with 21 days curing time is the optimum value in strengthening the soil and improve the permeability.

Study of organic chlorine in soils and formation in biotic and abiotic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osswald, Aurelie

2016-01-01

Chlorine has long been considered as the predominantly chlorine form present in the environment. However, recent studies have shown that chlorine is retained in the soil as an organic form and is formed by a natural process of chlorination mainly from the microbial activity of the soil still poorly documented. The aim of this study is to estimate the organic and inorganic forms of chlorine in contrasting soil and highlight the evolution of these forms according to certain environmental parameters or terms of incubations and to the activity of microorganisms. For this, the organo-mineral horizons of contrasting soil were studied (i) in situ: The amounts of chlorine and physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of soil were measured; (ii) in two experimental devices incubations under different conditions. Measurements of chlorine levels between the beginning and the end of the first experiment were measured by AOX analyzer. For the second experiment, the soil was previously enriched with Na 37 Cl and 37 Cl levels were measured by HR ICP MS. Soil samples from these incubations were analyzed by Xanes spectrometry to identify the speciation of chlorine forms in soils. Soil non-extractable organic chlorine contents represent almost all of the chlorine. The parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils correspond to vegetation cover, pH, organic carbon content and quantities of microorganisms. The chlorine contents measured by AOX analyzer and by HR ICP MS highlight an organic chlorine formation over time in relation to the microorganisms in the soil. The measures carried out by HR ICP MS show also an organic chlorine formation in abiotic conditions. Conversely, XANES spectrometry measurements have shown any organic chlorine formation. In conclusion, the parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils have been targeted. Similarly, the microbial origin of the chlorination process has been demonstrated, although a

A dynamic organic soil biogeochemical model for simulating the effects of wildfire on soil environmental conditions and carbon dynamics of black spruce forests

Science.gov (United States)

Shuhua Yi; A. David McGuire; Eric Kasischke; Jennifer Harden; Kristen Manies; Michelle Mack; Merritt. Turetsky

2010-01-01

Ecosystem models have not comprehensively considered how interactions among fire disturbance, soil environmental conditions, and biogeochemical processes affect ecosystem dynamics in boreal forest ecosystems. In this study, we implemented a dynamic organic soil structure in the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (DOS-TEM) to investigate the effects of fire on soil temperature...

Long-term effects of conventional and reduced tillage systems on soil condition and yield of maize

Science.gov (United States)

Rátonyi, Tamás; Széles, Adrienn; Harsányi, Endre

2015-04-01

As a consequence of operations which neglect soil condition and consist of frequent soil disturbance, conventional tillage (primary tillage with autumn ploughing) results in the degradation and compaction of soil structure, as well as the reduction of organic matter. These unfavourable processes pose an increasing economic and environmental protection problem today. The unfavourable physical condition of soils on which conventional tillage was performed indicate the need for preserving methods and tools. The examinations were performed in the multifactorial long-term tillage experiment established at the Látókép experiment site of DE MÉK. The experiment site is located in the Hajdúság loess ridge (Hungary) and its soil is loess-based calcareous chernozem with deep humus layer. The physical soil type is mid-heavy adobe. The long-term experiment has a split-split plot design. The main plots are different tillage methods (autumn ploughing, spring shallow tillage) without replication. In this paper, the effect of conventional and reduced (shallow) tillage methods on soil conditions and maize yield was examined. A manual penetrometer was used to determine the physical condition and compactedness of the soil. The soil moisture content was determined with deep probe measurement (based on capacitive method). In addition to soil analyses, the yield per hectare of different plots was also observed. In reduced tillage, one compacted layer is shown in the soil resistance profile determined with a penetrometer, while there are two compacted layers in autumn ploughing. The highest resistance was measured in the case of primary tillage performed at the same depth for several years in the compacted (pan disk) layer developed under the developed layer in both treatments. The unfavourable impact of spring shallow primary tillage on physical soil conditions is shown by the fact that the compaction of the pan disk exceed the critical limit value of 3 MPa. Over the years, further

Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Saturated Soil Under Various Redox Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Dror, I.; Menahem, A.; Berkowitz, B.

2014-12-01

The growing use of PPCPs results in their increasing release to the aquatic environment. Consequently, understanding the fate of PPCPs under environmentally relevant conditions that account for dynamic flow and varying redox states is critical. In this study, the transport of two organometallic PPCPs, Gd-DTPA and Roxarsone (As complex) and their metal salts (Gd(NO3)3, AsNaO2), is investigated. The former is used widely as a contrasting agent for MRI, while the latter is applied extensively as a food additive in the broiler poultry industry. Both of these compounds are excreted from the body, almost unchanged chemically. Gadolinium complexes are not fully eliminated in wastewater treatment and can reach groundwater via irrigation with treated wastewater; Roxarsone can enter groundwater via leaching from manure used as fertilizer. Studies have shown that the transport of PPCPs in groundwater is affected by environmental conditions such as redox states, pH, and soil type. For this study, column experiments using sand or Mediterranean red sandy clay soil were performed under several redox conditions: aerobic, nitrate-reducing, iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, methanogenic, and very strongly chemical reducing. Batch experiments to determine adsorption isotherms were also performed for the complexes and metal salts. We found that Gd-DTPA transport was affected by the soil type and was not affected by the redox conditions. In contrast, Roxarsone transport was affected mainly by the different redox conditions, showing delayed breakthrough curves as the conditions became more biologically reduced (strong chemical reducing conditions did not affect the transport). We also observed that the metal salts show essentially no transport while the organic complexes display much faster breakthrough. The results suggest that transport of these PPCPs through soil and groundwater is determined by the redox conditions, as well as by soil type and the form of the applied metal (as salt

Field dissipation of oxyfluorfen in onion and its dynamics in soil under Indian tropical conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Janaki, P; Sathya Priya, R; Chinnusamy, C

2013-01-01

Oxyfluorfen, a diphenyl-ether herbicide is being used to control annual and perennial broad-leaved weeds and sedges in a variety of field crops including onion. The present study was aimed to investigate the dynamics and field persistence of oxyfluorfen in onion plant, bulb and soil under Indian tropical conditions. Application of four rates of oxyfluorfen viz., 200, 250, 300 and 400 g AI ha(-1) as pre-emergence gave good weed control in field experiment with onion. The oxyfluorfen residue dissipated faster in plant than in soil respectively, with a mean half-life of 6.1 and 11.2 days. Dissipation followed first-order kinetics. In laboratory column leaching experiments, 17 percent of the applied oxyfluorfen was recovered from the soil and indicates its solubility in water and mobility in sandy clay loam soil was low. A sorption study revealed that the adsorption of oxyfluorfen to the soil was highly influenced by the soil organic carbon with the Koc value of 5450. The study concludes that the dissipation of oxyfluorfen in soil and onion was dependent on the physico-chemical properties of the soil and environmental conditions.

Resilient modulus of black cotton soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.H. Mamatha

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Resilient modulus (MR values of pavement layers are the basic input parameters for the design of pavements with multiple layers in the current mechanistic empirical pavement design guidelines. As the laboratory determination of resilient modulus is costly, time consuming and cumbersome, several empirical models are developed for the prediction of resilient modulus for different regions of the world based on the database of resilient modulus values of local soils. For use of these relationships there is a need to verify the suitability of these models for local conditions. Expansive clay called black cotton soil (BC soil is found in several parts of India and is characterized by low strength and high compressibility. This soil shows swell – shrink behaviour upon wetting and drying and are problematic. The BC soil shows collapse behaviour on soaking and therefore the strength of the soil needs to be improved. Additive stabilization is found to be very effective in stabilizing black cotton soils and generally lime is used to improve the strength and durability of the black cotton soil. In this paper, the results of repeated load tests on black cotton soil samples for the determination of MR under soaked and unsoaked conditions at a relative compaction levels of 100% and 95% of both standard and modified proctor conditions are reported. The results indicate that the black cotton soil fails to meet the density requirement of the subgrade soil and shows collapse behaviour under soaked condition. To overcome this, lime is added as an additive to improve the strength of black cotton soil and repeated load tests were performed as per AASHTO T 307 - 99 for MR determination. The results have shown that the samples are stable under modified proctor condition with MR values ranging from 36 MPa to 388 MPa for a lime content of 2.5% and curing period ranging from 7 to 28 days. Also, it is observed that, the CBR based resilient modulus is not in agreement

Effect of soil moisture on sulphur accumulation in overground plant organs and their harm in emmission conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navara, J; Horvath, I; Hauskrecht, I

1972-01-01

The effect of different soil moisture on sulphur accumulation in the overground organs of Fagopyrum esculentum, moench in immission conditions is dealt with in this paper. The results obtained have shown that even under equal soil conditions, equal nutrient supply and age evenness of the analyzed material the total sulphur content of leaves grown in immission conditions (sulphur oxides, hydrogen sulphide, carbon disulphide, etc.) at equal soil moisture was essentially higher when compared with unirrigated plants and corresponded also to the degree of harm and crop reduction of the experimental plants. Therefore it is necessary when utilizing sulphur content of indicating plants, which serves for a large-area diagnosis of vegetation harm with immissions, to take into consideration, in addition to other factors (soil, nutrition, age of plants), the soil moisture as well.

Trophic conditions of forest soils of the Pieniny National Park, southern Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wanic Tomasz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The primary objective of this study was to characterise the edaphic conditions of forest areas in the Pieniny National Park (PNP, and to describe the dependencies between properties of forest soils and types of forest plant communities. The “Soil Trophic Index” (SIGg for mountainous areas was applied. The evaluation of the trophism for 74 forest monitoring employed the soil trophic index for mountainous areas SIGg or SIGgo. Plant communities in the forest monitoring areas were classified according to the Braun-Blanquet’s phytosociological method. Soils of PNP present in the forest monitoring areas were mostly classified as eutrophic brown soils (72.9%, rendzinas (10.8%, brown rendzinas (5.41%, and rubble initial soils (5.41%. Pararendzinas, dystrophic brown soils, and gley soils were less common (total below 5.5%. In the forest monitoring areas of PNP, eutrophic soils predominate over mesotrophic soils. High SIGg index of the soils is caused by high values of acidity and nitrogen content. The Carpathian beech forest Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum and thermophilic beech forest Carici albae-Fagetum associations are characterised by high naturalness and compatibility of theoretical habitats. The soils of the Carpathian fir forest Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum abietetosum subcommunity is characterised by a higher share of silt and clay particles and lower acidity as compared to the Carpathian beech forest Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum typicum subcommunity. The soils of the forest monitoring areas in PNP stand out in terms of their fertility against forest soils in other mountainous areas in Poland.

Applicability of recycled aggregates in concrete piles for soft soil improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Medeiros-Junior, Ronaldo A; Balestra, Carlos Et; Lima, Maryangela G

2017-01-01

The expressive generation of construction and demolition waste is stimulating several studies for reusing this material. The improvement of soft soils by concrete compaction piles has been widely applied for 40 years in some Brazilian cities. This technique is used to improve the bearing capacity of soft soils, allowing executing shallow foundations instead of deep foundations. The compaction piles use a high volume of material. This article explored the possibility of using recycled aggregates from construction waste to replace the natural aggregates in order to improve the bearing capacity of the soft soil, regarding its compressive strength. Construction wastes from different stages of a construction were used in order to make samples of concrete with recycled aggregates. The strength of concretes with natural aggregates was compared with the strength of concretes with recycled (fine and coarse) aggregates. Results show that all samples met the minimum compressive strength specified for compaction piles used to improve the bearing capacity of soft soils. The concrete with recycled aggregate from the structural stage had even higher resistances than the concrete with natural aggregates. This behaviour was attributed to the large amount of cementitious materials in the composition of this type of concrete. It was also observed that concrete with recycled fine aggregate has a superior resistance to concrete with recycled coarse aggregate.

Dynamic analysis of the reactor building for soft (Kozloduy) and hard (Temelin) soil conditions and different seismic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krutzik, N.

1995-01-01

Analyses were conducted for the reactor building to determine the dynamic responses of the coupled system, soil and structure and the forces in the characteristic structural members. This report summarizes the results of structural dynamic analyses derived for soft and hard soil conditions by the modal time history method using substructure models as well as (for soft soil conditions) in the frequency domain using complex (coupled) models of the soil and the structure. The mathematical model of the reactor building is represented as a lumped mass beam model. The capabilities of the soil were represented by means of global frequency independent springs and dampers (substructure models) or by an appropriate final element model. The results of the above-mentioned analysis presented in this report comprise in particular the maximum values of accelerations, displacements and internal forces as well as the acceleration response spectra for the relevant building regions. The time domain (modal time history) calculations were performed for real soil conditions which corresponds to the site Kozloduy (soft) and Temelin (hard). As seismic input data the corresponding free-field data here been used. The dynamic response obtained for the soft-soil conditions using both type of (substructure and complex) models were compared and demonstrated in one plot. Similar comparison were performed for the results obtained for soft and hard soil conditions

Improving the relationship between soil characteristics and metal bioavailability by using reactive fractions of soil parameters in calcareous soils.

Science.gov (United States)

de Santiago-Martín, Ana; van Oort, Folkert; González, Concepción; Quintana, José R; Lafuente, Antonio L; Lamy, Isabelle

2015-01-01

The contribution of the nature instead of the total content of soil parameters relevant to metal bioavailability in lettuce was tested using a series of low-polluted Mediterranean agricultural calcareous soils offering natural gradients in the content and composition of carbonate, organic, and oxide fractions. Two datasets were compared by canonical ordination based on redundancy analysis: total concentrations (TC dataset) of main soil parameters (constituents, phases, or elements) involved in metal retention and bioavailability; and chemically defined reactive fractions of these parameters (RF dataset). The metal bioavailability patterns were satisfactorily explained only when the RF dataset was used, and the results showed that the proportion of crystalline Fe oxides, dissolved organic C, diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cu and Zn, and a labile organic pool accounted for 76% of the variance. In addition, 2 multipollution scenarios by metal spiking were tested that showed better relationships with the RF dataset than with the TC dataset (up to 17% more) and new reactive fractions involved. For Mediterranean calcareous soils, the use of reactive pools of soil parameters rather than their total contents improved the relationships between soil constituents and metal bioavailability. Such pool determinations should be systematically included in studies dealing with bioavailability or risk assessment. © 2014 SETAC.

Effect of boundary conditions on measured water retention behavior within soils

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo-torres, S.; Scheuermann, A.; Pedroso, D.; Li, L.

2013-12-01

The Soil Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) is a practical representation of the behavior of soil water by relating the suction (difference between the air and water pressures to the moisture content (water saturation). The SWCC is characterized by a hysteresis loop, which is thought to be unique in that any drainage-imbibition cycle lies within a main hysteresis loop limited by two different curves for drainage and imbibition. This 'uniqueness' is the main argument for considering the SWCC as a material-intrinsic feature that characterizes the pore structure and its interaction with fluids. Models have been developed with the SWCC as input data to describe the evolution of the water saturation and the suction within soils. One example of these models is the widely used Richard's equation [1]. In this work we present a series of numerical simulations to evaluate the 'unique' nature of the SWCC. The simulations involves the use of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) [2] within a regular soil, modelling the flow behavior of two immiscible fluids: wetting and non-wetting. The soil is packed within a cubic domain to resemble the experimental setups that are commonly used for measuring the SWCC[3]. The boundary conditions ensure that the non-wetting phase enters through one cubic face and the wetting phase enters trough the opposite phase, with no flow boundary conditions in the remaining 4 cubic faces. The SWCC known features are inspected including the presence of the common limit curves for different cycles involving varying limits for the suction. For this stage of simulations, the SWCC is indeed unique. Later, different boundary conditions are applied with the two fluids each injected from 3 opposing faces into the porous medium. The effect of this boundary condition change is a net flow direction, which is different from that in the previous case. A striking result is observed when both SWCC are compared and found to be noticeable different. Further analysis is

Estimating steady-state evaporation rates from bare soils under conditions of high water table

Science.gov (United States)

Ripple, C.D.; Rubin, J.; Van Hylckama, T. E. A.

1970-01-01

A procedure that combines meteorological and soil equations of water transfer makes it possible to estimate approximately the steady-state evaporation from bare soils under conditions of high water table. Field data required include soil-water retention curves, water table depth and a record of air temperature, air humidity and wind velocity at one elevation. The procedure takes into account the relevant atmospheric factors and the soil's capability to conduct 'water in liquid and vapor forms. It neglects the effects of thermal transfer (except in the vapor case) and of salt accumulation. Homogeneous as well as layered soils can be treated. Results obtained with the method demonstrate how the soil evaporation rates·depend on potential evaporation, water table depth, vapor transfer and certain soil parameters.

Determination of optimal irrigation rates of agricultural crops under consideration of soil properties and climatic conditions

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Irakli Kruashvili

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In conditions of increasing water shortage, further development of irrigated agriculture production is impossible without improving the methods of cultivation of agricultural crops, primarily irrigation technology. In 2015 the experiment have been conducted on the territory of irrigation farming area of village Tamarisi (Marneuli Municipality, according to which comprehensive study of local climatic and soil conditions were conducted. Received data were used for computation crop water requirements for tomato and melon under the different irrigation treatments. Obtained results have shown the possibility of water use efficiency and obtaining sufficiently high yields of crops that participated in the experiment that became possible in a case of usage of drip irrigation technology in combination with plastic mulch.

Molecular characterization of forest soil based Paenibacillus elgii and optimization of various culture conditions for its improved antimicrobial activity

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S. N. Kumar

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms have provided a bounty of bioactive secondary metabolites with very exciting biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal antiviral, and anticancer, etc. The present study aims at the optimization of culture conditions for improved antimicrobial production of Paenibacillus elgii obtained from Wayanad forest of Western Ghats region of Kerala, India. A bacterial strain isolated from the Western Ghats forest soil of Wayanad, Kerala, India was identified as P. elgii by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. P. elgii recorded significant board spectrum activity against all human and plant pathogenic microorganism tested except Candida albicans. It has been well known that even minor variations in the fermentation medium may impact not only the quantity of desired bioactive metabolites but also the general metabolic profile of the producing microorganisms. Thus, further studies were carried out to assess the impact of medium components on the antimicrobial production of P. elgii and to optimize an ideal fermentation medium to maximize its antimicrobial production. Out of three media [nutrient broth (NA, Luria broth (LB and Trypticase soy broth (TSB] used for fermentation, TSB medium recorded significant activity. Glucose and meat peptone were identified as the best carbon and nitrogen sources, which significantly affected the antibiotic production when supplemented with TSB medium. Next the effect of various fermentation conditions such as temperature, pH, and incubation time on the production of antimicrobial compounds was studied on TSB + glucose + meat peptone and an initial pH of 7 and a temperature of 30°C for 3 days were found to be optimum for maximum antimicrobial production. The results indicate that medium composition in the fermentation media along with cultural parameters plays a vital role in the enhanced production of antimicrobial substances.

Utilization of maize cob biochar and rice husk charcoal as soil amendments for improving acid soil fertility and productivity

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Nurhidayati

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The decline in soil fertility in agricultural land is a major problem that causes a decrease in the production of food crops. One of the causes of the decline in soil fertility is declining soil pH that caused the decline in the availability of nutrients in the soil. This study aimed to assess the influence of alternative liming materials derived from maize cob biochar and rice husk charcoal compared to conventional lime to improve soil pH, soil nutrient availability and maize production. The experiment used a factorial complete randomized design which consisting of two factors. The first factor is the type of soil amendment which consists of three levels (calcite lime, rice husk charcoal and cob maize biochar. The second factor is the application rates of the soil amendment consisted of three levels (3, 6 and 9 t/ha and one control treatment (without soil amendment. The results of this study showed that the application of various soil amendment increased soil pH, which the pH increase of the lime application was relatively more stable over time compared to biochar and husk charcoal. The average of the soil pH increased for each soil amendment by 23% (lime, 20% (rice husk charcoal and 23% (biochar as compared with control. The increase in soil pH can increase the availability of soil N, P and K. The greatest influence of soil pH on nutrient availability was shown by the relationship between soil pH and K nutrient availability with R2 = 0.712, while for the N by R2 = 0.462 and for the P by R2 = 0.245. The relationship between the availability of N and maize yield showed a linear equation. While the relationship between the availability of P and K with the maize yield showed a quadratic equation. The highest maize yield was found in the application of biochar and rice husk charcoal with a dose of 6-9 t/ha. The results of this study suggested that biochar and husk charcoal could be used as an alternative liming material in improving acid soil

Improving ecological risk assessment by including bioavailability into species sensitivity distributions: An example for plants exposed to nickel in soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenzin, Elena; Temminghoff, Erwin J.M.; Marcomini, Antonio

2007-01-01

The variability of species sensitivity distribution (SSD) due to contaminant bioavailability in soil was explored by using nickel as metal of concern. SSDs of toxicity test results of Avena sativa L. originating from different soils and expressed as total content and available (0.01 M CaCl 2 ) extractable concentration were compared to SSDs for terrestrial plants derived from literature toxicity data. Also the 'free' nickel (Ni 2+ ) concentration was calculated and compared. The results demonstrated that SSDs based on total nickel content highly depend on the experimental conditions set up for toxicity testing (i.e. selected soil and pH value) and thus on metal bioavailability in soil, resulting in an unacceptable uncertainty for ecological risk estimation. The use in SSDs of plant toxicity data expressed as 0.01 M CaCl 2 extractable metal strongly reduced the uncertainty in the SSD curve and thus can improve the ERA procedure remarkably by taking bioavailability into account. - The use of bioavailability toxicity data can improve species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curves and thus ecological risk assessment (ERA)

Using semi-variogram analysis for providing spatially distributed information on soil surface condition for land surface modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Croft, Holly; Anderson, Karen; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

2010-05-01

The ability to quantitatively and spatially assess soil surface roughness is important in geomorphology and land degradation studies. Soils can experience rapid structural degradation in response to land cover changes, resulting in increased susceptibility to erosion and a loss of Soil Organic Matter (SOM). Changes in soil surface condition can also alter sediment detachment, transport and deposition processes, infiltration rates and surface runoff characteristics. Deriving spatially distributed quantitative information on soil surface condition for inclusion in hydrological and soil erosion models is therefore paramount. However, due to the time and resources involved in using traditional field sampling techniques, there is a lack of spatially distributed information on soil surface condition. Laser techniques can provide data for a rapid three dimensional representation of the soil surface at a fine spatial resolution. This provides the ability to capture changes at the soil surface associated with aggregate breakdown, flow routing, erosion and sediment re-distribution. Semi-variogram analysis of the laser data can be used to represent spatial dependence within the dataset; providing information about the spatial character of soil surface structure. This experiment details the ability of semi-variogram analysis to spatially describe changes in soil surface condition. Soil for three soil types (silt, silt loam and silty clay) was sieved to produce aggregates between 1 mm and 16 mm in size and placed evenly in sample trays (25 x 20 x 2 cm). Soil samples for each soil type were exposed to five different durations of artificial rainfall, to produce progressively structurally degraded soil states. A calibrated laser profiling instrument was used to measure surface roughness over a central 10 x 10 cm plot of each soil state, at 2 mm sample spacing. The laser data were analysed within a geostatistical framework, where semi-variogram analysis quantitatively represented

Development of provisions for oil contaminated soil neutralizing in the conditions of Siberia and the Arctic

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Shtripling, L. O.; Kholkin, E. G.

2017-08-01

Siberia and the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation occupy a large area of the country and they differ from other regions in special climatic conditions, in particular, a long period of freezing temperatures and relatively poor infrastructure. The main problem of neutralizing soils contaminated with oil products in conditions of negative ambient temperature is that the contaminated soil is in a frozen state, and it prevents the normal course of neutralization process, so additional energy is required for preparing the soil. There is proposed a technology adapted to the conditions of Siberia and the Arctic for the operational elimination of emergency situations consequences accompanied with oil spills. The technology for neutralizing soils contaminated with petroleum products is based on the encapsulation of a pollutant (reagent capsulation technology) using an alkaline calcium-based reagent. Powdered building quicklime is used as a reagent, and it is a product of roasting carbonate rocks or a mixture of this product with mineral additives (calcium oxide). The encapsulated material obtained as a result of neutralizing soils contaminated with petroleum products is resistant to natural and man-made factors such as moisture, temperature fluctuations, acid rain and high pressure. Energy use from the chemical detoxification exothermic process of soils contaminated with petroleum products in combination with the forced supply of carbon dioxide to the neutralization zone during the formation of a shell from calcium carbonate on the surface of the pollutant makes it possible to neutralize soils contaminated with oil products in the extreme climatic conditions of the Arctic using reagent Encapsulation. The principle of equipment operation that allows neutralizing soils contaminated with petroleum products in the natural and climatic conditions of the Arctic using reagent capsulation technology has been described. The results of experimental studies have been presented that

Pre-sowing static magnetic field treatment for improving water and radiation use efficiency in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under soil moisture stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Mridha, Nilimesh; Chattaraj, Sudipta; Chakraborty, Debashis; Anand, Anjali; Aggarwal, Pramila; Nagarajan, Shantha

2016-09-01

Soil moisture stress during pod filling is a major constraint in production of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a fundamentally dry land crop. We investigated effect of pre-sowing seed priming with static magnetic field (SMF) on alleviation of stress through improvement in radiation and water use efficiencies. Experiments were conducted under greenhouse and open field conditions with desi and kabuli genotypes. Seeds exposed to SMF (strength: 100 mT, exposure: 1 h) led to increase in root volume and surface area by 70% and 65%, respectively. This enabled the crop to utilize 60% higher moisture during the active growth period (78-118 days after sowing), when soil moisture became limiting. Both genotypes from treated seeds had better water utilization, biomass, and radiation use efficiencies (17%, 40%, and 26% over control). Seed pre-treatment with SMF could, therefore, be a viable option for chickpea to alleviate soil moisture stress in arid and semi-arid regions, helping in augmenting its production. It could be a viable option to improve growth and yield of chickpea under deficit soil moisture condition, as the selection and breeding program takes a decade before a tolerant variety is released. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:400-408, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Soil geohazard mapping for improved asset management of UK local roads

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Pritchard, O. G.; Hallett, S. H.; Farewell, T. S.

2015-09-01

Unclassified roads comprise 60 % of the road network in the United Kingdom (UK). The resilience of this locally important network is declining. It is considered by the Institution of Civil Engineers to be "at risk" and is ranked 26th in the world. Many factors contribute to the degradation and ultimate failure of particular road sections. However, several UK local authorities have identified that in drought conditions, road sections founded upon shrink-swell susceptible clay soils undergo significant deterioration compared with sections on non-susceptible soils. This arises from the local road network having little, if any, structural foundations. Consequently, droughts in East Anglia have resulted in millions of pounds of damage, leading authorities to seek emergency governmental funding. This paper assesses the use of soil-related geohazard assessments in providing soil-informed maintenance strategies for the asset management of the locally important road network of the UK. A case study draws upon the UK administrative county of Lincolnshire, where road assessment data have been analysed against mapped clay-subsidence risk. This reveals a statistically significant relationship between road condition and susceptible clay soils. Furthermore, incorporation of UKCP09 future climate projections within the geohazard models has highlighted roads likely to be at future risk of clay-related subsidence.

Microhabitat Effects on N2O Emissions from Floodplain Soils under Controlled Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ley, Martin; Lehmann, Moritz F.; Niklaus, Pascal A.; Kuhn, Thomas; Luster, Jörg

2016-04-01

Semi-terrestrial soils such as floodplain soils are considered to be potential hotspots of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The quantitative assessment of N2O release from these hotspots under field conditions, and of the microbial pathways that underlie net N2O production (ammonium oxidation, nitrifier-denitrification, and denitrification) is challenging because of their high spatial and temporal variability. The production and consumption of N2O appears to be linked to the presence or absence of micro-niches, providing specific conditions that may be favorable to either of the relevant microbial pathways. Flood events have been shown to trigger moments of enhanced N2O emission through a close coupling of niches with high and low oxygen availabilities. This coupling might be modulated by microhabitat effects related to soil aggregate formation, root soil interactions and the degradation of organic matter accumulations. In order to assess how these factors can modulate N2O production and consumption under simulated flooding/drying conditions, we have set up a mesocosm experiment with N-rich floodplain soils comprising different combinations of soil aggregate size classes and inert matrix material. These model soils were either planted with basket willow (Salix viminalis L.), mixed with leaf litter, or left untreated. Throughout a simulated flood event, we repeatedly measured the net N2O production rate. In addition, soil water content, redox potential, as well as C and N substrate availability were monitored. In order to gain insight into the sources of, and biogeochemical controls on N2O production, we also measured the bulk δ15N signature of the produced N2O, as well as its intramolecular 15N site preference (SP). In this presentation we focus on a period of enhanced N2O emission during the drying phase after 48 hrs of flooding. We will discuss the observed emission patterns in the context of possible treatment effects. Soils with large aggregates showed a

Summer cover crops and soil amendments to improve growth and nutrient uptake of okra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Q.R.; Li, Y.C.; Klassen, W. [University of Florida, Homestead, FL (United States). Center for Tropical Research & Education

2006-04-15

A pot experiment with summer cover crops and soil amendments was conducted in two consecutive years to elucidate the effects of these cover crops and soil amendments on 'Clemson Spineless 80' okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) yields and biomass production, and the uptake and distribution of soil nutrients and trace elements. The cover crops were sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), velvetbean (Mucuna deeringiana), and sorghum sudan-grass (Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor var. sudanense) with fallow as the control. The organic soil amendments were biosolids (sediment from wastewater plants), N-Viro Soil (a mixture of biosolids and coal ash), coal ash (a combustion by-product from power plants), co-compost (a mixture of 3 biosolids: 7 yard waste), and yard waste compost (mainly from leaves and branches of trees and shrubs, and grass clippings) with a soil-incorporated cover crop as the control. As a subsequent vegetable crop, okra was grown after the cover crops, alone or together with the organic soil amendments, had been incorporated. All of the cover crops, except sorghum sudangrass in 2002-03, significantly improved okra fruit yields and the total biomass production. Both cover crops and soil amendments can substantially improve nutrient uptake and distribution. The results suggest that cover crops and appropriate amounts of soil amendments can be used to improve soil fertility and okra yield without adverse environmental effects or risk of contamination of the fruit. Further field studies will be required to confirm these findings.

