Decarboxylation of organic anions to alleviate acidification of red soils from urea application

Purpose

Decarboxylation of organic anions in crop straw is recognized as one of the mechanisms for increasing pH in acidified soils. However, the effectiveness of specific compounds in alleviating soil acidification from nitrification has not been well determined. This study examined three organic anions commonly found in crop straws and their effect on soil acidity and N transformation processes following urea application to a red soil (Ferralic Cambisol).

Materials and methods

A 35-day incubation experiment was conducted using soil after receiving 26 years of two different nutrient treatments: (1) chemical nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilization (NPK, pH 4.30) and (2) NPK plus swine manure (NPKM, pH 5.88). Treatments included three rates (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 g C kg^?1) of calcium citrate, 0.5 g C kg^?1 calcium oxalate, 0.5 g C kg^?1 calcium malate, urea-only (control) soil, and a non-treated soil as a reference. Soil acidity, mineral N species, decarboxylation, and their correlations were determined.

Results and discussion

All three organic anions significantly increased pH in both soils and the effectiveness was positively correlated with application rate. The change in total exchangeable soil acidity was dominated by aluminum concentration in the NPK soil, but by proton concentration in the NPKM soil. At ≥?0.5 g C kg^?1, the anions decreased soil exchangeable acidity by 25–68% in NPK soil and by 63–88% in NPKM soil as compared with control. Oxalate was the most effective in increasing soil pH by 0.70 and 1.31 units and reducing exchangeable acidity by 3.79 and 0.33 cmol₍₊₎ kg^?1 in NPK and NPKM soils, respectively, and also resulted in the highest CO₂ production rate. Addition of organic anions led to a lower nitrification rate in NPKM soil relative to the NPK soil.

Conclusions

These results imply that crop straws rich in organic anions, especially oxalate, would have a higher potential to alleviate soil acidification.

     

Impact of organic matter addition on pH change of paddy soils

Purpose

The objective of the present study was to explore the effect of initial pH on the decomposition rate of plant residues and the effect of residue type on soil pH change in three different paddy soils.

Materials and methods

Two variable charge paddy soils (Psammaquent soil and Plinthudult soil) and one constant charge paddy soil (Paleudalfs soil) were used to be incubated at 45 % of field capacity for 105 days at 25 °C in the dark after three plant residues (Chinese milk vetch, wheat straw, and rice straw) were separately added at a level of 12 g?kg^?1 soil. Soil pH, CO₂ escaped, DOC, DON, MBC, MBN, NH ₄ ⁺ , and NO ₃ ^? during the incubation period were dynamically determined.

Results and discussion

Addition of the residues increased soil pH by 0.1–0.8 U, and pH reached a maximum in the Psammaquent and Plinthudult soils with low initial pH at day 105 but at day 3 in the Paleudalfs soil with high initial pH. Incorporation of Chinese milk vetch which had higher concentration of alkalinity (excess cations) and nitrogen increased soil pH more as compared with incorporation of rice and wheat straws. Microbial activity was the highest in Chinese milk vetch treatment, which resulted in the highest increase of soil pH as compared with addition of rice and wheat straws. However, nitrification seemed to be inhibited in the variable charge soils of Psammaquent and Plinthudult but not in the constant charge soil of Paleudalfs.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of increasing soil pH after incorporation of the plant materials would be longer in low initial pH soils of Psammaquent and Plinthudult than in high initial pH soil of Paleudalfs. In order to achieve the same degree of pH improvement, higher amounts of plant residues should be applied in constant charge soils than in variable charge soils.     

Nitrification and acidification from urea application in red soil (Ferralic Cambisol) after different long-term fertilization treatments

Purpose

Long-term manure applications can prevent or reverse soil acidification by chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer. However, the resistance to re-acidification from further chemical fertilization is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of urea application on nitrification and acidification processes in an acid red soil (Ferralic Cambisol) after long-term different field fertilization treatments.

Materials and methods

Soils were collected from six treatments of a 19-year field trial: (1) non-fertilization control, (2) chemical phosphorus and potassium (PK), (3) chemical N only (N), (4) chemical N, P, and K (NPK), (5) pig manure only (M), and (6) NPK plus M (NPKM; 70 % N from M). In a 35-day laboratory incubation experiment, the soils were incubated and examined for changes in pH, NH₄ ⁺, and NO₃ ^?, and their correlations from urea application at 80 mg N kg^?1(?80) compared to 0 rate (?0).

