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Loam
Kinds of Loam Terms modified by Loam Selected AbstractsConcentrated flow erosion rates reduced through biological geotextilesEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2009T. Smets Abstract Soil erosion by concentrated flow can cause serious environmental damage. Erosion-control geotextiles have considerable potential for reducing concentrated flow erosion. However, limited data are available on the erosion-reducing potential of geotextiles. In this study, the effectiveness of three biological geotextiles in reducing soil losses during concentrated flow is investigated. Hereto, runoff was simulated in a concentrated flow flume, filled with an erodible sandy loam on three slope gradients (13·5, 27·0 and 41·5%). Treatments included three biological geotextiles (borassus, buriti and bamboo) and one bare soil surface. Darcy,Weisbach friction coefficients ranged from 0·01 to 2·84. The highest values are observed for borassus covered soil surfaces, followed by buriti, bamboo and bare soil, respectively. The friction coefficients are linearly correlated with geotextile thickness. For the specific experimental conditions of this study, borassus geotextiles reduced soil detachment rate on average to 56%, buriti geotextiles to 59% and bamboo geotextiles to 66% of the soil detachment rate for bare soil surfaces. Total flow shear stress was the hydraulic parameter best predicting soil detachment rate for bare and geotextile covered surfaces (R2 = 0·75,0·84, p <0·001, n = 12,15). The highest resistance against soil detachment was observed for the borassus covered soil surfaces, followed by buriti, bamboo and bare soil surfaces, respectively. Overall, biological geotextiles are less effective in controlling concentrated flow erosion compared with interrill erosion. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Flow energy and channel adjustments in rills developed in loamy sand and sandy loam soilsEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 1 2009Jovan R. Stefanovic Abstract The storms usually associated with rill development in nature are seldom prolonged, so development is often interrupted by interstorm disturbances, e.g. weathering or tillage. In laboratory simulated rainfall experiments, active rill development can be prolonged, and under these conditions typically passes through a period of intense incision, channel extension and bifurcation before reaching quasi-stable conditions in which little form change occurs. This paper presents laboratory experiments with coarse textured soils under simulated rainfall which show how channel adjustment processes contribute to the evolution of quasi-stability. Newly incised rills were stabilized for detailed study of links between rill configuration and flow energy. On a loamy sand, adjustment towards equilibrium occurred due to channel widening and meandering, whereas on a sandy loam, mobile knickpoints and chutes, pulsations in flow width and flow depth and changes in stream power and sediment discharge occurred as the channel adjusted towards equilibrium. The tendency of rill systems towards quasi-stability is shown by changes in stream power values which show short-lived minima. Differences in energy dissipation in stabilized rills indicate that minimization of energy dissipation was reached locally between knickpoints and at the downstream ends of rills. In the absence of energy gradients in knickpoints and chutes, stabilized rill sections tended toward equilibrium by establishing uniform energy expenditure. The study confirmed that energy dissipation increased with flow aspect ratio. In stabilized rills, flow acceleration reduced energy dissipation on the loamy sand but not on the sandy loam. On both soils flow deceleration tended to increase energy dissipation. Understanding how rill systems evolve towards stability is essential in order to predict how interruptions between storms may affect long-term rill dynamics. This is essential if event-based physical models are to become effective in predicting sediment transport on rilled hillslopes under changing weather and climatic conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. [source] Modelling increased soil cohesion due to roots with EUROSEMEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2008S. De Baets Abstract As organic root exudates cause soil particles to adhere firmly to root surfaces, roots significantly increase soil strength and therefore also increase the resistance of the topsoil to erosion by concentrated flow. This paper aims at contributing to a better prediction of the root effects on soil erosion rates in the EUROSEM model, as the input values accounting for roots, presented in the user manual, do not account for differences in root density or root architecture. Recent research indicates that small changes in root density or differences in root architecture considerably influence soil erosion rates during concentrated flow. The approach for incorporating the root effects into this model is based on a comparison of measured soil detachment rates for bare and for root-permeated topsoil samples with predicted erosion rates under the same flow conditions using the erosion equation of EUROSEM. Through backwards calculation, transport capacity efficiencies and corresponding soil cohesion values can be assessed for bare and root-permeated topsoils respectively. The results are promising and present soil cohesion values that are in accordance with reported values in the literature for the same soil type (silt loam). The results show that grass roots provide a larger increase in soil cohesion as compared with tap-rooted species and that the increase in soil cohesion is not significantly different under wet and dry soil conditions, either for fibrous root systems or for tap root systems. Power and exponential relationships are established between measured root density values and the corresponding calculated soil cohesion values, reflecting the effects of roots on the resistance of the topsoil to concentrated flow incision. These relationships enable one to incorporate the root effect into the soil erosion model EUROSEM, through adapting the soil cohesion input value. A scenario analysis shows that the contribution of roots to soil cohesion is very important for preventing soil loss and reducing runoff volume. The increase in soil shear strength due to the binding effect of roots on soil particles is two orders of magnitude lower as compared with soil reinforcement achieved when roots mobilize their tensile strength during soil shearing and root breakage. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Experimental study of rill bank collapseEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 2 2007Jovan R. Stefanovic Abstract Rill bank collapse is an important component in the adjustment of channel morphology to changes in discharge and sediment flux. Sediment inputs from bank collapse cause abrupt changes in flow resistance, flow patterns and downstream sediment concentrations. Generally, bank retreat involves gradual lateral erosion, caused by flow shear stress, and sudden bank collapse, triggered by complex interactions between channel flow and bank and soil water conditions. Collapse occurs when bank height exceeds the critical height where gravitational forces overcome soil shear strength. An experimental study examined conditions for collapse in eroding rill channels. Experiments with and without a deep water table were carried out on a meandering rill channel in a loamy sand and sandy loam in a laboratory flume under simulated rainfall and controlled runon. Different discharges were used to initiate knickpoint and rill incision. Soil water dynamics were monitored using microstandpipes, tensiometers and time domain reflectometer probes (TDR probes). Bank collapse occurred with newly developed or rising pre-existing water tables near rill banks, associated with knickpoint migration. Knickpoint scour increased effective bank height, caused positive pore water pressure in the bank toe and reduced negative pore pressures in the unsaturated zone to near zero. Matric tension in unsaturated parts of the bank and a surface seal on the ,interrill' zone behind the bank enhanced stability, while increased effective bank height and positive pore water pressure at the bank toe caused instability. With soil water contents >35 per cent (sandy loam) and >23 per cent (loamy sand), critical bank heights were 0·11,0·12 m and 0·06,0·07 m, respectively. Bank toe undercutting at the outside of the rill bends also triggered instability. Bank displacement was quite different on the two soils. On the loamy sand, the failed block slid to the channel bed, revealing only the upper half of the failure plane, while on the sandy loam the failed block toppled forwards, exposing the failure plane for the complete bank height. This study has shown that it is possible to predict location, frequency and magnitude of the rill bank collapse, providing a basis for incorporation into predictive models for hillslope soil loss or rill network development. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Interrill erosion on cultivated Greek soils: modelling sediment deliveryEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 8 2006D. Dimoyiannis Abstract For interrill erosion, raindrop-induced detachment and transport of sediment by rainfall-disturbed sheet flow are the predominant processes, while detachment by sheet flow and transport by raindrop impact are negligible. In general, interrill subprocesses are inter-actively affected by rainfall, soil and surface properties. The objective of this work was to study the relationships among interrill runoff and sediment loss and some selected para-meters, for cultivated soils in central Greece, and also the development of a formula for predicting single storm sediment delivery. Runoff and soil loss measurement field experiments have been conducted for a 3·5-year period, under natural storms. The soils studied were developed on Tertiary calcareous materials and Quaternary alluvial deposits and were textured from sandy loam to clay. The second group of soils showed greater susceptibility to sealing and erosion than the first group. Single storm sediment loss was mainly affected by rain and runoff erosivity, being significantly correlated with rain kinetic energy (r = 0·64***), its maximum 30-minute intensity (r = 0·64***) and runoff amount (r = 0·56***). Runoff had the greatest correlation with rain kinetic energy (r = 0·64***). A complementary effect on soil loss was detected between rain kinetic energy and its maximum 30-minute intensity. The same was true for rain kinetic energy and topsoil aggregate instability, on surface seal formation and thus on infiltration characteristics and overland flow rate. Empirical analysis showed that the following formula can be used for the successful prediction of sediment delivery (Di): Di = 0·638,EI30tan(,) (R2 = 0·893***), where , is a topsoil aggregate instability index, E the rain kinetic energy, I30 the maximum 30-minute rain intensity and , the slope angle. It describes soil erodibility using a topsoil aggregate instability index, which can be determined easily by a simple laboratory technique, and runoff through the product of this index and rain kinetic energy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Abundance and composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing archaea communities of an alkaline sandy loamENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Ju-pei Shen Summary The abundance and composition of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) communities under different long-term (17 years) fertilization practices were investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). A sandy loam with pH (H2O) ranging from 8.3 to 8.7 was sampled in years 2006 and 2007, including seven fertilization treatments of control without fertilizers (CK), those with combinations of fertilizer nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K): NP, NK, PK and NPK, half chemical fertilizers NPK plus half organic manure (1/2OMN) and organic manure (OM). The highest bacterial amoA gene copy numbers were found in those treatments receiving N fertilizer. The archaeal amoA gene copy numbers ranging from 1.54 × 107 to 4.25 × 107 per gram of dry soil were significantly higher than those of bacterial amoA genes, ranging from 1.24 × 105 to 2.79 × 106 per gram of dry soil, which indicated a potential role of AOA in nitrification. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria abundance had significant correlations with soil pH and potential nitrification rates. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis patterns revealed that the fertilization resulted in an obvious change of the AOB community, while no significant change of the AOA community was observed among different treatments. Phylogenetic analysis showed a dominance of Nitrosospira -like sequences, while three bands were affiliated with the Nitrosomonas genus. All AOA sequences fell within cluster S (soil origin) and cluster M (marine and sediment origin). These results suggest that long-term fertilization had a significant impact on AOB abundance and composition, while minimal on AOA in the alkaline soil. [source] Toxicity of methyl tert butyl ether to soil invertebrates (springtails: Folsomia candida, Proisotoma minuta, and Onychiurus folsomi) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2010Matthew Dodd Abstract Experiments were conducted to assess the toxicity of methyl tert butyl ether (MTBE) to three species of Collembola (Proisotoma minuta, Folsomia candida, and Onychiurus folsomi) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) using an artificial Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) soil and field-collected sandy loam and silt loam soil samples. Soil invertebrate tests were carried out in airtight vials to prevent volatilization of MTBE out of the test units and to allow for direct head-space sampling and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis for residual MTBE. The use of the airtight vial protocol proved to be very successful, in that the measured MTBE concentrations at the beginning of the experiments were within 95% of nominal concentrations. The test methods used in this study could be used to test the toxicity of other volatile organic compounds to Collembola. The soil invertebrates tested had inhibitory concentration (ICx) and lethal concentration (LCx) values that ranged from 242 to 844 mg MTBE/kg dry soil. When the three test species of Collembola were tested under identical conditions in the artificial OECD soil, O. folsomi was the most sensitive collembolan, with a median inhibitory concentration (IC50; reproduction) of 296 mg MTBE/kg dry soil. The most sensitive endpoint for lettuce was an IC50 for root length of 81 mg MTBE/kg dry soil after 5 d of germination in OECD soil. Data on the loss of MTBE from the three test soils over time indicated that MTBE was retained in the silt loam soil longer than in either the sandy loam or the artificial OECD soil. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:338,346. © 2009 SETAC [source] Indices for bioavailability and biotransformation potential of contaminants in soilsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2004Washington J. Braida Abstract Bioavailability is an important consideration in risk assessment of soil contaminants and in the selection of appropriate remediation technologies for polluted sites. The present study examined the bioavailability and biodegradation potential of phenanthrene with respect to a pseudomonad in 15 different soils through separate measurements of mineralization, transformation, and desorption to a polymeric infinite sink (Tenax®) after 180-d sterile pre-equilibration with phenanthrene. Fractions strongly resistant to desorption and mineralization at long times were evident in all cases. After correcting for bioconversion (moles mineralized per mole transformed) determined in aqueous particle-free soil extracts, a correlation was found between the biotransformation-resistant fraction and the Tenax desorption-resistant fraction. Indices are proposed to assess bioavailability (BAt) and biotransformation potential (BTPt) of a compound in a soil based on parallel desorption and degradation studies over a selected period t. The BAt is the ratio of moles biotransformed to moles desorbed to an infinite sink, and it reflects the biotransformation rate relative to the maximal desorption rate. Values of BA30 (30-d values) ranged from 0.64 (for dark gray silt loam) to 1.12 (Wurtsmith Air Force Base [AFB] 2B, Oscoda, MI, USA). The BTPt is the ratio between moles biotransformed and moles of contaminant remaining sorbed after maximal desorption. The BTPt provides an indication of the maximum extent of biotransformation that may be expected in a system, assuming desorption is a prerequisite for biodegradation. Values of BTP30 ranged between 0.3 (Wurtsmith AFB 1B) and 13 (Mount Pleasant silt loam, NY, USA). The combination of BAt and BTPt provides insights regarding the relationship between physical availability (desorption) and biological processes (biotransformation kinetics, toxicity, other soil factors) that occur during biodegradation and are suggested to represent the remediation potential of the chemical. The BA30 values less than 0.9 and BTP30 values less than five indicate poor potential for site remediation. [source] An epidemiological study of risk factors associated with the recurrence of equine grass sickness (dysautonomia) on previously affected premisesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2004J. R. Newton Summary Reasons for performing study: The reasons why equine grass sickness (EGS) recurs on premises are unknown and, consequently, practical methods for reducing the risk of recurrence are not available. Objectives: To identify risk factors associated with recurrence of EGS on premises and to gain possible insights into the pathogenesis of the disease. Methods: Data on disease history and risk factors were collected by postal questionnaire from premises with EGS cases between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2001. Data on variation in rates of recurrence of EGS for different risk factors were analysed using Poisson regression analysis. Results: Of 509 premises contacted, 305 (60%) returned useable questionnaires and 100 of these (33%) were classified as ,recurrent' premises. An overall median incidence rate for EGS of 2.1 EGS incidents/100 horses/premises/year was recorded. There was an increased rate of recurrence with higher numbers of horses, presence of younger animals, stud farms and livery/riding establishments, loam and sand soils, rearing of domestic birds and mechanical droppings removal. The rate of recurrence decreased with chalk soil, cograzing ruminants, grass cutting on pastures and removal of droppings by hand. Several statistically significant interactions were identified. Conclusions: Many of the findings are consistent with the theory that EGS is a toxico-infectious form of botulism. Several of the significant factors identified may directly or indirectly relate to soil disturbance and consequent soil contamination of grass, thereby increasing the rate of exposure of grazing horses to Clostridium botulinum, which resides in soil. Potential relevance: Identification of potentially modifiable risk factors may, ideally following validation in appropriately designed, controlled and randomised intervention studies, lead to practical measures to reduce the incidence of EGS on previously affected premises. [source] Primary particle size distribution of eroded material affected by degree of aggregate slaking and seal developmentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2009D. N. Warrington Summary Primary particle size distribution (PSD) of eroded sediment can be used to estimate potential nutrient losses from soil and pollution hazards to the environment. We studied eroded sediment PSDs from three saturated soils, packed in trays (20 × 40 × 4 cm), that had undergone either minimal aggregate slaking (MAS) or severe aggregate slaking (SAS) prior to a 60 mm simulated rainstorm (kinetic energy, 15.9 kJ m,3; droplet diameter, 2.97 mm) and collected runoff at regular intervals. The degree of aggregate slaking was controlled by the rate at which soils were wetted to saturation. The PSDs of eroded materials and of parent soils were determined using a laser particle size analyser. For each soil, PSD frequency curves of eroded sediments and parent soils were generally of a similar shape but most eroded sediments had larger clay contents than their parent soils. In the SAS treatment, cumulative clay enrichment in the eroded materials was inversely related to the parent soil clay content, these being 28.5, 26.6 and 22.8% richer in clay than their parent soils for the loam, sandy clay and clay, respectively. Generally, total clay loss was greater from soils with SAS than from those with MAS because of erosion rates; however, clay enrichment of sediments, compared with parent soil clay contents, was mostly greater in samples with MAS. Greater clay enrichment took place during the early seal development stage in the loam, but could not readily be associated with specific stages of seal development for the clay. In the sandy clay, the relation between seal development and clay enrichment in the eroded material depended on the initial degree of aggregate slaking. The observed large preferential loss of clay by erosion in cultivated soils re-emphasizes the need to employ erosion control measures. [source] Variable carbon recovery of Walkley-Black analysis and implications for national soil organic carbon accountingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2007S. Lettens Summary There is considerable interest in the computation of national and regional soil carbon stocks, largely as the result of the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol. Such stocks are often calculated and compared without proper reference to the uncertainties induced by different analytical methodologies. We illustrate the nature and magnitude of these uncertainties with the present soil organic carbon (SOC) study in Belgium. The SOC recovery of the Walkley-Black method was investigated based on a database of 475 samples of silt loam and sandy soils, which cover different soil depths and vegetation types in northern Belgium. The organic carbon content of the soil samples was measured by the original Walkley-Black method and by a total organic carbon analyser. The recovery was computed as the ratio of these two results per soil sample. Land use, texture and soil sampling depth had a significant influence on the recovery as well as their three-way interaction term (land use × texture × sampling depth). The impact of a land use, texture and sampling depth dependent Walkley-Black correction on the year 2000 SOC inventory of Belgium was determined by regression analysis. Based on new correction factors, the national SOC stocks increased by 22% for the whole country, ranging from 18% for cropland to 31% for mixed forest relative to the standard corrected SOC inventory. The new recovery values influenced therefore not only C stocks in the year 2000, but also the expected SOC change following land use change. Adequate correction of Walkley-Black measurements is therefore crucial for the absolute and comparative SOC assessments that are required for Kyoto reporting and must be computed to take into account the regional status of soil and land use. ,Universal' corrections are probably an unrealistic expectation. [source] Measurement of the size distribution of water-filled pores at different matric potentials by stray field nuclear magnetic resonanceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005N. R. A. Bird Summary The water retention characteristic provides the traditional data set for the derivation of a soil's pore-size distribution. However, the technique employed to achieve this requires that assumptions be made about the way pores interconnect. We explore an alternative approach based on stray field nuclear magnetic resonance (STRAFI-NMR) to probe the water-filled pores of both saturated and unsaturated soils, which does not require information relating to pore connectivity. We report the relative size distributions of water-occupied pores in saturated and unsaturated samples of two sets of glass beads of known particle size, two sands, and three soils (a silty loam, a sandy loam and a loamy sand), using measurements of the NMR T1 proton relaxation time of water. The T1 values are linearly related to pore size and consequently measured T1 distributions provide a measure of the pore-size distribution. For both the sands and the glass beads at saturation the T1 distributions are unimodal, and the samples with small particle sizes show a shift to small T1 values indicating smaller voids relative to the samples with larger particles. Different matric potentials were used to reveal how the water-occupied pore-size distribution changes during drainage. These changes are inconsistent with, and demonstrate the inadequacies of, the commonly employed parallel-capillary tube model of a soil pore space. We find that not all pores of the same size drain at the same matric potential. Further, we observe that the T1 distribution is shifted to smaller values beyond the distribution at saturation. This shift is explained by a change in the weighted average of the relaxation rates as the proportion of water in the centre of water-filled pores decreases. This is evidence for the presence of pendular structures resulting from incomplete drainage of pores. For the soils the results are similar except that at saturation the T1 distributions are bimodal or asymmetrical, indicative of inter-aggregate and intra-aggregate pore spaces. We conclude that the NMR method provides a characterization of the water-filled pore space which complements that derived from the water retention characteristic and which can provide insight into the way pore connectivity impacts on drainage. [source] Pressure plate studies to determine how moisture affects access of bacterial-feeding nematodes to food in soilEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2002G.W. Yeates Summary Nematode activity in the soil depends on the presence of free water. We conducted pressure plate experiments