EFFECTS OF ALKALINE SANDY LOAM ON SULFURIC SOIL ACIDITY AND SULFIDIC SOIL OXIDATION

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Patrick S. Michael

2015-08-01

Full Text Available  In poor soils, addition of alkaline sandy loam containing an adequate proportion of sand, silt and clay would add value by improving the texture, structure and organic matter (OM for general use of the soils. In acid sulfate soils (ASS, addition of alkaline sandy would improve the texture and leach out salts as well as add a sufficient proportion of OM for vegetation establishment. In this study, addition of alkaline sandy loam into sulfuric soil effectively increased the pH, lowered the redox and reduced the sulfate content, the magnitude of the effects dependent on moisture content. Addition of alkaline sandy loam in combination with OM was highly effective than the effects of the lone alkaline sandy loam. When alkaline sandy was added alone or in combination with OM into sulfidic soil, the effects on pH and the redox were similar as in the sulfuric soil but the effect on sulfate content was variable. The effects under aerobic conditions were higher than under anaerobic conditions. The findings of this study have important implications for the general management of ASS where lime availability is a concern and its application is limited.International Journal of Environment Volume-4, Issue-3, June-August 2015Page: 42-54

Influence of mammal fossorial activity on the soil fermentative activity in conditions of metallurgical production

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S. M. Kirienko

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Effect of mammal fossorial activity as an ecological factor of the soil genesis intensification is studied. Enzymatic activity of soil as its ability to demonstrate a catalytic effect for various compounds transformation is examined. Variability of soil urease activity in technogenic conditions with the participation of animals is shown. The positive influence of animals’ activity on the catalitic ability of the investigated soils was determined. The statistically significant characteristics which have an influence on the urease activity in soil are found out.

Effects of long-term continuous cropping on soil nematode community and soil condition associated with replant problem in strawberry habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xingyue; Lewis, Edwin E.; Liu, Qizhi; Li, Heqin; Bai, Chunqi; Wang, Yuzhu

2016-08-01

Continuous cropping changes soil physiochemical parameters, enzymes and microorganism communities, causing “replant problem” in strawberry cultivation. We hypothesized that soil nematode community would reflect the changes in soil conditions caused by long-term continuous cropping, in ways that are consistent and predictable. To test this hypothesis, we studied the soil nematode communities and several soil parameters, including the concentration of soil phenolic acids, organic matter and nitrogen levels, in strawberry greenhouse under continuous-cropping for five different durations. Soil pH significantly decreased, and four phenolic acids, i.e., p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid, accumulated with time under continuous cropping. The four phenolic acids were highly toxic to Acrobeloides spp., the eudominant genus in non-continuous cropping, causing it to reduce to a resident genus after seven-years of continuous cropping. Decreased nematode diversity indicated loss of ecosystem stability and sustainability because of continuous-cropping practice. Moreover, the dominant decomposition pathway was altered from bacterial to fungal under continuous cropping. Our results suggest that along with the continuous-cropping time in strawberry habitat, the soil food web is disturbed, and the available plant nutrition as well as the general health of the soil deteriorates; these changes can be indicated by soil nematode community.

Improving streamflow simulations and forecasting performance of SWAT model by assimilating remotely sensed soil moisture observations

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Amol; Ramsankaran, RAAJ

2017-12-01

This article presents a study carried out using EnKF based assimilation of coarser-scale SMOS soil moisture retrievals to improve the streamflow simulations and forecasting performance of SWAT model in a large catchment. This study has been carried out in Munneru river catchment, India, which is about 10,156 km2. In this study, an EnkF based new approach is proposed for improving the inherent vertical coupling of soil layers of SWAT hydrological model during soil moisture data assimilation. Evaluation of the vertical error correlation obtained between surface and subsurface layers indicates that the vertical coupling can be improved significantly using ensemble of soil storages compared to the traditional static soil storages based EnKF approach. However, the improvements in the simulated streamflow are moderate, which is due to the limitations in SWAT model in reflecting the profile soil moisture updates in surface runoff computations. Further, it is observed that the durability of streamflow improvements is longer when the assimilation system effectively updates the subsurface flow component. Overall, the results of the present study indicate that the passive microwave-based coarser-scale soil moisture products like SMOS hold significant potential to improve the streamflow estimates when assimilating into large-scale distributed hydrological models operating at a daily time step.

Perturbations in the initial soil moisture conditions: Impacts on hydrologic simulation in a large river basin

Science.gov (United States)

Niroula, Sundar; Halder, Subhadeep; Ghosh, Subimal

2018-06-01

Real time hydrologic forecasting requires near accurate initial condition of soil moisture; however, continuous monitoring of soil moisture is not operational in many regions, such as, in Ganga basin, extended in Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Here, we examine the impacts of perturbation/error in the initial soil moisture conditions on simulated soil moisture and streamflow in Ganga basin and its propagation, during the summer monsoon season (June to September). This provides information regarding the required minimum duration of model simulation for attaining the model stability. We use the Variable Infiltration Capacity model for hydrological simulations after validation. Multiple hydrologic simulations are performed, each of 21 days, initialized on every 5th day of the monsoon season for deficit, surplus and normal monsoon years. Each of these simulations is performed with the initial soil moisture condition obtained from long term runs along with positive and negative perturbations. The time required for the convergence of initial errors is obtained for all the cases. We find a quick convergence for the year with high rainfall as well as for the wet spells within a season. We further find high spatial variations in the time required for convergence; the region with high precipitation such as Lower Ganga basin attains convergence at a faster rate. Furthermore, deeper soil layers need more time for convergence. Our analysis is the first attempt on understanding the sensitivity of hydrological simulations of Ganga basin on initial soil moisture conditions. The results obtained here may be useful in understanding the spin-up requirements for operational hydrologic forecasts.

Improvement of poor subgrade soils using cement kiln dust

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Ahmed Mancy Mosa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Construction of pavements layers on subgrade with excellent to good properties reduces the thickness of the layers and consequently reduces the initial and maintenance cost of highways and vice versa. However, construction of pavements on poor subgrade is unavoidable due to several constrains. Improvement of subgrade properties using traditional additives such as lime and Portland cement adds supplementary costs. Therefore, using by-products in this domain involves technical, economic, and environmental advantages. Cement kiln dust (CKD is generated in huge quantities as a by-product material in Portland cement plants. Therefore, it can be considered as an excellent alternative in this domain. In Iraq, Portland cement plants generate about 350000 tons of CKD annually which is available for free. Therefore, Iraq can be adopted as a case study. This paper covers using CKD to improve the properties of poor subgrade soils based on series of California Bearing Ration (CBR tests on sets of untreated samples and samples treated with different doses of CKD in combination with different curing periods to investigate their effects on soil properties. The results exhibited that adding 20% of CKD with curing for 14 days increases the CBR value from 3.4% for untreated soil to 48% for treated soil; it, also, decreases the swelling ratio. To determine the effects of using this dose under the mentioned curing period on the designed thicknesses of pavements layers, a case study was adopted. The case study results exhibited that treatment of the subgrade soil by 20% of CKD with curing for 14 days reduces the cost of the pavements by $25.875 per square meter.

Stabilization of soil using plastic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.A.

2005-01-01

The economy in a soil stabilization project depends on the cost of the stabilizing material. Cheaper the stabilizing material, lesser will be the project cost. Specially manufactured geotextiles are successfully being used for soil stabilization, but the cost is higher. In this study, the cuttings of the waste polyethylene shopper bags have been used to stabilize the soil. The polyethylene shopper bags are transformed to cuttings for easy mixing with the soil by conventional methods. The plastic cuttings acted similar to the non-woven geotextile fibers. Different quantities of the shopper bag cuttings were mixed with the soil. The soil was compacted in the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test molds according to the British Standards. CBR values of the soil with varying quantities of the plastic cuttings were determined both for the un-soaked and soaked conditions. The tests showed significant increase in the CBR values of the stabilized soil under un-soaked conditions. However, the improvement in the CBR values under the soaked condition was comparatively lesser than that of the un-soaked condition. This method of stabilization proved economical due to low cost of the waste shopper bags. (author)

A framework of connections between soil and people can help improve sustainability of the food system and soil functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Bruce C; Hargreaves, Paul R; Watson, Christine A

2018-04-01

Globally soil quality and food security continue to decrease indicating that agriculture and the food system need to adapt. Improving connection to the soil by knowledge exchange can help achieve this. We propose a framework of three types of connections that allow the targeting of appropriate messages to different groups of people. Direct connection by, for example, handling soil develops soil awareness for management that can be fostered by farmers joining groups on soil-focused farming such as organic farming or no-till. Indirect connections between soil, food and ecosystem services can inform food choices and environmental awareness in the public and can be promoted by, for example, gardening, education and art. Temporal connection revealed from past usage of soil helps to bring awareness to policy workers of the need for the long-term preservation of soil quality for environmental conservation. The understanding of indirect and temporal connections can be helped by comparing them with the operations of the networks of soil organisms and porosity that sustain soil fertility and soil functions.

Adding Value to Ash and Digestate (AVAnD): Performance of Novel Soil Amendents on the Soil-Plant System Under Glasshouse Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Lag-Brotons, Alfonso; Marshall, Rachel; Herbert, Ben; Hurst, Lois; Ostle, Nick; Dodd, Ian; Quinton, John; Surridge, Ben; Aiouache, Farid; Semple, Kirk T.

2017-04-01

Resource recovery from waste plays a central role in strategies tackling current worldwide sustainability problems. In this sense, two waste streams derived from bioenergy production (anaerobic digestion and incineration), digestate [D] and biomass ash [A], may be especially valuable within agriculture. These materials offer complementary plant nutrient profiles for alternative fertiliser production (i.e. nitrogen [N] from D and phosphorus [P] from A). In addition, incorporating these materials into the soil could impact upon several soil/plant characteristics, and have positive effects on ecosystem services (eg. nutrient cycling). Therefore, this present work assessed the effects of A/D blends on the soil-plant system under controlled conditions (glasshouse). The overarching aim of "Adding Value to Ash and Digestate [AVAnD]" project is to identify novel nutrient-recycling pathways to maximise soil quality and crop productivity utilising waste streams derived from bioenergy production. Two pot experiments of 6 weeks duration were carried out [Exp. A and Exp. B] using contrasting agricultural soils (neutral loam and sandy acidic soil) and wheat as the crop. A factorial randomised block design was selected, with fertilisation treatment and soil condition (planted/unplanted) as factors. Fertilisation treatments (n=13) were applied at a rate of 63/60 kg N/P2O5 per ha and comprised: control ([C], no fertilisation), urea [U], urea+superphosphate [U+P], fly ash [A1], bottom ash [A2], U+A1; U+A2, anaerobic digestates [D1, D2] and ash/digestate blends [D1A1, D1A2, D2A1, D2A2]. Each block (n=5) contained 8 planted and 5 unplanted pots (104 planted + 65 unplanted experimental units). At the end of the experiment, all the plants were assessed for morphometric traits, while for tissue elemental analyses the total number of replicates per treatment was randomly reduced (n=5/treatment). Soil physico-chemical properties (i.e. available nitrogen, pH) were assessed in unplanted and

Bioactivity of Several Herbicides on the Nanogram Level Under Different Soil Moisture Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, S C; Kuk, Y I; Senseman, S A; Ahn, H G; Seong, C N; Lee, D J

2015-01-01

In this study, a double-tube centrifuge method was employed to determine the effects of soil moisture on the bioactivity of cafenstrole, pretilachlor, benfuresate, oxyfluorfen and simetryn. In general, the available herbicide concentration in soil solution (ACSS) showed little change as soil moisture increased for herbicides. The total available herbicide in soil solution (TASS) typically increased as soil moisture increased for all herbicides. The relationship between TASS and % growth rate based on dry weight showed strong linear relationships for both cafenstrole and pretilachlor, with r2 values of 0.95 and 0.84, respectively. Increasing TASS values were consistent with increasing herbicide water solubility, with the exception of the ionizable herbicide simetryn. Plant absorption and % growth rate exhibited a strong linear relationship with TASS. According to the results suggested that TASS was a better predictor of herbicidal bioactivity than ACSS for all herbicides under unsaturated soil moisture conditions.

Particle Separation of Non-Decontamination Soil using Attrition and Washing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Daeseo; Sung, Hyun-Hee; Kim, Seung-Soo; Hong, Sang Bum; Seo, Bum Kyoung; Choi, Jong-Won

2017-01-01

In this study, to improve the decontamination efficiency of uranium soil, a preliminary experiment on the particle separation of non-decontamination soil was carried out using attrition and washing. The characteristics of the attrition and washing system are investigated. A conditional experiment on particle separation of non-decontamination soil will be performed. A preliminary experiment on the particle separation of non-decontamination soil was carried out to improve the decontamination efficiency of uranium soil. This experiment was performed with the ratio of soil to water (1:4) for the particle separation of non-decontamination soil. The operations of all equipment such as attrition scrubber, ultrasonic reaction, vibrating screen, and hydro-cyclone were conducted and confirmed. In the future, the additional experiments will be conducted for optimal experimental condition.

Assessment of initial soil moisture conditions for event-based rainfall-runoff modelling

OpenAIRE

Tramblay, Yves; Bouvier, Christophe; Martin, C.; Didon-Lescot, J. F.; Todorovik, D.; Domergue, J. M.

2010-01-01

Flash floods are the most destructive natural hazards that occur in the Mediterranean region. Rainfall-runoff models can be very useful for flash flood forecasting and prediction. Event-based models are very popular for operational purposes, but there is a need to reduce the uncertainties related to the initial moisture conditions estimation prior to a flood event. This paper aims to compare several soil moisture indicators: local Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) measurements of soil moisture,...

CONTRIBUTIONS TO IMPROVING CULTURE TEHNOLOGIES OF PEACHES GROWN ON SANDY SOILS THE SOUTH OF OLTENIA

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Anica Durau

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Technological factors with major implications in obtaining high yields and quality in peaches grown on sandy soils are planting row distance and shape of the crown, soil maintenance system, chemical, organic and foliar fertilzation. A smal size combined with the flatening of the crowns of the tres alows a dense planting, also ensure proper mechanization of work and easy penetration of light to the leaves and fruits. Crown form vertical belt proved to be suitable for al planting distances studied, easily made and maintained, having fruit production ranged betwen 15.9 t / ha at a distance of 2 m, 10.3 t / ha at a distance of 2.5 m and 7.9 t / ha at a distance of 3 m. The state of soil nutrient supply influence sucesful peach crop on sandy soils. The fertilzer dose of technology to N10 P80 K10 kg s.a / ha production was 34.9 t / ha. Organic fertilzation also contributes to obtaining high yields of peach. In sandy soil conditions most fruit production of 9.6 t / ha was obtained by fertilzation with organic manure 60t/ha. Besides fertilzation, soil maintenance system is one important link in the technology peach crop on sandy soils. The results found that the biggest peach fruit production was obtained from field maintenance system black-8,2t/ha. Using technology in foliar peaches culture on sandy soils, is an important means of providing nutrients that lead to improved proceses of growth and fructification. The best way is with foliar fertilzation Folibor in dose 5l/ha, the production obtained was 12.4 t /ha.

Microbial inoculants and organic amendment improves the establishment of autochtonous shrub species and microbial activity recovery in a semiarid soil

Science.gov (United States)

Mengual, Carmen; Schoebitz, Mauricio; Azcon, Rosario; Torres, Pilar; Caravaca, Fuensanta; Roldan, Antonio

2014-05-01

The re-establishment of autochthonous shrub species is an essential strategy for recovering degraded soils under semiarid Mediterranean conditions. A field assay was carried out to determine the combined effects of the inoculation with native rhizobacteria (B. megaterium, Enterobacter sp, B. thuringiensis and Bacillus sp) and the addition of composted sugar beet (SB) residue on physicochemical soil properties and Lavandula dentata L. establishment. One year after planting, Bacillus sp. and B. megaterium+SB were the most effective treatments for increasing shoot dry biomass (by 5-fold with respect to control) and Enterobacter sp+SB was the most effective treatments for increasing dry root biomass. All the treatments evaluated significantly increased the foliar nutrient content (NPK) compared to control values (except B. thuringiensis+SB). The organic amendment had significantly increased available phosphorus content in rhizosphere soil by 29% respect to the control. Enterobacter sp combined with sugar beet residue improved total N content in soil (by 46% respect to the control) as well as microbiological and biochemical properties. The selection of the most efficient rhizobacteria strains and their combined effect with organic residue seems to be a critical point that drives the effectiveness of using these biotechnological tools for the revegetation and rehabilitation of degraded soils under semiarid conditions.

Transport of gadolinium- and arsenic-based pharmaceuticals in saturated soil under various redox conditions.

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Menahem, Adi; Dror, Ishai; Berkowitz, Brian

2016-02-01

The release of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) to the soil-water environment necessitates understanding of PPCP transport behavior under conditions that account for dynamic flow and varying redox states. This study investigates the transport of two organometallic PPCPs, Gd-DTPA and roxarsone (arsenic compound) and their metal salts (Gd(NO3)3, AsNaO2); Gd-DTPA is used widely as a contrasting agent for MRI, while roxarsone is applied extensively as a food additive in the broiler poultry industry. Here, we present column experiments using sand and Mediterranean red sandy clay soil, performed under several redox conditions. The metal salts were almost completely immobile. In contrast, transport of Gd-DTPA and roxarsone was affected by the soil type. Roxarsone was also affected by the different redox conditions, showing delayed breakthrough curves as the redox potential became more negative due to biological activity (chemically-strong reducing conditions did not affect the transport). Mechanisms that include adsorptive retardation for aerobic and nitrate-reducing conditions, and non-adsorptive retardation for iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing and biologically-strong reducing conditions, are suggested to explain the roxarsone behavior. Gd-DTPA is found to be a stable complex, with potential for high mobility in groundwater systems, whereas roxarsone transport through groundwater systems is affected by redox environments, demonstrating high mobility under aerobic and nitrate-reducing conditions and delayed transport under iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing and biologically-strong reducing conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of Soil Biology Characteristics at Paddy Field by System of Rice Intensification

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Widyatmani Sih Dewi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to test the System of Rice Intensification (SRI method in improving the biological properties of paddy soil. The indicators of improvement were measured by the number of earthworm feces (cast, and the population of some microbial and nutrient content in the cast. The experiments were performed by comparing the three methods, namely: (1 SRI, (2 semi-conventional, and (3 conventional, using Randomized Completely Block Design. Each treatment was repeated nine times. The experiments were performed in the paddy fields belonging to farmers in Sukoharjo, Central Java. The result showed that the SRI (application of 1 tons ha-1 of vermicompost + 50% of inorganic fertilizer dosage tends to increase the number of earthworms cast. It is an indicator of earthworm activity in soil. Earthworms cast contains more phosphate solubilizing bacteria (12.98 x 1010cfu and N content (1.23% compared to its surrounding soil. There is a close functional relation between earthworms cast with total tiller number. SRI method is better than the other two methods to improve the biological characteristics of paddy soil that has the potential to maintain the sustainability of soil productivity.

Infiltration and Soil Loss Changes during the Growing Season under Ploughing and Conservation Tillage

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Gergely Jakab

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Decreased water retention and increased runoff and soil loss are of special importance concerning soil degradation of hilly crop fields. In this study, plots under ploughing (conventional tillage (PT and conservation tillage (CT; 15 years were compared. Rainfall simulation on 6 m2 plots was applied to determine infiltration and soil loss during the growing season. Results were compared with those measured from 1200 m2 plots exposed to natural rainfalls in 2016. Infiltration was always higher under CT than PT, whereas the highest infiltration was measured under the cover crop condition. Infiltration under seedbed and stubble resulted in uncertainties, which suggests that natural pore formation can be more effective at improving soil drainage potential than can temporary improvements created by soil tillage operations. Soil erodibility was higher under PT for each soil status; however, the seedbed condition triggered the highest values. For CT, soil loss volume was only a function of runoff volume at both scales. Contrarily, on PT plots, some extreme precipitation events triggered extremely high soil loss owing to linear erosion, which meant no direct connection existed between the scales. Improved soil conditions due to conservation practice are more important for decreasing soil loss than the better surface conditions.

Improving Estimations of Spatial Distribution of Soil Respiration Using the Bayesian Maximum Entropy Algorithm and Soil Temperature as Auxiliary Data.

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Junguo Hu

Full Text Available Soil respiration inherently shows strong spatial variability. It is difficult to obtain an accurate characterization of soil respiration with an insufficient number of monitoring points. However, it is expensive and cumbersome to deploy many sensors. To solve this problem, we proposed employing the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME algorithm, using soil temperature as auxiliary information, to study the spatial distribution of soil respiration. The BME algorithm used the soft data (auxiliary information effectively to improve the estimation accuracy of the spatiotemporal distribution of soil respiration. Based on the functional relationship between soil temperature and soil respiration, the BME algorithm satisfactorily integrated soil temperature data into said spatial distribution. As a means of comparison, we also applied the Ordinary Kriging (OK and Co-Kriging (Co-OK methods. The results indicated that the root mean squared errors (RMSEs and absolute values of bias for both Day 1 and Day 2 were the lowest for the BME method, thus demonstrating its higher estimation accuracy. Further, we compared the performance of the BME algorithm coupled with auxiliary information, namely soil temperature data, and the OK method without auxiliary information in the same study area for 9, 21, and 37 sampled points. The results showed that the RMSEs for the BME algorithm (0.972 and 1.193 were less than those for the OK method (1.146 and 1.539 when the number of sampled points was 9 and 37, respectively. This indicates that the former method using auxiliary information could reduce the required number of sampling points for studying spatial distribution of soil respiration. Thus, the BME algorithm, coupled with soil temperature data, can not only improve the accuracy of soil respiration spatial interpolation but can also reduce the number of sampling points.

Improving Estimations of Spatial Distribution of Soil Respiration Using the Bayesian Maximum Entropy Algorithm and Soil Temperature as Auxiliary Data.

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Hu, Junguo; Zhou, Jian; Zhou, Guomo; Luo, Yiqi; Xu, Xiaojun; Li, Pingheng; Liang, Junyi

2016-01-01

Soil respiration inherently shows strong spatial variability. It is difficult to obtain an accurate characterization of soil respiration with an insufficient number of monitoring points. However, it is expensive and cumbersome to deploy many sensors. To solve this problem, we proposed employing the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) algorithm, using soil temperature as auxiliary information, to study the spatial distribution of soil respiration. The BME algorithm used the soft data (auxiliary information) effectively to improve the estimation accuracy of the spatiotemporal distribution of soil respiration. Based on the functional relationship between soil temperature and soil respiration, the BME algorithm satisfactorily integrated soil temperature data into said spatial distribution. As a means of comparison, we also applied the Ordinary Kriging (OK) and Co-Kriging (Co-OK) methods. The results indicated that the root mean squared errors (RMSEs) and absolute values of bias for both Day 1 and Day 2 were the lowest for the BME method, thus demonstrating its higher estimation accuracy. Further, we compared the performance of the BME algorithm coupled with auxiliary information, namely soil temperature data, and the OK method without auxiliary information in the same study area for 9, 21, and 37 sampled points. The results showed that the RMSEs for the BME algorithm (0.972 and 1.193) were less than those for the OK method (1.146 and 1.539) when the number of sampled points was 9 and 37, respectively. This indicates that the former method using auxiliary information could reduce the required number of sampling points for studying spatial distribution of soil respiration. Thus, the BME algorithm, coupled with soil temperature data, can not only improve the accuracy of soil respiration spatial interpolation but can also reduce the number of sampling points.

Assessment of the Swelling Pressure of the Green Clay of Tangier (Morocco Compared with the Soil-Moisture Conditions

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El Bahlouli Tarik

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The swelling phenomenon appears seriously when changing the soil-moisture conditions. The swelling pressure induced by the expansive soil can causes unfavourable problems or instability for the civil structures. So, understanding the soil behavior is considered a valuable work for engineers and consultants in the geotechnical and civil engineering sectors. In reality, the assessment of the swelling pressure of expansive soil depends, first of all, of test conditions related to the change of soil-moisture, as it happens, the influence of the combination “loading-start wetting” and also the unloading process after saturation. To this end, we establish an experimental study on the green clay of Tangier to evaluate the swelling pressure by using oedometer apparatus. Secondly, attention is bore to the combination “initial water content-dry density”, another factor related to the change of the soil-moisture, to show the influence of initial state condition on the swelling pressure.

Improving the phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soil by use of sewage sludge.

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Placek, Agnieszka; Grobelak, Anna; Kacprzak, Malgorzata

2016-01-01

Sewage sludge, in particular from the food industry, is characterized by fertilizing properties, due to the high content of organic matter and nutrients. The application of sewage sludge causes an improvement of soil parameters as well as increase in cation exchange capacity, and thus stronger binding of cations in the soil environment, which involves the immobilization of nutrients and greater resistance to contamination. In a field experiment sewage sludge has been used as an additive to the soil supporting the phytoremediation process of land contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Zn, and Pb) using trees species: Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), and oak (Quercus robur L.). The aim of the research was to determine how the application of sewage sludge into the soil surface improves the phytoremediation process. The conducted field experiment demonstrated that selected trees like Scots pine and Norway spruce, because of its excellent adaptability, can be used in the remediation of soil. Oak should not be used in the phytoremediation process of soils contaminated with high concentrations of trace elements in the soil, because a significant amount of heavy metals was accumulated in the leaves of oak causing a risk of recontamination.

Improving Landslide Forecasting Using ASCAT-Derived Soil Moisture Data: A Case Study of the Torgiovannetto Landslide in Central Italy

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Wolfgang Wagner

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Predicting the spatial and temporal occurrence of rainfall triggered landslides represents an important scientific and operational issue due to the high threat that they pose to human life and property. This study investigates the relationship between rainfall, soil moisture conditions and landslide movement by using recorded movements of a rock slope located in central Italy, the Torgiovannetto landslide. This landslide is a very large rock slide, threatening county and state roads. Data acquired by a network of extensometers and a meteorological station clearly indicate that the movements of the unstable wedge, first detected in 2003, are still proceeding and the alternate phases of quiescence and reactivation are associated with rainfall patterns. By using a multiple linear regression approach, the opening of the tension cracks (as recorded by the extensometers as a function of rainfall and soil moisture conditions prior the occurrence of rainfall, are predicted for the period 2007–2009. Specifically, soil moisture indicators are obtained through the Soil Water Index, SWI, a product derived by the Advanced SCATterometer (ASCAT on board the MetOp (Meteorological Operational satellite and by an Antecedent Precipitation Index, API. Results indicate that the regression performance (in terms of correlation coefficient, r significantly enhances if an indicator of the soil moisture conditions is included. Specifically, r is equal to 0.40 when only rainfall is used as a predictor variable and increases to r = 0.68 and r = 0.85 if the API and the SWI are used respectively. Therefore, the coarse spatial resolution (25 km of satellite data notwithstanding, the ASCAT SWI is found to be very useful for the prediction of landslide movements on a local scale. These findings, although valid for a specific area, present new opportunities for the effective use of satellite-derived soil moisture estimates to improve landslide forecasting.

Modeling daily soil temperature over diverse climate conditions in Iran—a comparison of multiple linear regression and support vector regression techniques

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Delbari, Masoomeh; Sharifazari, Salman; Mohammadi, Ehsan

2018-02-01

The knowledge of soil temperature at different depths is important for agricultural industry and for understanding climate change. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of a support vector regression (SVR)-based model in estimating daily soil temperature at 10, 30 and 100 cm depth at different climate conditions over Iran. The obtained results were compared to those obtained from a more classical multiple linear regression (MLR) model. The correlation sensitivity for the input combinations and periodicity effect were also investigated. Climatic data used as inputs to the models were minimum and maximum air temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, dew point, and the atmospheric pressure (reduced to see level), collected from five synoptic stations Kerman, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Saghez, and Rasht located respectively in the hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid, Mediterranean, and hyper-humid climate conditions. According to the results, the performance of both MLR and SVR models was quite well at surface layer, i.e., 10-cm depth. However, SVR performed better than MLR in estimating soil temperature at deeper layers especially 100 cm depth. Moreover, both models performed better in humid climate condition than arid and hyper-arid areas. Further, adding a periodicity component into the modeling process considerably improved the models' performance especially in the case of SVR.

