不同阳离子组成微咸水灌溉对生菜光合和离子吸收特性的影响

为探究不同微咸水水质对土壤盐分和作物生长的影响,在日光温室条件下,以生菜为供试对象开展盆栽试验,以CaSO₄的饱和溶液为对照(CK),向去离子水中添加氯化盐形成不同阳离子组成的微咸水处理(Na⁺,T_Na;Na⁺/K⁺比为1:1,T_Na-K;K⁺,T_K),各处理添加盐分总摩尔量相同,研究灌溉水中不同阳离子组成对土壤盐分、阳离子含量以及生菜光合特性、离子吸收和生长的影响。结果表明:(1)微咸水灌溉下生菜生长季末(播后80天)各处理0-20 cm土壤饱和提取液电导率(EC_e)较播种前和播种后50天显著升高,其中,CK处理显著低于其他处理(P<0.05)。土壤pH在不同处理和不同土层深度上差异均不显著(P>0.05)。生长季末土壤盐分阳离子大多积累在表层,与盐分分布一致。(2)与CK相比,单盐离子胁迫(T_Na和T_K处理)显著降低生菜净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度等光合特性(P<0.05),从而降低产量,T_Na处理最低;而T_Na-K处理光合特性虽显著低于CK处理,但高于T_Na和T_K处理,说明T_Na-K处理的盐分离子组成缓解了单个盐分离子对生菜生长的危害,且生菜产量较T_Na和T_K处理有所升高,但差异不显著(P>0.05)。(3)与CK相比,T_Na和T_K分别显著提高生菜叶片中Na⁺和K⁺含量;而T_Na-K处理叶片Cl^-含量虽然高于CK,但显著低于T_Na和T_K处理(P<0.05)。微咸水中Na⁺、K⁺阳离子比为1:1的盐分组成维持了生菜植株的离子平衡,缓解了单个一价阳离子对生菜生长的盐胁效应,而对于单个离子来说,Na⁺对生菜的毒害作用明显大于K⁺。研究结果为微咸水灌溉管理提供科学依据。     

黄淮麦区小麦籽粒锌含量差异原因与调控

小麦高产优质生产对保障我国粮食安全和人们营养健康有重要意义。通过实地调研和取样分析,研究了黄淮麦区276个田块的小麦籽粒锌含量与产量和产量构成、施肥和土壤养分、作物锌吸收利用等参数的关系。结果表明,黄淮麦区缺锌和非缺锌土壤的比例分别为42%和58%,两种土壤上的小麦籽粒锌含量分别介于16~52和17~58 mg·kg^-1,分别有7%和9%样本的籽粒锌达到推荐值40 mg·kg^-1。缺锌田块,籽粒锌含量与磷肥用量（r = -0.273,P < 0.01）、0~20 cm土壤有效磷（r= -0.283,P < 0.01）显著负相关,高低籽粒锌组的磷肥用量分别为73和137 kg·hm^-2,土壤有效磷分别为13和20 mg·kg^-1,有效锌分别为0.8和0.7 mg·kg^-1,但籽粒产量低于非缺锌土壤（7 204 和7 857 kg·hm^-2）。非缺锌田块,籽粒锌含量与磷肥用量显著负相关（r= -0.181,P < 0.05）,与0~20 cm（r= 0.236,P< 0.01）和20~40 cm（r= 0.183,P < 0.05）土壤有效锌显著正相关,高低锌组的磷肥用量分别为112和145 kg·hm^-2,0~20 cm的土壤有效磷分别为29和30 mg·kg^-1,有效锌分别为3.3和2.2 mg·kg^-1。因此,在缺锌土壤上,应首先解决土壤缺锌问题,将有效锌提升至临界值1.0 mg·kg^-1以上,非缺锌土壤有效锌保持在3.0 mg·kg^-1以上,同时适当减少磷肥用量和降低土壤有效磷水平,以减少磷对小麦锌吸收的负面影响,维持黄淮麦区小麦高产并改善籽粒锌营养。     

