聚丙烯酸盐对长期重金属污染的矿区土壤的修复研究（Ⅱ）——对土壤微生物数量和土壤酶活性的影响

采用盆栽试验方法研究了聚丙烯酸盐对SDomingos金矿区重金属污染土壤的修复作用。在《聚丙烯酸盐对长期重金属污染土壤的修复研究（I）》^[30]（以下简称研究I）中聚丙烯酸盐的应用显著提高了土壤持水能力和土壤的pH,同时土壤中水溶性重金属的含量也比对照显著降低,从而使果园草Orchardgrass（Dactylis glomerata L．cv．Amba）的生物量得到显著增加。为更全面地说明聚丙烯酸盐在该重金属污染土壤修复上的作用,进一步探讨了聚丙烯酸盐对重金属污染土壤微生物属性的影响。结果表明,土壤细菌数量随聚丙烯酸盐水平的增加而增加,不同处理之间差异显著（P≤0．05）;与对照相比,聚丙烯酸盐处理的真菌数量显著增加（P≤0．05）,但随着聚丙烯酸盐水平的增加而显著降低（P≤0．05）,这可能是由于0．4％和0．6％的聚丙烯酸盐处理土壤pH显著提高所导致的。因此使用微生物数量评价土壤质量时,细菌比真菌表现更突出。使用聚丙烯酸盐修复的土壤脱氢酶、磷酸酶、蔗糖酶、蛋白酶和纤维素酶的活性均比对照显著增加（P≤0．05）,而脲酶活性的下降则可能是由于聚丙烯酸盐带来大量的铵态氮产生的抑制作用所致。综合研究I中的结果,聚丙烯酸盐不仅可以改善重金属污染土壤的理化性状而且对于土壤微生物属性也有显著的改善作用。从果园草生物量来看,0．4％聚丙烯酸盐的用量对该污染土壤的修复具有实践应用价值。     

Remediation of a mine soil with insoluble polyacrylate polymers enhances soil quality and plant growth

We investigated the effects of different application rates of insoluble hydrophilic polyacrylate polymers on plant growth and soil quality from a Pb‐contaminated mine soil. The polymer increased the water‐holding capacity of the soil from about 250 g/kg in unamended soil to almost 1000 g/kg in soil with 0.6% polymer. However, the capacity of the polymer to retain water decreased progressively, presumably as the polymer sorbed Pb. Growth of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L. cv. Amba) was stimulated in the polymer‐amended soil. The greatest accumulated biomass over four cuts was obtained in soil amended with 0.4% of polymer. After orchardgrass had been growing for 101 days, the amounts of CaCl₂‐extractable Pb present in the polymer‐amended soil were 15–66% of those in the unamended soil, depending on polymer application rate. The number of bacteria culturable on agar enriched with ‘Nutrient’ and yeast extract, and the activities of dehydrogenase, phosphatase, β‐glucosidase, protease and cellulase increased following polymer application. In contrast, urease activity was impaired by polymer application, presumably due to the presence of ammonium as a counter ion. Principal component analysis was used to compare the effects of the different rates of polymer application. Overall, the application of 0.2 or 0.4% polymer resulted in closer values for the indicators of soil quality used than the treatment with 0.6% polymer.     

Lignite‐derived humic substances modulate pepper and soil‐biota growth under water deficit stress

Organic matter‐derived soil amendments containing humic substances (HS) have a functional role to improve plant growth and soil quality, but their response to water deficit stress is less reported, particularly in vegetable crops. This study assessed the impact of lignite‐derived HS on biota growth and evaluated their potential mitigative effects under water deficit stress in growth chamber and greenhouse environments. Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Revolution) plants were grown in sandy and clay soil previously mixed with lignite‐derived HS and subjected to four irrigation levels (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) based on soil water‐holding capacity. Plant growth traits, soil chemical properties, and microbial populations were measured and analyzed. HS increased plant root development and soil bacteria population in moderate and no stress conditions (60%, 80%). Physiologically, HS rapidly decreased leaf stomatal conductance and transpiration after imposing severe or mild stress (20%, 40%). The results indicate that HS transiently ameliorated plants exposed to water stress by reducing moisture loss. In addition, due to their capacity to improve plant root growth, soil nutrient cycling and microbial activity, application of HS might have long‐term benefits in agricultural systems.     