to understand better how soil matric potential and structural degradation affect the population growth of three bacterial-feeding nematodes (Cephalobus, Pristionchus, Rhabditis). We took undisturbed cores from six soils (sand, silt loam and silty clay loam with four management regimes), and removed all fauna from them. Ten or 30 nematodes were added, and pressures corresponding to soil matric potentials of ,10, ,33, ,50, ,100 or ,1500 kPa were applied for 35 days. The nematodes were then counted. Significant reproduction of all bacterial-feeding nematodes occurred when the diameters of water-filled pores were approximately 1 ,m. This confirms observations using repacked soils and field manipulations. Only for Pristionchus did declining populations match the reduction in total soil porosity related to intensification of land use on the silty clay loam. We had not expected Cephalobus to have the fastest increase in population of the three nematodes in intact soil cores, and our evidence questions the relative importance given to the three nematode families in soil processes. The differing rates of population increase of the three nematodes in the various soils reflect both habitable pore space and trophic interactions. This suggests that the very diversity of nematode assemblages is crucial in the resilience of biological soil processes. That water-filled pores as small as 1 ,m provide suitable spaces for sizeable populations of bacterial-feeding nematodes accords with the observed migration of infective juveniles of trichostrongylid nematodes and mermithids in water films on herbage. Our results imply that assessment of the role of nematodes in soil processes may be a key to the understanding of biological interactions in water films, and the selection pressures on nematode morphology. [source] Chlorophyll fluorescence, predawn water potential and photosynthesis in precipitation pulse-driven ecosystems , implications for ecological studiesFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2008V. Resco Summary 1A major research focus in population and community ecology is to establish a mechanistic understanding of plant interactions and demographic responses. The first step towards this mechanistic approach relies on understanding the differences in stress caused by different environmental conditions. Leaf-level photosynthetic rate (A) within and among plant populations provides important insight into population and community processes, but is difficult to acquire with sufficient replication under field conditions. Instead, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and predawn water potential (,pd) are often used in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. 2Fv/Fm reflects the photoactivation status of photosystem II (PSII), whereas ,pd indicates water availability in the rhizosphere. Here we compare these indices with A in two perennial C4 grasses (native Heteropogon contortus and invasive Eragrostis lehmanniana) and in seedlings of the C3 shrub Prosopis velutina growing on highly contrasting sandy loam and loamy clay soils in experimental plots. Measurements were made the day prior to and up to 7 days following a 39-mm rainfall pulse after 2 months of drought. 3A was more sensitive across a broad range of environmental conditions, whereas Fv/Fm and ,pd only responded to periods of protracted drought. The use of these measures was further complicated because their values varied daily and we observed different time-lags in their response to precipitation pulses. 4We suggest sampling schemes and a priori measurements to capture the value that is representative for the question of interest, and that match the pulsed biological activity in these ecosystems. Finally, we suggest the use of these measures in combination with measurements providing integration over longer time periods, such as ,13C, ,18O and N concentration in bulk leaf tissue. [source] Desert shrub water relations with respect to soil characteristics and plant functional typeFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2002J. S. Sperry Summary 1.,Soil characteristics influence plant communities in part through water relations. Hypothetically, finer textured soils in arid climates should be associated with more negative plant and soil water potentials during drought, greater resistance of xylem to cavitation, and shallower root systems than coarse soils. 2.,These hypotheses were tested by comparing the water relations of Great Basin shrubs growing in sand versus loam soils. The eight study species (Chrysothamnus nauseosus, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Chrysothamnus parryi, Tetradymia glabrata, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Grayia spinosa and Sarcobatus vermiculatus) varied in typical rooting depth and vegetative phenology. 3.,Xylem pressures for a species were, on average, 1·1 MPa more negative in the loam versus the sand site, despite greater precipitation at the loam site. Root xylem at the loam site was, on average, 0·9 MPa more resistant to cavitation than at the sand site for the same species. There was a strong trend for shallower rooting depths at the loam versus the sand site. Within a species, roots were consistently more vulnerable to cavitation than stems, and experienced more cavitation during the growing season. 4.,Over most of the summer there was much more cavitation at the loam site than at the sand site. More than 80% loss of xylem conductivity (PLC) was estimated in shallow roots of three species at the loam site by the end of July, with two of the three showing extensive leaf drop and branch mortality. Transpiration rate was negatively correlated with PLC, with a tendency for lower gas-exchange rates in loam versus sand. 5.,At the sand site, cavitation resistance was negatively correlated with estimated rooting depth. Drought-deciduous species had the shallowest root systems and greatest resistance to cavitation. In contrast, two species with phreatophytic tendencies were summer-active and were the most vulnerable to cavitation. 6.,The cavitation resistance of roots determines the minimum water potential permitting hydraulic contact with soil. Differences in cavitation resistance of roots between desert species may contribute to differences in sensitivity of gas exchange to soil drought, ability to perform hydraulic lift, and response to late summer rain pulses. [source] Elevated atmospheric CO2 effects on biomass production and soil carbon in conventional and conservation cropping systemsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Stephen A. Prior Abstract Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration has led to concerns about potential effects on production agriculture as well as agriculture's role in sequestering C. In the fall of 1997, a study was initiated to compare the response of two crop management systems (conventional and conservation) to elevated CO2. The study used a split-plot design replicated three times with two management systems as main plots and two CO2 levels (ambient=375 ,L L,1 and elevated CO2=683 ,L L,1) as split-plots using open-top chambers on a Decatur silt loam (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults). The conventional system was a grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation with winter fallow and spring tillage practices. In the conservation system, sorghum and soybean were rotated and three cover crops were used (crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)) under no-tillage practices. The effect of management on soil C and biomass responses over two cropping cycles (4 years) were evaluated. In the conservation system, cover crop residue (clover, sunn hemp, and wheat) was increased by elevated CO2, but CO2 effects on weed residue were variable in the conventional system. Elevated CO2 had a greater effect on increasing soybean residue as compared with sorghum, and grain yield increases were greater for soybean followed by wheat and sorghum. Differences in sorghum and soybean residue production within the different management systems were small and variable. Cumulative residue inputs were increased by elevated CO2 and conservation management. Greater inputs resulted in a substantial increase in soil C concentration at the 0,5 cm depth increment in the conservation system under CO2 -enriched conditions. Smaller shifts in soil C were noted at greater depths (5,10 and 15,30 cm) because of management or CO2 level. Results suggest that with conservation management in an elevated CO2 environment, greater residue amounts could increase soil C storage as well as increase ground cover. [source] Plant and microbial N acquisition under elevated atmospheric CO2 in two mesocosm experiments with annual grassesGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Shuijin Hu Abstract The impact of