A precise description of saturated (Ks) and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity (K−10) and their spatial variability is important for understanding water/solute transport in the vadose zone. However, it is laborious to measure K directly. Alternatively, K could be predicted from easily measurable soil properties using pedotransfer functions (PTFs). Because PTFs ignore the spatial relationships and

There has been limited study on the performance of miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) on Coastal Plain soils in the Mid-South United States and use of poultry litter (PL) with miscanthus. This study examined the response of miscanthus growing on a low-fertility soil to N and PL, including effects of PL on water quality. A randomized complete block experiment on Ruston soil (fine-loamy, siliceous,

In this work, we investigated phosphorus (P) availability of three soil orders (Entisols, Inceptisols, and Mollisols) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Addition of P fertilizers causes chemical and physical fixation of P due to the high amounts of calcium carbonate often present in the soils of this region. Understanding these fixation processes is important for predicting and managing P availability

This study was conducted to determine the availability of micronutrients in soils of Sulaimani Governorate and to evaluate their capacity to sustain agriculture. Soil samples were collected in 10 locations at two depths: 0 to 15 and 15 to 30 cm. Available forms of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) were determined using a diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid extraction, and the corresponding

Although prescribed fire has been employed as a land management tool for thousands of years, the lasting effect of these events on nutrient cycling, especially the response of micronutrients (elements essential in small amounts for plant growth), is still being explored. This study aimed to quantify the responses of micronutrients to the burning of slash piles within a forested and meadow site in the

ABSTRACT  Zinc (Zn) sorption was studied in four calcareous soils of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The experiment was conducted by equilibrating 5 g of soil in 50 mL of a 0.01 M CaCl2 solution containing different levels of Zn. Suspensions were centrifuged and filtered, and the concentrations of Zn in the filtered solutions were determined. The sorption of Zn was evaluated using four adsorption isotherms

ABSTRACT  Lime and nutrients are common agricultural amendments and when applied with fresh organic matter can alter the cycling of carbon (C) in soils. Previous research has focused on assessing either the impact of nutrients on C associated with specific soil fractions or the application of lime on C dynamics in the whole soil, without fully considering the potential interactions of lime and nutrients

ABSTRACT  Wildfires are a driving factor of forest soils and their biota, especially in fire-prone ecosystems. Fire effects on soil microbial community are complex and still largely unknown. Greater knowledge is needed as fire frequency is expected to increase with human-induced climate change. This study aims at assessing the effects of a single moderately severe wildfire on microbial community diversity

ABSTRACT  Application of biochar to soil has been suggested as a nonstructural best management practice to mitigate runoff potential and soil loss. However, empirical data substantiating these effects are still scarce. Rainfall was presently simulated under controlled conditions to study the effects of biochar on erosion and runoff potential with sandy loam soil sampled from a field experiment 2 years

ABSTRACT  Understanding evolution of soils and landforms (and other Earth surface systems) has itself evolved from concepts of single-path, single-outcome development to those that recognize multiple possible developmental trajectories and different maturely developed states. Soil geomorphology and pedology should now move beyond showing that multiple trajectories are possible to investigating why

ABSTRACT  Understanding the effects of soil health (SH) on the quality of high-value crops such as coffee may enable farmers to receive financial benefits prompted by product differentiation and price premiums. This study assessed the existence and nature of the relationship between coffee cup quality and SH. Soil and coffee seed samples were collected from 68 member-farms of a cooperative participating

ABSTRACT  Relating soil microbial properties to crop productivity is important to appreciate the value of soil microbial activities in sustainable agriculture. Over a 10-year period, we evaluated the effects of conservation (CONS) management practices on soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC). The CONS practices included addition of composted cattle manure; reduced tillage; diverse crop rotations that

ABSTRACT  Nitrogen (N) fertilization changes both the degradation rate and chemical composition of plant litter and soil organic matter (SOM). We sought to document how N application rates and incorporation of crop straw residues in wheat-rice rotation systems are related to the chemical composition of SOM. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 13C multiple cross-polarization/magic angle

ABSTRACT  Planning the vegetation restoration of badlands requires an understanding of the mechanisms associated with seed transport due to runoff and soil erosion. This is particularly important in semiarid environments, such as those found in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, where rainfall mostly occurs in the form of intense short-term events with a high potential to trigger strong runoff and soil

ABSTRACT  Soil texture influences many physical and chemical properties that affect fertility and productivity. Assessing the spatial distribution of soil texture is necessary to implement management practices that avoid soil degradation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of soil's apparent electrical conductivity (ECa), as measured by electromagnetic induction, to improve