Results and discussion

From urea addition, manure-treated soils exhibited the highest acidification and nitrification rates due to high soil pH (5.75–6.38) and the lowest in the chemical N treated soils due to low soil pH (3.83–3.90) with no N-treated soils (pH 4.98–5.12) fell between. By day 35, soil pH decreased to 5.21 and 5.81 (0.54 and 0.57 unit decrease) in the NPKM-80 and M-80 treatments, respectively, and to 4.69 and 4.53 (0.43 and 0.45 unit decrease) in the control-80 and PK-80 treatments, respectively, with no changes in the N-80 and NPK-80 treatments. The soil pH decrease was highly correlated with nitrification potential, and the estimated net proton released. The maximum nitrification rates (K _max) of NPKM and M soils (14.7 and 21.6 mg N kg^?1 day^?1, respectively) were significantly higher than other treatments (2.86–3.48 mg N kg^?1 day^?1). The priming effect on mineralization of organic N was high in manure treated soils.

Conclusions

Field data have shown clearly that manure amendment can prevent or reverse the acidification of the red soil. When a chemical fertilizer such as urea is applied to the soil again, however, soil acidification will occur at possibly high rates. Thus, the strategy in soil N management is continuous incorporation of manure to prevent acidification to maintain soil productivity. Further studies under field conditions are needed to provide more accurate assessments on acidification rate from chemical N fertilizer applications.     

Effect of low energy-consuming biochars in combination with nitrate fertilizer on soil acidity amelioration and maize growth

Purpose

We evaluated the ameliorative effects of crop straw biochars either alone or in combination with nitrate fertilizer on soil acidity and maize growth.

Materials and methods

Low energy-consuming biochars were prepared from canola and peanut straws at 400 °C for 2 h. Incubation experiment was conducted to determine application rate of biochars. Afterward, maize crop was grown in pots for 85 days to investigate the effects of 1 % biochars combined with nitrate fertilizer on soil pH, exchangeable acidity, and maize growth in an Ultisol collected from Guangdong Province, China.

Results and discussion

Application of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 % either canola straw biochar (CSB) or peanut straw biochar (PSB) increased soil pH by 0.15, 0.27, 0.34, and 0.30, 0.58, 0.83 U, respectively, after 65-day incubation. Soil pH was increased by 0.49, 0.72, 0.78, and 0.88 U when 1 % CSB or PSB was applied in combination with 100 and 200 mg N/kg of nitrate, respectively, after maize harvest in greenhouse pot experiment. These low-cost biochars when applied alone or in combination with nitrate not only reduced soil exchangeable acidity, but also increased Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, and base saturation degree of the soil. A total of 49.91 and 80.58 % decreases in exchangeable acidity were observed when 1 % CSB and PSB were incubated with the soil for 65 days, compared to pot experiment where 71.35, 78.64, 80.2, and 81.77 % reductions of exchangeable acidity were observed when 1 % CSB and PSB were applied in combination with 100 and 200 mg N/kg of nitrate, respectively. The higher contents of base cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺) in biochars also influenced the plant growth. The higher biomass in CSB-treated pots was attributed to the higher K content compared to PSB. The higher percent reduction in exchangeable Al³⁺ by applying 1 % CSB combined with 200 mg N/kg of nitrate consistently produced maximum biomass (129.65 g/pot) compared to 100 mg N/kg of nitrate and 1 % PSB combined with 100 and 200 mg N/kg of nitrate. The exchangeable Al³⁺ mainly responsible for exchangeable acidity was decreased with the application of biochars and nitrate fertilizer. A highly significant negative relationship was observed between soil exchangeable Al³⁺ and plant biomass (r ²?=?0.88, P?<?0.05).

Conclusions

The biochars in combination with nitrate fertilizer are cost-effective options to effectively reduce soil acidity and improve crop growth on sustainable basis.

     

An evaluation of a microbial inoculum in promoting organic C decomposition in a paddy soil following straw incorporation

Purpose

Impacts of a commercially available decay-facilitating microbial inoculum on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization were evaluated during decomposition of rice straw in a paddy soil.

Materials and methods

Two incubation experiments were conducted for 105 days with a typical low-yield high-clay soil in central China to monitor effects of straw and the inoculum on CO₂ evolution, as well as dissolved organic C (DOC), NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^?, and pH under conditions of 15 °C 70 %, 25 °C 40 %, 25 °C 70 %, 25 °C 100 %, and 35 °C 70 % of water-holding capacity (WHC) with adequate N, supplied as urea or manure, respectively.

