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Top Soil (top + soil)
Selected AbstractsEffectiveness of very thin soil layers in chemical release from bed sedimentENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 2 2001Bryan Talbert The chemical containment effectiveness of both the natural recovery and the "particle broadcasting" processes for remediating contaminated bed-sediments depend upon very thin soil and/or sand layers millimeters in depth. Conventional capping for in situ chemical containment of bed-sediment or dredged material typically involves thick layers of 30 to 90 centimeters in depth. Few studies have been conducted with thin layers of candidate natural materials. A steady-state benzoic acid dissolution test apparatus and procedure, devised to realistically simulate bed-sediment chemo-dynamic conditions, was used to measure chemical flux through thin layers (1 to 8 mm) of soil, sand, and ideal porous media. The thin layers were found to be very effective. Flux reductions ranged from 81 to 96%, with fine sand being slightly better than top soil. Design algorithms developed for the thick layers used in conventional capping design will under predict the flux through very thin layers. Advective flow induced by surface roughness is proposed to explain the higher average measure d-to-predicted flux ratio of 1.67. [source] Determination of the soil organic carbon, nitrogen, available phosphorus and the combined aboveground plant materials in the semi-arid Mbulu District, TanzaniaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Mligo Cosmas Abstract Soil of the semi-arid Mbulu District is part of the tropical soils, covered with sparse trees, shrubs or grasses in which domestic grazing animals have prevented the wide spread of vegetation cover. The study aimed at determining soil organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P) and the combined aboveground plant materials. Six study sites were established in which soil samples were collected at the depths of 0,5, 6,10 and 11,20 cm. Soil samples were analysed for OC, N and P as well as the levels of N and P in the combined aboveground materials of Panicum coloratum and Hyparrhenia filipendula. The percentage concentrations of OC, N and P were high in the top soil than in the deeper soil horizons. However, analysis of variance showed significant differences of OC in some sites whereas no difference for N and P between soil depth classes. OC was highly related with N and P along soil depth classes. It was concluded that the availability of N and P was because of the decomposition of organic matter in the soil. Soil N and P were highly related with the same in the combined aboveground plant materials. It was concluded that the increased concentration of N and P in the soil resulted into availability of the same in P. coloratum and H. filipendula. There was a very high variation in N and P among sites with different levels of intensity of grazing. It was concluded that grazing animals contributes to the redistribution of soil elements in the rangelands because they graze upon plant parts but the excreta are dropped away from the grazed spot. Résumé Le sol du district semi-aride de Mbulu fait partie de ces sols tropicaux couverts d'arbres, de buissons et d'herbes rares où le pâturage des animaux domestiques a empêché une large dispersion du couvert végétal. L'étude visait à déterminer le carbone organique (CO) du sol, l'azote (N) total, le phosphore (P) disponible et l'ensemble combiné de la matière végétale aérienne. Six sites d'étude furent établis, où l'on a récolté des échantillons de sol à des profondeurs de 0 à 5 cm, 6 à 10 cm, et 11 à 20 cm. Les échantillons de sols ont été analysés pour le CO, le N et le P ainsi que les niveaux de N et de P dans la matière végétale aérienne composée de Panicum coloratum et Hyparrhenia filipendula. Le pourcentage des concentrations de CO, N et P était plus élevé dans la couche supérieure du sol que dans les couches plus profondes. Cependant, une analyse de variance a révélé des différences significatives du CO dans certains sites alors qu'il n'y avait pas de différences pour N ni P aux différentes profondeurs de sol. Le CO était fortement liéà N et à P selon les classes de profondeur. On en a conclu que la disponibilité de N et de P était due à la décomposition de la matière organique dans le sol. Le N et le P du sol étaient fortement liés aux mêmes éléments présents dans la matière végétale aérienne combinée. On a conclu que la concentration accrue de N et de P dans le sol résultait de la concentration de ces mêmes éléments dans P. coloratum et H. filipendula. Il y a avait une très grande variation de N et de P entre des sites où l'intensité de pâturage était différente. On a conclu que les animaux qui pâturent contribuent à la redistribution des éléments du sol dans tous les endroits fréquentés étant donné qu'ils mangent des plantes à certains endroits mais que leurs excréments peuvent être rejetés ailleurs que les zones pâturées. [source] Field measurements of the water content in the top soil using a new capacitance sensor with a flat sensitive volumeJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2005Bernhard Ruth Abstract Water content directly near the soil surface plays an essential role for degradation of natural organic material and agrochemicals by soil microbes. Furthermore, the water losses by evaporation depend sensitively on the top-soil water content. Rain, irrigation, evaporation, and the water flow between the soil horizons together with the natural inhomogeneity of soils cause a high spatial gradient and a pronounced time dependence of the water content in the top soil. To understand processes in top soil such as redox gradients, the knowledge on ecological conditions in the top soil, which is subject to rapid changes, is essential. In order to meet the requirements for such field measurements, a capacitance sensor with a depth resolution of 1,cm and an active area of 7.5,cm × 14,cm was constructed and operated by a special electronic circuit. Field measurements using these sensors at 1,cm depth