三峡库区土壤可蚀性K值研究

 研究土壤可蚀性K值有助于宏观判断和定量分析三峡库区土壤侵蚀的特点。依据重庆市和湖北省的第2次土壤普查资料,建立三峡库区各土种的理化性质数据库,并通过三次样条插值方法对不同粒径标准的土壤质地进行转换,然后采用几何平均粒径模型修正公式计算出三峡库区各土种的可蚀性K值,经面积加权平均得到三峡库区11类土壤的可蚀性K值,最后在分类分级基础上,探讨土壤可蚀性K值的分布特征。结果表明:三峡库区土壤可蚀性K值变化于0.00720.019 2 t.hm2.h/（MJ.mm.hm2）之间,其中在0.015 00.019 0t.hm2.h/（MJ.mm.hm2）之间的中高可蚀性和高可蚀性土壤面积占库区总面积的74.49%;三峡库区存在很大的土壤侵蚀风险,国外已有的K值经验算式不能直接照搬,而采用几何平均粒径修正模型对三峡库区土壤可蚀性K值进行估算是可行的。     

几种土壤的Zn—Ca交换平衡

本文就黄棕壤、红壤、砖红壤的Zn—Ca交换平衡进行了初步研究。结果表明:三种土壤对Zn²⁺离子的选择性是:黄棕壤>红壤≥砖红壤。选择系数(K_c)随着土壤粘粒表面上Zn²⁺离子饱和度的增加而下降;随着温度的上升而增加。从曲线的形状看,可以认为黄棕壤粘粒表面存在两种能量不同的吸附位,一种对Zn²⁺离子具有较强的亲和力,另一种则要差。在体系中Zn²⁺离子交换Ca²⁺离子过程中,△G⁰受△H⁰的影响远比△S⁰要大。这在黄棕壤里表现尤为明显。从热力学参数△G⁰、△H⁰、△S⁰的变化情况看,黄棕壤对Zn²⁺离子特别偏好,结合得也较紧。红壤和砖红壤则无法比拟,这可能与土壤粘粒矿物类型及表面性质有关。     

冰糖橙种植园土壤团聚体特征及其影响因素

[目的] 探究冰糖橙种植园土壤团聚体的特征以及影响因素,为减少土壤侵蚀,增加柑橘园土壤保水保肥能力提供科学参考。 [方法] 采集板页岩风化物、紫色砂岩风化物、砂岩风化物、第四纪红土风化物发育的冰糖橙种植园土壤样本,并同步收集相关的耕作、地理等信息;采用土壤结构稳定性指标R_0.25,GWD,MWD、分形维数(D)与土壤可蚀性K值对团聚体及其有机碳含量等进行方差分析、相关分析。 [结果] ①粒径＞0.25 mm的团聚体占总团聚体的78%～85%。随着团聚体粒径减小,分级土壤含量整体呈逐渐减小趋势。 ②4种母质发育的土壤GWD在0.536～0.797之间;MWD在0.890～1.208之间;分形维数(D)在2.434～2.480之间;土壤可蚀性K值在0.060 8～0.069 7之间。 ③有机碳含量随着粒径增大有先减小后增大趋势,整体上呈V形分布,其中0.250～0.053 mm微团聚体的有机碳含量最低;大团聚体的有机碳相对贡献率在82%～87%。 ④随着种植年限增加,外源有机碳的不断输入,土壤结构稳定性指标R_0.25,GWD与MWD极显著增大,分形维数(D)与土壤可蚀性K值极显著减小;说明土壤结构的稳定性在不断增强。 [结论] 研究区冰糖橙种植园大团聚体含量高,土壤稳定性较强;且各母质的土壤稳定性处于同一水平。成土母质的砂粒含量与人为扰动直接对团聚体稳定性产生作用、外源有机碳、种植年限,纬度与海拔共同作用于有机胶结物质来影响土壤稳定性。     

腐殖酸和植物促生芽孢杆菌对黑麦草抗逆性及砒砂岩土壤性状的影响

[目的] 探究微生物在砒砂岩土壤修复工程中的作用,为微生物强化植物改良砒砂岩土壤的科学设想提供新思路。[方法] 以黑麦草作为供试作物,通过室内盆栽模拟试验的方法,研究接种植物促生芽孢杆菌Bacillus halotolerans P75,施用腐殖酸肥料以及不同的菌肥搭配对水土流失严重的砒砂岩土壤理化性质及黑麦草生长和抗逆性指标的影响。[结果] 与对照相比,Bacillus hallotolerans P75发酵液与腐殖酸协同处理显著提高了黑麦草叶片中SOD活性（229.7%）、POD活性（83.6%）和脯氨酸含量（119.3%）,显著增加砒砂岩土壤中多糖、有机质、速效磷和速效钾含量,且土壤渗水率明显降低。[结论] 植物促生芽孢杆菌Bacillus hallotolerans P75发酵液与腐殖酸肥料协同作用能够显著改善砒砂岩土壤的水分、养分流失问题,提高黑麦草的抗逆性,强化植物对砒砂岩土壤的改良和修复。     