Results and discussion

Treatments of 25 °C 70 % WHC, 25 °C 100 % WHC, and 35 °C 70 % WHC generally achieved significant higher CO₂ evolution while treatment of 25 °C 40 % WHC had least. This was more evident with added manure compared to urea (P?<?0.05). The inoculum generally increased the decomposition of C inputs and the largest increases were in the initial 28 day in treatments 25 °C 70 % WHC, 25 °C 100 % WHC, and 35 °C 70 % WHC; only the 25 °C 40 % WHC actually immobilized C. The CO₂ release rates were positively correlated with DOC, but with different slopes within treatments. Despite equivalent N application rates, manure treatments had significantly less N (including NO₃ ^?, NH₄ ⁺, and total dissolved N) than those with urea. Incubation of 25 °C 40 % WHC decreased soil pH the least, probably due to relative low moisture causing delayed nitrification.

Conclusions

The results implied that the inoculum, especially fungi, would adjust to edaphic and N fertilization in regulating organic C mineralization, during which water potential would exhibit a great role in regulating substrate and nutrient availability.

     

pH buffering capacity of acid soils from tropical and subtropical regions of China as influenced by incorporation of crop straw biochars

Purpose

The key factors influencing pH buffering capacity of acid soils from tropical and subtropical regions, and effects of soil evolution and incorporation of biochars on pH buffering capacity were investigated to develop suitable methods to increase pH buffering capacity of acid soils.

Materials and methods

A total of 24 acid soils collected from southern China were used. The pH buffering capacity was determined using acid–base titration. The values of pH buffering capacity were obtained from the slope of titration curves of acid or alkali additions plotted against pH in the pH range 4.0–7.0. Two biochars were prepared from straws of peanut and canola using a low temperature pyrolysis method. After incubation of three acid soils, pH buffering capacity was then determined.

Results and discussion

pH buffering capacity had a range of 9.1–32.1 mmol kg^–1 pH^–1 for 18 acid soils from tropical and subtropical regions of China. The pH buffering capacity was highly correlated (R ²?=?0.707) with soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) measured with ammonium acetate method at pH 7.0 and decreased with soil evolution due to the decreased CEC. Incorporation of biochars at rates equivalent to 72 and 120 t ha^?1 increased soil pH buffering capacity due to the CEC contained in the biochars. Incorporation of peanut straw char which itself contained more CEC and alkalinity induced more increase in soil CEC, and thus greater increase in pH buffering capacity compared with canola straw char. At 5% of peanut straw char added, soil CEC increased by 80.2%, 51.3%, and 82.8% for Ultisol from Liuzhou, Oxisol from Chengmai and Ultisol from Kunlun, respectively, and by 19.8%, 19.6%, and 32.8% with 5% of canola straw char added, respectively; and correspondingly for these soils, the pH buffering capacity increased by 73.6%, 92.0%, and 123.2% with peanut straw char added; and by 31.3%, 25.6%, and 52.3% with canola straw char added, respectively. Protonation/deprotonation of oxygen-containing functional groups of biochars was the main mechanism for the increase of pH buffering capacity of acid soils with the incorporation of biochars.

Conclusions

CEC was a key factor determining pH buffering capacity of acid soils from tropical and subtropical regions of China. Decreased CEC and content of 2:1-type clay minerals during evolution of tropical soils led to decreased pH buffering capacity. Incorporation of biochars generated from crop straws did not only ameliorate soil acidity, but also increased soil pH buffering capacity.

     

Nitrogen transformation rates and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O producing pathways in two pasture soils

Purpose

Better understanding of N transformations and the regulation of N₂O-related N transformation processes in pasture soil contributes significantly to N fertilizer management and development of targeted mitigation strategies.

Materials and methods

¹⁵N tracer technique combined with acetylene (C₂H₂) method was used to measure gross N transformation rates and to distinguish pathways of N₂O production in two Australian pasture soils. The soils were collected from Glenormiston (GN) and Terang (TR), Victoria, Australia, and incubated at a soil moisture content of 60% water-filled pore space (WFPS) and at temperature of 20 °C.

Results and discussion

Two tested pasture soils were characterized by high mineralization and immobilization turnover. The average gross N nitrification rate (n_tot) was 7.28 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 in TR soil () and 5.79 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 in GN soil. Heterotrophic nitrification rates (n_h), which accounting for 50.8 and 41.9% of n_tot, and 23.4 and 30.1% of N₂O emissions in GN and TR soils, respectively, played a role similar with autotrophic nitrification in total nitrification and N₂O emission. Denitrification rates in two pasture soils were as low as 0.003–0.004 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 under selected conditions but contributed more than 30% of N₂O emissions.