ABSTRACT  Buffer strips can reduce herbicide runoff from cultivated fields due to the ability of vegetation to impede the flow of surface runoff, promote infiltration, and adsorb herbicides. Conservation agriculture has many environmental advantages, but the transition phase from a conventional to a conservation system is a critical period, especially for surface runoff. In 2015, a field in Italy that

ABSTRACT  The main objective of this research was to study remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils after treating with granular activated carbon (AC) in combination with diatomite and a biopreparation (BP). Bioremediation rate and properties of petroleum-contaminated soils were used to explore associated mechanisms. Experiments were conducted under microfield conditions with three types of soils

ABSTRACT  Trees provide many ecosystem services in the urban environment. For these benefits to be realized, trees must establish and grow to large sizes. Engineered urban soils (EUS) are intended to promote tree health and sometimes also perform other functions such as supporting infrastructure. Substantial amounts of time and money are invested into these soils and trees, yet data on longitudinal

ABSTRACT  The aim of this research was to evaluate the variability of Pb bioaccessibility in urban garden soils and how it is affected by phosphate, organic content, soil pH and soil mineral species. The bioaccessibility of Pb in 49 soil samples was assessed using the U.S. EPA method 1340 (extraction with a simulated gastric acid at pH 1.5) and a modified protocol (same solution, but at pH 2.5). Overall

ABSTRACT  Biochar may improve soil physical properties for crop growth, but multiyear, multicrop field studies are lacking. To determine the effects of biochar on soil physical properties, we applied 0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 Mg ha−1 biochar with/without NPK fertilizer to the surface 15 cm of 1 × 1 m2 plots in a single association of fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Oxyaquic and Aquic Paleudults

ABSTRACT  The response of soil chemical, physical, and biological properties to subsurface band and surface broadcast applications of pelletized poultry litter (PPL) to row crops has not been well documented in Mississippi agroecosystems. This study was conducted in a no-till system on Caledonia silt loam and in a conventional tillage system on Marietta loam, to determine the effects of PPL placement

ABSTRACT  The behavior of water in porous media under variable gravities should be known for establishing agriculture in space. The effects of surface tension and viscosity may be emphasized under microgravity, where the weight is canceled and the density term can be ignored. In this article, the effects of changes in surface tension and viscosity were evaluated on horizontal infiltration, which is

ABSTRACT  The biological recalcitrance or decomposability of soil organic carbon (SOC) determines its lability and thus C cycling in an ecosystem. Many studies of temperate and tropical soils have reported that SOC from deeper soil is older and more recalcitrant than surface soil. However, it is not clear whether this trend holds for arctic tundra soils. We report results of C isotope measurements

ABSTRACT  Soil Science emerged on the scene in January 1916 as a journal focused on soil fertility and allied fields. Its founding editor and guiding force for 23 years was Jacob Goodale Lipman, an immigrant from the Russian Empire who came to the United States in his teens and received all of his scientific training in the United States, at Rutgers and Cornell Universities. His knowledge of the Russian

ABSTRACT  Sandstone- and shale-derived soils are common in southern California where they function in watersheds, support wildland ecosystems, and are subject to residential and infrastructure development. Because little is known about these soils on texturally contrasting parent materials, this study was designed to interpret their pedogenesis and accompanying soil physical behavior. The study area

ABSTRACT  Despite recognition of soil as a major global natural resource and longstanding policy recognition of its importance for understanding environmental systems and stewardship in a rapidly urbanizing world, soil science has been underrepresented in teaching National Curriculum in UK schools. Alongside concerns about declining student participation in science education, a key challenge is how

ABSTRACT  Surface broadcast of dairy slurry is a common practice; however, concerns over nuisance odors and nutrient losses have prompted research into alternatives. Manure injection is one practice that addresses these concerns but is not widely adopted. Therefore, two studies were conducted to quantify NH3-N loss by volatilization, impacts on soil N cycling, and microbial response between surface

ABSTRACT  This paper reviews recent developments in studies of soil complexity, focusing on the variability of soil types within soil landscapes. Changes in soil complexity are directly related to divergent and convergent pedogenesis and to dynamical stability and chaos. Accordingly, strong links exist between nonlinear dynamical systems theory and studies of soil complexity. Traditional conceptual

ABSTRACT  Western Amazon has the highest forest biodiversity in the world; however, farming, pasture, or subsistence farming has cleared extensive forest areas, impacting soil quality. This study evaluates the variations in soil quality indicators such as organic carbon (OC), NH4+, available P, soil texture, and pH, taking into account changes of land use from forest to disturbed areas in four different

ABSTRACT  In organic production systems, composted manure and a short-term grass/legume sod rotation component may improve soil health. However, little is known about the lasting benefits of these two management practices for the duration of the several crop components of an organic rotation. This study was designed to determine whether 3 years of grass sod and composted manure application affected