黄土高原典型退耕草地植被特征对土壤入渗过程的影响

植被恢复过程可显著影响土壤入渗性能。通过选取黄土高原典型草地白羊草和铁杆蒿草地,设置不同种植密度（5,10,15,20,25,30株/m²）和采用人工模拟降雨试验（60 mm/h,60 min）,系统研究了草地植被特征对土壤入渗过程的影响。结果表明：（1）种植密度增加可显著延缓产流,不同种植密度下白羊草草地和铁杆蒿草地初始产流时间分别为0.76~5.74,0.87~2.08 s,且随盖度、根系生物量和有机质的增加呈幂函数增加（R²≥0.18,p<0.05）。（2）不同种植密度下白羊草草地的平均入渗速率、稳定入渗速率、入渗总量分别为0.47~0.82,0.46~0.82 mm/min和7.12~11.84 mm,铁杆蒿草地分别为0.38~0.67,0.35~0.60 mm/min和5.70~10.07 mm。当种植密度为20株/m²时,土壤入渗各参数均最大;平均入渗速率、稳定入渗速率、入渗量总量、入渗系数（K）随土壤有机质的提高呈幂函数增大（R²≥0.26,p<0.01）,衰减系数（α）随生物结皮盖度呈降低趋势（p>0.05）。（3）白羊草草地具有较高的根系生物量、生物结皮盖度和有机质含量,其初始产流时间、平均入渗速率、稳定入渗速率、入渗量总量及入渗系数（K）均不同程度高于铁杆蒿草地,衰减系数（α）低于铁杆蒿草地,土壤入渗性能较强。总体而言,对于典型退耕草地,土壤入渗总量（A）可表征为根系生物量密度（RMD）和土壤有机质（SOC）的拟合函数（A=2.77×RMD^0.149 SOC^0.614,R²=0.663,NSE=0.653）。研究结果可为黄土高原退耕草地生态水文过程和植被建设提供数据来源和理论依据。     

晋西北黄土丘陵区土壤饱和导水率的空间分布特征及影响因素

土壤饱和导水率（K_s）是反映土壤入渗性能与土壤持水能力的重要参数，为探究流域尺度下土壤K_s的空间分布特征及影响因素，更好地掌握土壤水文过程与调节机理，选取晋西北黄土丘陵区朱家川流域横向梯度（上游、中游、下游）不同土地利用方式下的土壤（70个样点）为研究对象，采用定水头法测定土壤K_s，并获取样点地形因子和其他土壤理化性质，通过建立土壤K_s偏最小二乘回归模型（PLSR），分析影响土壤K_s空间分布格局的主要因素。结果表明：（1）除土壤容重和砂粒含量为弱变异外，区域土壤理化性质其余因子均为中等变异；土壤K_s在横向梯度下表现为上游 > 中游 > 下游；（2）不同土地利用方式下土壤K_s差异显著（P<0.05），由高到低顺序为林地 > 农地 > 草地；（3）林地（VIP=1.997）与草地（VIP=1.710）利用方式、土壤容重（VIP=1.548）、土壤有机质（VIP=1.323）、大团聚体（VIP=1.266）、粉粒含量（VIP=1.062）和黏粒含量（VIP=1.049）是土壤K_s变化的主要因素，林地利用方式影响程度最大。土地利用、土壤性质、地形因子均是影响黄土丘陵区土壤K_s空间分布的主要因素，是用来模拟预测土壤K_s空间分布的重要因子。     

用熏蒸提取法校正酸性红壤的KEC值

Commonly used K_EC value (0.45) of the fumigation-extraction (FE) method was obtained on the basis of temperate neutral soils. To ascertain its applicability to acidic red soils widespread in southern China and other subtropical regions, the K_EC value was investigated based on 8 acidic red soils by in situ labelling of native soil microorganisms using ¹⁴C-labelled glucose. Realistic K_EC value for red soils could be obtained by in situ ¹⁴C-labelling as long as an incubation period of 72 h is adopted after addition of ¹⁴C glucose to soil. The single K_EC values for the eight red soils ranged from 0.27 to 0.35 and averaged 0.31. Lower K_EC value obtained in red soils probably resulted from different soil quality, compared with other types of soil, which causes possible changes in microbial community structure and extractability of cellular component. Microbial biomass C contents of the eight red soils measured using a unique and constant K_EC value of 0.45 decreased by 22.2%~40% in comparison to those using variable K_EC values. The results suggest that microbial biomass C would be significantly underestimated using the present K_EC value and a calibration of the K_EC value is necessary for red soils.     