Conclusions

Results demonstrated that two tested pasture soils were characterized by fast N transformation rates of mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification. Heterotrophic nitrification could be an important NO₃^?–N production transformation process in studied pasture soils. Except for autotrophic nitrification, roles of heterotrophic nitrification and denitrification in N₂O emission in two pasture soils should be considered when developing mitigation strategies.

     

Combined biochar and nitrogen fertilizer reduces soil acidity and promotes nutrient use efficiency by soybean crop

Purpose

Soil acidification is universal in soybean-growing fields. The aim of our research was to evaluate the effects of soil additives (N fertilizers and biochar) on crop performance and soil quality with specific emphasis on ameliorating soil acidity.

Materials and methods

Four nitrogen treatments were applied as follows: no nitrogen (N0), urea (N1), potassium nitrate (N2), and ammonium sulfate (N3), each providing 30 kg N ha^?1. Half plot area of the N1, N2, and N3 treatments was also treated with biochar (19.5 t ha^?1) to form N-biochar treatments (N1C, N2C, N3C). Both bulk and rhizosphere soils were sampled separately for the following analyses: pH, exchangeable base cations (EBC), exchangeable acidity (EA), total inorganic N (IN), total N (TN), and microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Soybean biomass and nutrient contents were also determined. Correlation analysis was applied to analyze the relationships between soil chemical properties and soybean plant parameters.

Results and discussion

With N-biochar additions (N1C, N2C, N3C), soil chemical properties changed as follows: pH increased by 0.6–1.2 units, EBC, IN, and TN increased by 175–419, 38.5–54.7, and 136–452 mg kg^?1, respectively, and PLFAs increased by 23.6–40.9 nmol g^?1 compared to the N0 in the rhizosphere. Microbial PLFAs had positive correlations with soil pH; EBC; exchangeable K, Ca, Na, and Mg; TN; IN; NH₄ ⁺; and NO₃ ^? (r?=?0.66–0.84, p?<?0.01). There were negative correlations between PLFAs and EA or exchangeable Al (r?=??0.64, ?0.66, p?<?0.01), which indicated that the additives increased microbial biomass by providing a suitable environment with less acid stress and more nutrients. The additives increased soil NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^? by promoting soil organic N mineralization and reducing NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^? leaching. Moreover, the soybean seed biomass and the nutrient contents in seeds increased with N-biochar additions, especially in the N3C treatment.

Conclusions

N-biochar additions were effective in ameliorating soil acidity, which improved the microenvironment for more microbial survival. N-biochars influenced N transformations at the plant–soil interface by increasing organic N mineralization, reducing N leaching, and promoting N uptake by soybeans. The soil additive ammonium and biochar (N3C) were best in promoting soybean growth.

     

Nitrification,acidification, and nitrogen leaching from subtropical cropland soils as affected by rice straw-based biochar: laboratory incubation and column leaching studies

Purpose

Few studies have examined the effects of biochar on nitrification of ammonium-based fertilizer in acidic arable soils, which contributes to NO₃ ^? leaching and soil acidification.

Materials and methods

We conducted a 42-day aerobic incubation and a 119-day weekly leaching experiment to investigate nitrification, N leaching, and soil acidification in two subtropical soils to which 300 mg N kg^?1 ammonium sulfate or urea and 1 or 5 wt% rice straw biochar were applied.

Results and discussion

During aerobic incubation, NO₃ ^? accumulation was enhanced by applying biochar in increasing amounts from 1 to 5 wt%. As a result, pH decreased in the two soils from the original levels. Under leaching conditions, biochar did not increase NO₃ ^?, but 5 wt% biochar addition did reduce N leaching compared to that in soils treated with only N. Consistently, lower amounts of added N were recovered from the incubation (KCl-extractable N) and leaching (leaching plus KCl-extractable N) experiments following 5 wt% biochar application compared to soils treated with only N.

Conclusions

Incorporating biochar into acidic arable soils accelerates nitrification and thus weakens the liming effects of biochar. The enhanced nitrification does not necessarily increase NO₃ ^? leaching. Rather, biochar reduces overall N leaching due to both improved N adsorption and increased unaccounted-for N (immobilization and possible gaseous losses). Further studies are necessary to assess the effects of biochar (when used as an addition to soil) on N.     

pH,nitrogen mineralization,and KCl-extractable aluminum as affected by initial soil pH and rate of vetch residue application: results from a laboratory study

Purpose

Initial soil pH determines the direction and magnitude of pH change after residue addition. This study aimed to evaluate the relative importance of initial soil pH and rate of residue application in determining subsequent pH change, nitrogen (N) mineralization, and soil-exchangeable aluminum (Al).

