Soils and permafrost occurrence and behavior at the Weddell Sea zone, located in the key zone of climatic transition between Maritime Antarctica and Continental Antarctica, remain little studied. We studied the main chemical, physical and mineralogical properties of representative soil profiles of the northern part of Seymour Island, discussing soil formation processes and the active-layer thermal

Vertisols were examined from the standpoint of extreme pedology. The aim of this paper is to: 1) estimate the variability of features, factors and geography of Vertisols and to better identify what is typical and how extreme (unusual for normal Vertisol) could be the factors of their formation (i.e. climate, parent material, vegetation, relief, and age), 2) evaluate the extreme environments they occur

We examined a procedure to elicit the tacit models underlying expert opinions on environmental factors that affect the absolute yield benefits expected from the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) practices in southern Africa. The procedure is based on expert evaluation of the expected improvement in crop yield on adoption of CA in a particular scenario or ‘state’, a state being a specified set

Studies of phosphorus (P) behaviour in soils receiving sugar cane filter cake are important for determining doses, its contribution to P nutrition and maximizing fertilizer efficiency, especially in soils with low P availability. This study aimed to assess organic and inorganic forms of P in soils treated with sugar cane filter cake, and the relationship between these and plant available P. Soil inorganic

CO2 and N2O are important greenhouse gases that are related to soil mineralization–immobilization turnover and nitrification. To explore the responses of CO2 and N2O emissions to N deposition in forests with different N transformation characteristics, CO2 and N2O fluxes were measured in two NH4NO3 fertilized plots. One plot was in a temperate pine plantation in Heilongjiang Liangshui National Nature

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi form a symbiotic association with host trees, functionally promoting the nutrient uptake in the hosts via their secretion of enzymes to degrade organic compounds. Because of the involvement in nutrient cycling, ECM fungi are important to the establishment of host trees and forest recovery. In Thailand, ECM fungi are mostly associated with host tree species in the Dipterocarpaceae

Unsustainable farming systems for a growing population in Sub-Saharan Africa stress natural resources and lead to soil degradation. Legume cultivation, however, promotes soil microbial communities and may help reverse soil degradation. The soil properties (pH, texture, C and nutrient contents) of a set of contrasting sites from two agro-ecological zones of Cameroon were determined. This study characterises

Anion exchange between ubiquitous low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA), such as oxalate, and surface retained inorganic anions, such as F‐, SO42‐, and OH‐, can play a critical role on Al bioavailability and transport in acidic alpine tundra soil. A series of batch equilibration and composite soil column leaching studies were conducted to examine anion exchange reactions between F‐, oxalate and

Soils are indispensable for the provision of several functions. Agricultural intensification and its focus on increasing primary productivity (PP) poses a threat to soil quality, due to increases in nutrient loads, greenhouse gas emissions and declining biodiversity. The EU Horizon 2020 Landmark project has developed multi‐criteria decision models to assess five soil functions: PP, nutrient cycling

Citarum River is the largest natural stream in West Java, Indonesia, flowing across an area of 6614 km2. About 3000 industries discharge their wastewater into the stream, affecting almost 19 million people who live along the river. Considering the perseverance and the prospective toxicity of microplastics (MPs), investigating their concentrations in this river is critical to help illustrate the exposure

Low-cost bioadsorbent such as shrimp shell chitin was used for the removal of polyphenols and COD from olive mill wastewater (OMW). In order to achieve a high polyphenols and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and to reduce the number of experiments, two levels of fractional 24 factorial design experiments were carried out. The influence of different experimental parameters such as solution

In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of treating water contaminated with ketoprofen (KET) by ultrasound (US) and sono-activated persulfate (US/PS) systems. The effects of different reaction parameters, such as the initial pharmaceutical compound concentration (C0), persulfate concentration, ultrasonic power, and initial pH of the solution (pHi) on the KET removal and reaction kinetics were investigated

Marine pollution has increased reaching the entire marine environment, from the surface to the deepest sediment, and has become more concerning in the last 70 years. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a fraction of ocean waste that includes, among the others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and plastic polymers. These chemicals have an extremely long half-life, and (bio)accumulate and

Although much previous research effort has examined the impacts of metal contamination on macrobenthic assemblages in subtidal sediments, little attention has been directed at macroinvertebrate responses in intertidal mangrove habitats. Thus, in order to assess the unique responses of mangrove macroinvertebrate assemblages to sediment metal(loid) contamination, total, normalised and bioavailable metal(loid)s