elevated CO2 on terrestrial ecosystem C balance, both in sign or magnitude, is not clear because the resulting alterations in C input, plant nutrient demand and water use efficiency often have contrasting impacts on microbial decomposition processes. One major source of uncertainty stems from the impact of elevated CO2 on N availability to plants and microbes. We examined the effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment (ambient+370 ,mol mol,1) on plant and microbial N acquisition in two different mesocosm experiments, using model plant species of annual grasses of Avena barbata and A. fatua, respectively. The A. barbata experiment was conducted in a N-poor sandy loam and the A. fatua experiment was on a N-rich clayey loam. Plant,microbial N partitioning was examined through determining the distribution of a 15N tracer. In the A. barbata experiment, 15N tracer was introduced to a field labeling experiment in the previous year so that 15N predominantly existed in nonextractable soil pools. In the A. fatua experiment, 15N was introduced in a mineral solution [(15NH4)2SO4 solution] during the growing season of A. fatua. Results of both N budget and 15N tracer analyses indicated that elevated CO2 increased plant N acquisition from the soil. In the A. barbata experiment, elevated CO2 increased plant biomass N by ca. 10% but there was no corresponding decrease in soil extractable N, suggesting that plants might have obtained N from the nonextractable organic N pool because of enhanced microbial activity. In the A. fatua experiment, however, the CO2 -led increase in plant biomass N was statistically equal to the reduction in soil extractable N. Although atmospheric CO2 enrichment enhanced microbial biomass C under A. barbata or microbial activity (respiration) under A. fatua, it had no significant effect on microbial biomass N in either experiment. Elevated CO2 increased the colonization of A. fatua roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which coincided with the enhancement of plant competitiveness for soluble soil N. Together, these results suggest that elevated CO2 may tighten N cycling through facilitating plant N acquisition. However, it is unknown to what degree results from these short-term microcosm experiments can be extrapolated to field conditions. Long-term studies in less-disturbed soils are needed to determine whether CO2 -enhancement of plant N acquisition can significantly relieve N limitation over plant growth in an elevated CO2 environment. [source] Variations of magnetic susceptibility and fine quartz accumulation rate in Daisen loam over the past 200 000 years: Interaction between winter and summer monsoons in south-west JapanISLAND ARC, Issue 2 2001Jun-Ichi Kimura Abstract A loam section near Daisen volcano, South-west Japan, has been examined for low-field magnetic susceptibility (MS) and fine quartz accumulation rate. Fission track dating of tephra layers interbedded in the deposit shows that the loam age ranges from about 200 ka to the Present. The MS was measured for both bulk sample and the < 63 ,m fine fraction. Fine quartz contents in the < 63 ,m fraction were also determined using acid-alkali digestions and recalculated to derive fine quartz accumulation rate (Rqz). Grain size analysis was then carried out on the separated fine quartz. Low-field MS varies from low frequency magnetic suspectibility (,(LF)) 5 to 100 (× 10,6 m3/kg) for bulk samples and from 1 to 30 for fine fractions. The fine fraction ,(LF) variation correlated with Chinese loess MS stratigraphy, which indicated changes in pedogenic enhancement of the MS and is reflected by summer monsoon intensity. The Rqz are high in cool climate stages, with volumes between 0.2 and 0.4 (× 10,2 kg/m2 per yr), whereas in warm stages the rate falls to about 0.1. These values compare well with those reported from the Hokkaido and Kanto areas, suggesting the fine quartz originates from tropospheric dust. The strong winter monsoons during glacial stages alternated with weak summer monsoons as a result of a southward shift of the jet stream. In interglacials, summer monsoons were stronger. Seasonal alternating monsoons appear to have operated in South-west Japan through the past 200 000 years. [source] Influence of environmental factors on the growth and interactions between salt marsh plants: effects of salinity, sediment and waterloggingJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Jonathan M. Huckle Summary 1,Artificial environmental gradients were established in a series of pot experiments to investigate the effect of salinity, sediment type and waterlogging on the growth, and interactions between Spartina anglica and Puccinellia maritima. In each experiment, one environmental variable was manipulated and plants grown in pairwise combinations to examine the effect of the environmental factor on the intensity of intra- and interspecific interactions, quantified using the Relative Neighbour Effect (RNE) index. 2,Puccinellia was found to exert an asymmetric, one-way competitive dominance above ground over Spartina in experiments where gradients of sediment type and waterlogging were established. The intensity of the competition was highest in conditions with the least abiotic stress and lower or non-existent where stress was increased. 3,The intensity of the above-ground competition was greatest in loam and least in sand sediments. Reduction in competitive intensity in sand was accompanied by an increase in below-ground Spartina biomass and it is suggested that the production of rhizomes is a potential mechanism by which this species can expand vegetatively into areas without competition. 4,Interspecific competition on Spartina from Puccinellia also varied in intensity in the waterlogging experiment, being more intense in non-immersed treatments, where abiotic stress was reduced. 5,The competitive dominance of Puccinellia and the competition avoidance mechanism shown by Spartina in these experiments help to explain the successional interactions between the species along environmental gradients in natural salt marsh communities. [source] Identity and Pathogenicity of Fungi Associated with Root and Crown Rot of Soft Red Winter Wheat Grown on the Upper Coastal Plain Land Resource Area of MississippiJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2000M. S. Gonzalez Seedling stand, disease severity and fungal incidence were determined from untreated ,Wakefield' soft red winter wheat planted on a Leeper silty clay loam in field tests conducted at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Plant Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi during the 1996,97 and 1997,98 growing seasons. Seedling stand was reduced by 40% each year in plots established with untreated seed. Cochliobolus sativus was the most frequently isolated fungus. Fusarium acuminatum, Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium solani were the most prevalent Fusarium spp. Seven other Fusarium spp. and 23 species of other fungal genera were isolated. Pathogenicity tests with three isolates each of C. sativus, Cochliobolus spicifer, F. acuminatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, Fusarium compactum, Embellisia chlamydospora and Microdochium bolleyi were performed in test tube culture and two isolates each of C. sativus, C. spicifer, F. acuminatum, E. chlamydospora and M. bolleyi under greenhouse conditions. In test tubes and in the greenhouse, seedlings infected with isolates of C. sativus developed seedling blight, discoloration and necrosis, primarily in seminal roots and crowns. In the greenhouse, C. sativus induced lesions on the lower leaf sheath and reduced seedling height, seedling emergence, dry and fresh weight of roots and shoots. Isolates of F. acuminatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. compactum, E. chlamydospora and M. bolleyi induced slight to moderate orange to light-brown discoloration of crown and seminal roots in test tubes. Cochliobolus spicifer isolates had the most pre-emergence activity, inducing black root discoloration and root pruning of wheat seedlings and reducing seedling emergence, root fresh weight and shoot dry weight. In the greenhouse, F. acuminatum reduced seedling height, seedling emergence and root and shoot dry weights. Microdochium bolleyi and E. chlamydospora reduced fresh and dry weight of roots, plant emergence and shoot dry weight. Fusarium acuminatum and C. spicifer reduced the growth rate of wheat seedlings. All fungi evaluated showed increased disease severity compared to the untreated control. The high frequency of isolation of C. sativus from crown and root tissues can be partially explained by the dry, warm conditions during the early stages of wheat seedling development in the Upper Coastal Plain Land Resource Area of Mississippi. Zusammenfassung Die Auflaufrate