Materials and methods

An incubation experiment was conducted for 102 days on a Plinthudult soil and a Paleudalf soil, where pH gradients were produced after application of direct current (DC). Rates of vetch applications were 0, 5, 15, 30, and 50 g kg^?1 soil.

Results and discussion

Increasing rates of vetch application caused greater increases in soil pH, but no consistent increase in soil pH at higher initial pH range (4.40～6.74), because of nitrification. There was a positive correlation between alkalinity production and the initial soil pH at day 14, while correlations became negative at days 56 and 102. Mineral N accumulated as NH₄ ⁺–N in low pH soils, due to limited nitrification, while NO₃ ^?–N dominated in higher pH soils. Application of vetch decreased KCl-extractable Al, probably because of complexation of Al by organic matter and precipitation of Al as a result of increased pH, reductions in Al concentration increased with increasing rates of vetch application. However, this amelioration effect on Al concentration weakened with time in higher pH soils.

Conclusions

Application of vetch residue can significantly increase soil pH and concentrations of mineral N and reduce exchangeable Al. These amelioration effects are enhanced with increased rate of vetch addition and vary with time depending on the initial pH of the soil.     

Changes in the pH,EC, available P,SOC and TN stocks in a single rice paddy after long-term application of inorganic fertilizers and organic matters in a cold temperate region of Japan

Purpose

The objective of this study was to determine the changes in the main soil chemical properties including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), available phosphorus (P), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks after long-term (31 years) additions of two types of organic matters—rice straw and rice straw compost, combined with NPK fertilizers in single rice paddy in a cold temperate region of Japan.

Materials and methods

A long-term experiment on combined inorganic fertilizers and organic matters in paddy rice cultivation began in May 1982 in Yamagata, northeastern Japan. After the 31st harvest, soil samples were collected from five treatments [(1) PK, (2) NPK, (3) NPK + 6 Mg ha^?1 rice straw (RS), (4) NPK + 10 Mg ha^?1 rice straw compost (CM1), and (5) NPK + 30 Mg ha^?1 rice straw compost (CM3)] at five soil depths (0–5, 5–10, 10–15, 15–20, and 20–25 cm). Soil chemical properties of pH, EC, available P, SOC, and TN were analyzed.

Results and discussion

The pH decreased significantly only at the higher compost rate of 30 Mg ha^?1, while EC increased in all the organic matter treatments. Available P significantly increased in the CM1 and CM3 treatments by 55.1 and 86.4 %. The amounts of SOC stock increased by 67.2, 21.4, and 8.6 %, and soil TN stock by 64.1, 20.2, and 8.5 % in CM3, RS, and CM1, respectively, compared to NPK treatment.

Conclusions

Significant changes in soil properties were observed after 31 years of organic matter applications with reference to PK- and NPK-fertilized rice paddy soils. A significant decrease in pH was observed with the application of a high rate (30 Mg ha^?1) of rice straw compost but not with the conventional rate of 10 Mg ha^?1. However, EC increased significantly relative to that of the PK- and NPK-fertilized plots in all the organic matter treatments. Available P significantly increased in the CM1 and CM3 treatments by 55.1 and 86.4 %. The amounts of SOC stock expressed as a percentage of total C applied to the soil were higher from 10 Mg ha^?1 compost (28.7 %) than that from 6 Mg ha^?1 rice straw (17.4 %), indicating a more effective soil organic C accumulation from rice straw compost than that from original rice straw.

     

Influence of Lime and Gypsum on Growth and Yield of Upland Rice and Changes in Soil Chemical Properties

Upland rice is an important crop in the cropping systems of South America, including Brazil. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine influence of lime and gypsum on yield and yield components of upland rice and changes in the chemical properties of an Oxisol. The lime rates used were 0, 0.71, 1.42, 2.14, 2.85, and 4.28 g kg^?1 soil. The gypsum rates were 0, 0.28, 0.57, 1.14, 1.71, and 2.28 g kg^?1. Lime as well as gypsum significantly increased plant height, straw and grain yield, and panicle density in a quadratic fashion. Adequate lime and gypsum rates for maximum grain yield were 1.11 g kg^?1 and 1.13 g kg^?1, respectively. Plant height, straw yield, and panicle density were positively related to grain yield. Lime as well as gypsum application significantly changed extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), hydrogen (H)+aluminum (Al), base saturation, and effective cation exchange capacity. In addition, liming also significantly increased pH, extractable phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), calcium saturation, magnesium saturation, and potassium saturation. Optimum acidity indices for the grain yield of upland rice were pH 6.0, Ca 1.7 cmol_c kg^?1, base saturation 60%, and calcium saturation 47%. In addition, upland rice can tolerate 42% of acidity saturation.     