土壤对镉的吸附与解吸——Ⅱ.吸附势与解吸势

本文提出了吸附势(logK_a)和解吸势(logK_d或相对解吸势logK_dr)两个有关吸附和解吸的强度概念,并进行了理论推导和实验验证。logK_a和logK_d或logK_dr是影响土壤或胶体吸附和解吸因素的综合反应。实验证实logK_a可用于表征土壤胶体对Cd的相对选择性,并且对胶体吸附Cd有着良好的预测性;logK_dr可用于表征土壤胶体对Cd的相对固定能力,并可用于估测Cd的污染程度。盆栽试验表明,随着土壤胶体logK_a的增加,或logK_dr的降低,稻草或糙米中Cd的含量下降。可以预期,吸附势和解吸势不但在土壤物理化学,土壤环境化学研究中,而且在植物营养化学、水化学、以及界面化学等方面有可能获得实际应用。     

不同分子量腐植酸的结构特征及其对土壤镉有效性的影响

为探究不同分子量腐植酸组分的结构特征,本研究利用褐煤粉提取腐植酸进行超滤分级,获得四个不同分子量的腐植酸组分。研究发现,分子量大于50 kDa和小于1 kDa的腐植酸分别占总腐植酸的49.66%、47.07%,中间两个组分占比很小；腐植酸的理化性质和功能主要是由1 kDa以下的腐植酸和50 kDa以上的腐植酸所决定的。1 kDa以下的腐植酸总酸性基、羧基和酚羟基官能团含量最高,酚羟基占总酸性基的比例也较高,腐植酸的芳香化程度、缩合度随分子量的增大而增大,含氧官能团含量、E4/E6值随分子量的增大而减少。通过盆栽试验,探索了不同分子量腐植酸对土壤镉有效性的影响,土壤对镉的吸附量随腐植酸分子量的增大而减少,各处理均在500 mg/L时达到吸附平衡；土壤镉的解吸量亦随腐植酸分子量的增大而减少。小分子量腐植酸的酸性官能团丰富,对土壤重金属的吸附络合能力更强,可以降低土壤对镉的吸持能力,提高其移动性和生物有效性；大分子腐植酸则主要起吸持和固定作用,降低重金属的移动性和生物有效性。     

不同来源风化煤腐植酸化学特征与生物活性研究

  目的  探究不同来源风化煤所含腐植酸的生物活性差异及其与风化煤性质特征的关系,为寻找高活性腐植酸风化煤提供依据。  方法  选用山西左权、五台、静乐三地的风化煤,以不同方法处理、进行植物培养试验,采用紫外光谱、红外光谱、根系扫描的方法,比较分析不同风化煤的加工化学特征、产出腐植酸的生物活性。  结果  左权、五台、静乐三地风化煤总腐植酸含量在37.1% ~ 40.9%,但游离腐植酸含量差异较大,分别为1.92%、10.09%和30.62%;总酸性官能团酚羟基含量差异明显,其含量比为1.00∶1.22∶1.83,静乐风化煤的羟基含量和羧基含量最高;钙镁含量比为2.65∶1.25∶1.00;不同风化煤的E4/E6差异较小,但提取出的腐植酸E4/E6差异较大,分别为7.5、6.2和4.39。生物活性研究表明,3地风化煤腐植酸对绿豆再生根均有促进作用,呈现与IAA具有的相同功效的典型激素反应;其腐植酸促生活性依次为静乐>五台>左权,左权和五台腐植酸浓度在0.01%、静乐腐植酸浓度在0.05%时最高。  结论  左权、五台、静乐三地风化煤提出的腐植酸以静乐生物活性最高,五台次之,左权最低;风化煤中的钙镁含量越低、游离腐植酸含量越高,羟基红外光谱吸收峰越宽、总酸性基团含量越高腐植酸的生物活性就高。可为腐植酸加工选用优质的风化煤原料,为腐植酸应用选择适宜浓度范围提供参考。     