In Situ Earthworm Breeding to Improve Soil Aggregation, Chemical Properties, and Enzyme Activity in Papayas

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Huimin Xiang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The long-term use of mineral fertilizers has decreased the soil fertility in papaya (Carica papaya L. orchards in South China. In situ earthworm breeding is a new sustainable practice for improving soil fertility. A field experiment was conducted to compare the effects of four treatments consisting of the control (C, chemical fertilizer (F, compost (O, and in situ earthworm breeding (E on soil physico-chemical properties and soil enzyme activity in a papaya orchard. The results showed that soil chemical properties, such as pH, soil organic matter (SOM, total nitrogen (TN, available nitrogen (AN, and total phosphorus (TP were significantly improved with the E treatment but declined with the F treatment. On 31 October 2008, the SOM and TN with the O and E treatments were increased by 26.3% and 15.1%, respectively, and by 32.5% and 20.6% compared with the F treatment. Furthermore, the O and E treatments significantly increased the activity of soil urease and sucrase. Over the whole growing season, soil urease activity was 34.4%~40.4% and 51.1%~58.7% higher with the O and E treatments, respectively, than that with the C treatment. Additionally, the activity of soil sucrase with the E treatment was always the greatest of the four treatments, whereas the F treatment decreased soil catalase activity. On 11 June 2008 and 3 July 2008, the activity of soil catalase with the F treatment was decreased by 19.4% and 32.0% compared with C. Soil bulk density with the four treatments was in the order of O ≤ E < F < C. The O- and E-treated soil bulk density was significantly lower than that of the F-treated soil. Soil porosity was in the order of C < F < E < O. Soil porosity with the O and E treatments was 6.0% and 4.7% higher, respectively, than that with the F treatment. Meanwhile, the chemical fertilizer applications significantly influenced the mean weight diameter (MWD of the aggregate and proportion of different size aggregate fractions. The E treatment

Comparing the ensemble and extended Kalman filters for in situ soil moisture assimilation with contrasting conditions

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D. Fairbairn

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Two data assimilation (DA methods are compared for their ability to produce an accurate soil moisture analysis using the Météo-France land surface model: (i SEKF, a simplified extended Kalman filter, which uses a climatological background-error covariance, and (ii EnSRF, the ensemble square root filter, which uses an ensemble background-error covariance and approximates random rainfall errors stochastically. In situ soil moisture observations at 5 cm depth are assimilated into the surface layer and 30 cm deep observations are used to evaluate the root-zone analysis on 12 sites in south-western France (SMOSMANIA network. These sites differ in terms of climate and soil texture. The two methods perform similarly and improve on the open loop. Both methods suffer from incorrect linear assumptions which are particularly degrading to the analysis during water-stressed conditions: the EnSRF by a dry bias and the SEKF by an over-sensitivity of the model Jacobian between the surface and the root-zone layers. These problems are less severe for the sites with wetter climates. A simple bias correction technique is tested on the EnSRF. Although this reduces the bias, it modifies the soil moisture fluxes and suppresses the ensemble spread, which degrades the analysis performance. However, the EnSRF flow-dependent background-error covariance evidently captures seasonal variability in the soil moisture errors and should exploit planned improvements in the model physics. Synthetic twin experiments demonstrate that when there is only a random component in the precipitation forcing errors, the correct stochastic representation of these errors enables the EnSRF to perform better than the SEKF. It might therefore be possible for the EnSRF to perform better than the SEKF with real data, if the rainfall uncertainty was accurately captured. However, the simple rainfall error model is not advantageous in our real experiments. More realistic rainfall error models are

Thermoregulatory value of cracking-clay soil shelters for small vertebrates during extreme desert conditions.

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Waudby, Helen P; Petit, Sophie

2017-05-01

Deserts exhibit extreme climatic conditions. Small desert-dwelling vertebrates have physiological and behavioral adaptations to cope with these conditions, including the ability to seek shelter. We investigated the temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) regulating properties of the soil cracks that characterize the extensive cracking-clay landscapes of arid Australia, and the extent of their use by 2 small marsupial species: fat-tailed and stripe-faced dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata and Sminthopsis macroura). We measured hourly (over 24-h periods) the T and RH of randomly-selected soil cracks compared to outside conditions, during 2 summers and 2 winters. We tracked 17 dunnarts (8 Sminthopsis crassicaudata and 9 Sminthopsis macroura) to quantify their use of cracks. Cracks consistently moderated microclimate, providing more stable conditions than available from non-crack points, which often displayed comparatively dramatic fluctuations in T and RH. Both dunnart species used crack shelters extensively. Cracks constitute important shelter for small animals during extreme conditions by providing a stable microclimate, which is typically cooler than outside conditions in summer and warmer in winter. Cracks likely play a fundamental sheltering role by sustaining the physiological needs of small mammal populations. Globally, cracking-clay areas are dominated by agricultural land uses, including livestock grazing. Management of these systems should focus not only on vegetation condition, but also on soil integrity, to maintain shelter resources for ground-dwelling fauna. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

SOIL MOISTURE SPACE-TIME ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT IMPROVED CROP MANAGEMENT

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Bruno Montoani Silva

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of the water content in the soil profile is essential for an efficient management of crop growth and development. This work aimed to use geostatistical techniques in a spatio-temporal study of soil moisture in an Oxisol in order to provide that information for improved crop management. Data were collected in a coffee crop area at São Roque de Minas, in the upper São Francisco River basin, MG state, Brazil. The soil moisture was measured with a multi-sensor capacitance (MCP probe at 10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 60- and 100-cm depths between March and December, 2010. After adjusting the spherical semivariogram model using ordinary least squares, best model, the values were interpolated by kriging in order to have a continuous surface relating depth x time (CSDT and the soil water availability to plant (SWAP. The results allowed additional insight on the dynamics of soil water and its availability to plant, and pointed to the effects of climate on the soil water content. These results also allowed identifying when and where there was greater water consumption by the plants, and the soil layers where water was available and potentially explored by the plant root system.

Bacteria transport and retention in intact calcareous soil columns under saturated flow conditions

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Farrokhian Firouzi Ahmad

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Study of bacterial transport and retention in soil is important for various environmental applications such as groundwater contamination and bioremediation of soil and water. The main objective of this research was to quantitatively assess bacterial transport and deposition under saturated conditions in calcareous soil. A series of leaching experiments was conducted on two undisturbed soil columns. Breakthrough curves of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Cl were measured. After the leaching experiment, spatial distribution of bacteria retention in the soil columns was determined. The HYDRUS-1D one- and two-site kinetic models were used to predict the transport and deposition of bacteria in soil. The results indicated that the two-site model fits the observed data better than one-site kinetic model. Bacteria interaction with the soil of kinetic site 1 revealed relatively fast attachment and slow detachment, whereas attachment to and detachment of bacteria from kinetic site 2 was fast. Fast attachment and slow detachment of site 1 can be attributed to soil calcium carbonate that has favorable attachment sites for bacteria. The detachment rate was less than 0.02 of the attachment rate, indicating irreversible attachment of bacteria. High reduction rate of bacteria was also attributed to soil calcium carbonate.

Do plant-based amendments improve soil physiochemical and microbiological properties and plant growth in dryland ecosystems?

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Kneller, Tayla; Harris, Richard; Muñoz-Rojas, Miriam

2017-04-01

Background Land intensive practices including mining have contributed to the degradation of landscapes globally. Current challenges in post-mine restoration revolve around the use of substrates poor in organic materials (e.g. overburden and waste rock) and lack of original topsoil which may result in poor seedling recruitment and in later stages in soil nutrient deficiency, metal toxicity, decreased microbial activity and high salinity (Bateman et al., 2016; Muñoz-Rojas et al., 2016). Despite continuous efforts and advances we have not proportionally advanced our capability to successfully restore these landscapes following mining. Recent attempts to improve plant establishment in arid zone restoration programs have included the application of plant based amendments to soil profiles. This approach usually aims to accelerate soil reconstruction via improvement of soil aggregate stability and increase of soil organic carbon, and water holding capacity. Whilst a significant amount of recent research has focused on the application of such amendments, studies on the potential application of plant based materials to recover soil functionality and re-establish plant communities in post-mined landscapes in arid regions are limited. Here we will discuss our work investigating the application of a plant based amendment on soil substrates commonly used in post mining restoration in the Pilbara region, Western Australia. Methodology The study was conducted in a glasshouse facility where environmental conditions were continuously monitored. Using two growth materials (topsoil and waste rock) and a plant based amendment (dry biomass of the most common grass in the Pilbara, Triodia wiseana) five different treatments were tested. Treatments consisted of control soil treatments (topsoil, waste and a mixture of the former soil types (mixture)) and two amended soil treatments (waste amended and mixture amended). Additionally, three different vegetation communities were studies

Improvement of Characteristics of Clayey Soil Mixed with Randomly Distributed Natural Fibers

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Maity, J.; Chattopadhyay, B. C.; Mukherjee, S. P.

2017-11-01

In subgrade construction for flexible road pavement, properties of clayey soils available locally can be improved by providing randomly distributed fibers in the soil. The fibers added in subgrade constructions are expected to provide better compact interlocking system between the fiber and the soil grain, greater resistance to deformation and quicker dissipation of pore water pressure, thus helping consolidation and strengthening. Many natural fibers like jute, coir, sabai grass etc. which are economical and eco-friendly, are grown in abundance in India. If suitable they can be used as additive material in the subgrade soil to result in increase in strength and decrease in deformability. Such application will also reduce the cost of construction of roads, by providing lesser thickness of pavement layer. In this paper, the efficacy of using natural jute, coir or sabai grass fibers with locally available clayey soil has been studied. A series of Standard Proctor test, Soaked and Unsoaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test, and Unconfined Compressive Strength test were done on locally available clayey soil mixed with different types of natural fiber for various length and proportion to study the improvement of strength properties of fiber-soil composites placed at optimum moisture content. From the test results, it was observed that there was a substantial increase in CBR value for the clayey soil when mixed with increasing percentage of all three types of randomly distributed natural fibers up to 2% of the dry weight of soil. The CBR attains maximum value when the length for all types of fibers mixed with the clay taken in this study, attains a value of 10 mm.

[Leaching Remediation of Copper and Lead Contaminated Lou Soil by Saponin Under Different Conditions].

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Deng, Hong-xia; Yang, Ya-li; Li, Zhen; Xu, Yan; Li, Rong-hua; Meng, Zhao-fu; Yang, Ya-ti

2015-04-01

In order to investigate the leaching remediation effect of the eco-friendly biosurfactant saponin for Cu and Pb in contaminated Lou soil, batch tests method was used to study the leaching effect of saponin solution on single Cu, Pb contaminated Lou soil and mixed Cu and Pb contaminated Lou soil under different conditions such as reaction time, mass concentration of saponin, pH, concentration of background electrolyte and leaching times. The results showed that the maximum leaching removal effect of Cu and Pb in contaminated Lou soil was achieved by complexation of the heavy metals with saponin micelle, when the mass concentration of saponin solution was 50 g x L(-1), pH was 5.0, the reaction time was 240 min, and there was no background electrolyte. In single and mixed contaminated Lou soil, the leaching percentages of Cu were 29.02% and 25.09% after a single leaching with 50 g x L(-1) saponin under optimal condition, while the single leaching percentages of Pb were 31.56% and 28.03%, respectively. The result indicated the removal efficiency of Pb was more significant than that of Cu. After 4 times of leaching, the cumulative leaching percentages of Cu reached 58.92% and 53.11%, while the cumulative leaching percentages of Pb reached 77.69% and 65.32% for single and mixed contaminated Lou soil, respectively. The fractionation results of heavy metals in soil before and after a single leaching showed that the contents of adsorbed and exchangeable Cu and Pb increased in the contaminated soil, while the carbonate-bound, organic bound and sulfide residual Cu and Pb in the contaminated Lou soil could be effectively removed by saponin.

Impact of Redox Condition on Fractionation and Bioaccessibility of Arsenic in Arsenic-Contaminated Soils Remediated by Iron Amendments: A Long-Term Experiment

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Quan Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Iron-bearing amendments, such as iron grit, are proved to be effective amendments for the remediation of arsenic- (As- contaminated soils. In present study, the effect of redox condition on As fractions in As-contaminated soils remediated by iron grit was investigated, and the bioaccessibility of As in soils under anoxic condition was evaluated. Results showed that the labile fractions of As in soils decreased significantly after the addition of iron grit, while the unlabile fractions of As increased rapidly, and the bioaccessibility of As was negligible after 180 d incubation. More labile fractions of As in iron-amended soils were transformed into less mobilizable or unlabile fractions with the contact time. Correspondingly, the bioaccessibility of As in iron-amended soils under the aerobic condition was lower than that under the anoxic condition after 180 d incubation. The redistribution of loosely adsorbed fraction of As in soils occurred under the anoxic condition, which is likely ascribed to the reduction of As(V to As(III and the reductive dissolution of Fe-(hydroxides. The stabilization processes of As in iron-amended soils under the anoxic and aerobic conditions were characterized by two stages. The increase of crystallization of Fe oxides, decomposition of organic matter, molecular diffusion, and the occlusion within Fe-(hydroxides cocontrolled the transformation of As fractions and the stabilization process of As in iron-amended soils under different redox conditions. In terms of As bioaccessibility, the stabilization process of As in iron-amended soils was shortened under the aerobic condition in comparison with the anoxic condition.

Study of Various Techniques for Improving Weak and Compressible Clay Soil under a High Earth Embankment

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Zein A.K. M.

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the suitability of three soil improvement techniques for the construction of a high earth embankment on thick weak and highly compressible clay soil. The eastern approach embankment of Alhalfaya Bridge on the River Nile linking Khartoum North and Omdurman cities was chosen as a case study and a comprehensive site investigation program was carried out to determine the properties the subsurface soils. The study results showed that unless the subsurface soils have been improved they may fail or undergo excessively large settlements due to the embankment construction. Three ground improvement techniques based on the principles of the “staged construction method, SCM”, “vertical sand drain, VSD” and “sand compaction piles, SCP” of embankment foundation soil treatment are discussed and evaluated. Embankment design options based on applications of the above methods have been proposed for foundation treatment to adequately support embankment loads. A method performance evaluation based on the improvement of soil properties achieved; the time required for construction and compared estimated costs criteria was made to assess the effectiveness and expected overall performance. Adoption of any of the soil improvement techniques considered depends mainly on the most critical and decisive factor governing the embankment design. Based on the overall performance for the embankment case studied, the sand drains is considered as the most appropriate improvement method followed by the sand compaction piles technique whereas the staged construction method showed the poorest overall performance.

Microbialproperty improvement of saline-alkali soil for vegetable cultivation in Shanghai coastal area and its evaluation

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KOU Yiming

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the fertility of saline-alkali soil in Shanghai coastal area,and make it suitable for vegetable cultiration,in the study,the saline-alkali soil was mixed with organic fertilizer,and then sprayed with composite microbes,which have the ability of the synergistically degrading organic substrate.The results showed that the saline-alkali soil added with 5∶1 organic fertilizer can rapidly increase the utilization ability soil organic matter.The soil microbial populations and microbial diversity index were significantly improved when applied with the 0.5% composite microbial liquid which containeds 1∶3∶3∶1 of Bacillus licheniformis,Pseudomonas sp., Flavobacterium sp.and Sphingomonas sp..At the same time,the enzymology indicators of soil urease,phosphatase,cellulase and catalase increased significantly.The vegetable cultivation experiments showed that:the biomass of Brassica chinensis nearly doubled in the original saline-alkali soil,while the yield of organic fertilizer increased 30.2% after 50 days.The research result on of the biological improvement for saline-alkali soil will have good application value in vegetable planting in coastal saline-alkali soil.

Biochar amendment improves soil fertility and productivity of mulberry plant

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Faruque Ahmed

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Biochar has the potential to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of biochar on soil properties, growth, yield and foliar disease incidence of mulberry plant. The study consisted of 6 treatments: control, basal dose of NPK, rice husk biochar, mineral enriched biochar, basal dose + rice husk biochar and basal dose + mineral enriched biochar. Growth parameters such as node/meter, total branch number/plant, total leaf yield/hectare/year were significantly increased in basal dose + mineral enriched biochar treated plot in second year compared with the other fertilizer treatments. In second year, the total leaf yield/hectare/year were also 142.1% and 115.9% higher in combined application of basal dose + mineral enriched biochar and basal dose + rice husk biochar, respectively, than the control treatment. The soil properties such as organic matter, phosphorus, sulphur and zinc percentage were significantly increased with both the (mineral enriched and rice husk biochar treated soil applied with or without recommended basal dose of NPK than the control and only the recommended basal dose of NPK, respectively. Further, the lowest incidences of tukra (6.4%, powdery mildew (10.4% and leaf spot (7.6% disease were observed in second year under mineral enriched biochar treated plot than the others. The findings revealed that utilization of biochar has positive effect on the improvement of soil fertility and productivity as well as disease suppression of mulberry plant.

Improved Instrument for Detecting Water and Ice in Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Buehler, Martin; Chin, Keith; Keymeulen, Didler; McCann, Timothy; Seshadri, Suesh; Anderson, Robert

2009-01-01

An instrument measures electrical properties of relatively dry soils to determine their liquid water and/or ice contents. Designed as a prototype of instruments for measuring the liquid-water and ice contents of lunar and planetary soils, the apparatus could also be utilized for similar purposes in research and agriculture involving terrestrial desert soils and sands, and perhaps for measuring ice buildup on aircraft surfaces. This instrument is an improved version of the apparatus described in Measuring Low Concentrations of Liquid Water and Ice in Soil (NPO-41822), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 33, No. 2 (February 2009), page 22. The designs of both versions are based on the fact that the electrical behavior of a typical soil sample is well approximated by a network of resistors and capacitors in which resistances decrease and capacitances increase (and the magnitude and phase angle of impedance changes accordingly) with increasing water content. The previous version included an impedance spectrometer and a jar into which a sample of soil was placed. Four stainless-steel screws at the bottom of the jar were used as electrodes of a fourpoint impedance probe connected to the spectrometer. The present instrument does not include a sample jar and can be operated without acquiring or handling samples. Its impedance probe consists of a compact assembly of electrodes housed near the tip of a cylinder. The electrodes protrude slightly from the cylinder (see Figure 1). In preparation for measurements, the cylinder is simply pushed into the ground to bring the soil into contact with the electrodes.

An improved method for removing transuranics from coral soil at Johnston Atoll

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moroney, J.D. III.; Johnson, N.R.; Moroney, K.S.; Mercier, J.R.

1992-01-01

An improved approach for removing mixed plutonium and americium contamination from coral soil matrix at the Defense Nuclear Agency's (DNA's) Johnston Atoll site has been developed by DNA's contractor, TMA/Eberline. The system uses arrays of sensitive radiation detectors coupled with sophisticated computer software newly designed by Eberline Instrument Corporation. The software controls a unique segmented gate methodology for removing contaminated soil from a moving feed supply on conveyor belts. Contaminated soil is diverted to a metal drum for collecting larger sized 'hot' particles (< 5,000 Becquerels) or to a soil washing process designed to remove dispersed low level contamination from a soil fraction consisting of very small particles. Low to intermediate levels of contamination are removed from the soil to meet DNAs criteria for release for unrestricted use based on US EPA guidelines

Fate and effect of imidacloprid on vermicompost-amended soils under dissimilar conditions: Risk for soil functions, structure, and bacterial abundance.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo Diaz, Jean Manuel; Martin-Laurent, Fabrice; Beguet, Jérèmie; Nogales, Rogelio; Romero, Esperanza

2017-02-01

The fate and impact of pesticide on soil depend partly on the agricultural practices, such as prior treatment with pesticide and/or organic amendments. As a means of determining how the previous soil conditions can affect the fate of imidacloprid (IMI) and its effect on soil functions, experiments were made with soil samples, double-amended or not with either vine-shoot (W) or olive cake (O) vermicompost or contaminated or not with IMI. These soil samples, incubated for 3months, were placed in two microcosms (M1 with the pre-amended soils and M2 with the pre-exposed soils), treated with IMI and amended with vermicomposts and then incubated for 3months. The IMI distribution on soil fractions, sorption processes, dissipation kinetics, and biochemical as well as genetic structure and bacterial abundance were determined to assess the fate and impact of IMI on the soil. The addition of W vermicompost to the soil reduced the IMI availability. The dissipation kinetic in soils from M1 and M2 followed, respectively, a single first-order and a double first-order in parallel models. The lowest IMI persistence corresponded to the soil from M2 amended with O-vermicompost with DT50 and DT90 values of 67d and 265d, while in the other soils 90% dissipation required >512d. The vermicomposts-amended contaminated soils increased the dehydrogenase activity by 2- and 4-fold respect the control soils. However, the urease activity decreased due to the IMI influence. The changes in the bacterial community in the contaminated soil amended with O-vermicompost during incubation were correlated with the dissipation rate constant of IMI, suggesting a better tolerance of microorganisms to IMI. Thus, in the soil contaminated with IMI, the amendment with the vermicompost from olive cake can mitigate the impact of this insecticide on soil functions and promote its depuration capability while minimizing environmental risks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaseous elemental mercury emissions and CO2 respiration rates in terrestrial soils under controlled aerobic and anaerobic laboratory conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obrist, Daniel; Fain, Xavier; Berger, Carsen

2010-01-01

Mercury (Hg) levels in terrestrial soils are linked to the presence of organic carbon (C). Carbon pools are highly dynamic and subject to mineralization processes, but little is known about the fate of Hg during decomposition. This study evaluated relationships between gaseous Hg emissions from soils and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) respiration under controlled laboratory conditions to assess potential losses of Hg to the atmosphere during C mineralization. Results showed a linear correlation (r 2 = 0.49) between Hg and CO 2 emissions in 41 soil samples, an effect unlikely to be caused by temperature, radiation, different Hg contents, or soil moisture. Stoichiometric comparisons of Hg/C ratios of emissions and underlying soil substrates suggest that 3% of soil Hg was subject to evasion. Even minute emissions of Hg upon mineralization, however, may be important on a global scale given the large Hg pools sequestered in terrestrial soils and C stocks. We induced changes in CO 2 respiration rates and observed Hg flux responses, including inducement of anaerobic conditions by changing chamber air supply from N 2 /O 2 (80% and 20%, respectively) to pure N 2 . Unexpectedly, Hg emissions almost quadrupled after O 2 deprivation while oxidative mineralization (i.e., CO 2 emissions) was greatly reduced. This Hg flux response to anaerobic conditions was lacking when repeated with sterilized soils, possibly due to involvement of microbial reduction of Hg 2+ by anaerobes or indirect abiotic effects such as alterations in soil redox conditions. This study provides experimental evidence that Hg volatilization, and possibly Hg 2+ reduction, is related to O 2 availability in soils from two Sierra Nevada forests. If this result is confirmed in soils from other areas, the implication is that Hg volatilization from terrestrial soils is partially controlled by soil aeration and that low soil O 2 levels and possibly low soil redox potentials lead to increased Hg volatilization from soils.

Measuring, understanding and implementing (or at least trying) soil and water conservation in agricultural areas in Mediterranean conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Jose Alfonso; Burguet, María; Castillo, Carlos; de Luna, Elena; Guzmán, Gema; Lora, Ángel; Lorite, Ignacio; Mora, José; Pérez, Rafael; Soriano, María A.; Taguas, Encarnación V.

2015-04-01

Understanding soil erosion processes is the first step for designing and implementing effective soil conservation strategies. In agricultural areas, spatially in arid and semiarid conditions, water conservation is interlinked with soil conservation, and usually need to be addressed simultaneously to achieve success in their use by farmers. This is so for different reasons, but usually because some reduction in runoff is required to prevent soil erosion or to the need to design soil conservation systems that do maintain a favourable water balance for the crop to prevent yield reductions. The team presenting this communication works around both issues in Southern Spain, interconnecting several lines of research with the final objective of contribute to reverse some severe issues relating soil conservation in agricultural areas, mostly on tree crops (olives and vineyards). One of these lines is long-term experiments measuring, runoff and sediment losses at plot and small catchment scale. In these experiments we test the effect of different soil management alternatives on soil and water conservation. We also measured the evolution of soil properties and, in some cases, the evolution of soil moisture as well as nutrient and carbon losses with runoff and sediment. We also tests in these experiments new cover crops, from species better adapted to the rainfall regime of the region to mixes with several species to increase biodiversity. We complement these studies with surveys of soil properties in commercial farms. I some of these farms we follow the introduction by farmers of the cover crop strategies previously developed in our experimental fields. These data are invaluable to elaborate, calibrate and validate different runoff generation, water balance, and water erosion models and hillslope and small catchment scale. This allows us to elaborate regional analysis of the effect of different strategies to soil and water conservation in olive growing areas, and to refine

Soil amendments improve microbial ecology parameters of "topsoil inoculum" used in post-mining restoration

Science.gov (United States)

Kumaresan, Deepak; Munoz-Rojas, Miriam; Moreira-Grez, Benjamin; Kariman, Khalil; Whiteley, Andrew

2017-04-01

Mine operations generate substantial volumes of waste substrates, which are crushed and/or chemically treated waste rock from which ores are extracted. Establishment of rehabilitated landforms using post-mining substrates (i.e. waste rocks, tailings) that typically exhibit extreme conditions (such as high pH, nutrient deficiency, excessive salinity and metal toxicity) can be a major environmental problem and a critical issue during mine closure operations. More importantly, mine sites are located predominantly in arid or semi-arid lands where our understanding of basic ecosystem processes and microbial interactions with native plants (e.g. Eucalyptus spp., Acacia spp., Grevillea spp. in Western Australia) are limited. Despite the wide acknowledgement on the impact of microbial functional diversity on overall soil and plant health, no detailed attention has been paid to understand the role of belowground microbial functional diversity in the context of mine rehabilitation strategies. In this research, we investigated the role of nitrogen-based and microbial consortia amendments on improving the microbial ecology parameters of "topsoil inoculum" and subsequently its cascading effect on seedling establishment and plant morphology of Acacia ancistrocarpa, a legume native to the Pilbara and other regions of Western Australia and commonly used in arid zone restoration. The study was conducted under controlled environmental conditions in potted plants using topsoil retrieved from previously stockpiled material as growth media. A morphological assessment was undertaken to measure shoot length, shoot weight, root length, root area and root weight. Soil chemical properties, e.g. carbon, nitrogen and trace metals concentrations were determined Microbial activity was measured with the 1-day CO2 test, which determines soil microbial respiration rate based on the measurement of the CO2 burst produced after moistening dry soil (Muñoz-Rojas et al., 2016). Bacterial and archaeal

Improved soil particle-size analysis by gamma-ray attenuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, J.C.M.; Vaz, C.M.P.; Reichardt, K.; Swartzendruber, D.

1997-01-01

The size distribution of particles is useful for physical characterization of soil. This study was conducted to determine whether a new method of soil particle-size analysis by gamma-ray attenuation could be further improved by changing the depth and time of measurement of the suspended particle concentration during sedimentation. In addition to the advantage of nondestructive, undisturbed measurement by gamma-ray attenuation, as compared with conventional pipette or hydrometer methods, the modifications here suggested and employed do substantially decrease the total time for analysis, and will also facilitate total automation and generalize the method for other sedimentation studies. Experimental results are presented for three different Brazilian soil materials, and illustrate the nature of the fine detail provided in the cumulative particle-size distribution as given by measurements obtained during the relatively short time period of 28 min

Soil erosion-runoff relationships: insights from laboratory studies

Science.gov (United States)

Mamedov, Amrakh; Warrington, David; Levy, Guy

2016-04-01

Understanding the processes and mechanisms affecting runoff generation and subsequent soil erosion in semi-arid regions is essential for the development of improved soil and water conservation management practices. Using a drip type laboratory rain simulator, we studied runoff and soil erosion, and the relationships between them, in 60 semi-arid region soils varying in their intrinsic properties (e.g., texture, organic matter) under differing extrinsic conditions (e.g., rain properties, and conditions prevailing in the field soil). Both runoff and soil erosion were significantly affected by the intrinsic soil and rain properties, and soil conditions within agricultural fields or watersheds. The relationship between soil erosion and runoff was stronger when the rain kinetic energy was higher rather than lower, and could be expressed either as a linear or exponential function. Linear functions applied to certain limited cases associated with conditions that enhanced soil structure stability, (e.g., slow wetting, amending with soil stabilizers, minimum tillage in clay soils, and short duration exposure to rain). Exponential functions applied to most of the cases under conditions that tended to harm soil stability (e.g., fast wetting of soils, a wide range of antecedent soil water contents and rain kinetic energies, conventional tillage, following biosolid applications, irrigation with water of poor quality, consecutive rain simulations). The established relationships between runoff and soil erosion contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms governing overland flow and soil loss, and could assist in (i) further development of soil erosion models and research techniques, and (ii) the design of more suitable management practices for soil and water conservation.