Stressors are omnipresent in the environment and trigger specific physiological and/or behavioural responses that remain relatively less known in invertebrates. Among the parameters used to quantify the impact of stress on physiology, the circulating level of glucose is commonly used in aquatic crustacean species. Terrestrial isopods are small crustaceans commonly used as bioindicators of soil quality;

Sympatric differentiation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria may occur due to differences in ammonia availability during agricultural activities such as fertilization, which shift key biological drivers of soil nitrification processes. Restoring native habitat from intensive agricultural activities (e.g. converting cropland into fallow land) reduces fertilizer inputs, which has the potential

The nitrogen (N) cycle process in agricultural soil is affected by fertilization. However, there is limited information on the abundance of N-cycling microbial community and its response to the different fertilization strategies in acidic soil. Using quantitative PCR, we investigated the microbial abundance involving 11 functional genes of the N cycle (nifH, chiA, aprA, archaeal and bacterial amoA

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of nitrogen (N) in the regulation of grain yield, growth, and physiology and biochemistry of fragrant rice under lead (Pb) stress. Three fragrant rice cultivars (Daohuaxiang, Basmati, and Yungengyou14) were grown under two N application levels (CK, 0 kg N ha−1, and HN, 200 kg N ha−1) under Pb-contaminated soil. The grain yield, growth, antioxidant

Selenium (Se), an essential micronutrient for humans, is also a beneficial nutrient for growth and development of many plants. The aim of the present study was to determine whether low-dose Se application could increase plum growth and serotonin synthesis, as well as upregulate the glutathione redox cycle. Two-year-old plum trees were treated with Se6+ (Na2SeO4) and Se2− (SeMet). Growth parameters

This study explored the response in grain yield and quality of upland and wetland rice varieties to a combination of zinc (Zn) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers under two water management regimes. A factorial arrangement based on a randomized complete block design composed of three factors was carried out with three independent replications. Upland and wetland rice varieties were grown with three fertilizer

Thinning profoundly affects soil microbial communities and carbon (C) cycling through altering soil microclimate, plant growth, C inputs and allocations. However, these effects are uncertain and may change with thinning intensity, recovery stage, forest type, and climate. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis, based on 337 observations from 49 studies, to quantify the responses of soil properties

Topsoil hardening is one of the major causes of poor root growth although its effects on subsoil roots are still not well-known. Our aim was to examine the effects of topsoil hardening on the growth and functioning of shallow and deep roots of soybean plants. Two rain shelter experiments were conducted in two consecutive years. Plants were grown in topsoil monoliths (0–20 cm) with low (LR) or high

In forests in Mongolia, tree roots and ectomycorrhizal fungi must survive several months of soil freezing in winter. To investigate the ectomycorrhizal community after winter, we collected fine roots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) and associated soil from Nukht forest in the Bogd-Khan National Reserve, Mongolia. Soil samples were collected from frozen soil at the

At present, plant–microbial remediation of soil petroleum pollution has been widely used, but the study of using models to predict remediation effect and find optimal remediation conditions is still very lacking. In this paper, on the basis of the numerical model of previous research, the effects of Suaeda salsa–microbial remediation technique on soil petroleum hydrocarbon pollution were simulated

Heavy metal pollution in soil has an increasingly serious impact on the ecological environment, quality of agricultural and livestock products, and healthy living. Researches on detection methods and remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated soil have received widespread attention. In this paper, the conventional mechanical properties and viscoelastic properties of heavy metal (cadmium

Plant breeding programs seek to obtain genotypes with high yield, yield stability, and wide adaptability to environments. Selection of strains (genotypes) for adoption as crop inoculants has a similar aim. However, in both cases, the genotype × environment interaction hinders selection of materials adapted to the most diverse edaphic and climatic conditions. Nevertheless, with adequate biometric techniques

Aims Embothrium coccineum is a pioneer tree that produces cluster roots (CR) induced by phosphorus (P) or nitrogen (N) deficiency, but the role which both N and P play in CR formation for different E. coccineum populations is still unknown. We hypothesized that in E. coccineum, N influences the CR formation response, primarily induced by P limitation. However, this response depends on local adaptations

Nitrogen fertilizer supply and use play a vital role in determining crop growth and yield. However, the effects of nitrogen fertilizer levels on plant growth under waterlogging conditions remain elusive. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 90, 180, 270, and 360 kg N ha−1, designated N0, N1, N2, N3, and N4, respectively) on leaf physiological characteristics

This review deals with the mechanism of antagonistic action of bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents such as the production of antibiotics, siderophores, enzyme secretion, competition for nutrition, plant growth promotion by rhizosphere microorganism. The utilisation of synthetic pesticides has been the predominant control processor for diseases brought about by phytopathogenic microorganisms. Notwithstanding

Soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon in different aggregate fractions would be affected by alpine grassland degradation. We investigated the aggregate stability by mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and fractal dimension (D), and the distribution and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) in different sized aggregates of degraded alpine grassland soils

The particle density of soil (ρS) represents one of the basic physical properties of soil. However, measurement of this parameter is not part of common routine soil inventories in most countries. Therefore, pedotransfer functions (PTFs) were developed to calculate ρS. Here, we used a complex, hierarchically structured PTF to calculate ρS, separating the soil mineral substance (SMS) into clay, silt

Over the last decades, several authors have suggested that multifractal measures, i.e., self‐similar measures defined on fractal or non‐fractal objects, could be useful to describe soil properties, to model soil processes, and to deal with their extreme microscale heterogeneity. In this context, a key question relates to the extent to which multifractal measures can indeed fulfill all the expectations

Soil quality (SQ) is the ability of soil to provide ecosystem functions and services. Implementation of a certain agricultural system can affect SQ and therefore play an essential role in achieving sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to explore how agricultural systems (conventional vs. organic), grazing regime (non‐grazed vs. grazed) and the different proportions of temporary grass‐clover

To achieve appropriate yield levels, inherent nitrogen (N) supply and biological N fixation are often complemented by fertilization. To avoid economic losses and negative environmental impacts due to over‐application of N fertilizer, estimation of the inherent N supply is critical. We aimed to identify the roles of soil texture and organic matter in N mineralization and yield levels attained in cereal

Burning is the most common practice for rice straw disposal. Due to associated negative environmental and climatic effects, development of viable alternatives, preferably based on the natural functions of soil biota are needed. In the conditions of non-tropical rice-growing systems, where periods of flooding are very short, such an approach seems to be particularly promising. We carried out a mesocosm

Soil clay content is one of the primary intrinsic soil properties affecting soil erodibility and ecological processes, but few studies have tested the effects of clay amendment on soil wind erosion. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of progressive clay amendment on soil wind erosion in the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW), where there is a high soil erodibility risk due

High salinity, poor soil structure and nutrient deficiencies are the main limitations in saline-alkali soils. We investigated the effects on the microstructure, and the aerobic and anaerobic bacterial communities in the macroaggregates following addition of vermicompost and humic acid fertilizer to saline-alkali soil. These effects could enhance salt leaching and inhibit nitrogen losses in the topsoil

Erodibility designates soils' vulnerability to the abrading effect of erosion's climatic drivers i.e. precipitation and overland flow. This parameter is represented in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its successor (RUSLE), by the respective component (K-factor). Its accurate quantification is critical for modelling soil erosion. Yet, in many countries – Greece included – the process is

Photocatalytic reduction is a promising approach to detoxifying carcinogenic Cr(VI) in water. Herein, CdS-sensitized Cs3PW12O40 composites were fabricated by electrostatic self-assembly followed by hydrothermal post-treatment strategy. The composite with 28.6 wt% CdS loading (CdS/CsPW) was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM/TEM, EDX, UV-vis DRS, XPS, potentiometric titration, and N2 adsorption. The catalytic

The development of efficient and inexpensive boron removal techniques is required to treat wastewater from many industrial processes. We investigated the removal mechanism of boron from wastewater by calcinated ettringite, a concrete sludge, and compared the advantage of this method to coprecipitation with ettringite. The amount of boron remaining in solution decreased slightly from an initial concentration

The adsorption potential of layered double hydroxides (LDH) of nickle–zinc–iron (NiZnFe) and its composites with single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and banana biochar (Bb) was investigated for divalent copper (Cu2+) removal in a batch system. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and FT-IR spectra confirmed the adsorption of Cu2+ onto LDH (NiZnFe) and its composites with Bb (LDH/Bb) and CNTs

Summarized the heavy metal pollution caused by natural and human activities. The natural causes include the migration and redistribution of soil debris and the hydraulic migration of soil parent rock with high background value under the action of wind; human factors include mining, abandoned mining areas, fertilizer and pesticide application, and sewage irrigation. By examining the sources of heavy

The concern with the environment and the depletion of natural resources has aroused the interest for the rational use and recycling of water. Therefore, this study evaluated the capacity of the Trametes sp. M3 isolate in the bioremediation of Reactive Blue (RB) 268 dye and its potential for use as an adsorbent in the treatment of textile effluents. In a solid medium containing RB 268, the discoloration

Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs in soil samples collected at Mount Rainier National Park and Satsop Nuclear Power Plant zone in State of Washington (USA) and Curonian Spit National Park and Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant zone in Lithuania have been measured by gamma spectrometry. The results have been compared with the worldwide measured average values reported by the UNSCEAR

To reveal the influencing process and mechanism of seawater intrusion on groundwater Fe in coastal zones, the local groundwater in Buzhuang Town, together with those in the neighboring area where no seawater intruded, was sampled and comparatively analyzed, and the static simulation experiments were also performed in laboratory. The local groundwater has Fe levels of 6.09–196.96 μg/L, with an average

In this study, batch and column experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of MgO nanoparticles (NPs), humic acid and biochar for boron (B) immobilization in contaminated soil. Results showed that the fate and mobility of B was controlled by adsorption reactions and the amount of B adsorption increased in soil treated with MgO at 2% wt while the amount of B adsorption declined in presence

Enhanced subsurface reductive potentials and anaerobic conditions induced by organic residues at oilfield sites may affect arsenic (As) levels in groundwater (GW) and GW-irrigated crops. To substantiate this effect, a Fe/Mn-As binary mineral oxide (FMBO-As) was synthesized by co-precipitation and a series of soil columns packed with varying FMBO-As levels were eluted with simulated oily wastewater

Investigation of heavy metals in the bed sediments of wetlands can be used as an appropriate index for determining environmental quality of wetlands. In this study, the concentration of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in sediments of 8 points in the Hashilan wetland was evaluated. Geo-accumulation index (I geo), input potential index (IPI) and pollution index (PI) calculated for bed sediments

Phytoremediation is an emerging green technology for the management of contaminated soils. Plants that are hyper accumulators are used for in situ removal, degradation or decontamination of pollutant elements. The tolerance of heavy metals is the plant characteristic required for hyper accumulation. Different chelating agents such as Ethylenediamine Tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) facilitate metal uptake

A powerful anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) was proposed using a bismuth film coated on screen-printed carbon electrode (Bi-SPCE) in conjunction with the Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure for determination of various forms of cadmium and lead in soil. A dynamic flow-through stirred extraction system was employed to simulate the natural percolation of liquid through the solid soil that causes

A field survey was performed to investigate the metals contamination in the vicinity of tungsten mining areas. Ten sampling sites alongside perennial wind direction were selected for soil collection and heavy metal contents determination, include Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Cd, and W. Horizontal and vertical distribution characteristics of metals were performed. Geo-accumulation and potential ecological risk

In this work, the thermally modified attapulgite was prepared by high temperature modification and analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and specific surface area test (BET). The results showed that the crystal phase structure of the thermally modified attapulgite was not changed compared with the attapulgite, but the

In this study, electrokinetic remediation (EKR) was performed to reduce the risk of heavy metal contaminants viz., Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn associated with different fractions of lake sediments. Firstly, batch experiments were performed to estimate the optimal concentration of enhancing agents such as EDTA, nitric acid and acetic acid for effective dissolution of heavy metals from sediments and to minimize

Aim Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two major limiting factors in terrestrial ecosystems. Excessive N applications alter ecosystem functions by causing nutrient imbalances with P. Yet, little is known about why and how the balance between N and P regulates soil multifunctionality –the simultaneous provision of multiple soil functions–. Methods We explored how P additions regulated the responses

Background and aims Plant-soil feedbacks are the result of multiple abiotic and biotic mechanisms. However, few studies have addressed how feedbacks vary based on abiotic context or attempted to identify microbiota responsible for feedbacks. We investigated whether plant-soil feedbacks of an ectomycorrhizal tree (Quercus macrocarpa) varied based on soil nutrient status and whether fungal community

Aims Soil respiration (Rs) is a major pathway for carbon release to the atmosphere. We explored variability in dryland Rs response to rainfall pulses at multiple levels of spatial heterogeneity: 1) along a hyper-arid to arid rainfall gradient, 2) across soil surfaces that differ in stability and composition, and 3) among different geomorphic and vegetation patch types. Methods We measured in situ Rs

Aims We examined how restoration affects the structure and function of grasslands belowground by relating changes in the morphology and architecture of root systems of dominant plants to the structure of soil food webs. Methods We measured changes in root traits of dominant plants (Bouteloua gracilis and Pascopyrum smithii) and related them to the diversity and feeding structure of soil nematodes across

The volatilization of ammonia is the main reaction that decreases the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization and in order to reduce losses. new technologies such as addition of N-n-butyltriamide thiophosphate (NBPT) to the conventional urea granule (UNBPT) or the covering with polymer and sulfur (UPS) have been developed with the aim to optimize nitrogen fertilization. This work aimed to evaluate the