showed the high dynamics when measurements were carried out every 10,min. As simultaneous measurements of the soil temperature at 1,cm depth exhibit large temperature variations during the day, its influence on the measurements must be compensated for. As the data, measured during drying periods, allow the assessment of the temperature coefficient, the water content at a reference temperature can be calculated. The course of the water content reflects precipitation events and quantifies the drying of the soil, providing these parameters for process evaluation. Furthermore, the diurnal variation exhibits the drying during the day and the possible rewetting from deeper horizons during the night. Freilandmessungen des Wassergehalts im Oberboden mit einem neuen Kapazitätssensor mit flachem sensitiven Volumen Der Wassergehalt direkt an der Bodenoberfläche spielt für den mikrobiellen Abbau natürlicher organischer Substanz und von Agrochemikalien eine bedeutende Rolle. Darüber hinaus hängen die Wasserverluste durch Evaporation empfindlich vom Wassergehalt an der Bodenoberfläche ab. Regen, Bewässerung, Evaporation und die Wasserbewegung zwischen den Bodenhorizonten, sowie die natürliche Inhomogenität des Bodens verursachen einen großen Gradienten und eine ausgeprägte Zeitabhängigkeit des Wassergehalts und entsprechender Stofftransformationsprozesse im Oberboden. Für das Verständnis der Prozesse im Oberboden, wie z.,B. der Redox-Gradienten, ist die Kenntnis der ökologischen Bedingungen in dem sich schnell verändernden Oberboden unerlässlich. Um die Anforderungen für solche Feldmessungen zu erfüllen, wurde ein Kapazitätssensor mit einer Tiefenauflösung von 1,cm und einer aktiven Fläche von 7.5,cm × 14,cm konstruiert und mit einem speziellen elektronischen Schaltkreis betrieben. Feldmessungen in der Tiefe von 1,cm zeigen eine große Dynamik, wenn alle 10 min ein neuer Messwert erfasst wird. Da simultane Messungen der Bodentemperatur in 1,cm Tiefe hohe Variationen zeigen, muss deren Einfluss auf die Messung kompensiert werden. Da die Messungen während der Trockenperioden die Abschätzung des Temperaturkoeffizienten erlauben, kann der Wassergehalt bei einer Referenztemperatur errechnet werden. Die Messergebnisse korrespondieren mit Regenereignissen und erfassen die Austrocknung des Bodens, so dass damit Parameter für die Prozessberechnung zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Der Tagesgang zeigt Austrocknung während des Tages und die mögliche Wiederbefeuchtung aus tieferen Horizonten während der Nacht. [source] Soil organic carbon contents in long-term experimental grassland plots in the UK (Palace Leas and Park Grass) have not changed consistently in recent decadesGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009D. W. HOPKINS Abstract A recent report of widespread declines in soil organic C (SOC) in the UK over the 10,25 years until the early 2000s has focussed attention on the importance of resampling previously characterized sites to assess long-term trends in SOC contents and the importance of soils as a potentially volatile and globally significant reservoir of terrestrial C. We have used two sets of long-term experimental plots which have been under constant and known management for over a century and for which historical data exist that allow comparison over recent decades to determine what, if any, changes in SOC content have occurred. The plots used are the Palace Leas (PL) Meadow Hay Plots in north-east England (UK) established in 1897, and from the Park Grass (PG) Continuous Hay experiment established in 1856 at Rothamsted in south-east England. Collectively, these plots represent the only grassland sites in the UK under long-term management where changes in SOC over several decades can be assessed, and are probably unique in the world. The plots have received different manure and fertilizer treatment and have been under known management for at least 100 years. In 1982, total SOC contents were determined for the 0,27 cm layer of six of the PL plots using measurements of SOC concentrations, bulk density and soil depth. In 2006, the same six PL plots were resampled and SOC contents determined again. Four of the plots showed no net change in SOC content, but two plots showed net loss of SOC of 15% and 17% (amounting to decreases of 18 and 15 t C ha,1) since 1982. However, these differences in total SOC content were in a similar range to the variations in bulk density (6,31%) with changing soil water content. In 1959, the soil masses and SOC concentrations to 23 cm depth were measured on six PG plots with fertilizer and manure treatments corresponding closely with those measured on PL. In 2002, the SOC concentrations on the same plots were measured again. On three of the PG plots, SOC concentrations had declined by 2,10%, but in the other three it had increased by 4,8% between 1959 and 2002. If it is assumed that the soil bulk density had not changed over this period, the losses of SOC from the top soils ranged range from 10 to 3 t C ha,1, while the gains ranged from 4 to 7 t C ha,1. When the differences with time in SOC contents for the six PL and the six PG plots were examined using paired t -tests, that is, regarding the plots as two sets of six replicate permanent grasslands, there were no significant differences between 1982 and 2006 for the PL plots or between 1959 and 2002 for the PG plots. Thus, these independent observations on similar plots at PL and PG indicate there has been no consistent decrease in SOC stocks in surface soils under old, permanent grassland in England in recent decades, even though meteorological records for both sites indicate significant warming of the soil and air between 1980 and 2000. Because the potential influences of changes in management or land use have been definitively excluded, and measured rather than derived bulk densities have been used to convert from SOC concentrations to SOC amounts, our observations question whether for permanent grassland in England, losses in SOC in recent decades reported elsewhere can be attributed to widespread environmental change. [source] | ||||||||||