Effects of fire frequency on litter decomposition as mediated by changes to litter chemistry and soil environmental conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ficken, Cari D; Wright, Justin P

2017-01-01

Litter quality and soil environmental conditions are well-studied drivers influencing decomposition rates, but the role played by disturbance legacy, such as fire history, in mediating these drivers is not well understood. Fire history may impact decomposition directly, through changes in soil conditions that impact microbial function, or indirectly, through shifts in plant community composition and litter chemistry. Here, we compared early-stage decomposition rates across longleaf pine forest blocks managed with varying fire frequencies (annual burns, triennial burns, fire-suppression). Using a reciprocal transplant design, we examined how litter chemistry and soil characteristics independently and jointly influenced litter decomposition. We found that both litter chemistry and soil environmental conditions influenced decomposition rates, but only the former was affected by historical fire frequency. Litter from annually burned sites had higher nitrogen content than litter from triennially burned and fire suppression sites, but this was correlated with only a modest increase in decomposition rates. Soil environmental conditions had a larger impact on decomposition than litter chemistry. Across the landscape, decomposition differed more along soil moisture gradients than across fire management regimes. These findings suggest that fire frequency has a limited effect on litter decomposition in this ecosystem, and encourage extending current decomposition frameworks into disturbed systems. However, litter from different species lost different masses due to fire, suggesting that fire may impact decomposition through the preferential combustion of some litter types. Overall, our findings also emphasize the important role of spatial variability in soil environmental conditions, which may be tied to fire frequency across large spatial scales, in driving decomposition rates in this system.

Improving the phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soil by use of sewage sludge

Science.gov (United States)

Placek, Agnieszka; Grobelak, Anna; Kacprzak, Malgorzata

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Sewage sludge, in particular from the food industry, is characterized by fertilizing properties, due to the high content of organic matter and nutrients. The application of sewage sludge causes an improvement of soil parameters as well as increase in cation exchange capacity, and thus stronger binding of cations in the soil environment, which involves the immobilization of nutrients and greater resistance to contamination. In a field experiment sewage sludge has been used as an additive to the soil supporting the phytoremediation process of land contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Zn, and Pb) using trees species: Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), and oak (Quercus robur L.). The aim of the research was to determine how the application of sewage sludge into the soil surface improves the phytoremediation process. The conducted field experiment demonstrated that selected trees like Scots pine and Norway spruce, because of its excellent adaptability, can be used in the remediation of soil. Oak should not be used in the phytoremediation process of soils contaminated with high concentrations of trace elements in the soil, because a significant amount of heavy metals was accumulated in the leaves of oak causing a risk of recontamination. PMID:26368503

15N-urea transport and transformation in two deforsted Amazonian soils under laboratory conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Victoria, R.L.; Libardi, P.L.; Reichardt, K.; Matsui, E.

1982-01-01

Brazilian agriculture is now expanding toward the Amazon region, where large new areas of virgin lands are being brought under cultivation. There is therefore an urgent need to better understand the conditions and characteristics of the soils of that region. In this study a Red Yellow Podzol and a Yellow Latosol were used to examine urea transport and transformation in the laboratory under water-saturated conditions. The soils were collected in an area that was deforested in 1976 and planted to tropical fruits since then. Soils were subjected to miscible displacement techniques under both continuous feed and pulse applications of urea to mathematically describe urea transport and transformation as functions of depth and time. Transformation mechanisms were considered to be first order kinetics. Urea was readily leached from both soils. Recovery of urea in the effluent of the 30 cm columns was 91%, for the Podzol and 86% for the Latosol. NH 4+ -N from urea hydrolysis was also readily leached and its recovery in the effluent was 4.2% for the Podzol and 11.2% for the Latosol. Very little nitrogen-including exchangeable NH 4+ -N and biomass nitrogen - was left in the columns of either soil at the end of the experiment. (orig.)

The sensitivity of US wildfire occurrence to pre-season soil moisture conditions across ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Daniel; Reager, John T.; Zajic, Brittany; Rousseau, Nick; Rodell, Matthew; Hinkley, Everett

2018-01-01

It is generally accepted that year-to-year variability in moisture conditions and drought are linked with increased wildfire occurrence. However, quantifying the sensitivity of wildfire to surface moisture state at seasonal lead-times has been challenging due to the absence of a long soil moisture record with the appropriate coverage and spatial resolution for continental-scale analysis. Here we apply model simulations of surface soil moisture that numerically assimilate observations from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission with the USDA Forest Service’s historical Fire-Occurrence Database over the contiguous United States. We quantify the relationships between pre-fire-season soil moisture and subsequent-year wildfire occurrence by land-cover type and produce annual probable wildfire occurrence and burned area maps at 0.25 degree resolution. Cross-validated results generally indicate a higher occurrence of smaller fires when months preceding fire season are wet, while larger fires are more frequent when soils are dry. This is consistent with the concept of increased fuel accumulation under wet conditions in the pre-season. These results demonstrate the fundamental strength of the relationship between soil moisture and fire activity at long lead-times and are indicative of that relationship’s utility for the future development of national-scale predictive capability.

Improving Griffith's protocol for co-extraction of microbial DNA and RNA in adsorptive soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paulin, Mélanie Marie; Nicolaisen, Mette Haubjerg; Jacobsen, Carsten Suhr

2013-01-01

Quantification of microbial gene expression is increasingly being used to study key functions in soil microbial communities, yet major limitations still exist for efficient extraction of nucleic acids, especially RNA for transcript analysis, from this complex matrix. We present an improved......-time PCR on both the RNA (after conversion to cDNA) and the DNA fraction of the extracts. Non-adsorptive soils were characterized by low clay content and/or high phosphate content, whereas adsorptive soils had clay contents above 20% and/or a strong presence of divalent Ca in combination with high p......H. Modifications to the co-extraction protocol improved nucleic acid extraction efficiency from all adsorptive soils and were successfully validated by DGGE analysis of the indigenous community based on 16S rRNA gene and transcripts in soils representing low biomass and/or high clay content. This new approach...

Impact of Amendments on the Physical Properties of Soil under Tropical Long-Term No Till Conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio C A Carmeis Filho

Full Text Available Tropical regions have been considered the world's primary agricultural frontier; however, some physico-chemical deficiencies, such as low soil organic matter content, poor soil structure, high erodibility, soil acidity, and aluminum toxicity, have affected their productive capacity. Lime and gypsum are commonly used to improve soil chemical fertility, but no information exists about the long-term effects of these products on the physical attributes and C protection mechanisms of highly weathered Oxisols. A field trial was conducted in a sandy clay loam (kaolinitic, thermic Typic Haplorthox under a no-tillage system for 12 years. The trial consisted of four treatments: a control with no soil amendment application, the application of 2.1 Mg ha-1 phosphogypsum, the application of 2.0 Mg ha-1 lime, and the application of lime + phosphogypsum (2.0 + 2.1 Mg ha-1, respectively. Since the experiment was established in 2002, the rates have been applied three times (2002, 2004, and 2010. Surface liming effectively increased water-stable aggregates > 2.0 mm at a depth of up to 0.2 m; however, the association with phosphogypsum was considered a good strategy to improve the macroaggregate stability in subsoil layers (0.20 to 0.40 m. Consequently, both soil amendments applied together increased the mean weight diameter (MWD and geometric mean diameter (GMD in all soil layers, with increases of up to 118 and 89%, respectively, according to the soil layer. The formation and stabilization of larger aggregates contributed to a higher accumulation of total organic carbon (TOC on these structures. In addition to TOC, the MWD and aggregate stability index were positively correlated with Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels and base saturation. Consequently, the increase observed in the aggregate size class resulted in a better organization of soil particles, increasing the macroporosity and reducing the soil bulk density and penetration resistance. Therefore, adequate soil chemical

Impact of Amendments on the Physical Properties of Soil under Tropical Long-Term No Till Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmeis Filho, Antonio C A; Crusciol, Carlos A C; Guimarães, Tiara M; Calonego, Juliano C; Mooney, Sacha J

2016-01-01

Tropical regions have been considered the world's primary agricultural frontier; however, some physico-chemical deficiencies, such as low soil organic matter content, poor soil structure, high erodibility, soil acidity, and aluminum toxicity, have affected their productive capacity. Lime and gypsum are commonly used to improve soil chemical fertility, but no information exists about the long-term effects of these products on the physical attributes and C protection mechanisms of highly weathered Oxisols. A field trial was conducted in a sandy clay loam (kaolinitic, thermic Typic Haplorthox) under a no-tillage system for 12 years. The trial consisted of four treatments: a control with no soil amendment application, the application of 2.1 Mg ha-1 phosphogypsum, the application of 2.0 Mg ha-1 lime, and the application of lime + phosphogypsum (2.0 + 2.1 Mg ha-1, respectively). Since the experiment was established in 2002, the rates have been applied three times (2002, 2004, and 2010). Surface liming effectively increased water-stable aggregates > 2.0 mm at a depth of up to 0.2 m; however, the association with phosphogypsum was considered a good strategy to improve the macroaggregate stability in subsoil layers (0.20 to 0.40 m). Consequently, both soil amendments applied together increased the mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) in all soil layers, with increases of up to 118 and 89%, respectively, according to the soil layer. The formation and stabilization of larger aggregates contributed to a higher accumulation of total organic carbon (TOC) on these structures. In addition to TOC, the MWD and aggregate stability index were positively correlated with Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels and base saturation. Consequently, the increase observed in the aggregate size class resulted in a better organization of soil particles, increasing the macroporosity and reducing the soil bulk density and penetration resistance. Therefore, adequate soil chemical management

Changes in soil physical and chemical properties in long term improved natural and traditional agroforestry management systems of cacao genotypes in Peruvian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Arévalo-Gardini, Enrique; Canto, Manuel; Alegre, Julio; Loli, Oscar; Julca, Alberto; Baligar, Virupax

2015-01-01

Growing cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in an agroforestry system generates a productive use of the land, preserves the best conditions for physical, chemical and biological properties of tropical soils, and plays an important role in improving cacao production and fertility of degraded tropical soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of two long term agroforestry systems of cacao management on soil physical and chemical properties in an area originally inhabited by 30 years old native secondary forest (SF). The two agroforestry systems adapted were: improved natural agroforestry system (INAS) where trees without economic value were selectively removed to provide 50% shade and improved traditional agroforestry system (ITAS) where all native trees were cut and burnt in the location. For evaluation of the changes of soil physical and chemical properties with time due to the imposed cacao management systems, plots of 10 cacao genotypes (ICS95, UF613, CCN51, ICT1112, ICT1026, ICT2162, ICT2171, ICT2142, H35, U30) and one plot with a spontaneous hybrid were selected. Soil samples were taken at 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm depths before the installation of the management systems (2004), and then followed at two years intervals. Bulk density, porosity, field capacity and wilting point varied significantly during the years of assessment in the different soil depths and under the systems assessed. Soil pH, CEC, exchangeable Mg and sum of the bases were higher in the INAS than the ITAS. In both systems, SOM, Ext. P, K and Fe, exch. K, Mg and Al+H decreased with years of cultivation; these changes were more evident in the 0-20 cm soil depth. Overall improvement of SOM and soil nutrient status was much higher in the ITAS than INAS. The levels of physical and chemical properties of soil under cacao genotypes showed a marked difference in both systems.

Effects and mechanisms of biochar-microbe interactions in soil improvement and pollution remediation: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaomin; Chen, Baoliang; Zhu, Lizhong; Xing, Baoshan

2017-08-01

Biochars have attracted tremendous attention due to their effects on soil improvement; they enhance carbon storage, soil fertility and quality, and contaminant (organic and heavy metal) immobilization and transformation. These effects could be achieved by modifying soil microbial habitats and (or) directly influencing microbial metabolisms, which together induce changes in microbial activity and microbial community structures. This review links microbial responses, including microbial activity, community structures and soil enzyme activities, with changes in soil properties caused by biochars. In particular, we summarized possible mechanisms that are involved in the effects that biochar-microbe interactions have on soil carbon sequestration and pollution remediation. Special attention has been paid to biochar effects on the formation and protection of soil aggregates, biochar adsorption of contaminants, biochar-mediated transformation of soil contaminants by microorganisms, and biochar-facilitated electron transfer between microbial cells and contaminants and soil organic matter. Certain reactive organic compounds and heavy metals in biochar may induce toxicity to soil microorganisms. Adsorption and hydrolysis of signaling molecules by biochar interrupts microbial interspecific communications, potentially altering soil microbial community structures. Further research is urged to verify the proposed mechanisms involved in biochar-microbiota interactions for soil remediation and improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial Variation of Soil Type and Soil Moisture in the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buckley, R.

2001-06-27

Soil characteristics (texture and moisture) are typically assumed to be initially constant when performing simulations with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). Soil texture is spatially homogeneous and time-independent, while soil moisture is often spatially homogeneous initially, but time-dependent. This report discusses the conversion of a global data set of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) soil types to RAMS soil texture and the subsequent modifications required in RAMS to ingest this information. Spatial variations in initial soil moisture obtained from the National Center for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) large-scale models are also introduced. Comparisons involving simulations over the southeastern United States for two different time periods, one during warmer, more humid summer conditions, and one during cooler, dryer winter conditions, reveals differences in surface conditions related to increases or decreases in near-surface atmospheric moisture con tent as a result of different soil properties. Three separate simulation types were considered. The base case assumed spatially homogeneous soil texture and initial soil moisture. The second case assumed variable soil texture and constant initial soil moisture, while the third case allowed for both variable soil texture and initial soil moisture. The simulation domain was further divided into four geographically distinct regions. It is concluded there is a more dramatic impact on thermodynamic variables (surface temperature and dewpoint) than on surface winds, and a more pronounced variability in results during the summer period. While no obvious trends in surface winds or dewpoint temperature were found relative to observations covering all regions and times, improvement in surface temperatures in most regions and time periods was generally seen with the incorporation of variable soil texture and initial soil moisture.

Three-dimensional modelling of an embankment built on a soft soil improved with prefabricated vertical drains

OpenAIRE

Venda Oliveira, P.J.; Cruz, R.F.P.M.L.; Lemos, L.J.L.; Almeida e Sousa, J.N.V.

2015-01-01

This work compares the field measurements of a non-symmetric embankment built on a Portuguese soft soil improved with prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs), with the numerical predictions of a 3D modelling where the PVDs are simulated according to the field flow conditions. The change in the permeability with the void ratio and the effect of the smear zone are also included in the numerical analysis. The numerical predictions are compared with the field data in terms of settlement, horizontal ...

Optimum Remediation Conditions of Vertical Electrokinetic-Flushing Equipment to Decontaminate a Radioactive Soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Gye Nam; Yang, Byeong IL; Moon, Jei Kwon; Lee, Kune Woo

2009-01-01

Vertical electrokintic-flushing remediation equipment was developed for the remediation of a radioactive soil near nuclear facilities. An optimum reagent was selected to decontaminate the radioactive soil near nuclear facilities with the developed vertical electrokintic-flushing remediation equipment, and the optimum remediation conditions were established to obtain a higher remediation efficiency. Namely, acetic acid was selected as an optimum reagent due to its higher remediation efficiency. When the electrokinetic remediation and the electrokinetic-flushing remediation results were compared, the removal efficiency of 4.6% and the soil waste solution volume of 1.5 times were increased in the electrokinetic remediation. When the potential gradient within an electrokinetic soil cell was increased by two times (4.0 V/cm), the removal efficiencies of Co 2+ and Cs + were increased by about 4.3%( Co 2+ : 98.9%, Cs + : 96.7%). Also, when the reagent concentration was increased from 0.01 M to 0.05 M, the removal efficiency of Co 2+ was increased but that of Cs + was decreased. Therefore, the optimum remediation conditions were that the acetic concentration was 0.01 M ∼ 0.05 M, the potential gradient was 4 V/cm, the injection of reagent 2.4 ml/g, and the remediation period was 20 days.

The effects of soil water conditions on nitrogen fertilization use efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Lingyun

1996-01-01

Concerning with applied nitrogen fertilizer, the uptake as well as loss of nitrogen is mainly related to soil water content. The effects of soil water condition in wheat field on the uptake, leach and loss of nitrogen fertilizer were studied using 15 N tracing technique. The results showed that within certain range of soil water supply, from 180 to 360 mm of available water storage, the loss of nitrogen was in direct proportion to the amount of fertilizer application and the nitrogen use efficiency decreased with the increase of nitrogen application. In other words, the nitrogen use efficiency descended with the nitrogen application increased in an order of 75 kgN/ha, 150 kgN/ha, 225 kgN/ha. One interesting result was that the nitrogen use efficiencies ranged from 17.0% to 30.5% for the treatments receiving the same application rate of 75 kgN/ha

Screening variability and change of soil moisture under wide-ranging climate conditions: Snow dynamics effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Verrot, Lucile; Destouni, Georgia

2015-01-01

Soil moisture influences and is influenced by water, climate, and ecosystem conditions, affecting associated ecosystem services in the landscape. This paper couples snow storage-melting dynamics with an analytical modeling approach to screening basin-scale, long-term soil moisture variability and change in a changing climate. This coupling enables assessment of both spatial differences and temporal changes across a wide range of hydro-climatic conditions. Model application is exemplified for two major Swedish hydrological basins, Norrström and Piteälven. These are located along a steep temperature gradient and have experienced different hydro-climatic changes over the time period of study, 1950-2009. Spatially, average intra-annual variability of soil moisture differs considerably between the basins due to their temperature-related differences in snow dynamics. With regard to temporal change, the long-term average state and intra-annual variability of soil moisture have not changed much, while inter-annual variability has changed considerably in response to hydro-climatic changes experienced so far in each basin.

Microbial Biofertilizer Decreases Nicotine Content by Improving Soil Nitrogen Supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Cui; Chen, Anwei; Chen, Guiqiu; Li, Huanke; Guan, Song; He, Jianmin

2017-01-01

Biofertilizers have been widely used in many countries for their benefit to soil biological and physicochemical properties. A new microbial biofertilizer containing Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Bacillus thuringiensis was prepared to decrease nicotine content in tobacco leaves by regulating soil nitrogen supply. Soil NO 3 - -N, NH 4 + -N, nitrogen supply-related enzyme activities, and nitrogen accumulation in plant leaves throughout the growing period were investigated to explore the mechanism of nicotine reduction. The experimental results indicated that biofertilizer can reduce the nicotine content in tobacco leaves, with a maximum decrement of 16-18 % in mature upper leaves. In the meantime, the total nitrogen in mature lower and middle leaves increased with the application of biofertilizer, while an opposite result was observed in upper leaves. Protein concentration in leaves had similar fluctuation to that of total nitrogen in response to biofertilizer. NO 3 - -N content and nitrate reductase activity in biofertilizer-amended soil increased by 92.3 and 42.2 %, respectively, compared to those in the control, whereas the NH 4 + -N and urease activity decreased by 37.8 and 29.3 %, respectively. Nitrogen uptake was improved in the early growing stage, but this phenomenon was not observed during the late growth period. Nicotine decrease is attributing to the adjustment of biofertilizer in soil nitrogen supply and its uptake in tobacco, which result in changes of nitrogen content as well as its distribution in tobacco leaves. The application of biofertilizer containing P. chrysosporium and B. thuringiensis can reduce the nicotine content and improve tobacco quality, which may provide some useful information for tobacco cultivation.

Remobilization of americium in soil columns under experimental rhizo-spheric conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perrier, T.; Martin-Garin, A.; Morello, M. [CEA Cadarache (DEI/SECRE/LRE), Laboratory of Radioecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2004-07-01

The biogeochemical behaviour of americium in subsurface soils plays a dominant role on the potential migration of this actinide, but is currently poorly known. The identification and understanding of these processes is of major concern for this highly (radio)toxic element and can allow the determination of its impact on the natural media. This research investigates the relevant processes controlling americium biogeochemical speciation in the rhizosphere of an agricultural soil. Lixiviation tests were performed on columns packed with a 2 mm-sieved calcareous soil contaminated with {sup 241}Am (500 Bq.g{sup -1}), under steady-state unsaturated or saturated hydric flow conditions. The columns were percolated with soil solution of varied compositions, containing citrate and/or glucose simulating root exudates in non-sterile conditions. The physico-chemical parameters of the outlet solution (pH, conductivity, major ions, organic acids) were monitored, as well as the microbial activity. Inorganic and organic speciation of {sup 241}Am is supported by geochemical modeling with JChess, using a thermodynamic database based on NEA database and the latest PSI recommendations. The percolation of a solution in equilibrium with the soil released small amount of americium (<5 mBq/cm{sup 3}), as predicted by the high {sup 241}Am K{sub d} values. 10{sup -4} M concentrations of citrate, glucose or both combined did not enhance remobilization either. Poor remobilization was also observed at high glucose concentrations (10{sup -2} M), despite an effective glucose microbial degradation, the production of ligands such as acetate, and important changes in the chemistry of the solution. On the contrary, high concentrations of citrate (10{sup -2} M) released 1000 times more americium, which is in accordance with previous studies. Even greater releases (10000 times) were observed when 10{sup -2} M glucose was added to 10{sup -2} M citrate. The remobilization of americium resulting from the

Effects of fire frequency on litter decomposition as mediated by changes to litter chemistry and soil environmental conditions.

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Cari D Ficken

Full Text Available Litter quality and soil environmental conditions are well-studied drivers influencing decomposition rates, but the role played by disturbance legacy, such as fire history, in mediating these drivers is not well understood. Fire history may impact decomposition directly, through changes in soil conditions that impact microbial function, or indirectly, through shifts in plant community composition and litter chemistry. Here, we compared early-stage decomposition rates across longleaf pine forest blocks managed with varying fire frequencies (annual burns, triennial burns, fire-suppression. Using a reciprocal transplant design, we examined how litter chemistry and soil characteristics independently and jointly influenced litter decomposition. We found that both litter chemistry and soil environmental conditions influenced decomposition rates, but only the former was affected by historical fire frequency. Litter from annually burned sites had higher nitrogen content than litter from triennially burned and fire suppression sites, but this was correlated with only a modest increase in decomposition rates. Soil environmental conditions had a larger impact on decomposition than litter chemistry. Across the landscape, decomposition differed more along soil moisture gradients than across fire management regimes. These findings suggest that fire frequency has a limited effect on litter decomposition in this ecosystem, and encourage extending current decomposition frameworks into disturbed systems. However, litter from different species lost different masses due to fire, suggesting that fire may impact decomposition through the preferential combustion of some litter types. Overall, our findings also emphasize the important role of spatial variability in soil environmental conditions, which may be tied to fire frequency across large spatial scales, in driving decomposition rates in this system.

Understanding Natural Gas Methane Leakage from Buried Pipelines as Affected by Soil and Atmospheric Conditions - Field Scale Experimental and Modeling Study

Science.gov (United States)

Smits, K. M.; Mitton, M.; Moradi, A.; Chamindu, D. K.

2017-12-01

Reducing the amount of leaked natural gas (NG) from pipelines from production to use has become a high priority in efforts to cut anthropogenic emissions of methane. In addition to environmental impacts, NG leakage can cause significant economic losses and safety failures such as fires and explosions. However, tracking and evaluating NG pipeline leaks requires a better understanding of the leak from the source to the detector as well as more robust quantification methods. Although recent measurement-based approaches continue to make progress towards this end, efforts are hampered due to the complexity of leakage scenarios. Sub- surface transport of leaked NG from pipelines occurs through complex transport pathways due to soil heterogeneities and changes in soil moisture. Furthermore, it is affected by variable atmospheric conditions such as winds, frontal passages and rain. To better understand fugitive emissions from NG pipelines, we developed a field scale testbed that simulates low pressure gas leaks from pipe buried in soil. The system is equipped with subsurface and surface sensors to continuously monitor changes in soil and atmospheric conditions (e.g. moisture, pressure, temperature) and methane concentrations. Using this testbed, we are currently conducting a series of gas leakage experiments to study of the impact of subsurface (e.g. soil moisture, heterogeneity) and atmospheric conditions (near-surface wind and temperature) on the detected gas signals and establish the relative importance of the many pathways for methane migration between the source and the sensor location. Accompanying numerical modeling of the system using the multiphase transport simulator TOUGH2-EOS7CA demonstrates the influence of leak location and direction on gas migration. These findings will better inform leak detectors of the leak severity before excavation, aiding with safety precautions and work order categorization for improved efficiency.

Implementation of Controlled Traffic in the Canadian Prairies: Soil and Plant Dynamics under Simulated and Field Conditions

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Guenette, Kris; Hernandez-Ramirez, Guillermo

2017-04-01

Achieving resiliency in agroecosystems may be accomplished through the incorporation of contemporary management systems and the diversification of crop rotations with pulse crops, such as controlled traffic farming (CTF) and faba beans (Vicia faba L.). As these practices become more common in the Canadian Prairies, it is imperative to have a well-rounded understanding of how faba beans interact with the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in conditions found in contemporary management systems. Simulated field conditions emulated soil compaction found in both the trafficked and un-trafficked areas of a CTF system, in which the presence of high water availability was shown to offset the negative results of large applications of compactive effort. Furthermore, low water availability exacerbated differences in plant responses between compaction treatments. The simulated treatment of 1.2 gcm-3 coupled with high water content yielded the most optimal results for most measured parameters, with a contrasting detrimental treatment of 1.4 gcm-3 at low water availability. The simulated field conditions were further bridged through an analysis of two commercial sites in Alberta, Canada that compared both trafficked and un-trafficked soil properties. Soil properties such as available nitrogen (AN), pH, soil total nitrogen (STN), soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density, macroporosity, soil quality S-Index, plant available water capacity (PAWC) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (Km) were analysed and compared among trafficked and un-trafficked areas. The measured soil physical and hydraulic properties of bulk density, macroporosity, S-Index, PAWC and Km were shown to be heavily influenced by the CTF traffic regime, while soil nutrient properties of AN, pH, STN SOC were determined to be dependent on both management and landscape features.

About condition of soil ground at locations of the former Azgir nuclear test site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhmetov, E.Z.; Adymov, Zh.I.; Ermatov, A.S.

2003-01-01

Full text: Soil condition after underground nuclear explosions at locations of the test sites is considered. The region is situated in the zone of northern deserts and characterized by prevalence of greyish-brown soils in conditions of sharply continental climate and presence of salt in soil-formative complex including tertiary clays, loess-like loam, loam sands and sands. There are small quantity of humus in such soil. During investigation of soil characteristics and ability of soil particles to form conglomerates, possessing of different properties, it is necessary to know both element and phase composition, determining, in the most extent, such physical and mechanical macro-characteristics as: density, stickiness, air and water penetrability, solubility, chemical resistance, granulometric set and others. Phase composition of soil samples can be, to a sufficient extent, determined by the X-ray diffractometry methods using ordinary X-ray experimental facilities. Phase composition of soil includes gypsum, quartz, calcium, potash feldspar hematite, kaolin, peach and mica in different quantities. Data on element composition of soil samples were obtained from the territory of technological locations of test site using the method of X-ray-fluorescent analysis. Granulometric composition of soil ground has been investigated using the methods of dry sieving and wet sieving for determination of radionuclide distribution in different fractions of soil particles. By the method of the dry sieving of soil ground samples there are taken place a sticking the small together of fine fractions and an adhesion of stuck-together particles to more large ones. Therefore, fine fractions cannot be separate completely at dry sieving. As distinct from the dry sieving an use of water jet in the sieving allows to overcome defects of the dry method and, by a sufficiently effective separation of granulometric fractions, to obtain more precise results of investigations of granulometric

TESTING METHODS FOR MECHANICALLY IMPROVED SOILS: RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

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Ana Petkovšek

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A possibility of in-situ mechanical improvement for reducing the liquefaction potential of silty sands was investigated by using three different techniques: Vibratory Roller Compaction, Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC and Soil Mixing. Material properties at all test sites were investigated before and after improvement with the laboratory and the in situ tests (CPT, SDMT, DPSH B, static and dynamic load plate test, geohydraulic tests. Correlation between the results obtained by different test methods gave inconclusive answers.

Influence of land improvement on soil oxidation. Inverkan av grundfoerbaettring paa markens syrehalt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kowalik, P.J.

1985-01-01

The paper presents the theoretical analysis of influence of the land reclamation on soil oxidation. Examination was carried out on dependencies existing among soil moisture content, respiratory activity of the soil, absolute soil porosity, gas-filled soil porosity, coeffficient of oxygen diffusion in soil air and soil liquid, oxygen concentration in soil air and in soil water, oxygen diffusion flux, oxygen diffusion rate and the depth of zone of aeration in soil profile. Some remarks about the influence of soil oxidation on root growth and morphology of soil profile were presented too. Results of own empirical investigations and similar data from literature verify theoretical ideas pointed out in the paper. The methods and results of own measurements of ODR (oxygen diffusion rate) has been presented in detail. The research explains the relationship between soil moisture content and soil oxidation. As a result of the analysis there have been proposed such methods of land improvement that the water and oxygen demands of plant roots and microorganisms would be satisfying. The paper proposes a new method of account of the so-called anaerobic soil moisture content. This moisture should be the highest for irrigation practice and more or less lowest for drainage of soil water. Soil moisture a little lower than anarobic soil water content is enough for warranting the sufficient soil aeration during drainage and irrigation activity. With 82 refs.

Ecophysiology of Trembling Aspen in Response to Root-Zone Conditions and Competition on Reclaimed Mine Soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bockstette, S.; Landhäusser, S.; Pinno, B.; Dyck, M. F.