von Sämlingen, die Stärke des Krank-heitsbefalls sowie die Häufigkeit von Pilzarten wurden bei nicht behandelten roten Weichwinterweizen der Sorte Wakefield ermittelt, welche in einem Leeper schlammigen Tonboden an der Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station, Plant Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi in der 1996,97 und 1997,98 Saison gesät worden waren. In beiden Jahren wurde die Auflaufrate von nicht behandeltem Saatgut um 40% reduziert. Cochliobolus sativus wurde am häufigsten isoliert. Fusarium acuminatum, Fusarium equiseti und Fusarium solani waren die überwiegenden Fusarium spp. Außierdem wurden sieben weitere Fusarium spp. sowie 23 weitere Pilzarten isoliert. Pathogenitätstests mit je 3 Isolaten von C. sativus, Cochliobolus spicifer, F. acuminatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, Fusarium compactum, Embellisia chlamydospora und Microdochiumbolleyi wurden in Reagenzröhrchen durchgeführt, sowie mit je 2 Isolaten von C. sativus, C. spicifer, F. acuminatum, E. chlamydospora und M. bolleyi unter Gewächshausbedingungen. Sowohl in den Reagenzröhrchen als auch im Gewächshaus entwickelten Sämlinge, die mit C. sativus inokuliert worden waren, eine Fäule, Verfärbung sowie Nekrosis, hauptsächlich in den sekundären Wurzeln und in den Halmbasen. Unter Gewächshausbedingungen verursachte C. sativus außierdem Läsionen der unteren Blattscheide sowie eine Reduzierung des Sämlingswachstums, des Sämlingsauflaufs, des Trocken-und Frischgewichts der Wurzeln und Sprossen. Im Reagenzröhrchentest induzierten Isolate von F. acuminatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. compactum, E. chlamydospora und M. bolleyieine schwache bis mäßiige orange bis hell braune Verfärbung des Halmbasis und der Sekundärwurzeln. Isolate von C. spicifer besaßien die höchste Vorauflaufaktivität und induzierten eine Verschwärzung und Verkürzung der Wurzeln sowie eine Reduzierung des Sämlingsauflaufs, des Wurzelfrischgewichts sowie des Sproitrockengewichts. Unter Gewächshausbedingungen reduzierte F. acuminatum die Sämlingshöhe, die Auflaufrate sowie das Trockengewicht der Wurzeln und Sproien. Microdochium bolleyi und E. chlamydospora reduzierten das Frisch-und Trockengewicht der Wurzeln, die Auflaufrate sowie das Sproßitrockengewicht. Die Wachstumsrate der Sämlinge wurde durch F. acuminatum und C. spicifer reduziert. Alle untersuchten Pilzarten erhöhten die Befallsstärke verglichen mit der unbehandelten Kontrolle. Die hohe Isolierungsrate von C. sativus aus dem Halmbasis-und Wurzelgewebe kann zum Teil dadurch erklärt werden, dass während der Frühentwicklungsphase der Sämlinge trockene und warme Wachstumsbedingungen in diesem Gebiet herrschten. [source] The evaporation method: Extending the measurement range of soil hydraulic properties using the air-entry pressure of the ceramic cupJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2010Uwe Schindler Abstract Knowledge of hydraulic functions is required for various hydrological and plant-physiological studies. The evaporation method is frequently used for the simultaneous determination of hydraulic functions of unsaturated soil samples, i.e., the water-retention curve and hydraulic-conductivity function. All methodic variants of the evaporation method suffer from the limitation that the hydraulic functions can only be determined to a mean tension of , 60 kPa. This is caused by the limited measurement range of the tensiometers of typically 80 kPa on the dry end. We present a new, cost- and time-saving approach which overcomes this restriction. Using the air-entry pressure of the tensiometer's porous ceramic cup as additional defined tension value allows the quantification of hydraulic functions up to close to the wilting point. The procedure is described, uncertainties are discussed, and measured as well as simulated test results are presented for soil samples of various origins, different textures (sand, loam, silt, clay, and peat) and variable dry bulk density. The experimental setup followed the system HYPROP which is a commercial device with vertically aligned tensiometers that is optimized to perform evaporation measurements. During the experiment leaked water from the tensiometer interior wets the surrounding soil of the tensiometer cup and can lead to a tension retardation as shown by simulation results. This effect is negligible when the tensiometers are embedded vertically. For coarsely textured soils and horizontal tensiometer alignment, however, the retardation must be considered for data evaluation. [source] Extraction of mobile element fractions in forest soils using ammonium nitrate and ammonium chlorideJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008Alexander Schöning Abstract The extraction of earth alkaline and alkali metals (Ca, Mg, K, Na), heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) and Al by 1 M NH4NO3 and 0.5 M NH4Cl was compared for soil samples (texture: silt loam, clay loam) with a wide range of pH(CaCl2) and organic carbon (OC) from a forest area in W Germany. For each of these elements, close and highly significant correlations could be observed between the results from both methods in organic and mineral soil horizons. The contents of the base cations were almost convertible one-to-one. However, for all heavy metals NH4Cl extracted clearly larger amounts, which was mainly due to their tendency to form soluble chloro complexes with chloride ions from the NH4Cl solution. This tendency is very distinct in the case of Cd, Pb, and Fe, but also influences the results of Mn and Zn. In the case of Cd and Mn, and to a lower degree also in the case of Pb, Fe, and Zn, the effect of the chloro complexes shows a significant pH dependency. Especially for Cd, but also for Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn, the agreement between both methods increased, when pH(CaCl2) values and/or contents of OC were taken into account. In comparison to NH4Cl, NH4NO3 proved to be chemically less reactive and, thus, more suitable for the extraction of comparable fractions of mobile heavy metals. Since both methods lead to similar and closely correlated results with regard to base cations and Al, the use of NH4NO3 is also recommended for the extraction of mobile/exchangeable alkali, earth alkaline, and Al ions in soils and for the estimation of their contribution to the effective cation-exchange capacity (CEC). Consequently, we suggest to determine the mobile/exchangeable fraction of all elements using the NH4NO3 method. However, the applicability of the NH4NO3 method to other soils still needs to be investigated. [source] Soil-aggregate formation as influenced by clay content and organic-matter amendmentJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007Stephen Wagner Abstract Naturally occurring wetting-and-drying cycles often enhance aggregation and give rise to a stable soil structure. In comparatively dry regions, such as large areas of Australia, organic-matter (OM) contents in topsoils of arable land are usually small. Therefore, the effects of wetting and drying are almost solely reliant on the clay content. To investigate the relations between wetting-and-drying cycles, aggregation, clay content, and OM in the Australian environment, an experiment was set up to determine the relative influence of both clay content (23%, 31%, 34%, and 38%) and OM amendments of barley straw (equivalent to 3.1,t,ha,1, 6.2,t,ha,1, and 12.4,t,ha,1) on the development of water-stable aggregates in agricultural soil. The aggregate stability of each of the sixteen composite soils was determined after one, three, and six wet/dry cycles and subsequent fast and slow prewetting and was then compared to the aggregate stabilities of all other composite soils. While a single wet/dry cycle initiated soil structural evolution in all composite soils, enhancing macroaggregation, the incorporation of barley straw was most effective for the development of water-stable aggregates in those soils with 34% and 38% clay. Repeated wetting-and-drying events revealed that soil aggregation is primarily based on the clay content of the soil, but that large straw additions also tend to enhance soil aggregation. Relative to untreated soil, straw additions equivalent to 3.1,t,ha,1 and 12.4,t,ha,1 increased soil aggregation by about 100% and 250%, respectively, after three wet/dry cycles and fast prewetting, but were of less influence with subsequent wet/dry cycles. Straw additions were even more effective in aggregating soil when combined with slow prewetting; after three wet/dry cycles, the mean weight diameters of aggregates were increased by 70% and 140% with the same OM additions and by 160% and 290% after six wet/dry cycles, compared to samples without organic amendments. We suggest that in arable soils poor in OM and with a field texture grade of clay loam