Influence of pH on the release and chemical fractionation of heavy metals in sediment from a suburban drainage stream in an arid mine-based oasis

Purpose

The objectives of this study were to explore the influences of pH on the release of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cr in sediments derived from the upstream, middle, and downstream reaches of Dongdagou stream in Gansu Province, Northwest China, and to examine the fractionation changes of heavy metals in the sediments after reaching their release equilibrium under different pH conditions.

Materials and methods

Sediment samples were obtained using a stainless steel grab sampler to collect the uppermost 10 cm of sediment from the channel bed. The pH-dependent release experiment was conducted in the solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 at different pH values (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) at room temperature. The total Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cr concentrations in the sediments were digested using an acid digestion mixture (HNO₃ + HF + HClO₄) in an open system. Metal fractionation of selected sediments was obtained using the Tessier sequential extraction procedure. Heavy metal concentrations in the samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results and discussion

The mean concentrations of heavy metals in sediments decreased in the following order: Zn (1676.67 mg kg^?1) > Pb (528.65 mg kg^?1) > Cu (391.34 mg kg^?1) > Cr (53.48 mg kg^?1) > Ni (34.27 mg kg^?1) > Cd (11.53 mg kg^?1). Overall, the solubility of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni decreased with increasing pH, and they were strongly released at pH 2. Moreover, the solubility of Cr increased with increasing pH, and its release was highest at pH 12. After reaching the release equilibrium of heavy metals under different pH conditions, the percentages of organic Cu, Zn, Cd, and Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide Pb decreased, compared to their initial fractions. The residual fractions of Ni and Cr were dominant, regardless of pH.

Conclusions

The average concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in sediments were highly elevated compared with the soil background values in Gansu Province, China. The results of this pH-dependent release experiment showed that the release behaviors of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cr followed an asymmetric V-shaped pattern, whereas Cd and Ni followed an irregular L-shaped pattern. The changes in the release of heavy metals in sediments were related to their redistribution between chemical fractionations.

     

Bulk density and content,density and stock of carbon,nitrogen and heavy metals in vegetable patches and lawns of allotments gardens in the northwestern Ruhr area,Germany

Purpose

In view that soils are bodies and that processes such as storage and release of water, carbon, nutrients and pollutants, and aeration and rooting happen in these bodies, it is of interest to know the density of elements and compounds in soils. On the basis of soil bulk and element density of organic carbon (OC), N, and heavy metals in soils and of horizon thickness, stocks of these elements for garden soils were calculated.

Materials and methods

Fourteen gardens in four allotments of the northwestern part of the Ruhr area, Germany were investigated. The research included 14 vegetable patches, 13 lawns, 2 compost heaps, and 1 meadow. Volume samples were taken. The soil analysis included pH, soil bulk density, and OC, N, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Ni contents.

Results and discussion

The soils were from sandy loam to loamy sand. The pH was slightly acid and C/N ratio about 20. Soil bulk density was between 0.8 and 1.4 g cm^?3 and mean bulk density was 1.1 g cm^?3. Mean OC content was for compost 7.4 %, vegetable patches 5.2 % (0–30 cm depth), and lawns and meadow 5.8 and 5.2 % (0–5 cm depth). OC density for compost was 76 mg cm^?3, vegetable patches 56 mg cm^?3, and lawns 67 mg cm^?3 (0–5 cm). Mean OC stock in 0–30 cm soil depth in vegetable patches was 16.4 kg m^?2, lawns 15.5 kg m^?2, and meadow 11.1 kg m^?2. N contents were between 0.06 and 0.46 %. For compost, the mean was 0.39 %, vegetable patches 0.27 % (0–30 cm), lawn 0.28 %, and meadow 0.26 % (0–5 cm). Mean stock of N in 0–30 cm depth for vegetable patches was 0.84 kg m^?2, lawn 0.76 kg m^?2, and meadow 0.55 kg m^?2. For heavy metals in compost, vegetable patches, lawn and meadow, Cd contents were in the range of 1.7 to 3.0 mg kg^?1, Pb 49 to 152 mg kg^?1, and Zn 52 to 1830 mg kg^?1. The amounts stored per square meters in 30 cm depth were for Cd 0.6–1.1 g, Pb 15–52 g, Zn 41–440 g, Cu 4–39 g, and Ni 1–8 g.