2014-12-01

Reclaimed soils are typically characterized by increased bulk densities, penetration resistances and poor soil structure as well as associated problems with hydrology and aeration. As a result, available rooting space for planted tree seedlings is often restricted to a shallow layer of topsoil, which is usually of higher quality and is cultivated prior to planting. This may hinder the development of healthy root systems, thus drastically increasing the risk for plant stress by limiting access to soil resources such as water, nutrients and oxygen. These problems are exacerbated when herbaceous plants compete for the same resources within this limited root-zone. To understand how limited rooting space affects the physiology of young trees, we experimentally manipulated soil conditions and levels of competition at a reclaimed mine site in central Alberta, Canada. The site was characterized by heavily compacted, fine textured subsoil (~2.0 Mg ha-1), capped with 15 cm of topsoil (~1.5 Mg ha-1). In a replicated study (n=6) half the plots were treated with a subsoil plow to a depth of about 60 cm to increase available rooting spece. Subsequently, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and smooth brome (Bromus inermis L.) were planted to create four vegetation covers: aspen (a), brome (b), aspen + brome (ab) and control (c) (no vegetation). Various soil properties, including texture, bulk density, penetration resistance and water availability, in conjunction with plant parameters such as root and shoot growth, leaf area development, sap flow, and stomatal conductance have since been monitored, both in-situ and through destructive sampling. Our results indicate that the soil treatment was effective in lowering bulk densities and penetration resistance, while improving moisture retention characteristics. Tree seedling growth and leaf area development were significantly greater without competition, but did not differ between soil treatments. The soil treatment generally

Modelling soil water content variations under drought stress on soil column cropped with winter wheat

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Csorba Szilveszter

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Mathematical models are effective tools for evaluating the impact of predicted climate change on agricultural production, but it is difficult to test their applicability to future weather conditions. We applied the SWAP model to assess its applicability to climate conditions, differing from those, for which the model was developed. We used a database obtained from a winter wheat drought stress experiment. Winter wheat was grown in six soil columns, three having optimal water supply (NS, while three were kept under drought-stressed conditions (S. The SWAP model was successfully calibrated against measured values of potential evapotranspiration (PET, potential evaporation (PE and total amount of water (TSW in the soil columns. The Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (N-S for TWS for the stressed columns was 0.92. For the NS treatment, we applied temporally variable soil hydraulic properties because of soil consolidation caused by regular irrigation. This approach improved the N-S values for the wetting-drying cycle from -1.77 to 0.54. We concluded that the model could be used for assessing the effects of climate change on soil water regime. Our results indicate that soil water balance studies should put more focus on the time variability of structuredependent soil properties.

Gaseous elemental mercury emissions and CO{sub 2} respiration rates in terrestrial soils under controlled aerobic and anaerobic laboratory conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obrist, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.obrist@dri.edu [Desert Research Institute, Division of Atmospheric Sciences, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada, 89512 (United States); Fain, Xavier; Berger, Carsen [Desert Research Institute, Division of Atmospheric Sciences, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada, 89512 (United States)

2010-03-01

Mercury (Hg) levels in terrestrial soils are linked to the presence of organic carbon (C). Carbon pools are highly dynamic and subject to mineralization processes, but little is known about the fate of Hg during decomposition. This study evaluated relationships between gaseous Hg emissions from soils and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) respiration under controlled laboratory conditions to assess potential losses of Hg to the atmosphere during C mineralization. Results showed a linear correlation (r{sup 2} = 0.49) between Hg and CO{sub 2} emissions in 41 soil samples, an effect unlikely to be caused by temperature, radiation, different Hg contents, or soil moisture. Stoichiometric comparisons of Hg/C ratios of emissions and underlying soil substrates suggest that 3% of soil Hg was subject to evasion. Even minute emissions of Hg upon mineralization, however, may be important on a global scale given the large Hg pools sequestered in terrestrial soils and C stocks. We induced changes in CO{sub 2} respiration rates and observed Hg flux responses, including inducement of anaerobic conditions by changing chamber air supply from N{sub 2}/O{sub 2} (80% and 20%, respectively) to pure N{sub 2}. Unexpectedly, Hg emissions almost quadrupled after O{sub 2} deprivation while oxidative mineralization (i.e., CO{sub 2} emissions) was greatly reduced. This Hg flux response to anaerobic conditions was lacking when repeated with sterilized soils, possibly due to involvement of microbial reduction of Hg{sup 2+} by anaerobes or indirect abiotic effects such as alterations in soil redox conditions. This study provides experimental evidence that Hg volatilization, and possibly Hg{sup 2+} reduction, is related to O{sub 2} availability in soils from two Sierra Nevada forests. If this result is confirmed in soils from other areas, the implication is that Hg volatilization from terrestrial soils is partially controlled by soil aeration and that low soil O{sub 2} levels and possibly low soil redox

Simulating emissions of 1,3-dichloropropene after soil fumigation under field conditions.

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Yates, S R; Ashworth, D J

2018-04-15

Soil fumigation is an important agricultural practice used to produce many vegetable and fruit crops. However, fumigating soil can lead to atmospheric emissions which can increase risks to human and environmental health. A complete understanding of the transport, fate, and emissions of fumigants as impacted by soil and environmental processes is needed to mitigate atmospheric emissions. Five large-scale field experiments were conducted to measure emission rates for 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), a soil fumigant commonly used in California. Numerical simulations of these experiments were conducted in predictive mode (i.e., no calibration) to determine if simulation could be used as a substitute for field experimentation to obtain information needed by regulators. The results show that the magnitude of the volatilization rate and the total emissions could be adequately predicted for these experiments, with the exception of a scenario where the field was periodically irrigated after fumigation. In addition, the timing of the daily peak 1,3-D emissions was not accurately predicted for these experiments due to the peak emission rates occurring during the night or early-morning hours. This study revealed that more comprehensive mathematical models (or adjustments to existing models) are needed to fully describe emissions of soil fumigants from field soils under typical agronomic conditions. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Inoculation of Brassica oxyrrhina with plant growth promoting bacteria for the improvement of heavy metal phytoremediation under drought conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ying; Rajkumar, Mani; Zhang, Chang; Freitas, Helena

2016-12-15

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of drought resistant serpentine rhizobacteria on plant growth and metal uptake by Brassica oxyrrhina under drought stress (DS) condition. Two drought resistant serpentine rhizobacterial strains namely Pseudomonas libanensis TR1 and Pseudomonas reactans Ph3R3 were selected based on their ability to stimulate seedling growth in roll towel assay. Further assessment on plant growth promoting (PGP) parameters revealed their ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. Moreover, both strains exhibited high resistance to various heavy metals, antibiotics, salinity and extreme temperature. Inoculation of TR1 and Ph3R3 significantly increased plant growth, leaf relative water and pigment content of B. oxyrrhina, whereas decreased concentrations of proline and malondialdehyde in leaves under metal stress in the absence and presence of DS. Regardless of soil water conditions, TR1 and Ph3R3 greatly improved organ metal concentrations, translocation and bioconcentration factors of Cu and Zn. The successful colonization and metabolic activities of P. libanensis TR1 and P. reactans Ph3R3 represented positive effects on plant development and metal phytoremediation under DS. These results indicate that these strains could be used as bio-inoculants for the improvement of phytoremediation of metal polluted soils under semiarid conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mobility of Pb, Cu, and Zn in the phosphorus-amended contaminated soils under simulated landfill and rainfall conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xinde; Liang, Yuan; Zhao, Ling; Le, Huangying

2013-09-01

Phosphorus-bearing materials have been widely applied in immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils. However, the study on the stability of the initially P-induced immobilized metals in the contaminated soils is far limited. This work was conducted to evaluate the mobility of Pb, Cu, and Zn in two contrasting contaminated soils amended with phosphate rock tailing (PR) and triple superphosphate fertilizer (TSP), and their combination (P + T) under simulated landfill and rainfall conditions. The main objective was to determine the stability of heavy metals in the P-treated contaminated soils in response to the changing environment conditions. The soils were amended with the P-bearing materials at a 2:1 molar ratio of P to metals. After equilibrated for 2 weeks, the soils were evaluated with the leaching procedures. The batch-based toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) was conducted to determine the leachability of heavy metals from both untreated and P-treated soils under simulated landfill condition. The column-based synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP) were undertaken to measure the downward migration of metals from untreated and P-treated soils under simulated rainfall condition. Leachability of Pb, Cu, and Zn in the TCLP extract followed the order of Zn > Cu > Pb in both soils, with the organic-C- and clay-poor soil showing higher metal leachability than the organic-C- and clay-rich soil. All three P treatments reduced leachability of Pb, Cu, and Zn by up to 89.2, 24.4, and 34.3 %, respectively, compared to the untreated soil, and TSP revealed more effectiveness followed by P + T and then PR. The column experiments showed that Zn had the highest downward migration upon 10 pore volumes of SPLP leaching, followed by Pb and then Cu in both soils. However, migration of Pb and Zn to subsoil and leachate were inhibited in the P-treated soil, while Cu in the leachate was enhanced by P treatment in the organic

Influence of Potassium on Sapric Peat under Different Environmental Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Tajuddin, Syafik Akmal Mohd; Rahman, Junita Abdul; Rahim, Nor Haakmal Abd; Saphira Radin Mohamed, Radin Maya; Saeed Abduh Algheethi, Adel Ali, Dr

2018-04-01

Potassium is mainly present in soil in the natural form known as the K-bearing mineral. Potassium is also available in fertilizer as a supplement to plants and can be categorized as macronutrient. The application of potassium improves the texture and structure of the soil beside to improves plant growth. The main objective of this study was to determine the concentration of potassium in sapric peat under different conditions. Physical model was used as a mechanism for the analysis of the experimental data using a soil column as an equipment to produce water leaching. In this investigation, there were four outlets in the soil column which were prepared from the top of the column to the bottom with the purpose of identifying the concentration of potassium for each soil level. The water leaching of each outlet was tested using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The results obtained showed that the highest concentrations of potassium for flush condition at outlet 4 was 13.58 ppm. Similarly, sapric under rainwater condition recorded the highest value of 13.32 and 12.34 ppm respectively at outlet 4 for wet and dry condition. However, the difference in Sapric, rainwater and fertilizer category showed that the highest value for the wet condition was achieved at outlet 2 with 13.99 ppm while highest value of 14.82 ppm was obtained for the dry condition at the outlet 3. It was concluded that the outlets in the soil column gave a detailed analysis of the concentration of potassium in the soil which was influenced by the environmental conditions.

Improvement of the Assignment Methodology of the Approach Embankment Design to Highway Structures in Difficult Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Chistyy, Y.; Kuzakhmetova, E.; Fazilova, Z.; Tsukanova, O.

2018-03-01

Design issues of junction of bridges and overhead road with approach embankment are studied. The reasons for the formation of deformations in the road structure are indicated. Activities to ensure sustainability and acceleration of the shrinkage of a weak subgrade approach embankment are listed. The necessity of taking into account the man-made impact of the approach embankment on the subgrade behavior is proved. Modern stabilizing agents to improve the properties of used soils in the embankment and the subgrade are suggested. Clarified methodology for determining an active zone of compression in the subgrade under load from the weight of the embankment is described. As an additional condition to the existing methodology for establishing the lower bound of the active zone of compression it is offered to accept the accuracy of evaluation of soil compressibility and determine shrinkage.

Effects of Climatic Conditions and Soil Properties on Cabernet Sauvignon Berry Growth and Anthocyanin Profiles

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Guo Cheng

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Climatic conditions and soil type have significant influence on grape ripening and wine quality. The reported study was conducted in two “Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.V” vineyards located in Xinjiang, a semiarid wine-producing region of China during two vintages (2011 and 2012. The results indicate that soil and climate affected berry growth and anthocyanin profiles. These two localities were within a distance of 5 km from each other and had soils of different physical and chemical composition. For each vineyard, the differences of anthocyanin concentrations, and parameters concerning berry growth and composition between the two years could be explained by different climatic conditions. Soil effect was studied by investigation of differences in berry composition and anthocyanin profiles between the two vineyards in the same year, which could be explained mainly by the different soil properties, vine water and nitrogen status. Specifically, the soils with less water and organic matter produced looser clusters, heavier berry skins and higher TSS, which contributed to the excellent performance of grapes. Compared with 2011, the increases in anthocyanin concentrations for each vineyard in 2012 could be attributed to smaller number of extreme temperature (>35 °C days and rainfall, lower vine water status and N level. The explanation for higher anthocyanin concentrations in grape skins from the soils with less water and organic matter could be the vine status differences, lighter berry weight and heavier skin weight at harvest. In particular, grapes from the soils with less water and organic matter had higher levels of 3′5′-substituded, O-methylated and acylated anthocyanins, which represented a positive characteristic conferring more stable pigmentation to the corresponding wine in the future. The present work clarifies the effects of climate and soil on berry growth and anthocyanin profiles, thus providing guidance for production of

Effects of climatic conditions and soil properties on Cabernet Sauvignon berry growth and anthocyanin profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Guo; He, Yan-Nan; Yue, Tai-Xin; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Zhen-Wen

2014-09-02

Climatic conditions and soil type have significant influence on grape ripening and wine quality. The reported study was conducted in two "Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.V)" vineyards located in Xinjiang, a semiarid wine-producing region of China during two vintages (2011 and 2012). The results indicate that soil and climate affected berry growth and anthocyanin profiles. These two localities were within a distance of 5 km from each other and had soils of different physical and chemical composition. For each vineyard, the differences of anthocyanin concentrations, and parameters concerning berry growth and composition between the two years could be explained by different climatic conditions. Soil effect was studied by investigation of differences in berry composition and anthocyanin profiles between the two vineyards in the same year, which could be explained mainly by the different soil properties, vine water and nitrogen status. Specifically, the soils with less water and organic matter produced looser clusters, heavier berry skins and higher TSS, which contributed to the excellent performance of grapes. Compared with 2011, the increases in anthocyanin concentrations for each vineyard in 2012 could be attributed to smaller number of extreme temperature (>35 °C) days and rainfall, lower vine water status and N level. The explanation for higher anthocyanin concentrations in grape skins from the soils with less water and organic matter could be the vine status differences, lighter berry weight and heavier skin weight at harvest. In particular, grapes from the soils with less water and organic matter had higher levels of 3'5'-substituded, O-methylated and acylated anthocyanins, which represented a positive characteristic conferring more stable pigmentation to the corresponding wine in the future. The present work clarifies the effects of climate and soil on berry growth and anthocyanin profiles, thus providing guidance for production of high-quality wine grapes

Amendment of Tephrosia Improved Fallows with Inorganic Fertilizers Improves Soil Chemical Properties, N Uptake, and Maize Yield in Malawi

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Maggie G. Munthali

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Maize production in Malawi is limited mainly by low soil N and P. Improved fallows of N-fixing legumes such as Tephrosia and Sesbania offer options for improving soil fertility particularly N supply. The interactions of Tephrosia fallows and inorganic fertilizers on soil properties, N uptake, and maize yields were evaluated at Chitedze Research Station in Malawi. The results indicated that the level of organic matter and pH increased in all the treatments except for the control. Total N remained almost unchanged while available P decreased in all plots amended with T. vogelii but increased in T. candida plots where inorganic P was applied. Exchangeable K increased in all the plots irrespective of the type of amendment. The interaction of N and P fertilizers with T. vogelii fallows significantly increased the grain yield. The treatment that received 45 kg N ha−1 and 20 kg P ha−1 produced significantly higher grain yields (6.8 t ha−1 than all the other treatments except where 68 kg N ha−1 and 30 kg P ha−1 were applied which gave 6.5 t ha−1 of maize grain. T. candida fallows alone or in combination with N and P fertilizers did not significantly affect grain yield. However, T. candida fallows alone can raise maize grain yield by 300% over the no-input control. Based on these results we conclude that high quality residues such as T. candida and T. vogelii can be used as sources of nutrients to improve crop yields and soil fertility in N-limited soils. However, inorganic P fertilizer is needed due to the low soil available P levels.

Soil organic matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The nature, content and behaviour of the organic matter, or humus, in soil are factors of fundamental importance for soil productivity and the development of optimum conditions for growth of crops under diverse temperate, tropical and arid climatic conditions. In the recent symposium on soil organic matter studies - as in the two preceding ones in 1963 and 1969 - due consideration was given to studies involving the use of radioactive and stable isotopes. However, the latest symposium was a departure from previous efforts in that non-isotopic approaches to research on soil organic matter were included. A number of papers dealt with the behaviour and functions of organic matter and suggested improved management practices, the use of which would contribute to increasing agricultural production. Other papers discussed the turnover of plant residues, the release of plant nutrients through the biodegradation of organic compounds, the nitrogen economy and the dynamics of transformation of organic forms of nitrogen. In addition, consideration was given to studies on the biochemical transformation of organic matter, characterization of humic acids, carbon-14 dating and the development of modern techniques and their impact on soil organic matter research

Application of Mycorrhiza and Soil from a Permaculture System Improved Phosphorus Acquisition in Naranjilla.

Science.gov (United States)

Symanczik, Sarah; Gisler, Michelle; Thonar, Cécile; Schlaeppi, Klaus; Van der Heijden, Marcel; Kahmen, Ansgar; Boller, Thomas; Mäder, Paul

2017-01-01

Naranjilla ( Solanum quitoense ) is a perennial shrub plant mainly cultivated in Ecuador, Colombia, and Central America where it represents an important cash crop. Current cultivation practices not only cause deforestation and large-scale soil degradation but also make plants highly susceptible to pests and diseases. The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can offer a possibility to overcome these problems. AMF can act beneficially in various ways, for example by improving plant nutrition and growth, water relations, soil structure and stability and protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the impact of AMF inoculation on growth and nutrition parameters of naranjilla has been assessed. For inoculation three European reference AMF strains ( Rhizoglomus irregulare , Claroideoglomus claroideum , and Cetraspora helvetica ) and soils originating from three differently managed naranjilla plantations in Ecuador (conventional, organic, and permaculture) have been used. This allowed for a comparison of the performance of exotic AMF strains (reference strains) versus native consortia contained in the three soils used as inocula. To study fungal communities present in the three soils, trap cultures have been established using naranjilla as host plant. The community structures of AMF and other fungi inhabiting the roots of trap cultured naranjilla were assessed using next generation sequencing (NGS) methods. The growth response experiment has shown that two of the three reference AMF strains, a mixture of the three and soil from a permaculture site led to significantly better acquisition of phosphorus (up to 104%) compared to uninoculated controls. These results suggest that the use of AMF strains and local soils as inoculants represent a valid approach to improve nutrient uptake efficiency of naranjilla and consequently to reduce inputs of mineral fertilizers in the cultivation process. Improved phosphorus acquisition after inoculation with

Application of Mycorrhiza and Soil from a Permaculture System Improved Phosphorus Acquisition in Naranjilla

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Symanczik

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense is a perennial shrub plant mainly cultivated in Ecuador, Colombia, and Central America where it represents an important cash crop. Current cultivation practices not only cause deforestation and large-scale soil degradation but also make plants highly susceptible to pests and diseases. The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF can offer a possibility to overcome these problems. AMF can act beneficially in various ways, for example by improving plant nutrition and growth, water relations, soil structure and stability and protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the impact of AMF inoculation on growth and nutrition parameters of naranjilla has been assessed. For inoculation three European reference AMF strains (Rhizoglomus irregulare, Claroideoglomus claroideum, and Cetraspora helvetica and soils originating from three differently managed naranjilla plantations in Ecuador (conventional, organic, and permaculture have been used. This allowed for a comparison of the performance of exotic AMF strains (reference strains versus native consortia contained in the three soils used as inocula. To study fungal communities present in the three soils, trap cultures have been established using naranjilla as host plant. The community structures of AMF and other fungi inhabiting the roots of trap cultured naranjilla were assessed using next generation sequencing (NGS methods. The growth response experiment has shown that two of the three reference AMF strains, a mixture of the three and soil from a permaculture site led to significantly better acquisition of phosphorus (up to 104% compared to uninoculated controls. These results suggest that the use of AMF strains and local soils as inoculants represent a valid approach to improve nutrient uptake efficiency of naranjilla and consequently to reduce inputs of mineral fertilizers in the cultivation process. Improved phosphorus acquisition after inoculation with

Performance of neutron scattering relative to Diviner2000 for estimating soil water content in salt affected soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ain, F.; Attar, J.; Hussein, F.

2007-05-01

A field experiment was conducted on sandy clay and clayey soils at Deir Ezzor to compare the performance of Neutron Scattering (NS) relative to a capacitance probe (CP), Diviner2000, in our local conditions under saline soils. The effect of soil electrical conductivity (ECe) and bulk density (?b) on the precession, accuracy and sensitivity of the tested equipment s were evaluated. Also, the ability to improve the calibration equation for these equipment s, by including ECe and ?b as independent variables in the equation formula, was studied. The study showed that, Diviner2000 was very sensitive to soil bulk density and electrical conductivity of the soil (i.e. soil salinity) compared to the NS. Multiple non-linear regressions improved the fitting when both parameters (?b and ECe) were included in the equation, even though the correlation coefficient (R2) remained low in the case of Diviner2000.(author)

Practice makes perfect: participatory innovation in soil fertility management to improve rural livelihoods in East Africa

OpenAIRE

Jager, de, A.

2007-01-01

Keywords: soil nutrient balances, soil fertility degradation, East Africa , participatory innovation, experiential learning, farmer field schools, smallholder agriculture Maintaining and improving soil fertility is crucial for Africa to attain the Millennium Development Goals. Fertile soil and balanced soil nutrient management are major foundations for sustainable food production, contribute to a sound management of natural resources and assist in controlling environmental degradation such ...

Improved or Unimproved Urban Areas Effect on Soil and Water Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sally D. Logsdon

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Construction in urban areas usually results in compacted soil, which restricts plant growth and infiltration. Nutrients may be lost in storm runoff water and sediment. The purpose of this study was to determine if existing lawns benefit from aeration and surface compost additions without the negative impact of nutrient loss in runoff. Four sets of lawns were compared, with or without compost plus aeration, as a paired comparison. Surface bulk density was significantly reduced in the treated lawns (1.32 versus 1.42 Mg·m−3. Visual evaluation of soil structure showed improvement in the treated lawns. Of fifteen measurement dates over four years, four dates showed significantly higher surface soil water contents in the treated lawns compared with the untreated lawns. When compared over time, three of the four treated lawns had significantly higher soil water content than the untreated lawns. Nutrient concentrations in rainfall simulator runoff were not significantly different between treated and control lawns, which showed that compost did not negatively impact water quality. Compost and aeration helped restore soil quality for urban soils of recent construction.

Practice makes perfect: participatory innovation in soil fertility management to improve rural livelihoods in East Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jager, de A.

2007-01-01

Keywords: soil nutrient balances, soil fertility degradation, East Africa , participatory innovation, experiential learning, farmer field schools, smallholder agriculture

Maintaining and improving soil fertility is crucial for Africa to attain the Millennium Development Goals. Fertile

FEASIBILITY OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING OF SOILS TO IMPROVE REMEDIAL ACTIONS

Science.gov (United States)

Hydraulic fracturing, a method of increasing fluid flow within the subsurface, should improve the effectiveness of several remedial techniques, including pump and treat, vapor extraction, bio-remediation, and soil-flushing. he technique is widely used to increase the yields of oi...

Challenges in the development of analytical soil compaction models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Thomas; Lamandé, Mathieu

2010-01-01

and recommendations for the prevention of soil compaction often rely on simulation models. This paper highlights some issues that need further consideration in order to improve soil compaction modelling, with the focus on analytical models. We discuss the different issues based on comparisons between experimental......Soil compaction can cause a number of environmental and agronomic problems (e.g. flooding, erosion, leaching of agrochemicals to recipient waters, emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, crop yield losses), resulting in significant economic damage to society and agriculture. Strategies...... data and model simulations. The upper model boundary condition (i.e. contact area and stresses at the tyre-soil interface) is highly influential in stress propagation, but knowledge on the effects of loading and soil conditions on the upper model boundary condition is inadequate. The accuracy of stress...

Effects of agricultural practices of three crops on the soil communities under Mediterranean conditions: field evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Leitão, Sara; José Cerejeira, Maria; Abreu, Manuela; Sousa, José Paulo

2014-05-01

Sustainable agricultural production relies on soil communities as the main actors in key soil processes necessary to maintain sustainable soil functioning. Soil biodiversity influences soil physical and chemical characteristics and thus the sustainability of crop and agro-ecosystems functioning. Agricultural practices (e.g.: soil tillage, pesticides and fertilizer applications, irrigation) may affects negatively or positively soil biodiversity and abundances by modifying the relationships between organisms in the soil ecosystem. The present study aimed to study the influence of agricultural practices of three crops (potato, onion and maize) under Mediterranean climate conditions on soil macro- and mesofauna during their entire crop cycles. Effects on soil communities were assessed at a higher tier of environmental risk assessment comprising field testing of indigenous edaphic communities in a selected study-site located in a major agriculture region of Central Portugal, Ribatejo e Oeste, neighbouring protected wetlands. A reference site near the agricultural field site was selected as a Control site to compare the terrestrial communities' composition and variation along the crop cycle. The field soil and Control site soil are sandy loam soils. Crops irrigation was performed by center-pivot (automated sprinkler that rotates in a half a circle area) and by sprinklers. Soil macro- and mesofauna were collected at both sites (field and Control) using two methodologies through pitfall trapping and soil sampling. The community of soil macro- and mesofauna of the three crops field varied versus control site along the crops cycles. Main differences were due to arachnids, coleopterans, ants and adult Diptera presence and abundance. The feeding activity of soil fauna between control site and crop areas varied only for potato and onion crops vs. control site but not among crops. Concentration of pesticides residues in soil did not cause apparent negative effects on the soil

Strontium and caesium transport in unsaturated soil from Chernobyl Pilot Site under steady flow conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szenknect, St.

2003-10-01

This work is devoted to the quantification and the identification of the predominant processes involved in strontium and caesium transport in unsaturated soil from Chernobyl Pilot Site under steady flow conditions. The transport and fate of radionuclides in the subsurface is affected by various physical and chemical processes including advective and diffusive transport as well as chemical and biological transformations. Laboratory experiments and the use of a multiple tracer approach allow to isolate the contributions of each elementary process and to control the physico-chemical conditions in the system. To be more representative of the field conditions, we decided to perform column miscible displacement experiments. We perform batch and flow-through reactor experiments to characterize the radionuclides sorption mechanisms. Miscible displacement experiments within homogeneous columns and modeling allow to characterize the hydrodynamic properties of the soil and to describe the radionuclides behaviour under dynamic conditions at different water contents. We show that the water content of porous media affect the transport behaviour of inert and strongly sorbing radionuclides. Our results demonstrate that a parametrized transport model that was calibrated under completely saturated conditions was not able to describe the advective-dispersive transport of reactive solutes under unsaturated steady state conditions. Under our experimental conditions, there is no effect of a decrease of the mean water content on the sorption model parameters, but the transport parameters are modified. We established for the studied soil the relation between hydrodynamic dispersion and water content and the relation between pore water velocity and water content. (author)

Modeling soil evaporation efficiency in a range of soil and atmospheric conditions using a meta-analysis approach

Science.gov (United States)

Merlin, O.; Stefan, V. G.; Amazirh, A.; Chanzy, A.; Ceschia, E.; Er-Raki, S.; Gentine, P.; Tallec, T.; Ezzahar, J.; Bircher, S.; Beringer, J.; Khabba, S.

2016-05-01

A meta-analysis data-driven approach is developed to represent the soil evaporative efficiency (SEE) defined as the ratio of actual to potential soil evaporation. The new model is tested across a bare soil database composed of more than 30 sites around the world, a clay fraction range of 0.02-0.56, a sand fraction range of 0.05-0.92, and about 30,000 acquisition times. SEE is modeled using a soil resistance (rss) formulation based on surface soil moisture (θ) and two resistance parameters rss,ref and θefolding. The data-driven approach aims to express both parameters as a function of observable data including meteorological forcing, cut-off soil moisture value θ1/2 at which SEE=0.5, and first derivative of SEE at θ1/2, named Δθ1/2-1. An analytical relationship between >(rss,ref;θefolding) and >(θ1/2;Δθ1/2-1>) is first built by running a soil energy balance model for two extreme conditions with rss = 0 and rss˜∞ using meteorological forcing solely, and by approaching the middle point from the two (wet and dry) reference points. Two different methods are then investigated to estimate the pair >(θ1/2;Δθ1/2-1>) either from the time series of SEE and θ observations for a given site, or using the soil texture information for all sites. The first method is based on an algorithm specifically designed to accomodate for strongly nonlinear SEE>(θ>) relationships and potentially large random deviations of observed SEE from the mean observed SEE>(θ>). The second method parameterizes θ1/2 as a multi-linear regression of clay and sand percentages, and sets Δθ1/2-1 to a constant mean value for all sites. The new model significantly outperformed the evaporation modules of ISBA (Interaction Sol-Biosphère-Atmosphère), H-TESSEL (Hydrology-Tiled ECMWF Scheme for Surface Exchange over Land), and CLM (Community Land Model). It has potential for integration in various land-surface schemes, and real calibration capabilities using combined thermal and microwave

Improving the management of infertile acid soils in Southeast Asia: The approach of the IBSRAM Acid-Soils network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefroy, R.D.B.