ABSTRACT  In areas of water scarcity, recycled municipal wastewaters are being used as water resources for nonpotable applications, especially for irrigation. Such wastewaters often contain elevated levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and solution boron (B). Boron adsorption was investigated on eight arid-zone soils from California and one from Arizona as a function of equilibrium B concentration

ABSTRACT  Antecedent soil water exerts considerable influence on the infiltration rate and distribution of preferential flow. Effects of antecedent soil water on preferential flow were investigated through dye experiments with Brilliant Blue FCF (C.I. Food Blue 2) in four soybean plots with low (LWC) and high (HWC) antecedent soil water levels. Changes in soil water were measured during the dye experiments

ABSTRACT  The Walkley-Black (WB) method has been widely used during the past 50 years because of its simplicity and rapidity. The main problem with this method is its incomplete oxidation of soil organic carbon (OC) and inconstancy in efficiency of oxidation in different soils. A practical way to improve the accuracy of this method is by applying a correction factor. However, correction factors can

ABSTRACT  It is essential to estimate soil salinity with an effective and easy-to-use method. Many laboratories determine soil salinity using a measurement of electrical conductivity (EC) with 1:2.5 or 1:5 soil-water extracts (EC1:2.5, EC1:5) because it is a simpler procedure than the standard saturated paste extract (ECe). Because interpretations of crop tolerance and remediation of salinity are based

ABSTRACT  Trace element (TE) contamination of soil is a persistent problem in urban environments, particularly hindering the reuse of abandoned land. While phytostabilization is a cost-effective approach to managing TE-contaminated soil, little is known about the effects of these practices on soil TE concentrations decades after plant establishment. This study analyzes soil data collected from 1995

ABSTRACT  This study investigated cesium (Cs) sorption and retention by 4 types of minerals, which were considered as candidate sorbents to prevent radiocesium leaching from landfill sites containing radiocesium wastes. Feldspar, 2 types of illite, and natural zeolite were examined for sorption of stable Cs under deionized water or landfill leachate conditions. In the pH range of 6 to 11, feldspar

ABSTRACT  Accurate prediction of organic matter distribution in soil is critical to sustainable soil management. Although correlated factors have been used to improve the accuracy of soil organic matter prediction, very few studies have considered the nonlinear relationships between these correlated factors and soil organic matter. The objective of this study was to use the clustering of self-organizing

ABSTRACT  Apparent diffusion constants in soil are generally estimated by dividing molecular diffusion coefficient for a solute with soil tortuosity (τ) values. Several models have been proposed to estimate τ from soil porosity (ϕ) alone, but most of these models fail when the variability in observed τ-ϕ pairs increases. Pedotransfer functions can be used to predict τ from easy-to-measure soil properties

The use of stabilization techniques for the recovery of trace element–contaminated soils has steadily increased in the last decades. A short-term pot experiment was carried out under semifield conditions using two organic amendments (biosolid compost and “alperujo” compost) and two plant species (Medicago polymorpha and Poa annua). The effect of amendments and plant species on chemical properties (pH

Plant-available N in soil originates both from fertilizer N amendments and from mineralization of soil organic matter and crop residues. This study compared the N mineralization potential of soil in five biofuel cropping systems in Iowa (continuous corn [Zea mays], continuous corn with a winter rye [Secale cereale] cover crop, perennial prairie, N-fertilized perennial prairie, and corn-soybean [Glycine

The inorganic and organic components of soil carbon (C) constitute the largest C pool in the terrestrial biosphere. Determining changes in soil organic C (SOC) and inorganic C (SIC) under different climates is necessary for assessing C sequestration. The effects of arid, semiarid, and semihumid climates on SOC, SIC, and soil total C (STC) storage in 27 pedons along a soil climosequence were investigated

The amount of carbon (C) sequestered in soil is related to soil texture, soil management, vegetation, and climatic variation. However, in the Northern Great Plains, little information is available to quantify the effects of soil texture on the C sequestration potential of soils. This work was conducted to develop relationships for C sequestration potential based on soil texture under a variety of agricultural

Most acid soils have a high capacity to bind phosphorus (P) strongly on iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) hydroxides, resulting in low P fertilizer use efficiency. Organic chelating agents form strong bonds with metals in soil and may reduce P binding with Fe and Al and increase fertilizer P use efficiency. Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEEDTA), gluconic

Agroforestry and grass buffers have been developed as part of the management system for row crop areas in temperate regions to improve soil and water quality and diversify farm income. A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of agroforestry and grass buffers relative to row crop management on soil hydraulic properties (saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention, and pore size distribution)

Shifts in seasonal aluminum (Al) activity and speciation in poorly buffered alpine tundra soil, attributable to atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen, can result in increased Al bioavailability, adversely impacting high-altitude plant and microbial communities. To evaluate seasonal changes in Al soil solution chemistry, intact soil column leaching studies were conducted to determine pore water