Chemical studies on soil humic acids

The levels of alcoholic and phenolic hydroxyl, methoxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl groups of 33 to 38 humic acids obtained from various types of soils were determined to analyze the relationships between the amounts of these functional groups and the degree of humification or the types of soils. The amounts of various oxygen-containing functional groups examined were all proven to be significantly different among the various types of humic acids by analyses of variance. During humification. generally, the carboxyl and carbonyl groups increased while alcoholic and phenolic hydroxyl and methoxyl groups decreased. Linear and logarithmic regression analyses of carboxyl group contents on RF values (optical density of the alkaline solution of humic acids at 600 nm) gave very significant positive correlations. The carboxyl group contents of Rp type humic acids and humic acids from calcareous soils were largely distributed in the upper side of the regression curve. The carbonyl group contents showed a very significant linear positive correlation with carboxyl group contents. and both of them showed high linear positive correlation with RF values. Phenolic hydroxyl group contents decreased with humification in Rp(l). B. and A type humic acids. Alcoholic hydroxyl group contents showed a significant negative linear association with _RF values. Methoxyl group contents decreased rapidly with increasing humification in low humified humic acids, and their negative correlation with _RF values were proven to be very significant by logarithmic regression analysis. The complicated relationship between oxygen content and RF value which was reported previously (7) has been accounted for by the results obtained in the experiments conducted here.     

风化煤对土壤胶体特性的影响

低产土壤是阻碍新疆地区农业生产发展的重要因素之一。这些土壤大部分有机质含$低,并有不同程度地盐碱化,亚待改良。新弧地区拥有较多的风化煤、揭煤、泥炭等资源,其中一些煤呈酸性或强酸性,可溶性有机物含量也较高。近年来,该地区各地群众用这些煤制成的腐铁或将煤粉直接施用于一些低产土壤上,在水稻、玉米、小麦等各种作物上均获得了不同程度的增产效果,其中在板结土、沙性土、粘质土和盐碱土上效果比较显著。连续大t施用煤粉的土壤,群众反映,土壤的肥力也有所提高。     

Behavior of phenolic substances in the decaying process of plants

The changes in amount of ether-extractable phenolic substances, individual phenolic adds, organic matter content, and pH value in the decaying process of rice straw were compared at 10, 30, and 50°C under moist and flooded conditions for 70 days.

1) The changes in pH value with time varied markedly according to temperature and water conditions.

2) Phenolic substances in the ether-extractable fraction obtained from the acidified solution of alkaline methanol extract contained undetected phenolic compounds in amounts larger than the phenolic adds detected by gas chromatography. pH value during incubation was hardly attributable to these phenolic substances because of their small quantity.

3) The changes in amount of the ether-extractable phenolic substances with time was mainly due to phenolic compounds other than phenolic acids, and influenced largely by the temperature and water conditions. Their formation and degradation took place rapidly at high temperatures under flooded conditions.

4) From the plots of individual phenolic acids vs. time, it was tentatively concluded that phenolic acids contalned in non-decayed straw were rapidly degraded in the earlier stage, and some of them were newly produced from ether-unextractable precursors in the later stage. These reactions occurred rapidly at high temperatures, especially under flooded conditions.

5) The content of p-hydroxybenzolc acid increased simultaneously with a rapid decrease in p-coumaric acid during the incubation ot straw. The relationship between vanillic acid and ferulic acid was the same.     

The problem of water hyacinths in rivers and canals

Abstract

The cation exchange capacity (CEC) and content of COOH groups in bulky water hyacinth compost were estimated over the rotting period. The progressive increase observed in the estimates was ascribed to continuing oxidation processes in the composted materials.

Fractionation of organic carbon extracted with Na₄P₂O₇-NaOH from the composted materials over the rotting period on the basis of acid-soluble and -insoluble fractions, was carried out. The carbon of humic-like substances (precipitated at pH 2) in the dry matter was almost stable from 0- to 124-day composted materials. There were successive increases in total acidity, and content of carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups in the humic substance extracts indicating progressive oxidation processes in these substances over the rotting period. Elementary analysis and IR spectra provided fürther support for the above inference and led us to conclude that humification of the water hyacinth consists mainly of structural modification of humic-like substances initially occurring rather than a condensation of simple organic carbon to form high molecular weight material. Such structural modification is dominated by biochemical oxidation and increases in oxygen-containing functional groups. This conclusion is consistent with the view that “humic acids are formed by processes involving oxidation of plant lignin and lignoprotein entering the soil.”     