2000-01-01

The IBSRAM ASIALAND Management of Acid Soils network aims to improve the understanding of the broad range of biophysical and socio-economic production limitations on infertile acid soils of Southeast Asia, and to lead to development and implementation of sustainable land-management strategies for these important marginal areas. The main activities of the network are in Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam, with associated activity in Thailand, and minor involvement in Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. The main experimental focus is through researcher-managed on-farm trials, to improve the management of phosphorus nutrition with inorganic and organic amendments. A generic design is used across the eight well characterised sites that form the core of the network. The results will be analysed across time and across sites. Improved methods for laboratory analyses, experimental management, socio-economic data collection, and data analysis and interpretation are critical components. Three important initiatives are associated with the core activities. These aim to establish a broader network on maintenance of quality laboratory analyses, to assess the potential for implementation of improved strategies through farmer-managed on-farm trials, and to improve our understanding of, and ways of estimating, nutrient budgets for diverse farming systems. (author)

Remediation of Soil Contaminated with Uranium using a Biological Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hye Min; Kim, Gye Nam; Shon, Dong Bin; Lee, Ki Won; Chung, Un Soo; Moon, Jai Kwon

2011-01-01

Bioremediation is a method to cleanup contaminants in soil or ground water with microorganisms. The biological method can reduce the volume of waste solution and the construction cost and operation cost of soil remediation equipment. Bioremediation can be divided into natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, biostimulation. Biostimulation is technology to improve natural purification by adding nutritional substances, supplying oxygen and controlling pH. In this study, penatron, that is a nutritional substances, was mixed with soil. Optimum conditions for mixing ratios of penatron and soil, and the pH of soil was determined through several bioremediation experiments with soil contaminated with uranium. Also, under optimum experiment conditions, the removal efficiencies of soil and concrete according to reaction time were measured for feasibility analysis of soil and concrete bioremediations

The Role of Teak Leaves (Tectona grandis), Rhizobium, and Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae on Improving Soil Structure and Soil Nutrition

Science.gov (United States)

Yuliani; Rahayu, Y. S.

2018-01-01

Calcium is the largest mineral in calcareous soils. High levels of calcium carbonate lead to phosphate deposition. Nutrient deficiencies in calcareous soil (mainly Phosphate and Nitrogen) resulted only certain crops with a wide range of tolerances that can grow. Meanwhile, dynamics nutrient in calcareous soils also depend on the topography and decomposition of the litter in the growing vegetation. The purpose of this study was to describe the pattern of nutrient enhancement and soil-texture structures on calcareous soils after littering the teak leaves, Rhizobium and Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza. The research parameters were the concentration of N, P, K; C/N ratio, humid acid content, and soil structure, which measured at days 30, 60, and 85 of soil decomposition process. The results showed that at days 30, the texture and structure of the soil tend to be stable (porosity 31.2, DMR 1.93, moisture content 0.36, sandy clay) while at days 85 has been very stable (porosity 49.8; Water content 0.28, sandy clay). While C and N organic, N and K concentration at days 30 showed low value (C organic 1.03, N 0.12, K 0.49, C / N ratio 9). This condition is almost unchanged at days 85. While the P value shows very high value (60.53) at days 30 although after 60 days the P content showed a decrease.

Instability improvement of the subgrade soils by lime addition at Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

El Shinawi, A.

2017-06-01

Subgrade soils can affect the stability of any construction elsewhere, instability problems were found at Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt. This paper investigates geoengineering properties of lime treated subgrade soils at Borg El-Arab. Basic laboratory tests, such as water content, wet and dry density, grain size, specific gravity and Atterberg limits, were performed for twenty-five samples. Moisture-density (compaction); California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) were conducted on treated and natural soils. The measured geotechnical parameters of the treated soil shows that 6% lime is good enough to stabilize the subgrade soils. It was found that by adding lime, samples shifted to coarser side, Atterberg limits values of the treated soil samples decreased and this will improve the soil to be more stable. On the other hand, Subgrade soils improved as a result of the bonding fine particles, cemented together to form larger size and reduce the plastiCity index which increase soils strength. The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) is point to the presence of innovative aggregated cement materials which reduce the porosity and increase the strength as a long-term curing. Consequently, the mixture of soil with the lime has acceptable mechanical characteristics where, it composed of a high strength base or sub-base materials and this mixture considered as subgrade soil for stabilizations and mitigation the instability problems that found at Borg Al-Arab, Egypt.

Colloid-Facilitated Transport of Cations in an Unsaturated Fractured Soil Under Transient Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryan, Joseph [Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

2015-01-31

Rainfall experiments were conducted using intact soil cores and an instrumented soil pedon to examine the effect of physical heterogeneity and rainfall characteristics on the mobilization of colloids, organic matter, cesium, and strontium in a fractured soil. To measure the spatial variability of infiltration of colloids and contaminants, samples were collected through a 19-port grid placed below the soil core in laboratory study and in 27 samplers at multiple depths in the soil pedon in the field study. Cesium and strontium were applied to the soil cores and the soil pedon prior to mobilization experiments. Rainwater solutions of multiple ionic strengths and organic matter concentrations were applied to the soil cores and soil pedon to mobilize in situ colloids, cesium, and strontium. The mobilization of colloids and metal cations occurred through preferential flow paths in the soil cores. Compared to steady rainfall, greater amounts of colloids were mobilized during rainfall interrupted by pauses, which indicates that the supply of colloids to be mobilized was replenished during the pauses. A maximum in the amount of mobilized colloids were mobilized during a rainfall following a pause of 2.5 d. Pauses of shorter or longer duration resulted in less colloid mobilization. Freeze-thaw cycles, a transient condition in winter, enhanced colloid mobilization and colloid-facilitated transport of cesium and strontium in the soil cores. The exchange of solutes between the soil matrix and macropores caused a hysteretic mobilization of colloids, cesium, and strontium during changes in ionic strength. Colloid-facilitated mobilization of cesium and strontium was important at low ionic strength in fractures where slow flow allowed greater exchange of flow between the fractures and the surrounding matrix. The release of cesium and strontium by cation exchange occurred at high ionic strength in fractures where there is a little exchange of pore water with the surrounding matrix

Uranium partitioning under acidic conditions in a sandy soil aquifer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.H.; Serkiz, S.M.; Johnson, L.M.

1995-01-01

The partitioning of uranium in an aquifer down gradient of two large mixed waste sites was examined with respect to the solution and soil chemistry (e.g., pH redox potential and contaminant concentration) and aqueous-phase chemical speciation. This involved generation of field-derived, batch sorption, and reactive mineral surface sorption data. Field-derived distribution coefficients for uranium at these waste sites were found to vary between 0.40 and 15,000. Based on thermodynamic speciation modeling and a comparison of field and laboratory data, gibbsite is a potential reactive mineral surface present in modified soils at the sites. Uranium partitioning data are presented from field samples and laboratory studies of background soil and the mineral surface gibbsite. Mechanistic and empirical sorption models fit to the field-derived uranium partitioning data show an improvement of over two orders of magnitude, as measured by the normalized sum of errors squared, when compared with the single K d model used in previous risk work. Models fit to batch sorption data provided a better fit of sorbed uranium than do models fit to the field-derived data

Photosynthetic activity of young Ricinus communis L. plants under conditions of flooded soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davi Silva Dalberto

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Soil flooding is a stress condition that causes changes in hydric relationships and in the metabolism of crops, thereby affecting their productivity. To evaluate the effects of soil flooding on the chlorophyll a fluorescence transient, as well as gas exchange and Ricinus communis growth, young plants of the ‘AL Guarany 2002’ and ‘IAC Guarani’ cultivars, grown in a greenhouse, were subjected to flood conditions by maintaining a layer of water 2-3 cm above the soil. The stressed plants showed drastic reduction in net CO2 assimilation and growth variables. There was, however, an increase in performance index (PIABS e PITOTAL at different moments of stress between the two cultivars. In general, R. communis plants possess mechanisms to protect the electron transport chain during a period of stress, without causing damage and reducing functionality. However, this is not enough to maintain photosynthetic activity owing to the decrease in stomatal conductance and intrinsic carboxylation efficiency, which affects biomass accumulation in stressed plants. In summary, this study found that the ‘AL Guarany 2002’ was found to be more sensitive to stress than the ‘IAC Guarani’ was.

Transformation of soil and vegetable conditions at oil production territories

Science.gov (United States)

Gatina, Evgeniia

2017-04-01

On the territory of modern oil production soil, vegetation, ecosystem conditions of the environment are significantly transformed. Researches have been conducted on the oil production territories located in a boreal coniferous forest natural zone from 2005 to 2015. Standard geobotanical and soil methods are used. Mechanical destruction of a plant cover, change of the water conditions, intake of oil products and salty waters in ecosystems, pollution of the atmosphere are considered as the major technology-related factors defining transformation of land ecosystems at operation of the oil field. Under the mechanical destruction of a plant cover the pioneer plant communities are formed. These communities are characterized by most reduced specific wealth with prevalence of types of meadow groups of plants and presence of types of wetland groups of plants. The biodiversity of biocenosis which are affected linear infrastructure facilities of oil production territories and change of the water conditions, decreases. It is observed decrease in species wealth, simplification of structure of communities. Under the salting of soils in ecosystems there is a decrease species diversity of communities to prevalence nitrophilous and meadow plant species. At the increased content of organic substances in the soils that is a consequence of intake of oil products, is characteristic increase in specific richness of communities, introduction of types of wetland and oligotrophic groups of plants in forest communities. Influence depends on distance to an influence source. In process of removal from a source of atmospheric pollution in forest communities there is a decrease in species diversity and complication of structure of community. It is caused by introduction of types of meadow groups of plants in ecotone sites of the forest communities located near a source of influence and restoration of structural features of forest communities in process of removal from an influence source

Application of soil data in climate research; Anwendung von Bodendaten in der Klimaforschung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaufmann-Boll, Carolin; Kappler, Wolfgang; Lazar, Silvia [ahu AG Wasser - Boden - Geomatik, Aachen (DE)

2011-10-15

The German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change was adopted in 2008. The implementation of the strategy requires reliable data and time series on the long-term changes in soil condition and soil functions. Soil monitoring and soil survey are essential data bases for this purpose. In Germany there are permanently established monitoring programmes with representative locations and repeated soil surveys based on a regular grid of sites. The different programmes vary in respect to harmonization regarding agreed principles between the participating institutions. Information on soil measuring data is currently heterogeneous and distributed at many locations. Particularly the provision of (meta-)data should be improved. Here you can find the exceptional quality of BOKLIM. It evaluates the suitability of soil data for climate research across the different measuring programmes in Germany. The most important nation-wide and permanently operating programmes of soil monitoring and soil survey were taken into account. The main aspects were the changes in soil condition due to climate change. As a result, the programmes provide a variety of valuable data to assess the effects of climate change on soils. Depending on the problem and the resulting requirements, the data are suitable (1) for the long-term monitoring of changes in soil condition, (2) for detailed process studies and measurements at representative locations, e.g. for the calibration and validation of predictive models, and (3) for use in model scenarios predicting changes in soil condition. However, it is necessary to coordinate the programmes of soil monitoring and soil survey with the focus on precise questions. The programmes have to be optimized at certain points to improve for issues of climate change and adaptation. In addition to the evaluation of soil data, a first concept for an efficient data provision and data use was created. Recommendations for next steps to coordinate and optimize future monitoring

Effect of Tractor Forward Speed on Sandy Loam Soil Physical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results indicate significant differences in soil physical conditions arising from different levels of tractor forward speed. A forward speed of approximately 7km/h resulted in appreciable amelioration of soil structure as reflected in improvements in the soil strength properties and maximum reduction in clod mean weight ...

Influence of Pyrolysis Temperature and Production Conditions on Switchgrass Biochar for Use as a Soil Amendment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Joy Ashworth

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Biochars form recalcitrant carbon and increase water and nutrient retention in soils; however, the magnitude is contingent upon production conditions and thermo-chemical conversion processes. Herein we aim at (i characterizing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.-biochar morphology, (ii estimating water-holding capacity under increasing ratios of char: soil; and, (iii determining nutrient profile variation as a function of pyrolysis conversion methodologies (i.e. continuous, auger pyrolysis system versus batch pyrolysis systems for terminal use as a soil amendment. Auger system chars produced at 600°C had the greatest lignin portion by weight among the biochars produced from the continuous system. On the other hand, a batch pyrolysis system (400 °C – 3h yielded biochar with 73.10% lignin (12 fold increases, indicating higher recalcitrance, whereas lower production temperatures (400 °C yielded greater hemicellulose (i.e. greater mineralization promoting substrate. Under both pyrolysis methods, increasing biochar soil application rates resulted in linear decreases in bulk density (g cm-3. Increases in auger-char (400 °C applications increased soil water-holding capacities; however, application rates of >2 Mt ha-1 are required. Pyrolysis batch chars did not influence water-holding abilities (P>0.05. Biochar macro and micronutrients increased, as the pyrolysis temperature increased in the auger system from 400 to 600 °C, and the residence time increased in the batch pyrolysis system from 1 to 3 h. Conversely, nitrogen levels tended to decrease under the two previously mentioned conditions. Consequently, not all chars are inherently equal, in that varying operation systems, residence times, and production conditions greatly affect uses as a soil amendment and overall rate of efficacy.

Qualitative characterization by x-ray diffraction from soils: mineralogy conditions to benefit the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiyama, Bruna Sayuri; Tavares, Mauricio de Moraes

2010-01-01

Four samples were collected from four soil profiles located in the Rural Federal University of Amazonia. These, were analyzed parameters such as color, texture, consistency, granulometry, porosity and water absorption. We identified the following soil types: Distrofic Yellow Latosoil; Lateritic Concretionary; distrofic Low Humic Gley. The work was to continue the qualitative analysis by X-rays diffraction, identifying the mineralogical composition of each sample. Explaining the mineralogical conditions that affect or benefit the environment. (author)

Synthesis of research on Biogrout soil improvement method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zsolt KALTENBACHER

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Because of the great rhythm of city developments, there is a great need for a new cost effective method for ground improvement. In this paper, a few chemical improvement technologies and a new biological ground improvement method called Biogrout are discussed. The method, used in the paper for a Sarmatian sand in Transylvania (Feleac locality implies using microorganisms as catalysts in order to induce a microbial carbonate precipitation (MICP to increase the strength and stiffness of cohesionless soils. For this calcium based procedure, the bacteria Sporosarcina Pasteurii (DSMZ 33 is used, while for the treatment solution urea (CO(NH22 and calcium chloride (CaCl2 are used. The study presents the triaxial testing of sand probes treated with Biogrout and the comparison of results obtained with untreated sand probes.

Studies on fact of 14C-lindane in soil and chickpea plants under laboratory conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meguenni, H.

1997-01-01

The degradation of 14 C-lindane (γ-1,2,3,4,5,6 - hexachlorocyclohexane) was investigated under laboratory conditions. Chickpea plants and soil were treated with 14 C-lindane. The results indicated a decrease of lindane on the plant surface from 36.6% to 6.5% and a corresponding increase in extractable residues from within the plant from 12.5% to 34.5% during the 60 days of the trial. In the soil, extractable residues decreased from 47.4% to 31.2%. Bound residues in both plant and soil remained low throughout the trial. After 60 days, the chickpea plants took up 16.4% of the lindane applied to the soil. (author). 2 refs, 7 figs

The impact of oscillating redox conditions: Arsenic immobilisation in contaminated calcareous floodplain soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parsons, Christopher T.; Couture, Raoul-Marie; Omoregie, Enoma O.; Bardelli, Fabrizio; Greneche, Jean-Marc; Roman-Ross, Gabriela; Charlet, Laurent

2013-01-01

Arsenic contamination of floodplain soils is extensive and additional fresh arsenic inputs to the pedosphere from human activities are ongoing. We investigate the cumulative effects of repetitive soil redox cycles, which occur naturally during flooding and draining, on a calcareous fluvisol, the native microbial community and arsenic mobility following a simulated contamination event. We show through bioreactor experiments, spectroscopic techniques and modelling that repetitive redox cycling can decrease arsenic mobility during reducing conditions by up to 45%. Phylogenetic and functional analyses of the microbial community indicate that iron cycling is a key driver of observed changes to solution chemistry. We discuss probable mechanisms responsible for the arsenic immobilisation observed in-situ. The proposed mechanisms include, decreased heterotrophic iron reduction due to the depletion of labile particulate organic matter (POM), increases to the proportion of co-precipitated vs. aqueous or sorbed arsenic with α-FeOOH/Fe(OH) 3 and potential precipitation of amorphous ferric arsenate. Highlights: •Oscillating redox conditions and heterotrophic metabolism are implemented in PHREEQC. •Depletion of labile organic matter limits iron reduction and arsenic release. •Amorphous FeAsO 4 ∙2H 2 O precipitation potentially limits arsenic mobility during redox cycling. •Water fluctuating zones may naturally attenuate arsenic liberation during flooding. -- We demonstrate through batch experiments, spectroscopy and modelling that repetitive cycles of oxidation and reduction decrease arsenic mobility in soils during subsequent reducing conditions

Quantification of trace arsenic in soils by field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry: considerations for sample preparation and measurement conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Chris; Margui Grabulosa, Eva; Pili, Eric; Floor, Geerke H; Roman-Ross, Gabriela; Charlet, Laurent

2013-11-15

Recent technological improvements have led to the widespread adoption of field portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) by governmental agencies, environmental consultancies and research institutions. FP-XRF units often include analysis modes specifically designed for the quantification of trace elements in soils. Using these modes, X-ray tube based FP-XRF units can offer almost "point and shoot" ease of use and results comparable to those of laboratory based instruments. Nevertheless, FP-XRF analysis is sensitive to spectral interferences as well as physical and chemical matrix effects which can result in decreased precision and accuracy. In this study, an X-ray tube-based FP-XRF analyser was used to determine trace (low ppm) concentrations of As in a floodplain soil. The effect of different sample preparation and analysis conditions on precision and accuracy were systematically evaluated. We propose strategies to minimise sources of error and maximise data precision and accuracy, achieving in situ limits of detection and precision of 6.8 ppm and 14.4%RSD, respectively for arsenic. We demonstrate that soil moisture, even in relatively dry soils, dramatically affects analytical performance with a signal loss of 37% recorded for arsenic at 20 wt% soil moisture relative to dry soil. We also highlight the importance of the use of certified reference materials and independent measurement methods to ensure accurate correction of field values. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the timescales over which exogenous and endogenous conditions affect soil respiration.

Science.gov (United States)

Barron-Gafford, Greg A; Cable, Jessica M; Bentley, Lisa Patrick; Scott, Russell L; Huxman, Travis E; Jenerette, G Darrel; Ogle, Kiona

2014-04-01

Understanding how exogenous and endogenous factors and above-ground-below-ground linkages modulate carbon dynamics is difficult because of the influences of antecedent conditions. For example, there are variable lags between above-ground assimilation and below-ground efflux, and the duration of antecedent periods are often arbitrarily assigned. Nonetheless, developing models linking above- and below-ground processes is crucial for estimating current and future carbon dynamics. We collected data on leaf-level photosynthesis (Asat ) and soil respiration (Rsoil ) in different microhabitats (under shrubs vs under bunchgrasses) in the Sonoran Desert. We evaluated timescales over which endogenous and exogenous factors control Rsoil by analyzing data in the context of a semimechanistic temperature-response model of Rsoil that incorporated effects of antecedent exogenous (soil water) and endogenous (Asat ) conditions. For both microhabitats, antecedent soil water and Asat significantly affected Rsoil , but Rsoil under shrubs was more sensitive to Asat than that under bunchgrasses. Photosynthetic rates 1 and 3 d before the Rsoil measurement were most important in determining current-day Rsoil under bunchgrasses and shrubs, respectively, indicating a significant lag effect. Endogenous and exogenous controls are critical drivers of Rsoil , but the relative importance and the timescale over which each factor affects Rsoil depends on above-ground vegetation and ecosystem structure characteristics. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Using purposeful landscape zoning of Ukraine to improve soil protection system

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Володимир Тишковець

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Basic aspects of Ukrainian landscapes target zoning use for maintenance of soil protection system on agricultural lands have been presented. The analysis of current systems of purposeful zoning of territories in the country and modern approaches to its modernization has been done. The ameliorative functions of forest in accordance with existing main and supportive negative factors, forms and intensiveness of its appearance in concrete types of landscapes have been explained. The questions of forest projection optimization in accordance with natural-climatic conditions of certain regions have been described. The ways of qualitative new use of agroforest ameliorative measures have been determined. The new zoning system on the basis of main soil erosion factors principally differs from the previous systems. The proposed zoning method is characterized by complexity, involving main physical, geographical and agricultural factors in the order of their impact on soil erosion processes. These factors consist of climate (water and temperature regime, relief and character of agricultural use of territory. Meanwhile, other factors (soil, vegetative cover and other are used simultaneously with the main factors. That kind of zoning by the main factors of soil erosion is only the first stage. The second stage should be zoning by types of systems of counter erosion measures. In this article the authors have shown that when choosing agrarian ameliorative methods, the influence on negative factors on agriculture should be considered in the new zoning of the territory. A number of references and fund materials, including those of territorial zoning have been analyzed in the article. Preferences and negative aspects as well as selection of a basis for new agrarian ameliorative zoning of Ukrainian landscapes which includes the full information of factors and conditions of formation and expansion of negative factors for agriculture have been proposed.

THE ESTIMATION OF SOME CHANGES OF SOIL PHYSICAL STATE UNDER THE EFFECT OF LAND RECLAMATION TECHNOLOGIES, IN THE CONDITION OF SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE IN BAIA-MOLDOVA DEPPRESSION

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V. Moca

2006-10-01

Full Text Available In the pedo-climatic conditions of Suceava County that extends on a total surface of 855 300 ha, the balance of agricultural land affected by humidity excess with temporar or permanent character is differenciated from south to north and from east to west, between 30 % till 40%, which means almost 100 000 ha. On these soils with underground water or pluvial excess hydro ameliorative drainage systems have been installed, associated to a complex agroameliorative works. For long effect estimation of the underground drainage asociated with the agropedoameliorative works upon the some physical and hydrophysical characteristics, there were analyzed the soil and the environment conditions from Baia field. For this reason, we analyzed the agrophysical conditions for luvisol albic pseudogleic (SRCS-1980, respectively luvosol albic stagnic-glosic (SRTS-2003 albic luvosoil drained and cultivated, after a period of 28 years (1978-2006 use. The obtained data regarding to te water balance and the evolution of the major physical properties of soil, under the influence of drainage and amelioration works, put into evidence in the first stage (1978-1986 a general improvement of the aerohidrycal state and physical-chemical conditioning. In the next two experimental cycles of 10 years each, have been noticed a increased of compaction degree of soil drained and cultivated on 0-30 cm depth, from weak loose to moderately compaction depending on the remanence of the reclamation technologies.

The CO2 emission in urbanic soils in the conditions of intensive technogenic pollution

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Deviatova, Tatiana; Alaeva, Liliia; Negrobova, Elena; Kramareva, Tatiana

2017-04-01

Massive industrial pollution of the environment including soils leads to drastic changes in the vital activity of microorganisms, plants and animals. As objects of research was selected soils of the industrial and residential zones, farmland soils, forest soils. Comparative analysis showed that the emission of CO2 urbanizable increase compared to the suburban soils in recreational areas is 1.5 times, in the residential and industrial zones - in 3-5 times. In addition, identified a local point located in the vicinity of chemical plants, where soil CO2 emission increased up to 40 times compared to the suburban soils. Air technogenic pollution of soils by industrial emissions and transport enhances the mineralization of soil organic matter, increases its lability. These trends are associated with nonspecific adaptive reactions of the soil microbial complex in terms of pollution. Strengthening of the processes of mineralization may be due to the increase in the proportion of fungi in the microbial community. According to numerous reports they are more resistant to pollution compared to bacteria and actinomycetes. Admission to the soil organic matter of anthropogenic origin also increases the process of mineralization. According to the findings, low concentrations of petroleum products lead to increased "breathing" of the soil. Strengthening of the processes of mineralization and, consequently, of CO2 emissions, in the conditions of technogenic pollution of the soils identified in our studies, confirmed by numerous studies by other authors. According to reports in Russia the emission of CO2 from soils is 4.5 times higher than the industrial receipt of its atmosphere. The contribution of local anthropogenic CO2 emissions is not so significant compared to the indirect influence of soil pollution on increased CO2 emissions. Consequently, the expansion of technogenic contaminated soil is becoming a more significant factor adversely affecting the state of the atmosphere

Improving terrestrial evaporation estimates over continental Australia through assimilation of SMOS soil moisture

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Martens, B.; Miralles, D.; Lievens, H.; Fernández-Prieto, D.; Verhoest, N. E. C.

2016-06-01

Terrestrial evaporation is an essential variable in the climate system that links the water, energy and carbon cycles over land. Despite this crucial importance, it remains one of the most uncertain components of the hydrological cycle, mainly due to known difficulties to model the constraints imposed by land water availability on terrestrial evaporation. The main objective of this study is to assimilate satellite soil moisture observations from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission into an existing evaporation model. Our over-arching goal is to find an optimal use of satellite soil moisture that can help to improve our understanding of evaporation at continental scales. To this end, the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) is used to simulate evaporation fields over continental Australia for the period September 2010-December 2013. SMOS soil moisture observations are assimilated using a Newtonian Nudging algorithm in a series of experiments. Model estimates of surface soil moisture and evaporation are validated against soil moisture probe and eddy-covariance measurements, respectively. Finally, an analogous experiment in which Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) soil moisture is assimilated (instead of SMOS) allows to perform a relative assessment of the quality of both satellite soil moisture products. Results indicate that the modelled soil moisture from GLEAM can be improved through the assimilation of SMOS soil moisture: the average correlation coefficient between in situ measurements and the modelled soil moisture over the complete sample of stations increased from 0.68 to 0.71 and a statistical significant increase in the correlations is achieved for 17 out of the 25 individual stations. Our results also suggest a higher accuracy of the ascending SMOS data compared to the descending data, and overall higher quality of SMOS compared to AMSR-E retrievals over Australia. On the other hand, the effect of soil moisture data

Improvement of the soil nitrogen content and maize growth by earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soils polluted by oxytetracycline.

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Cao, Jia; Wang, Chong; Ji, Dingge

2016-11-15

Interactions between earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus intraradices, AM fungi) have been suggested to improve the maize nitrogen (N) content and biomass and were studied in soils polluted by oxytetracycline (OTC). Maize was planted and amended with AMF and/or earthworms (E) in the soil with low (1mgkg(-1) soil DM) or high (100mgkg(-1) soil DM) amounts of OTC pollution in comparison to soil without OTC. The root colonization, shoot and root biomass, shoot and root N contents, soil nitrogen forms, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) were measured at harvest. The results indicated that OTC decreased maize shoot and root biomass (psoil urease activity and AOB and AOA abundance, which resulted in a lower N availability for maize roots and shoots. There was a significant interaction between earthworms and AM fungi on the urease activity in soil polluted by OTC (ppolluted soil by increasing the urease activity and relieving the stress from OTC on the soil N cycle. AM fungi and earthworms interactively increased maize shoot and root biomass (ppolluted soils through their regulation of the urease activity and the abundance of ammonia oxidizers, resulting in different soil NH4(+)-N and NO3(-)-N contents, which may contribute to the N content of maize shoots and roots. Earthworms and AM fungi could be used as an efficient method to relieve the OTC stress in agro-ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Land agroecological quality assessment in conditions of high spatial soil cover variability at the Pereslavskoye Opolye.

Science.gov (United States)

Morev, Dmitriy; Vasenev, Ivan

2015-04-01

The essential spatial variability is mutual feature for most natural and man-changed soils at the Central region of European territory of Russia. The original spatial heterogeneity of forest soils has been further complicated by a specific land-use history and human impacts. For demand-driven land-use planning and decision making the quantitative analysis and agroecological interpretation of representative soil cover spatial variability is an important and challenging task that receives increasing attention from private companies, governmental and environmental bodies. Pereslavskoye Opolye is traditionally actively used in agriculture due to dominated high-quality cultivated soddy-podzoluvisols which are relatively reached in organic matter (especially for conditions of the North part at the European territory of Russia). However, the soil cover patterns are often very complicated even within the field that significantly influences on crop yield variability and have to be considered in farming system development and land agroecological quality evaluation. The detailed investigations of soil regimes and mapping of the winter rye yield have been carried in conditions of two representative fields with slopes sharply contrasted both in aspects and degrees. Rye biological productivity and weed infestation have been measured in elementary plots of 0.25 m2 with the following analysis the quality of the yield. In the same plot soil temperature and moisture have been measured by portable devices. Soil sampling was provided from three upper layers by drilling. The results of ray yield detailed mapping shown high differences both in average values and within-field variability on different slopes. In case of low-gradient slope (field 1) there is variability of ray yield from 39.4 to 44.8 dt/ha. In case of expressed slope (field 2) the same species of winter rye grown with the same technology has essentially lower yield and within-field variability from 20 to 29.6 dt/ha. The

Conditions for effective removal of pyrene from an artificially contaminated soil using Pseudomonas aeruginosa 57SJ rhamnolipids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bordas, Francois; Lafrance, Pierre; Villemur, Richard

2005-01-01

The efficacy of a new rhamnolipid biosurfactants mixture to enhance the removal of pyrene from a soil artificially contaminated was investigated. The molar solubilization ratio (MSR) and the partition coefficient between the micelles and water (log K m ) were found to be 7.5 x 10 -3 and 5.7, respectively. From soil column studies, the pyrene removal increased linearly with the concentration of the injected biosurfactants solution above the effective critical micellar concentration (0.4 g L -1 ). Flushing with a 5.0 g L -1 biosurfactants solution increased the pyrene concentration in the effluent by 178 times. At high biosurfactants' concentrations (2.5 and 5.0 g L -1 ), the cumulative pyrene recovery reached 70%. This pyrene remobilization takes place independently of the soil organic carbon solubilization. This study provides a combination of batch and column experiments in order to find the conditions for effective soil remediation using a new rhamnolipids mixture. - The potential of newly isolated biosurfactants to mobilize PAHs from contaminated soils was evaluated from the determination in dynamic conditions of their effective critical micellar concentration

Joint Sentinel-1 and SMAP data assimilation to improve soil moisture estimates

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Lievens, H.; Reichle, R. H.; Liu, Q.; De Lannoy, G.; Dunbar, R. S.; Kim, S.; Das, N. N.; Cosh, M. H.; Walker, J. P.; Wagner, W.