Conclusions

Allotment gardens have a high capacity to store CO₂ as OC. Roughly, there will be 7–8 million tons of OC stored in the 1.3 million allotment gardens of Germany. The high amount of 8000 kg N ha^?1 could damage the groundwater when released by wrong soil management. Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Ni amounts of 7.8, 1000, 300, 135, and 30 kg ha^?1, respectively, are a lasting burden.

     

Nitrogen availability,maturity and stability of bokashi-type fertilizers elaborated with different feedstocks of animal origin

Organic amendments, such as bokashi, are applied to the soil to increase the N. However, the available N provided by these fertilizers and the feedstocks with which they are produced have been poorly documented. In this work, the available N in bokashi was evaluated as well as their biological stability and chemical maturity. The treatments bokashi poultry (WVP); bokashi swine (WVS) and bokashi control (WVC) contained wheat straw and vegetable wastes; WVP and WVS also included poultry and swine manure, respectively. The temperature, mineral N, pH, EC, CO₂ production rate and germination index (IG) were measured. At the end of the trial, all of the treatments’ temperatures exceeded room temperature. The WVP presented a higher mineral N (1,054 mg kg^?1) than the WVS (844 mg kg^?1) and the WVC (907 mg kg^?1). In all treatments, the NH₄⁺ and NO₃^? decreased. EC reached phytotoxicity levels in all treatments (EC > 3 dS m^?1). None of the treatments showed biological stability or chemical maturity (IG of WVP, WVS and WVC: 10%, 29% and 19%, respectively). Therefore, it is concluded that applying these bokashi to soils could limit crop growth due to phytotoxic effects and immobilization of transient N.     

Influence of nitrogen fertilizer forms and crop straw biochars on soil exchange properties and maize growth on an acidic Ultisol

Effects of repeated application of urea (UN) and calcium nitrate (CN) singly and together with crop straw biochars on soil acidity and maize growth were investigated with greenhouse pot experiments for two consecutive seasons. Canola straw biochar (CB), peanut straw biochar (PB) and wheat straw biochar (WB) were applied at 1% of dried soil weight in the first season. N fertilizers were applied at 200 mg N kg^?1. In UN treatments, an initial rise in pH was subjected to proton consumption through urea hydrolysis, afterwards nitrification of NH₄⁺ caused drastic reductions in pH as single UN had soil pH of 3.70, even lower than control (4.27) after the 2nd crop season. Post-harvest soil analyses indicated that soil pH, soil exchangeable acidity, NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and total base cations showed highly significant variation under N and biochar types (P < 0.05). Articulated growth of plants under combined application with biochars was expressed by 22.7%, 22.5%, and 35.7% higher root and 25.6%, 23.8%, and 35.9% higher shoot biomass by CB, PB and WB combined with CN over UN, respectively. Therefore, CN combined with biochars is a better choice to correct soil acidity and improve maize growth than UN combined with biochars.     

Changes in soil bacterial communities in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in east China following 4 years of nitrogen addition

Purpose

Evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystems are common in east China, where they are both ecologically and economically important. However, nitrogen (N) addition over many years has had a detrimental effect on these ecosystems. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of 4 years of N addition on microbial communities in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in southern Anhui, China.

Materials and methods

Allochthonous N in the form of aqueous NH₄NO₃ and phosphorus (P) in the form of Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O were applied at three doses with a control (CK, stream water only without fertilizer): low-N (50 kg N ha^?1 year^?1), high-N (100 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) and high-N+P (100 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 + 50 kg P ha^?1 year^?1). Quantitative PCR analysis of microbial community size and Illumina platform-based sequencing analysis of the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene region were performed to characterize soil bacterial community abundance, structure, and diversity.

Results and discussion

Bacterial diversity was increased in low-N and high-N treatments and decreased in the high-N+P treatment, but α-diversity indices were not significantly affected by N additions. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the predominant phyla in all treatments, and the relative abundance of different genera varied among treatments. Only soil pH (P = 0.051) showed a weak correlation with the bacterial community in CK and low-N treatment.

Conclusions

The composition of the bacterial community and the abundance of different phyla were significantly altered by N addition. The results of the present study indicate that soil bacterial communities in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest are, to a certain extent, resilient to changes derived from N additions.