Suspended sediment and sediment-bound pollutants deteriorate the ecological status of many freshwater bodies around the world. Maintaining and restoring the ecological status require planning strategies that strongly rely on integrated basin models that correctly identify the main sources of sediment within the catchment and quantify the sediment yield. This study assesses the applicability of the

Rock check dams are used throughout the world to mitigate erosion problems on degraded lands. Many restoration efforts on rangelands in the southwestern United States incorporate such structures; however, their impact on watershed response and channel morphology is not well quantified. In 2008, 37 porous rock structures were built on two small (4.0 and 3.1 ha) instrumented watersheds on an alluvial

The interpretation of the potential impacts of anthropogenic activities on water quality is essential in order to manage the suitability of land uses, particularly in the case of Eucalyptus plantations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the precipitation, interception, and evapotranspiration of Eucalyptus plantations at the catchment scale (719 ha; clayey soil) for a period of over 2 years (2008–2011)

Acheloos is the second longest and the largest, in terms of discharge, native river in Greece, supplying three hydroelectric dams along its route. The Kremasta dam, which forms the largest artificial lake in Greece, is the first dam fed by Acheloos and two other rivers. Sediment accumulation in such large reservoirs is of major concern, as it reduces storage capacity and hydropower production. In this

The increase in aridity and torrential events in semiarid areas predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is expected to significantly affect their hydrological response and thus their associated nonpoint source pollution and erosive dynamics. This study quantifies rainfall-runoff patterns in a 6.1-ha olive orchard microcatchment in Southern Spain, representative of a marginal farm

Increased sediment loading to reservoirs and, ultimately, to Guánica Bay and reef areas is a significant concern in Puerto Rico. Sediment deposition has significantly reduced storage capacity of reservoirs, and sediment-attached contaminants can stress corals and negatively impact reef health. In this study, we examined sediment yield from an upper mountainous watershed, Yahuecas, contributing sediment

Many terrestrial biogeochemistry process models have been applied around the world at different scales and for a large range of ecosystems. Despite being essential ecosystems that sustain important ecological processes, only a few efforts have been made to estimate the gross primary production (GPP) and the hydrological budgets along an altitudinal gradient for grasslands in the Andean Region. One

The Annualized Agricultural Non-point Source (AnnAGNPS) model can be used to analyze the effects of management practices on sediment loads in agricultural watersheds. The study was performed in a 506 km2 Mediterranean watershed located in Apulia, Southern Italy, planted with mostly winter wheat (83%) where runoff and sediment loads have been monitored at an in-stream gage. The AnnAGNPS model was used

An accurate and high-resolution mapping of soil properties allows optimizing the management of irrigation and fertilization at field scale by applying variable amounts of water and nutrients. Site-specific management (SSM) is fundamental to improve crop yield and to use resources more efficiently, improving environmental sustainability. Adoption of site-specific management practices requires the delineation

Soil temperature is a key factor of plant growth and biological enzyme activities occurring in the soil, affected by the land cover, the evapotranspiration rate, the albedo, and the energy budget of the soil surface. In recent decades, efforts have been made to conserve soils against nonsustainable anthropogenic pressures. Changes in climate can impose additional threats on soil sustainability, as

Soil salinity is a major soil degradation threat especially for arid coastal environments where it hinders agricultural production, thus imposing a desertification risk. In the prospect of a changing climate, soil salinity caused by brackish water irrigation introduces additional uncertainties regarding the viability of deficit irrigation and intensive cultivation practices such as greenhouse cropping

The formulation of a model that can reliably simulate the temporal groundwater level fluctuations of an aquifer is important for effective water resource management and for the prevention of possible desertification effects. Mires Basin at the island of Crete, Greece, is part of a major watershed with significantly reduced groundwater resources because of overexploitation during the past 30 years.

The San Joaquin Valley produces more than 250 unique crops and much of the U.S. fruits, vegetables, and nuts. One of the main limiting factors for production in this region is reduced availability of water. Deficit irrigation is a management practice where plants receive less than full irrigation but only at certain growth stages to minimize yield loss or long-term impacts to the crop. Given the multiple

Water flow and solute transport processes are more complex in frozen than in unfrozen soils. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of freezing and thawing on water flow and solute transport in field soils. Experiments were conducted at two field sites each containing soil with a distinct texture (clay loam and sandy loam). Bromide (Br−) was used as a tracer, and soil water content

Forest soils in the northeastern United States store considerable amounts of carbon (C). With the increasing utilization of biomass as a “C-neutral” form of energy in the United States, these forests are susceptible to clear cutting and large losses of soil organic matter (SOM) to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). The relative stability versus susceptibility of SOM to degradation can be approximated