2017-12-01

SMAP (Soil Moisture Active and Passive) radiometer observations at 40 km resolution are routinely assimilated into the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM) to generate the SMAP Level 4 Soil Moisture product. The use of C-band radar backscatter observations from Sentinel-1 has the potential to add value to the radiance assimilation by increasing the level of spatial detail. The specifications of Sentinel-1 are appealing, particularly its high spatial resolution (5 by 20 m in interferometric wide swath mode) and frequent revisit time (6 day repeat cycle for the Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B constellation). However, the shorter wavelength of Sentinel-1 observations implies less sensitivity to soil moisture. This study investigates the value of Sentinel-1 data for hydrologic simulations by assimilating the radar observations into CLSM, either separately from or simultaneously with SMAP radiometer observations. To facilitate the assimilation of the radar observations, CLSM is coupled to the water cloud model, simulating the radar backscatter as observed by Sentinel-1. The innovations, i.e. differences between observations and simulations, are converted into increments to the model soil moisture state through an Ensemble Kalman Filter. The assimilation impact is assessed by comparing 3-hourly, 9 km surface and root-zone soil moisture simulations with in situ measurements from 9 km SMAP core validation sites and sparse networks, from May 2015 to 2017. The Sentinel-1 assimilation consistently improves surface soil moisture, whereas root-zone impacts are mostly neutral. Relatively larger improvements are obtained from SMAP assimilation. The joint assimilation of SMAP and Sentinel-1 observations performs best, demonstrating the complementary value of radar and radiometer observations.

Evaluation of Chemical and Mineralogical Transformation of Iron in Different Soils in Saturated and Field Capacity Conditions

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M. Saadatpour Mogaddam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Redox potential is one of the most important factors affecting on the solubility of iron minerals in soil. Decreasing redox potential in soil reduces Fe3+ to Fe2+, thereby affecting on solubility of Fe minerals. Application of organic matter to soil under waterlogging condition, decrease redox potential and as a consequence, accelerate the transformation of Fe minerals. The objectives of this study were: 1- The effect of waterlogging on the soluble total Fe concentration and transformation of Fe minerals in different soil pH values. 2- The indirect effects of organic matter on solubility of Fe minerals by changing the redox potential of the soils. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted to determine the effects of redox potential on solubility of Fe and transformation of Fe minerals during the time. Four agricultural soils were selected from different regions of Iran. The soil samples were treated with 0 (Cand 2% (O alfalfa powder and then incubated for 12 weeks under 60% Field capacity (F and waterlogged conditions (S. Subsamples were taken after 1and 12 weeks of incubation and the redox potential, pH value, electrical conductivity (EC, soluble cations (such as Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ and anions (such as Cl-, SO42-, PO43- and NO3- and soluble Fe concentrations in the subsamples were measured. Concentrations of Fe2+ and Fe3+ species in soil solution were also predicted using Visual MINTEQ speciation program. Mineralogical transformation of Fe minerals was also determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD technique. Results and Discussion: The results in 60% Field capacity condition showed that pH value by organic matter (alfalfa powder application (OF increased significantly (p≤ 0.05 in acid and neutral soils and decreased in calcareous soils when compared to the control (CF. Organic matter is usually capable of lowering pH of alkaline soils by releasing hydrogen ions associated with organic anions or by nitrification in an open

Soil transport parameters of potassium under a tropical saline soil condition using STANMOD

Science.gov (United States)

Suzanye da Silva Santos, Rafaelly; Honorio de Miranda, Jarbas; Previatello da Silva, Livia

2015-04-01

Environmental responsibility and concerning about the final destination of solutes in soil, so more studies allow a better understanding about the solutes behaviour in soil. Potassium is a macronutrient that is required in high concentrations, been an extremely important nutrient for all agricultural crops. It plays essential roles in physiological processes vital for plant growth, from protein synthesis to maintenance of plant water balance, and is available to plants dissolved in soil water while exchangeable K is loosely held on the exchange sites on the surface of clay particles. K will tend to be adsorbed onto the surface of negatively charged soil particles. Potassium uptake is vital for plant growth but in saline soils sodium competes with potassium for uptake across the plasma membrane of plant cells. This can result in high Na+:K+ ratios that reduce plant growth and eventually become toxic. This study aimed to obtain soil transport parameters of potassium in saline soil, such as: pore water velocity in soil (v), retardation factor (R), dispersivity (λ) and dispersion coefficient (D), in a disturbed sandy soil with different concentrations of potassium chlorate solution (KCl), which is one of the most common form of potassium fertilizer. The experiment was carried out using soil samples collected in a depth of 0 to 20 cm, applying potassium chlorate solution containing 28.6, 100, 200 and 500 mg L-1 of K. To obtain transport parameters, the data were adjusted with the software STANMOD. At low concentrations, interaction between potassium and soil occur more efficiently. It was observed that only the breakthrough curve prepared with solution of 500 mg L-1 reached the applied concentration, and the solution of 28.6 mg L-1 overestimated the parameters values. The STANMOD proved to be efficient in obtaining potassium transport parameters; KCl solution to be applied should be greater than 500 mg L-1; solutions with low concentrations tend to overestimate

Improved Assimilation of Streamflow and Satellite Soil Moisture with the Evolutionary Particle Filter and Geostatistical Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Hongxiang; Moradkhani, Hamid; Abbaszadeh, Peyman

2017-04-01

Assimilation of satellite soil moisture and streamflow data into hydrologic models using has received increasing attention over the past few years. Currently, these observations are increasingly used to improve the model streamflow and soil moisture predictions. However, the performance of this land data assimilation (DA) system still suffers from two limitations: 1) satellite data scarcity and quality; and 2) particle weight degeneration. In order to overcome these two limitations, we propose two possible solutions in this study. First, the general Gaussian geostatistical approach is proposed to overcome the limitation in the space/time resolution of satellite soil moisture products thus improving their accuracy at uncovered/biased grid cells. Secondly, an evolutionary PF approach based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), the so-called EPF-MCMC, is developed to further reduce weight degeneration and improve the robustness of the land DA system. This study provides a detailed analysis of the joint and separate assimilation of streamflow and satellite soil moisture into a distributed Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model, with the use of recently developed EPF-MCMC and the general Gaussian geostatistical approach. Performance is assessed over several basins in the USA selected from Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX) and located in different climate regions. The results indicate that: 1) the general Gaussian approach can predict the soil moisture at uncovered grid cells within the expected satellite data quality threshold; 2) assimilation of satellite soil moisture inferred from the general Gaussian model can significantly improve the soil moisture predictions; and 3) in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic measures, the EPF-MCMC can achieve better streamflow predictions. These results recommend that the geostatistical model is a helpful tool to aid the remote sensing technique and the EPF-MCMC is a

Carbon Mineralization Can Be Sustained or Even Stimulated under Fluctuating Redox Conditions in Tropical and Temperate Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, W.; Hall, S. J.

2017-12-01

Soil carbon (C) mineralization is widely thought to be affected by O2 availability, and anaerobiosis represents a significant global mechanism of C stabilization. However, mineral-associated organic C (e.g. Fe-bound organic C) may be vulnerable to redox fluctuations due to release following Fe reduction, which could counteract protective effects of anaerobiosis. Many soils, including temperate Mollisols and tropical Oxisols, experience fluctuating redox conditions following moisture variations that could impact C cycling and stabilization. Here we incubated two soils with C4 leaf litter at different duration and frequencies of anaerobic periods for 128 days to investigate how redox fluctuations affect soil C mineralization. The treatments included static aerobic (control), and 2-, 4-, 8- and 12- day anaerobic followed by 4-day aerobic. We measured CO2, CH4, and their C isotope ratios. Longer durations of anaerobic conditions promoted greater Fe reduction and more DOC released. Notably, in both soils despite their large differences in composition, the production of CO2 and CH4 was stimulated under aerobic conditions following anaerobic conditions (relative to the control), which compensated for the decrease under anaerobic conditions. After 128 days, cumulative C mineralization in the control was similar between the Mollisol (9.7 mg C g-1) and the Oxisol (10.1 mg C g-1). The value in the Mollisol was significantly higher in the 12-day anaerobic treatment (11.2 mg C g-1) than the aerobic control and the 2-day anaerobic treatment (9.7 mg C g-1). In the Oxisol, cumulative C mineralization was not significantly affected by any of the fluctuating redox treatments relative to the control. Our findings challenge theory by showing that redox fluctuations can counteract the suppressive effects of O2 limitation on decomposition.

Role of soil geochemical and microbiological components on selenium behaviour in oxic and anoxic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darcheville, O.

2008-09-01

Selenium (Se) is naturally present in the environment. Se is essential for living organisms at trace concentrations, but it becomes rapidly toxic with their increases. The 79 Se radioactive isotopes of Se, is found in nuclear wastes that may be buried in deep geological formations. In soil, Se exists in many forms and its mobility is affected by the redox potential and microbial activity. Very few studies have focused on Se behaviour at trace concentration. We have tried to distinguish the major abiotic geochemical and microbiological processes involved in the fate of trace selenite (Se(IV)) in a soil. The study was based on batch incubation in oxic or anoxic conditions of slurry suspension artificially contaminated with Se (IV) to 0.4 mg Se.kg -1 dry soil. The incubation involved sterilized and non-sterile soil samples with or without organic amendment to stimulate microbial activities. For each incubation, we followed the distribution of Se between solid, liquid and gaseous phases as well as the geochemical evolution of the solution, the composition of the atmosphere gas bottles and the soil microflora. The results showed that Se was relatively few mobile in the soil studied. Geochemical processes played a major role in controlling the Se mobility. Over time, some abiotic transformations in the solid phase contributed to increase the Se immobilisation. The microbiological processes contributed to this increase in the solid phase. Moreover, in oxic as in anoxic conditions, some microbial processes were responsible, to a lesser extent, for a dispersion of Se in the atmosphere by the production of volatile compounds. (author)

Evaporation from Pinus caribaea plantations on former grassland soils under maritime tropical conditions.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waterloo, M.J.; Bruijnzeel, L.A.; Vugts, H.F.; Rawaqa, T.T.

1999-01-01

Wet canopy and dry canopy evaporation from young and mature plantations of Pinus caribaea on former grassland soils under maritime tropical conditions in southwestern Viti Levu, Fiji, were determined using micrometeorological and hydrological techniques. Modeled annual evaporation totals (ET) of

Evaporation from Pinus caribaea plantations on former grassland soils under maritime tropical conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waterloo, M.J.; Bruijnzeel, L.A.; Vugts, H.F.; Rawaqa, T.T.

1999-01-01

Wet canopy and dry canopy evaporation from young and mature plantations of Pinus caribaea on former grassland soils under maritime tropical conditions in southwestern Viti Levu, Fiji, were determined using micrometeorological and hydrological techniques. Modeled annual evaporation totals (ET) of

Improving the mining soil quality for a vegetation cover after addition of sewage sludges: inorganic ions and low-molecular-weight organic acids in the soil solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Peña, Aránzazu; Mingorance, Mª Dolores; Guzmán-Carrizosa, Ignacio; Fernández-Espinosa, Antonio J

2015-03-01

We assessed the effects of applying stabilized sewage sludge (SSL) and composted sewage sludge (CLV), at 5 and 10% to an acid mining soil. Limed soil (NCL) amended or not with SSL and CLV was incubated for 47 days. We studied the cations and organic and inorganic anions in the soil solution by means of ion chromatography. Liming led to big increases in Ca(2+) and SO4(2-) and to significant decreases in K(+), Mg(2+), NH4(+) and NO3(-). Addition of both organic amendments increased some cations (NH4(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Na(+)) and anions (Cl(-), NO3(-) only with CLV and PO4(3-) only with SSL) and provided a greater amount of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) (SSL more than CLV). Incubation led to decreases in all cations, particularly remarkable for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) in SSL-10. A decrease in NH4(+) was associated with variations in NO2(-) and NO3(-) resulting from nitrification reactions. During incubation the LMWOAs content tended to decrease similarly to the cations, especially in SSL-10. Chemometric tools revealed a clear discrimination between SSL, CLV and NCL. Furthermore, treatment effects depended upon dose, mainly in SSL. Amendment nature and dose affect the quality of a mining soil and improve conditions for plant establishment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Aspergillus niger-treated agrowaste residue and Glomus mosseae for improving growth and nutrition of Trifolium repens in a Cd-contaminated soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, A; Vassilev, N; Barea, J M; Azcón, R

2005-04-06

The microbial transformation of sugar beet (SB) agrowaste with or without rock-phosphate (RP) has utility for the improvement of plant growth in a Cd (5 microg g-1) artificially contaminated soil, particularly when the soil is co-inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus mosseae isolated from a Cd-polluted area. Under such Cd-polluted conditions, the limited growth, mineral nutrition, symbiotic developments (nodulation and AM-colonization) and soil enzymatic activities were stimulated using SB or SB+RP as soil amendments and G. mosseae as inoculant. G. mosseae enhanced plant establishment in a higher extent in amended soil; it is probably due to the interactive effect increasing the potential fertility of such compounds and its ability for decreasing Cd transfer from soil to plant. The amount of Cd transferred from soil solution to biomass of AM-colonized plants ranged from 0.09 microg Cd g-1 (in SB+RP-amended soil) to 0.6 microg Cd g-1 (in non-amended soil). Nodule formation was more sensitive to Cd than AM-colonization, and both symbioses were stimulated in amended soils. Not only AM-colonization but also amendments were critical for plant growth and nutrition in Cd-polluted soil. The high effectiveness of AM inoculum increasing nutrients and decreasing Cd in amended soil indicated the positive interaction of these treatments in increasing plant tolerance to Cd contamination.

An adaptive management process for forest soil conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael P. Curran; Douglas G. Maynard; Ronald L. Heninger; Thomas A. Terry; Steven W. Howes; Douglas M. Stone; Thomas Niemann; Richard E. Miller; Robert F. Powers

2005-01-01

Soil disturbance guidelines should be based on comparable disturbance categories adapted to specific local soil conditions, validated by monitoring and research. Guidelines, standards, and practices should be continually improved based on an adaptive management process, which is presented in this paper. Core components of this process include: reliable monitoring...

Seasonal soil VOC exchange rates in a Mediterranean holm oak forest and their responses to drought conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Asensio, Dolores; Peñuelas, Josep; Ogaya, Romà; Llusià, Joan

Available information on soil volatile organic compound (VOC) exchange, emissions and uptake, is very scarce. We here describe the amounts and seasonality of soil VOC exchange during a year in a natural Mediterranean holm oak forest growing in Southern Catalonia. We investigated changes in soil VOC dynamics in drought conditions by decreasing the soil moisture to 30% of ambient conditions by artificially excluding rainfall and water runoff, and predicted the response of VOC exchange to the drought forecasted in the Mediterranean region for the next decades by GCM and ecophysiological models. The annual average of the total (detected) soil VOC and total monoterpene exchange rates were 3.2±3.2 and -0.4±0.3 μg m -2 h -1, respectively, in control plots. These values represent 0.003% of the total C emitted by soil at the study site as CO 2 whereas the annual mean of soil monoterpene exchange represents 0.0004% of total C. Total soil VOC exchange rates in control plots showed seasonal variations following changes in soil moisture and phenology. Maximum values were found in spring (17±8 μg m -2 h -1). Although there was no significant global effect of drought treatment on the total soil VOC exchange rates, annual average of total VOC exchange rates in drought plots resulted in an uptake rate (-0.5±1.8 μg m -2 h -1) instead of positive net emission rates. Larger soil VOC and monoterpene exchanges were measured in drought plots than in control plots in summer, which might be mostly attributable to autotrophic (roots) metabolism. The results show that the diversity and magnitude of monoterpene and VOC soil emissions are low compared with plant emissions, that they are driven by soil moisture, that they represent a very small part of the soil-released carbon and that they may be strongly reduced or even reversed into net uptakes by the predicted decreases of soil water availability in the next decades. In all cases, it seems that VOC fluxes in soil might have greater

Organic carbon and reducing conditions lead to cadmium immobilization by secondary Fe mineral formation in a pH-neutral soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Muehe, E Marie; Adaktylou, Irini J; Obst, Martin; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Behrens, Sebastian; Planer-Friedrich, Britta; Kraemer, Ute; Kappler, Andreas

2013-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) is of environmental relevance as it enters soils via Cd-containing phosphate fertilizers and endangers human health when taken up by crops. Cd is known to associate with Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides in pH-neutral to slightly acidic soils, though it is not well understood how the interrelation of Fe and Cd changes under Fe(III)-reducing conditions. Therefore, we investigated how the mobility of Cd changes when a Cd-bearing soil is faced with organic carbon input and reducing conditions. Using fatty acid profiles and quantitative PCR, we found that both fermenting and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria were stimulated by organic carbon-rich conditions, leading to significant Fe(III) reduction. The reduction of Fe(III) minerals was accompanied by increasing soil pH, increasing dissolved inorganic carbon, and decreasing Cd mobility. SEM-EDX mapping of soil particles showed that a minor fraction of Cd was transferred to Ca- and S-bearing minerals, probably carbonates and sulfides. Most of the Cd, however, correlated with a secondary iron mineral phase that was formed during microbial Fe(III) mineral reduction and contained mostly Fe, suggesting an iron oxide mineral such as magnetite (Fe3O4). Our data thus provide evidence that secondary Fe(II) and Fe(II)/Fe(III) mixed minerals could be a sink for Cd in soils under reducing conditions, thus decreasing the mobility of Cd in the soil.

Mercury critical concentrations to Enchytraeus crypticus (Annelida: Oligochaeta) under normal and extreme conditions of moisture in tropical soils - Reproduction and survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Buch, Andressa Cristhy; Schmelz, Rüdiger M; Niva, Cintia Carla; Correia, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes; Silva-Filho, Emmanoel Vieira

2017-05-01

Soil provides many ecosystem services that are essential to maintain its quality and healthy development of the flora, fauna and human well-being. Environmental mercury levels may harm the survival and diversity of the soil fauna. In this respect, efforts have been made to establish limit values of mercury (Hg) in soils to terrestrial fauna. Soil organisms such as earthworms and enchytraeids have intimate contact with trace metals in soil by their oral and dermal routes, reflecting the potentially adverse effects of this contaminant. The main goal of this study was to obtain Hg critical concentrations under normal and extreme conditions of moisture in tropical soils to Enchytraeus crypticus to order to assess if climate change may potentiate their acute and chronic toxicity effects. Tropical soils were sampled from of two Forest Conservation Units of the Rio de Janeiro State - Brazil, which has been contaminated by Hg atmospheric depositions. Worms were exposed to three moisture conditions, at 20%, 50% and 80% of water holding capacity, respectively, and in combination with different Hg (HgCl 2 ) concentrations spiked in three types of tropical soil (two natural soils and one artificial soil). The tested concentrations ranged from 0 to 512mg Hg kg -1 dry weight. Results indicate that the Hg toxicity is higher under increased conditions of moisture, significantly affecting survival and reproduction rate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of sodium hypochlorite and high pH buffer solution in electrokinetic soil treatment on soil chromium removal and the functional diversity of soil microbial community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cang Long; Zhou Dongmei; Alshawabkeh, Akram N.; Chen Haifeng

2007-01-01

Effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), applied as an oxidant in catholyte, and high pH buffer solution on soil Cr removal and the functional diversity of soil microbial community during enhanced electrokinetic treatments of a chromium (Cr) contaminated red soil are evaluated. Using pH control system to maintain high alkalinity of soil together with the use of NaClO increased the electrical conductivities of soil pore liquid and electroosmotic flux compared with the control (Exp-01). The pH control and NaClO improved the removal of Cr(VI) and total Cr from the soil. The highest removal percentages of soil Cr(VI) and total Cr were 96 and 72%, respectively, in Exp-04 when the pH value of the anolyte was controlled at 10 and NaClO was added in the catholyte. The alkaline soil environment and introduction of NaClO in the soil enhanced the desorption of Cr(VI) from the soil and promoted Cr(III) oxidation to mobile Cr(VI), respectively. However, the elevated pH and introduction of NaClO in the soil, which are necessary for improving the removal efficiency of soil Cr, resulted in a significantly adverse impact on the functional diversity of soil microbial community. It suggests that to assess the negative impact of extreme conditions for enhancing the extraction efficiencies of Cr on the soil properties and function is necessary

Estimation of improved resolution soil moisture in vegetated areas using passive AMSR-E data

Science.gov (United States)

Moradizadeh, Mina; Saradjian, Mohammad R.

2018-03-01

Microwave remote sensing provides a unique capability for soil parameter retrievals. Therefore, various soil parameters estimation models have been developed using brightness temperature (BT) measured by passive microwave sensors. Due to the low resolution of satellite microwave radiometer data, the main goal of this study is to develop a downscaling approach to improve the spatial resolution of soil moisture estimates with the use of higher resolution visible/infrared sensor data. Accordingly, after the soil parameters have been obtained using Simultaneous Land Parameters Retrieval Model algorithm, the downscaling method has been applied to the soil moisture estimations that have been validated against in situ soil moisture data. Advance Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS BT data in Soil Moisture Experiment 2003 region in the south and north of Oklahoma have been used to this end. Results illustrated that the soil moisture variability is effectively captured at 5 km spatial scales without a significant degradation of the accuracy.

Restoration of soil fertility and improvement of cropping systems for sustainable development in the humid savannahs of Cote d'Ivoire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachmann, T.

1999-01-01

The present FAO-project addresses the soil fertility problems by combining organic with inorganic nutrient sources and actively involving farmers and other beneficiaries in an integrated, long-term development process. A major objective of the project is the participatory on-farm testing and validation of available technological innovations for soil fertility improvement. The results should fulfill two main requirements: (i) provide the farmer with a short-term production increase and (ii) improve/maintain soil fertility in the medium and long-term. The strategic framework of the project is based on the following three main elements: the need to take into account all aspects of soil fertility restoration including areas concerned, cost of fertility restoration, and economic profitability and sustainability; - the need to test all fertility improving measures at farm level in representative agro-ecozones of the humid and sub-humid savannas before their extension at large; the need to identify major macro-economic constraints (e.g. marketing) which impede sustainable agricultural development in the savannah region. The primary goal of the project is to replace traditional shifting cultivation in the humid savannas of the country by economically, ecologically and socially more sustainable production systems. In order to achieve this development objective the project focuses on the following main issues: restoration of soil fertility through improved land and crop management and more efficient use of mineral and organic fertilizers; crop diversification through more efficient use of water resources (irrigation); introduction of new cropping systems which have been successfully tested in countries with similar agro-ecological conditions; adapting traditional land tenure to the market economy; involving the private sector in all aspects of regional development assisted by Government through the creation of a favorable environment. Phase 1: constraint analysis and

Boundary Condition Effects on Hillslope Form and Soil Development Along a Climatic Gradient From Semiarid to Hyperarid in Northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Owen, J. J.; Dietrich, W. E.; Nishiizumi, K.; Bellugi, D.; Amundson, R.

2008-12-01

Modeling the development of hillslopes using mass balance equations has generated many testable hypotheses related to morphology, process rates, and soil properties, however it is only relatively recently that techniques for constraining these models (such as cosmogenic radionuclides) have become commonplace. As such, many hypotheses related to the effects of boundary conditions or climate on process rates and soil properties have been left untested. We selected pairs of hillslopes along a precipitation gradient in northern Chile (24°-30° S) which were either bounded by actively eroding (bedrock-bedded) channels or by stable or aggradational landforms (pediments, colluvial aprons, valley bottoms). For each hillslope we measured soil properties, atmospheric deposition rates, and bedrock denudation rates. We observe significant changes in soil properties with climate: there is a shift from thick, weathered soils in the semiarid south, to the near absence of soil in the arid middle, to salt-rich soils in the hyperarid north. Coincident with these are dramatic changes in the types and rates of processes acting on the soils. We found relatively quick, biotically-driven soil formation and transport in the south, and very slow, salt-driven processes in the north. Additionally, we observe systematic differences between hillslopes of different boundary condition within the same climate zone, such as thicker soils, gentler slopes, and slower erosion rates on hillslopes with a non-eroding boundary versus an eroding boundary. These support general predictions based on hillslope soil mass balance equations and geomorphic transport laws. Using parameters derived from our field data, we attempt to use a mass balance model of hillslope development to explore the effect of changing boundary conditions and/or shifting climate.

Improving Phosphorus Availability in an Acid Soil Using Organic Amendments Produced from Agroindustrial Wastes

OpenAIRE

Ch’ng, Huck Ywih; Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna; Majid, Nik Muhamad Ab.

2014-01-01

In acid soils, soluble inorganic phosphorus is fixed by aluminium and iron. To overcome this problem, acid soils are limed to fix aluminium and iron but this practice is not economical. The practice is also not environmentally friendly. This study was conducted to improve phosphorus availability using organic amendments (biochar and compost produced from chicken litter and pineapple leaves, resp.) to fix aluminium and iron instead of phosphorus. Amending soil with biochar or compost or a mixt...

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an aged coal tar contaminated soil under in-vessel composting conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antizar-Ladislao, Blanca; Lopez-Real, Joe; Beck, Angus James

2006-01-01

In-vessel composting of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in contaminated soil from a manufactured gas plant site was investigated over 98 days using laboratory-scale in-vessel composting reactors. The composting reactors were operated at 18 different operational conditions using a 3-factor factorial design with three temperatures (T, 38 deg. C, 55 deg. C and 70 deg. C), four soil to green waste ratios (S:GW, 0.6:1, 0.7:1, 0.8:1 and 0.9:1 on a dry weight basis) and three moisture contents (MC, 40%, 60% and 80%). PAH losses followed first order kinetics reaching 0.015 day -1 at optimal operational conditions. A factor analysis of the 18 different operational conditions under investigation indicated that the optimal operational conditions for degradation of PAHs occurred at MC 60%, S:GW 0.8:1 and T 38 deg. C. Thus, it is recommended to maintain operational conditions during in-vessel composting of PAH-solid waste close to these values. - Maximum degradation of PAHs in an aged coal tar contaminated soil can be achieved using optimal operational conditions during composting

Effect of addition of organic materials and irrigation conditions on soil quality in olive groves in the region of Messinia, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavvadias, Victor; Papadopoulou, Maria; Vavoulidou, Evangelia; Theocharopoulos, Sideris; Repas, Spiros; Koubouris, Georgos; Psaras, Georgios

2017-04-01

Intensive cultivation practices are associated to soil degradation mainly due to low soil organic matter content. The application of organic materials to land is a common practice in sustainable agriculture in the last years. However, its implementation in olive groves under different irrigation regimes has not been systematically tested under the prevailing Mediterranean conditions. The aim of this work was to study the effect of alternative carbon input techniques (i.e. wood shredded, pruning residues, returning of olive mill wastes the field with compost) and irrigation conditions (irrigated and rainfed olive orchards) on spatial distribution of soil chemical (pH, EC, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, humic and fulvic acids, available P, and exchangeable K) and microbial properties (soil basal microbial respiration and microbial biomass carbon) in two soil depths (0-10 cm and 10-40 cm). The study took place in the region of Messinia, South western Peloponnese, Greece during three year soil campaigns. Forty soil plots of olive groves were selected (20 rainfed and 20 irrigated) and carbon input practices were applied on the half of the irrigated and rainfed soil parcels (10 rainfed and 10 irrigated), while the remaining ones were used as controls. The results showed significant changes of chemical and biological properties of soil in olive orchards due to carbon treatments. However, these changes were depended on irrigation conditions. Microbial parameters appeared to be reliable indicators of changes in soil management. Proper management of alternative soil carbon inputs in olive orchards can positively affect soil fertility.

Conditions in home and transplant soils have differential effects on the performance of diploid and allotetraploid anthericum species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucie Černá

Full Text Available Due to increased levels of heterozygosity, polyploids are expected to have a greater ability to adapt to different environments than their diploid ancestors. While this theoretical pattern has been suggested repeatedly, studies comparing adaptability to changing conditions in diploids and polyploids are rare. The aim of the study was to determine the importance of environmental conditions of origin as well as target conditions on performance of two Anthericum species, allotetraploid A. liliago and diploid A. ramosum and to explore whether the two species differ in the ability to adapt to these environmental conditions. Specifically, we performed a common garden experiment using soil from 6 localities within the species' natural range, and we simulated the forest and open environments in which they might occur. We compared the performance of diploid A. ramosum and allotetraploid A. liliago originating from different locations in the different soils. The performance of the two species was not affected by simulated shading but differed strongly between the different target soils. Growth of the tetraploids was not affected by the origin of the plants. In contrast, diploids from the most nutrient poor soil performed best in the richest soil, indicating that diploids from deprived environments have an increased ability to acquire nutrients when available. They are thus able to profit from transfer to novel nutrient rich environments. Therefore, the results of the study did not support the general expectation that the polyploids should have a greater ability than the diploids to adapt to a wide range of conditions. In contrast, the results are in line with the observation that diploids occupy a wider range of environments than the allotetraploids in our system.