     

Effects of organic material amendment and water content on NO, N2O, and N2 emissions in a nitrate-rich vegetable soil

Amending vegetable soils with organic materials is increasingly recommended as an agroecosystems management option to improve soil quality. However, the amounts of NO, N₂O, and N₂ emissions from vegetable soils treated with organic materials and frequent irrigation are not known. In laboratory-based experiments, soil from a NO ₃ ^? -rich (340 mg N?kg^?1) vegetable field was incubated at 30°C for 30 days, with and without 10 % C₂H₂, at 50, 70, or 90 % water-holding capacity (WHC) and was amended at 1.19 g?C kg^?1 (equivalent to 2.5 t?C ha^?1) as Chinese milk vetch (CMV), ryegrass (RG), or wheat straw (WS); a soil not amended with organic material was used as a control (CK). At 50 % WHC, cumulative N₂ production (398–524 μg N?kg^?1) was significantly higher than N₂O (84.6–190 μg N?kg^?1) and NO (196–224 μg N?kg^?1) production, suggesting the occurrence of denitrification under unsaturated conditions. Organic materials and soil water content significantly influenced NO emissions, but the effect was relatively weak since the cumulative NO production ranged from 124 to 261 μg N?kg^?1. At 50–90 % WHC, the added organic materials did not affect the accumulated NO ₃ ^? in vegetable soil but enhanced N₂O emissions, and the effect was greater by increasing soil water content. At 90 % WHC, N₂O production reached 13,645–45,224 μg N?kg^?1 from soil and could be ranked as RG?>?CMV?>?WS?>?CK. These results suggest the importance of preventing excess water in soil while simultaneously taking into account the quality of organic materials applied to vegetable soils.     

Characterization of soil physico-chemical parameters and limitations for revegetation in serpentine quarry soils (NW Spain)

Purpose

Quarrying activities in areas with serpentinized rocks may have a negative impact on plant growth. Quarry soils generally offer hostile environments for plant growth due to their low-nutrient availability, low organic matter, and high-trace metal content.

Materials and methods

In order to determine the factors that can limit plant revegetation, this study was carried out in two serpentine quarries in Galicia (NW Spain): one abandoned in 1999 and the other still active.

Results and discussion

The results show that in soils developed in the abandoned quarry, the limitations for revegetation were: moderate alkaline pH (7.87–8.05), strong Ca/Mg (<1) imbalance, low N (<0.42 mg kg^?1) and P (<2 mg kg^?1) content, and high total heavy-metal content (Co 76–147 mg kg^?1; Cr 1370–2600 mg kg^?1; and Ni 1340–2040 mg kg^?1). The limitations were much less intense in the soils developed in the substratum in the active quarry, which were incipient soils poorly developed and permanently affected by the quarrying activity.

Conclusions

Restoration work should be geared toward establishing a stable diverse vegetation cover, including serpentinophile species, which would provide the necessary modifications to correct nutritive imbalances and improve soil quality.

     

Enhanced <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scirpus triqueter</Emphasis> phytoremediation of pyrene and lead co-contaminated soil with alkyl polyglucoside and nitrilotriacetic acid combined application

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of combination of alkyl polyglucoside (APG) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) on improving the efficiency of phytoremediation for pyrene and lead (Pb) co-contaminated soil by Scirpus triqueter.

Materials and methods

Seedlings of S. triqueter with a similar size and biomass (3 g/pot) were grown on 2-month aged soil contaminated with 184.5 mg kg^?1of pyrene and 454.3 mg kg^?1 of Pb at pH?=?8.3. After growth for 10 days, different doses of APG and NTA were added into the soil. After 60 days, the height of plants, Pb concentrations in plants, and pyrene amounts in soil were determined.

Results and discussion

Combined application of NTA and APG with lower dosage (1 + 1 g kg^?1 soil and 1 + 2 g kg^?1 soil) had no notable negative influence on the growth of S. triqueter. Moreover, significant synergy on Pb accumulation in S. triqueter was achieved with APG and NTA combined application. Besides, the dissipation of pyrene from soil after 60-day planting was increased in APG and NTA treatments when compared with the control treatments. Application of APG alone or combined with NTA had greater effect on enhancing dissipation of pyrene from soil than NTA alone.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that the remediation of Pb and pyrene co-contaminated soil by S. triqueter can be enhanced by combined application of APG and NTA. Long-term evaluation of this strategy is needed in co-contaminated field sites.