or finer, the addition of straw, which is often available from preceding crops, may be useful for improving aggregation. For a satisfactory degree of aggregate stability and an improved soil structural form, we found that straw additions of at least 6.2,t,ha,1 were required. However, rapid wetting of straw-amended soil will disrupt newly formed aggregates, and straw has only a limited ability to sustain structural improvement. [source] Spatial variability of sequentially extracted P fractions in a silty loamJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2005Elena Heilmann Abstract Knowledge of the spatial distribution of soil P forms in agricultural fields is important for evaluating the risk of P transfer to waterways. The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial variation of total P (Pt) and sequentially extracted P forms in the Ap horizon of arable soils at the field scale. Soil samples were taken on a regular grid of 50 m × 50 m with 40 sampling points. Chemical analyses included basic soil properties, Pt, sequentially extracted P forms, and acid phosphomonoesterase activity. The spatial variability was analyzed by geostatistics and descriptive statistics. The concentrations of Pt ranged from 521 to 1020 mg,kg,1 with lower values observed for Gleysols and Stagnic Phaeozems and higher values for Luvisols and Cambisols. For the sequentially extracted P fractions, the largest coefficients of variation (c.v.) were found for NaHCO3 -Po (41%), NaHCO3 -Pi (36%), NaOH-Po (34%), and resin-P (33%). Despite this great spatial variability, no spatial dependence could be proved by geostatistics because the calculated range of P forms (<10 m) was below the smallest sampling distance (50 m). A clear trend of increasing concentrations and proportions of organic NaHCO3 - and NaOH-P fractions and phosphomonoesterase activity towards lower slope positions and the discharging brook indicated that Gleysols were a particular source of P losses to waterways in this catchment. It was concluded that these soils require a specific management with reduced P inputs and, perhaps, chemical treatment to fix leachable P. Räumliche Variabilität sequenziell extrahierter P-Fraktionen in einem Schlufflehm Kenntnisse über die räumliche Verteilung der P-Formen in landwirtschaftlichen Flächen sind notwendig für die Abschätzung des Risikos von P-Austrägen. Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung war die räumliche Verteilung von Gesamt-P (Pt) und P-Formen im Ap-Horizont von landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden im Feldmaßstab. Dazu wurden Proben auf einem Raster von 50 m × 50 m an 40 Punkten entnommen. Die chemischen Analysen umfassten Grundeigenschaften sowie Pt, sequenziell extrahierte P-Formen und die Aktivität der sauren Phosphomonoesterase. Die räumliche Variabilität wurde mit räumlicher und deskriptiver Statistik untersucht. Die Pt -Gehalte lagen im Bereich von 521 bis 1020 mg,kg,1, wobei Gleye und Pseudogleye die niedrigsten Werte hatten. Bei den sequenziell extrahierten P-Fraktionen wurden die größten Variationskoeffizienten für NaHCO3 -Po (41%), NaHCO3 -Pi (36 %), NaOH-Po (34 %) und Harz-P (33 %) festgestellt. Trotz dieser großen räumlichen Variabilität konnte mit Geostatistik keine räumliche Abhängigkeit nachgewiesen werden, möglicherweise weil die geschätzte Reichweite der P-Formen mit <10 m unterhalb der kleinsten Beprobungsdistanz von 50 m lag. Deutliche gerichtete Trends steigender Gehalte und Anteile organischer NaHCO3 - und NaOH-P-Fraktionen und Phosphomonoesterase-Aktivitäten hin zu niedrigeren Geländepositionen und zur Nachbarschaft zu dem entwässernden Bach deuteten darauf hin, dass insbesondere Gleye eine Quelle der P-Einträge in Oberflächengewässer des Einzugsgebietes sein können. Es ergibt sich daher die Schlussfolgerung, dass diese Böden einer teilschlagspezifischen Bewirtschaftung mit reduzierten P-Zufuhren und eventuell P-fixierenden Behandlungen bedürfen. [source] Evaluation of a combined penetrometer for simultaneous measurement of penetration resistance and soil water contentJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2004Yurui Sun Abstract A combined penetrometer is an appropriate tool to measure the soil cone resistance and the water-content profile. As a relatively new technique, a combined capacitance-penetrometer for the simultaneous measurement of cone index and soil water content was developed at the Department of Agricultural Engineering of Bonn University in 2002. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the effectiveness and applicability of the innovated penetrometer with a focus on three aspects: (1) A capacitance sensor with two electrode configurations was calibrated for silt loam, sandy loam, and sand. The calibration results show that both electrode configurations have sufficient water-content sensitivity, but soil-specific calibrations seem necessary. (2) Under laboratory conditions, the dynamic resolution and response of the capacitance-penetrometer were validated, and its radius of influence was determined. (3) The field measurement results demonstrate that this measurement technique can be used to improve the interpretation quality of soil cone index data. Bewertung eines Penetrometers zur gleichzeitigen Bestimmung von Eindringwiderstand und Bodenfeuchte Für die Ermittlung von Bodenprofilen für den Eindringwiderstand und die Bodenfeuchte erscheint die Kombination aus Penetrometer und Bodenfeuchtesensor als geeignete Lösung. Ein solcher Kombinationssensor wurde im Jahr 2002 am Institut für Landtechnik der Universität Bonn für die simultane Messung des Eindringwiderstandes und der Bodenfeuchte entwickelt. In diesem Beitrag wird die Tauglichkeit und Anwendbarkeit für Feldmessungen in folgenden Schritten dargestellt: (1) Ein kapazitiver Sensor mit zwei Elektrodenkonfigurationen wurde für die drei Bodenarten schluffiger Lehm, sandiger Lehm und Sand kalibiriert. Die Kalibrationsgleichungen zeigen, dass beide Elektrodenanordnungen über ausreichende Empfindlichkeit zur Bodenfeuchtemessung verfügen. Es sind aber bodenartspezifische Kalibrierungen notwendig. (2) Die dynamische Auflösung und das Ansprechverhalten des Feuchtesensors wurden für beide Elektrodenanordnungen untersucht, und die Ausbreitung des dielektrischen Feldes wurde bestimmt. (3) Die Ergebnisse der Messungen im gewachsenen Boden zeigen, dass die Messmethode zur Verbesserung der Interpretation der Konus-Indexwerte herangezogen werden kann. [source] Soil N transformations after application of 15N-labeled biomass in incubation experiments with repeated soil drying and rewettingJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2004Hans-Werner Olfs Abstract The effects of repeated soil drying and rewetting on microbial biomass N (Nbio) and mineral N (Nmin) were measured in incubation experiments simulating typical moisture and temperature conditions for soils from temperate climates in the post-harvest period. After application of in vitro15N-labeled fungal biomass to a silty loam, one set of soils was exposed to two drying-rewetting cycles (treatment DR; 14 days to decrease soil moisture to 20,% water-holding capacity (WHC) and subsequently 7 days at 60,% WHC). A control set (treatment CM) was kept at constant moisture conditions (60,% WHC) throughout the incubation. Nbio and Nmin as well as the 15N enrichment of these N pools were measured immediately after addition of 15N-labeled biomass (day 0) and after each change in soil moisture (day 14, 21, 35, 42). Drying and rewetting (DR) resulted in higher Nmin levels compared to CM towards the end of the incubation. Considerable amounts of Nbio were susceptible to mineralization as a result of soil drying (i.e., drying enhanced the turnover of Nbio), and significantly lower Nbio values were found for DR at the end of each drying period. Immediately after biomass incorporation into the soil (day 0), 22,% of the applied 15N was found in the Nmin pool. Some of this 15Nmin must have been derived from dead cells of the applied microbial biomass as only about 80,% of the microbes in the biomass suspension were viable, and only 52,% of the 15Nbio was extractable (using the fumigation-extraction method). The increase in 15Nmin was higher than for unlabeled Nmin, indicating that added labeled biomass was mineralized with a higher rate than native biomass during the first drying period. Overall, the effect of drying and rewetting on soil N turnover was more pronounced for treatment DR compared to CM during the second drying-rewetting cycle, resulting in a higher flush of mineralization and lower microbial biomass N levels. Stickstoffumsatz im Boden nach Applikation 15N-markierter Biomasse in Inkubationsversuchen mit wiederholten Trocknungs-Wiederbefeuchtungszyklen Der Einfluss wiederholter Bodentrocknung und -wiederbefeuchtung auf mikrobiellen Biomasse-N (Nbio) und mineralischen N (Nmin) wurde in Inkubationsversuchen untersucht. Bodenfeuchte und -temperatur wurden entsprechend den typischen Bedingungen in der Nachernte-Periode gemäßigter Klimazonen simuliert. Nach Applikation von in-vitro15N-markierter Biomasse zu einem Krumenboden (schluffiger Lehm) wurde eine Hälfte der Inkubationsgefäße zwei Trocknungs-Wiederbefeuchtungs-Zyklen ausgesetzt (Behandlung DR, d. h., innerhalb von 14 Tagen Absenkung der Bodenfeuchte auf 20,% der Wasserhaltekapazität (WHC) und danach 7 Tage bei 60,% WHC). Die Vergleichsgefäße wurden konstant bei 60,% der WHC inkubiert (Behandlung CM). Nbio und Nmin sowie die 15N-Anreicherung dieser N-Pools wurden sofort nach der Applikation der 15N-markierten Biomasse (Tag 0) und nach jeder Änderung in der Bodenfeuchte (Tag 14, 21, 35, 42) gemessen. Trocknung und Wiederbefeuchtung (DR) resultierte in höheren Nmin -Gehalten im Vergleich zu CM gegen Ende der Inkubation. Bei Bodentrocknung unterlagen höhere Biomasse-Anteile der Mineralisation (d. h., Trocknung forcierte den Umsatz von Nbio), so dass jeweils am Ende der Trocknungsperiode in DR niedrigere Nbio -Gehalte gefunden wurden. Sofort nach der Einarbeitung der Biomasse in den Boden (Tag 0) wurde 22,% des applizierten 15N im Nmin -Pool gefunden. Ein Teil dieses 15Nmin dürfte von bereits toten Zellen der eingesetzten Mikroben-Biomasse stammen, da nur ca. 80,% der Mikroorganismen in der verwendeten Biomasse-Suspension als lebend eingestuft werden konnte und nur 52,% des 15Nbio mittels Fumigations-Extraktions-Methode extrahierbar war. Aus dem deutlicheren Anstieg im 15Nmin im Vergleich zum unmarkierten Nmin kann geschlossen werden, dass während der ersten Trocknungsperiode zugesetzte markierte Biomasse mit einer höheren Rate als bodenbürtige Biomasse mineralisiert wurde. Insgesamt war der Effekt des Trocknens und der Wiederbefeuchtung auf den N-Umsatz im Boden für die Behandlung DR im Vergleich zu CM im zweiten Zyklus ausgeprägter. Dies zeigt sich in einem höheren Mineralisationsschub und in einem niedrigeren Gehalt an Biomasse zum Ende der Inkubation. [source] INFILTRATION OF WASTEWATER AND SIMULATED RAINWATER AS AFFECTED BY POLYACRYLAMIDE,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 4 2002Duane T. Gardiner ABSTRACT: Irrigation reduces infiltration rates for subsequent irrigations or rains, thus decreasing the efficiency of water use and impacting watersheds in agricultural areas. Reduced infiltration causes greater runoff with its accompanying erosion, pollution, and sedimentation. Small rates of polyacrylamide (PAM) improve infiltration and reduce erosion on irrigated fields. The effects of PAM on infiltration of rainwater, the longevity of the effects of various rates of PAM, and the effects of repeated or intermittent PAM applications are not understood. This study measured the effects of four PAM application rates (0, 10, 25, and 40 ppm) on the subsequent infiltration of wastewater or simulated rainwater for seven weeks following the initial treatments. Also, effects of repeated and intermittent PAM applications on infiltration were determined. Hydraulic conductivity was determined for each soil column using the falling head method. Two soil types from the coastal plain of south Texas were tested , a soil high in clay (Victoria) and a sandy loam (Willacy). Effects of PAM rates were significant, but effects of water type were not (P > 0.05). Benefits from single PAM applications disappeared within two weeks. Water enriched with PAM is so viscous and infiltrates so slowly that applying PAM in every irrigation event may not be feasible. However, repeating PAM applications every two weeks maintained high infiltration rates on the alternate weeks. This intermittent application of PAM may be a practical approach for improving infiltration rates on irrigated lands. [source] Flood events overrule fertiliser effects on biomass production and species richness in riverine grasslandsJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 5 2007Boudewijn Beltman Abstract Question: Do severe winter flood events lift the nutrient limitation of biomass production in a river floodplain? How does this affect plant species richness? How long do the effects last? Location: Floodplain grassland on calcareous sandy loam near river Rhine in The Netherlands. Methods: Plots were fertilised with four treatments (control, N, P, N+P) for 21 years; plant species composition, vegetation biomass and tissue nutrient concentrations were determined every year between 1985 and 2005. Results: Fertilisation with N generally increased biomass production and reduced species richness, but these effects varied over time. During the first four years of the experiment, biomass production appeared to be co-limited by N and P, while N fertilisation dramatically reduced plant species richness; these effects became weaker subsequently. Following two extreme winter floods in 1993,94 and 1994,95 and a drought in spring 1996, the effects of fertilisation disappeared between 1998 and 2001 and then appeared again. Flooding caused an overall reduction in species richness (from c. 24 to 15 species m -2) and an increase in biomass production, which were only partly reversed after ten years. Conclusions: Long time series are necessary to understand vegetation dynamics and nutrient limitation in river floodplains, since they are influenced by occasional flood and drought events, whose effects may persist for more than ten years. A future increase in flooding frequency might be detrimental to species richness in floodplain grasslands. [source] Cropping strategies, soil fertility investment and land management practices by smallholder farmers in communal and resettlement areas in ZimbabweLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2009J. G. Cobo Abstract Three smallholder villages located in typical communal (from 1948), old (1987) and new (2002) resettlement areas, on loamy sand, sandy loam and clay soils, respectively, were selected to explore differences on natural resource management and land productivity. Focus group discussions and surveys were carried out with farmers. Additionally, farmers in three wealth classes per village were chosen for a detailed assessment of their main production systems. Maize grain yields (t,ha,1) in the communal (1·5,4·0) and new resettlement areas (1·9,4·3) were similar but significantly higher than in the old resettlement area (0·9,2·7), despite lower soil quality in the communal area. Nutrient input use was the main factor controlling maize productivity in the three areas (R2,=,59,83%), while soil quality accounted for up to 12%. Partial N balances (kg,ha,1,yr,1) were significantly lower in the new resettlement (,9·1 to +14·3) and old resettlement (+7·4 to +9·6) than in the communal area (+2·1 to +59·6) due to lower nutrient applications. Averaged P balances were usually negative. Consistently, maize yields, nutrient applications and partial N balances were higher in the high wealth class than in poorer classes. This study found that most farmers in the new resettlement area were exploiting the inherent soil nutrient stocks more than farmers in the other two areas. We argue that effective policies supporting an efficient fertilizer distribution and improved soil management practices, with clearer rights to land, are necessary to avoid future land degradation and to improve food security in Zimbabwe, particularly in the resettlement areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Runoff and losses by erosion in soils amended with sewage sludgeLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2003G. Ojeda Abstract In order to promote the transformation of a burnt Mediterranean forest area into a dehesa system, 10,t,ha,1 of dry matter of the same sewage sludge in three different forms: fresh, composted and thermally-dried, were added superficially to field plots of loam and sandy soils located on a 16,per,cent slope. This application is equivalent to 13,8,t,ha,1 of composted sludge, 50,t,ha,1 of fresh sludge and 11,3,t,ha,1 of thermally-dried sludge. The surface addition of a single application of thermally-dried sludge resulted in a decrease in runoff and erosion in both kinds of soil. Runoff in thermally-dried sludge plots was lower than in the control treatment (32,per,cent for the loam soil and 26,per,cent for the sandy soil). The addition of any type of sludge to both soil types also reduces sediment production. Significant differences between the control and sludge treatments indicate that the rapid development of plant cover and the direct protective effect of sludge on the soil are the main agents that influence soil erosion rates. Results suggest that the surface application of thermally-dried sludge is the most efficient way to enhance soil infiltration. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||