An Opto-Electronic Sensor for Detecting Soil Microarthropods and Estimating Their Size in Field Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Csongor I. Gedeon

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Methods to estimate density of soil-dwelling arthropods efficiently, accurately and continuously are critical for investigating soil biological activity and evaluating soil management practices. Soil-dwelling arthropods are currently monitored manually. This method is invasive, and time- and labor-consuming. Here we describe an infrared opto-electronic sensor for detection of soil microarthropods in the size range of 0.4–10 mm. The sensor is built in a novel microarthropod trap designed for field conditions. It allows automated, on-line, in situ detection and body length estimation of soil microarthropods. In the opto-electronic sensor the light source is an infrared LED. Two plano-convex optical lenses are placed along the virtual optical axis. One lens on the receiver side is placed between the observation space at 0.5–1 times its focal length from the sensor, and another emitter side lens is placed between the observation space and the light source in the same way. This paper describes the setup and operating mechanism of the sensor and the control unit, and through basic tests it demonstrates its potential in automated detection of soil microarthropods. The sensor may be used for monitoring activities, especially for remote observation activities in soil and insect ecology or pest control.

About assessment of carbon accumulation potential in the Kazakhstan soils under conditions of transition to ecological farming systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popov, Yu.M.

1997-01-01

Processes of carbon oxidation of soil humus as well as possible adsorption of CO 2 from atmosphere and its bonding in soils in capacity of organic forms under condition of transition to ecological farming systems are considered. (author)

Estimating soil water evaporation using radar measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, Ali M.; Scott, H. D.; Waite, W. P.; Asrar, G.

1988-01-01

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the application of radar reflectivity as compared with the shortwave reflectivity (albedo) used in the Idso-Jackson equation for the estimation of daily evaporation under overcast sky and subhumid climatic conditions. Soil water content, water potential, shortwave and radar reflectivity, and soil and air temperatures were monitored during three soil drying cycles. The data from each cycle were used to calculate daily evaporation from the Idso-Jackson equation and from two other standard methods, the modified Penman and plane of zero-flux. All three methods resulted in similar estimates of evaporation under clear sky conditions; however, under overcast sky conditions, evaporation fluxes computed from the Idso-Jackson equation were consistently lower than the other two methods. The shortwave albedo values in the Idso-Jackson equation were then replaced with radar reflectivities and a new set of total daily evaporation fluxes were calculated. This resulted in a significant improvement in computed soil evaporation fluxes from the Idso-Jackson equation, and a better agreement between the three methods under overcast sky conditions.

Use of organic mulch to enhance water-use efficiency and peach production under limiting soil conditions in a three-year-old orchard

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lordan, J.; Pascual, M.; Villar, J.M.; Fonseca, F.; Papió, J.; Montilla, V.; Rufat, J.

2015-07-01

Mulching techniques have emerged in recent years to overcome soil constraints and improve fruit tree productivity. The object of this study was to evaluate the effects of a low-cost organic mulch application in a newly planted peach orchard under a ridge planting system. Three treatments were performed in 12 elementary plots using a randomized complete block design. The orchard was drip-irrigated. Mulch was applied in two treatments, which differed in fertigation (none vs. multi-nutrient fertigation), while the third treatment did not include either mulch or fertigation and served as the control. Treatments were compared in terms of their effects on the physical properties of the soil, crop response, and water-use efficiency. Mulch treatments did not alter the soil bulk density. However, the mulch significantly (p=0.0004) increased the water infiltration rate (2.21 mm/h vs. 121 mm/h), which is a key issue when working in high frequency irrigation systems under soil limiting conditions. Similarly, mulched treatments showed a more favorable water status both in the second and the third year, which was translated in a better crop response. Thus, mulched treatments recorded higher yields both in the second (+155%, p=0.0005) and the third year (+53%, p=0.0007) of the experiment. Water use efficiency (WUEagr) was higher in the mulch treatments (+50% in average, p=0.0007) than in the control in the third year of the study. On the basis of our results, we propose that organic-mulching techniques should be considered as a beneficial practice to apply in fruit-trees production under limiting soil conditions.(Author)

Use of organic mulch to enhance water-use efficiency and peach production under limiting soil conditions in a three-year-old orchard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joan Lordan

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Mulching techniques have emerged in recent years to overcome soil constraints and improve fruit tree productivity. The object of this study was to evaluate the effects of a low-cost organic mulch application in a newly planted peach orchard under a ridge planting system. Three treatments were performed in 12 elementary plots using a randomized complete block design. The orchard was drip-irrigated. Mulch was applied in two treatments, which differed in fertigation (none vs. multi-nutrient fertigation, while the third treatment did not include either mulch or fertigation and served as the control. Treatments were compared in terms of their effects on the physical properties of the soil, crop response, and water-use efficiency. Mulch treatments did not alter the soil bulk density. However, the mulch significantly (p=0.0004 increased the water infiltration rate (2.21 mm/h vs. 121 mm/h, which is a key issue when working in high frequency irrigation systems under soil limiting conditions. Similarly, mulched treatments showed a more favorable water status both in the second and the third year, which was translated in a better crop response. Thus, mulched treatments recorded higher yields both in the second (+155%, p=0.0005 and the third year (+53%, p=0.0007 of the experiment. Water use efficiency (WUEagr was higher in the mulch treatments (+50% in average, p=0.0007 than in the control in the third year of the study. On the basis of our results, we propose that organic-mulching techniques should be considered as a beneficial practice to apply in fruit-trees production under limiting soil conditions.

Soil Bacterial and Fungal Community Structure Across a Range of Unimproved and Semi-Improved Upland Grasslands

OpenAIRE

Kennedy, Nabla; Edwards, Suzanne; Clipson, Nicholas

2005-01-01

Changes in soil microbial community structure due to improvement are often attributed to concurrent shifts in floristic community composition. The bacterial and fungal communities of unimproved and semi-improved (as determined by floristic classification) grassland soils were studied at five upland sites on similar geological substrata using both broad-scale (microbial activity and fungal biomass) and molecular [terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP)...

Soil Erodibility under Natural Rainfall Conditions as the K Factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and Application of the Nomograph for a Subtropical Ultisol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elemar Antonino Cassol

2018-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Erodibility represents the intrinsic susceptibility of the soil to the erosion process, represented by the K factor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE. In Brazil, there are few field experiments determined with a series larger than ten years of data, which are the most reliable for quantifying the K factor. The aim of this study was to determine the K factor of the USLE by the direct method, relating soil losses determined in the field under standard conditions to erosivity of rains, and by the analytic method, applying the Wischmeier nomograph. The data on soil loss by water erosion were obtained in a field experiment under natural rainfall conditions from 1976 to 1989 in an Ultisol at the Agronomic Experimental Station in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil. The value of the K factor by the direct method was 0.0338 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, which is high, showing considerable susceptibility of the soil to erosion. From the analytical method, the K factor obtained was 0.0325 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, a value very close to that determined experimentally. Thus, the Wischmeier nomograph proved to be valid for determination of the K factor of the Ultisol under study. This method proved to be valid for this type of soil. These results can be used for calibration models based on the USLE.

Conditions for effective removal of pyrene from an artificially contaminated soil using Pseudomonas aeruginosa 57SJ rhamnolipids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bordas, Francois [Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre INRS-Eau-Terre-Environnement, Universite du Quebec, 2800 rue Einstein, C.P. 7500, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, G1V 4C7 (Canada)]. E-mail: francois.bordas@unilim.fr; Lafrance, Pierre [Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement, Universite du Quebec, 490, rue de la Couronne, Quebec, G1K 9A9 (Canada)]. E-mail: pierre_lafrance@inrs-ete.uquebec.ca; Villemur, Richard [Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre INRS-Institut Armand Frappier, Universite du Quebec, 531 bd des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7 (Canada)]. E-mail: richard.villemur@inrs-iaf.uquebec.ca

2005-11-15

The efficacy of a new rhamnolipid biosurfactants mixture to enhance the removal of pyrene from a soil artificially contaminated was investigated. The molar solubilization ratio (MSR) and the partition coefficient between the micelles and water (log K {sub m}) were found to be 7.5 x 10{sup -3} and 5.7, respectively. From soil column studies, the pyrene removal increased linearly with the concentration of the injected biosurfactants solution above the effective critical micellar concentration (0.4 g L{sup -1}). Flushing with a 5.0 g L{sup -1} biosurfactants solution increased the pyrene concentration in the effluent by 178 times. At high biosurfactants' concentrations (2.5 and 5.0 g L{sup -1}), the cumulative pyrene recovery reached 70%. This pyrene remobilization takes place independently of the soil organic carbon solubilization. This study provides a combination of batch and column experiments in order to find the conditions for effective soil remediation using a new rhamnolipids mixture. - The potential of newly isolated biosurfactants to mobilize PAHs from contaminated soils was evaluated from the determination in dynamic conditions of their effective critical micellar concentration.

Net energy value of maize ethanol as a response to different climate and soil conditions in the southeastern USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Persson, Tomas; Garcia y Garcia, Axel; Paz, Joel O.; Hoogenboom, Gerrit [Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, 1109 Experiment Street, The University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223 (United States); Jones, James W. [Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Frazier Rogers Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States)

2009-08-15

A recent increase in the demand for bio-ethanol has sparked maize production in the USA and other countries across the world. The net energy value (NEV), i.e. the energy output in ethanol and co-products after accounting for energy input requirements in the production chain of ethanol, is a measure of its sustainability. Grain yield of maize, which varies substantially across different climate and soil conditions, greatly impacts the ethanol NEV. The objectives of this study were to determine i) the NEV of ethanol produced from maize grown in four production regions in the southeastern USA and, ii) the specific impact of local soil variability under the same climate conditions within the four regions on the NEV of maize-ethanol. Maize yield was simulated with the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES-Maize model for soil and weather conditions, and management practices representing Bulloch, Floyd, Laurens and Mitchell counties, Georgia, USA. The calculation of ethanol NEV took into account the energy inputs and outputs of the entire ethanol production chain, and was based on the crop simulations. There were statistically significant differences in ethanol NEV among the counties, and within counties due to local soil variability. Differences in ethanol NEV among counties were partially due to different transportation distances. Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that maize-ethanol NEV can be increased by accounting for the soil and climate factors in the feedstock production and by locating ethanol-processing facilities in regions with soil and climate conditions that are favorable for ethanol-maize production. (author)

Biochar Application in Malaysian Sandy and Acid Sulfate Soils: Soil Amelioration Effects and Improved Crop Production over Two Cropping Seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theeba Manickam

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The use of biochar as an agricultural soil improvement was tested in acid sulfate and sandy soils from Malaysia, cropped with rice and corn. Malaysia has an abundance of waste rice husks that could be used to produce biochar. Rice husk biochar was produced in a gasifier at a local mill in Kelantan as well as in the laboratory using a controlled, specially designed, top lift up draft system (Belonio unit. Rice husk biochar was applied once to both soils at two doses (2% and 5%, in a pot set up that was carried out for two cropping seasons. Positive and significant crop yield effects were observed for both soils, biochars and crops. The yield effects varied with biochar type and dosage, with soil type and over the cropping seasons. The yield increases observed for the sandy soil were tentatively attributed to significant increases in plant-available water contents (from 4%–5% to 7%–8%. The yield effects in the acid sulfate soil were likely a consequence of a combination of (i alleviation of plant root stress by aluminum (Ca/Al molar ratios significantly increased, from around 1 to 3–5 and (ii increases in CEC. The agricultural benefits of rice husk biochar application to Malaysian soils holds promise for its future use.

Comparative research on tillable properties of diatomite-improved soils in the Yangtze River Delta region, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Ji-Li; Zhao, Dong-Xue

2016-10-15

To improve soil texture and structure, techniques associated with physical, biological or chemical aspects are generally adopted, among which diatomite is an important soil conditioner. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the physical, hydraulic and tillage performance of diatomite-improved soils. Consistency limits and compaction properties were investigated in this study, and several performance indicators were compared, such as the liquid limit, plastic limit and compactability, of silt, silt loam and silty-clay loam soils to which diatomite was added at volumetric ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. The results showed that diatomite significantly (pdiatomite lowered the maximum dry bulk density (MBD) of the classified soils, the optimum moisture content (OMC) was increased overall. The trend was consistent with the proportion of diatomite, and MBD decreased by 8.7%, 10.3%, and 13.2% in the silt, silt loam and silty-clay loam soils when 30% diatomite was mixed, whereas OMC increased by 28.7%, 22.4%, and 25.3%, respectively. Additionally, aggregate stability was negatively correlated with MBD but positively correlated with OMC. Diatomite exerts positive effects on soil mechanical strength, suggesting that soils from sludge farms are more tillable with a larger stabilized and workable matrix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trichoderma Biofertilizer Links to Altered Soil Chemistry, Altered Microbial Communities, and Improved Grassland Biomass

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Fengge Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In grasslands, forage and livestock production results in soil nutrient deficits as grasslands typically receive no nutrient inputs, leading to a loss of grassland biomass. The application of mature compost has been shown to effectively increase grassland nutrient availability. However, research on fertilization regime influence and potential microbial ecological regulation mechanisms are rarely conducted in grassland soil. We conducted a two-year experiment in meadow steppe grasslands, focusing on above- and belowground consequences of organic or Trichoderma biofertilizer applications and potential soil microbial ecological mechanisms underlying soil chemistry and microbial community responses. Grassland biomass significantly (p = 0.019 increased following amendment with 9,000 kg ha−1 of Trichoderma biofertilizer (composted cattle manure + inoculum compared with other assessed organic or biofertilizer rates, except for BOF3000 (fertilized with 3,000 kg ha−1 biofertilizer. This rate of Trichoderma biofertilizer treatment increased soil antifungal compounds that may suppress pathogenic fungi, potentially partially responsible for improved grassland biomass. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS revealed soil chemistry and fungal communities were all separated by different fertilization regime. Trichoderma biofertilizer (9,000 kg ha−1 increased relative abundances of Archaeorhizomyces and Trichoderma while decreasing Ophiosphaerella. Trichoderma can improve grassland biomass, while Ophiosphaerella has the opposite effect as it may secrete metabolites causing grass necrosis. Correlations between soil properties and microbial genera showed plant-available phosphorus may influence grassland biomass by increasing Archaeorhizomyces and Trichoderma while reducing Ophiosphaerella. According to our structural equation modeling (SEM, Trichoderma abundance was the primary contributor to aboveground grassland biomass. Our results suggest Trichoderma

Trichoderma Biofertilizer Links to Altered Soil Chemistry, Altered Microbial Communities, and Improved Grassland Biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fengge; Huo, Yunqian; Cobb, Adam B; Luo, Gongwen; Zhou, Jiqiong; Yang, Gaowen; Wilson, Gail W T; Zhang, Yingjun

2018-01-01

In grasslands, forage and livestock production results in soil nutrient deficits as grasslands typically receive no nutrient inputs, leading to a loss of grassland biomass. The application of mature compost has been shown to effectively increase grassland nutrient availability. However, research on fertilization regime influence and potential microbial ecological regulation mechanisms are rarely conducted in grassland soil. We conducted a two-year experiment in meadow steppe grasslands, focusing on above- and belowground consequences of organic or Trichoderma biofertilizer applications and potential soil microbial ecological mechanisms underlying soil chemistry and microbial community responses. Grassland biomass significantly ( p = 0.019) increased following amendment with 9,000 kg ha -1 of Trichoderma biofertilizer (composted cattle manure + inoculum) compared with other assessed organic or biofertilizer rates, except for BOF3000 (fertilized with 3,000 kg ha -1 biofertilizer). This rate of Trichoderma biofertilizer treatment increased soil antifungal compounds that may suppress pathogenic fungi, potentially partially responsible for improved grassland biomass. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed soil chemistry and fungal communities were all separated by different fertilization regime. Trichoderma biofertilizer (9,000 kg ha -1 ) increased relative abundances of Archaeorhizomyces and Trichoderma while decreasing Ophiosphaerella . Trichoderma can improve grassland biomass, while Ophiosphaerella has the opposite effect as it may secrete metabolites causing grass necrosis. Correlations between soil properties and microbial genera showed plant-available phosphorus may influence grassland biomass by increasing Archaeorhizomyces and Trichoderma while reducing Ophiosphaerella . According to our structural equation modeling (SEM), Trichoderma abundance was the primary contributor to aboveground grassland biomass. Our results suggest Trichoderma

Utilization of crops residues as compost and biochar for improving soil physical properties and upland rice productivity

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J. Barus

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The abundance of crops waste in the agricultural field can be converted to organic fertilizer throughout the process of composting or pyrolysis to return back into the soil. The study aimed to elucidate the effect of compost and biochar application on the physical properties and productivity of upland rice at Village of Sukaraja Nuban, Batanghari Nuban Sub district, East Lampung Regency in 2015. The amendment treatments were A. control; B. 10 t rice husk biochar/ ha; C. 10 t maize cob biochar/ha; D. 10 t straw compost/ha; E. 10 t stover compost/ha, F. 10 t rice husk biochar/ha + 10 t straw compost/ha; F. 10 t maize cob biochar/ha + 10 t maize stover compost/ha. The treatments were arranged in randomized block design with four replicates. The plot size for each treatment was 10 x 20 m. After incubation for about one month, undisturbed soil samples were taken using copper ring at 10–20 cm depth for laboratory analyzes. Analyses of soil physical properties included bulk density, particle density, total porosity, drainage porosity, and soil water condition. Plant observations conducted at harvest were plant height, number of panicle, number of grain/panicle, and grain weight/plot. Results of the study showed that biochar and compost improved soil physical properties such as bulk density, total porosity, fast drainage pores, water content, and permeability of soil. The combination of rice husk biochar and straw compost gave better effect than single applications on rice production components (numbers of panicle and grains of rice, and gave the highest yield of 4.875 t/ha.

Cover crops and crop residue management under no-till systems improve soils and environmental quality

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Kumar, Sandeep; Wegner, Brianna; Vahyala, Ibrahim; Osborne, Shannon; Schumacher, Thomas; Lehman, Michael

2015-04-01

Crop residue harvest is a common practice in the Midwestern USA for the ethanol production. However, excessive removal of crop residues from the soil surface contributes to the degradation of important soil quality indicators such as soil organic carbon (SOC). Addition of a cover crop may help to mitigate these negative effects. The present study was set up to assess the impacts of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal and cover crops on various soil quality indicators and surface greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. The study was being conducted on plots located at the North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory (NCARL) in Brookings, South Dakota, USA. Three plots of a corn and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation under a no-till (NT) system are being monitored for soils and surface gas fluxes. Each plot has three residue removal (high residue removal, HRR; medium residue removal, MRR; and low residue removal, LRR) treatments and two cover crops (cover crops and no cover crops) treatments. Both corn and soybean are represented every year. Gas flux measurements were taken weekly using a closed static chamber method. Data show that residue removal significantly impacted soil quality indicators while more time was needed for an affect from cover crop treatments to be noticed. The LRR treatment resulted in higher SOC concentrations, increased aggregate stability, and increased microbial activity. The LRR treatment also increased soil organic matter (SOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations. Cover crops used in HRR (high corn residue removal) improved SOC (27 g kg-1) by 6% compared to that without cover crops (25.4 g kg-1). Cover crops significantly impacted POM concentration directly after the residue removal treatments were applied in 2012. CO2 fluxes were observed to increase as temperature increased, while N2O fluxes increased as soil moisture increased. CH4 fluxes were responsive to both increases in temperature and moisture. On average, soils under

Habitat and Biodiversity: One out of five essential soil functions for agricultural soils

Science.gov (United States)

Trinsoutrot Gattin, Isabelle; Creamer, Rachel; van Leeuwen, Jeroen; Vrebos, Dirk; Gatti, Fabio; Bampa, Francesca; Schulte, Rogier; Rutgers, Michiel

2017-04-01

Current agricultural challenges require developing new agricultural systems that can optimize the ecological functioning of soils in order to limit the use of chemical inputs (i.e. disease suppression) and maintain a high organic matter content. This implies our ability to evaluate the effects of management practices on immediate performance objectives (i.e. fertility linked to nutrient cycling) but also in longer-term objective (i.e. C cycling and storage) in a variety of agro-climatic conditions. These issues demand the development of systemic approaches for understanding the determinants of soil functioning. In ecology, it is generally accepted that there are many positive relationships between soil biodiversity indicators and the functioning of ecosystems. Indeed, soil organisms and their interactions are essential drivers of ecosystem processes and impact the response, resilience and adaptability of ecosystems to environmental pressures. Thus, maintaining soil biodiversity is a condition for the sustainability of cropping systems. In this new context, the European project Landmark considers soil functions as a key to the improvement of agricultural land management towards sustainable development goals, amongst the five functions is soil biodiversity and habitat provisioning. We propose to present how we manage within this project to deal with this challenging objective at three spatial scales : field, landscape (regional) and European (policy). We aim to define a link between the physical, chemical and biological soil properties and "habitat & biodiversity" soil function in order to identify key indicators which modulate biodiversity. This will allow us to quantify and assess this soil function, in order to provide insight in win wins and tradeoffs in soil functions to enhance management practices which optimise the biodiversity in European agricultural systems.

Incorporating microbial dormancy dynamics into soil decomposition models to improve quantification of soil carbon dynamics of northern temperate forests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Yujie [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Yang, Jinyan [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Northeast Forestry Univ., Harbin (China). Center for Ecological Research; Zhuang, Qianlai [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Agronomy; Harden, Jennifer W. [U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States); McGuire, Anthony D. [Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (United States). U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Liu, Yaling [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Wang, Gangsheng [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Climate Change Science Inst. and Environmental Sciences Division; Gu, Lianhong [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division

2015-11-20

Soil carbon dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. Microbial-based decomposition models have seen much growth recently for quantifying this role, yet dormancy as a common strategy used by microorganisms has not usually been represented and tested in these models against field observations. Here in this study we developed an explicit microbial-enzyme decomposition model and examined model performance with and without representation of microbial dormancy at six temperate forest sites of different forest types. We then extrapolated the model to global temperate forest ecosystems to investigate biogeochemical controls on soil heterotrophic respiration and microbial dormancy dynamics at different temporal-spatial scales. The dormancy model consistently produced better match with field-observed heterotrophic soil CO₂ efflux (R_H) than the no dormancy model. Our regional modeling results further indicated that models with dormancy were able to produce more realistic magnitude of microbial biomass (<2% of soil organic carbon) and soil R_H (7.5 ± 2.4 PgCyr^-1). Spatial correlation analysis showed that soil organic carbon content was the dominating factor (correlation coefficient = 0.4-0.6) in the simulated spatial pattern of soil R_H with both models. In contrast to strong temporal and local controls of soil temperature and moisture on microbial dormancy, our modeling results showed that soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) was a major regulating factor at regional scales (correlation coefficient = -0.43 to -0.58), indicating scale-dependent biogeochemical controls on microbial dynamics. Our findings suggest that incorporating microbial dormancy could improve the realism of microbial-based decomposition models and enhance the integration of soil experiments and mechanistically based modeling.

Improvement of nitrogen utilization and soil properties by addition of a mineral soil conditioner: mechanism and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Xiaodan; Shi, Lin; Cai, Rumeng

2018-01-01

A mineral soil conditioner (MSC) composed of activated potash feldspar, gypsum, and calcium carbonate and containing an amount of available mineral nutrients, is shown to be effective for plant growth and acidic soil amelioration. In this study, a field test was conducted over four rice seasons by examining treatment with control check (CK), MSC, biological active carbon, and lime to investigate the nitrogen-use efficiency and mechanism of soil characteristic variations due to the desilicification and allitization of soil as well as the unrestrained use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in recent years. Influences of MSC on the xylem sap intensity and mean rice yields were evaluated, and the soil type was also analyzed using the FactSage 6.1 Reaction, phase diagram, and Equilib modules. The results of the field trial showed that MSC application increased the xylem sap intensity and nitrogen export intensity by 37.33-39.85% and 31.40-51.20%, respectively. A significant increase (5.63-15.48%) in mean grain yields was achieved with MSC application over that with biological active carbon and lime application. The effects of MSC had a tendency to increase with time in the field experiment results, and grain yields increased after the initial application. The new formation of clay minerals exhibits a significant influence on [Formula: see text] fixation, especially for 2:1 phyllosilicates with illite, owing to the interlayers of the clay minerals. Our preliminary results showed that kaolinite, the main 1:1 phyllosilicate clay mineral in ferralsol, transformed to illite at room temperature as a consequence of the presence of H 4 SiO 4 and available K + supplied by MSC. This indicated that improving the soil quality combined with reducing N losses from soils is an efficient way to control non-point source pollution from agriculture without the risk of decreased in grain yield.

Soil Acidification Aggravates the Occurrence of Bacterial Wilt in South China

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Chen Xu

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Soil acidification is a major problem in modern agricultural systems and is an important factor affecting the soil microbial community and soil health. However, little is known about the effect of soil acidification on soil-borne plant diseases. We performed a 4-year investigation in South China to evaluate the correlation between soil acidification and the occurrence of bacterial wilt. The results showed that the average soil pH in fields infected by bacterial wilt disease was much lower than that in non-disease fields. Moreover, the proportion of infected soils with pH lower than 5.5 was much higher than that of non-infected soils, and this phenomenon became more obvious as the area of bacterial wilt disease increased at soil pH lower than 5.5 from 2011 to 2014. Then, in a field pot experiment, bacterial wilt disease developed more quickly and severely in acidic conditions of pH 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5. These results indicate that soil acidification can cause the outbreak of bacterial wilt disease. Further experiments showed that acidic conditions (pH 4.5–5.5 favored the growth of the pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum but suppressed the growth and antagonistic activity of antagonistic bacteria of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus cereus. Moreover, acidic conditions of pH 5.5 were conducive to the expression of the virulence genes PopA, PrhA, and SolR but restrained resistance gene expression in tobacco. Finally, application of wood ash and lime as soil pH amendments improved soil pH and reduced the occurrence of bacterial wilt. Together, these findings improve our understanding of the correlation between soil acidification and soil-borne plant diseases and also suggest that regulation of soil acidification is the precondition and foundation of controlling bacterial wilt.

Dirt in cane removal influenced by soil characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, E.A.N.

1997-01-01

Dirt level in sugar cane consignments delivered to the factory is dependent on soil type, in association with harvesting system and weather conditions. Efforts for reducing soil in harvested cane have been made by sugar cane millers, especially improving the washing system installed before crushing. Instrumental neutron activation analysis has shown its potential for assessing dirt reductions in the washed material. Knowledge of elemental concentrations in the different soil fractions highlights the reliability of such measurements especially when taking into account the soil characteristics. (author)

Utilization of oil palm empty bunches waste as biochar-microbes for improving availibity of soil nutrients

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G . I . Ichriani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available There are about 23% waste oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB of total waste generated from the production of crude palm oil in oil palm plantations. Pyrolysis technology can be used to convert waste into biochar and further can be utilized for the improvement of soil. Biochar-microbes of OPEFB are biochar from OPEFB biomass that enriched with soil microbes. Biochar-microbes is expected to be used for the improvement of the soil and plants. Therefore the purpose of this research was to study the ability of biochar-microbes OPEFB to increase availability of the nutrients in sandy soils. The process of making biochar done by using slow pyrolysis technology by heating 300oC and 400oC for 2 and 3 hours, and with sizes 40 and 80 mesh, as well as indigenous microbial Bulkhorderia nodosa G.52.Rif1 and Trichoderma sp. added. The biochar production and research were conducted in the Department of Forestry Laboratory and in the Department of Agronomy Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Palangka Raya University. In general, the study showed that biochar-microbes could maintain the soil pH value and tends to increase the soil pH, increasing the holding capacity of sandy soil to the elements of P and K as well as increasing the availability of nutrients N, P and K. Furthermore, this study showed that the biochar process by 400oC heating for 3 hours and 40 mesh with microbes or without microbes were the best effect on the improvement of the quality of holding capacity and the nutrients supply in sandy soils.

Microbial degradation of 15N-labeled rice residues in soil during two years' incubation under flooded and upland conditions, (1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanazawa, Shinjiro; Yoneyama, Tadakatsu.

1980-01-01

The decay of rice residue was investigated after incubation periods of from 1 to 24 months at 30 0 C under both blooded and upland soil conditions. Tops and roots of rice plants were cut into about 10-mm length, and separately incorporated in soil which had been passed through a 0.5-mm sieve. Plant debris were fractionated physically according to their sizes and divided into five groups (> 4 mm, 4 - 2 mm, 2 - 1 mm, 1 - 0.5 mm, and 0.5 - 0.25 mm). Carbon loss from the soils amended with rice residues and decrease in the weight of total plant debris proceeded at a rapid speed in the early periods (around 4 months) and then at a slow speed in the subsequent periods under both flooded and upland soil conditions. The distribution of the plant debris in the decomposition processes differed under flooded and upland conditions. Under flooded conditions, 2 - 4 mm-sized plant debris were retained for a long period with slow transformation into the smaller fractions. In contrast, under upland conditions, change of plant debris from large to small size fractions proceeded gradually. This continuous change could be attributed to the high decomposing activities of fungi under upland conditions. (author)

Effects of Biochar on the Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions under Continuous Flooding and Water-Saving Irrigation Conditions in Paddy Soils

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Le Qi