Biological activity of humic substances extracted from soils under different vegetation cover

Abstract

Comparisons were made between the chemical compositions of humic substances extracted from three soils covered by different vegetation and their biological activities assayed using 15‐ and 30‐day‐old seedlings of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies. The growth, “α‐amylase and invertase activity were affected by humic fractions and by gibberellic acid (GA), indicating that humic matter had a gibberellin‐like activity. The isoenzymatic polymorphism in the electrophoretic patterns of esterase was influenced in a similar way by all humic fractions and by indoleacetic acid (IAA), which also suggested that the humic fractions exhibited an auxin‐like activity. The humic fractions extracted from the grassland, exhibiting higher amounts of phenolic and a considerable amount of carboxyl carbon, showed the best metabolic effect. The forest humic fractions, characterized by lower phenolic carbon content, appeared less effective in influencing plant metabolism, whereas the grassland‐forest humic substances proved to be even more less effective. The auxin‐ and the gibberellin‐like activities were related to a high content of phenolic and carboxylic groups. These results presented evidence that the biological activity of the humic substances was attributed to their chemical structure and to their functional groups, which could interact with hormone‐binding proteins in the membrane systems, evoking a hormone‐like response.     

石灰性母质对土壤腐殖质组成和性质的影响

本文研究了采自泰安、南京、昆明3地在相近植被类型下的石灰性土壤和非石灰性土壤的腐殖质组成和胡敏酸的结构特征。结果表明,和同一地区的非石灰性土壤相比,石灰性土壤不但胡敏酸/富里酸比值恒较高,活性胡敏酸的相对含量显著较低,且其胡敏酸的芳化度和羧基含量较高,全氮及酰胺态氮的含量较低。看来,土壤呈微碱性反应不仅有利于有机物质腐解过程的进行,而且有利于游离基的形成,从而有利于酚类物质相互之间以及酚类物质与含氮化合物之间的缩聚反应和腐殖酸的脱胺作用的进行。     

A COMPARISON OF THE POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS EXTRACTED BY WATER FROM AN AGRICULTURAL TOP SOIL WITH THOSE EXTRACTED BY ALKALI

Humic and fulvic acids were isolated from an agricultural soil by conventional means. The same soil was extracted with water and the organic matter freed of inorganic and low molecular weight substances. The usual chemical differences between humic acid and fulvic acid were confirmed and the water extract was shown to resemble fulvic acid quite closely. Further fractionation of the fulvic acid and water extract showed that the elemental composition, carboxyl and acidic hydroxyl contents, molecular weights, and infrared spectra of the purified polycarboxylic acids were virtually identical. Both promoted the same growth response in cultured isolated tomato roots. It is suggested that the qualitative similarity of fulvic acid to the polycarboxylic acid extracted by water justifies the use of the more easily isolated fulvic acid in physiological experiments on the direct effects on plants of soil organic matter.     

Elemental,functional infrared and free radical characterization of humic acid-type fungal polymers (melanins)

Summary Humic acid-type polymers (melanins) synthesized in culture media by the fungi Aspergillus glaucus, Eurotium echinulatum, Hendersonula toruloidea, Stachybotrys atra and Aspergillus sydowi were analysed for elemental composition, functional group content, infrared (IR) and electron spin resonance (ESR) properties. Results were discussed in comparison with range values referred for soil humic acids. The fungal polymers showed significant differences in carboxyl and nitrogen content and C/H atomic ratios, reflecting a different degree of condensation (aromaticity) among the various samples. IR analysis gave evidence of: (a) the predominant aromatic character of melanins from A. glaucus, E. echinulatum and H. toruloidea; (b) the high content of aliphatic and olefinic components of S. atra melanin; (c) the typical presence of amide bonds in the nitrogen-richest melanins from A. sydowi and H. toruloidea; and (d) the generally low amount of free carboxyl groups, which often appeared involved in hydrogen bonds. ESR spectra showed that all the melanins studied contained appreciable concentrations of organic free radicals of prevailing semiquinonic nature and of the same order of magnitude commonly measured in humic acids from soil and other sources. The free electron concentration was shown to be directly related to the C/H atomic ratio and to the degree of aromaticity shown by IR analysis. This indicated that the highest free radical content in the melanins from E. echinulatum and A. glaucus was associated with the highest presence of condensed aromatic structures. Humic acid-type polymers synthesized by soil fungi may, therefore, contribute to the total free radical content of soil humic substances and play important roles in all reactions involving free radicals in soils and related environments.