Re‐visiting potassium‐ and phosphate‐fertilizer responses in field experiments and soil‐test interpretations by means of data mining

Currently, potassium (K)‐ and phosphate (P)‐fertilizer recommendation in Germany is based on standardized soil‐testing procedures, the results of which are interpreted in terms of nutrient availability. Although site‐specific soil and plant properties (e.g., clay and carbon content, pH, crop species) influence the relation between soil nutrient content and fertilizer effectiveness, most of these factors are not accounted for quantitatively when assessing fertilizer demand. Recent re‐evaluations of field observations suggest that even for soil nutrient contents well within the range considered to indicate P or K deficiency, fertilizer applications often resulted in no yield increase. In this study, results from P‐ and K‐fertilization trials (in total about 9000 experimental harvests) conducted during the past decades in Germany and Austria were re‐analyzed using a nonparametric data‐mining procedure which consists of a successive segmentation of the data pool in order to elaborate a modified recommendation scheme. In addition to soil nutrient content, fertilizer‐application rates, nutrient‐use efficiency, and site properties such as pH, clay content, and soil organic matter, have a distinct influence on yield increase compared to an unfertilized control. For K, nutrient‐use efficiency had the largest influence, followed by soil‐test K content, whereas for P, the influence of soil‐test P content was largest, followed by pH and clay content. The results may be used in a novel approach to predict the probability of yield increase for a specified combination of crop species, fertilizer‐application rate, and site‐specific data.     

Influence of sodium polyacrylate on the water-holding capacity of three different soils and effects on growth of wheat

Abstract. The effectiveness of sodium polyacrylate to increase soil water retention and to enhance growth of wheat under water deficit was evaluated. Water-holding capacity of the soils was considerably increased only when the soil was amended with the polymer at a rate 3 g L⁻¹. The effect on plant-available water was greater at soil matric potentials up to −1000 hPa. The biomass and grain yield of plants without water deficit were increased by the polymer amendment, but decreased under severe water deficit stress. The polymer had no significant affect on plant N, grain N or grain Na content.     

Soil Amendment Improves Tree Growth and Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Pools in Mongolian Pine Plantations on Post‐Mining Land in Northeast China

Mining activities leave large areas of post‐mining lands to be reclaimed. Increases in soil C and N pools and N availability are important to successfully reestablish trees on post‐mining land. In this study, we determined C and N concentrations and natural stable isotope of ¹³C and ¹⁵N in soil and plant in Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica Litv.) plantations 8 years after establishment on non‐mined land (NM), post‐mining land without soil amendment (NAM), and post‐mining land with soil amendment (AM) in a placer gold mining region of Northeast China. We found that the growth of Mongolian pine was significantly slower on NAM as compared with NM (decreasing by 73% in tree height and 63% in basal diameter), but tree growth improved on AM. Soil C and N concentrations, plant N concentration, and soil δ¹⁵N value decreased in the order of NM > AM > NAM, implying that soil N availability decreased in post‐mining land, but soil amendment could increase soil N availability. However, the values of δ¹⁵N in plant tissues of Mongolian pine were higher on NAM than on NM and AM, suggesting that soil inorganic N form absorbed by trees might be changed when trees were directly planted on post‐mining land with lower soil N availability. In addition, the values of δ¹³C in 1‐ and 2‐year‐old leaves of Mongolian pine were lowest when planted on NAM, indicating a decrease in intrinsic water‐use efficiency of Mongolian pine. Our results suggest that soil amendment helps us establish forests successfully on post‐mining lands. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of soil water content on growth,tillering, and manganese uptake of lowland rice grown in the water‐saving ground‐cover rice‐production system (GCRPS)

A 2‐year field experiment and a pot experiment were carried out to compare Mn uptake, tillering, and plant growth of lowland rice grown under different soil water conditions in the ground‐cover rice‐production system (GCRPS) in Beijing, North China. The field experiment was conducted in 2001 and 2002, including two treatments: lowland‐rice variety (Oryza sativa L. spp. japonica) grown under thin (14 μm) plastic‐film soil cover (GCRPS_plastic) at 80%–90% water‐holding capacity (WHC) and traditional lowland rice (paddy control) grown with 3 cm standing‐water table. The pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with four treatments: (1) traditional lowland rice: paddy control; (2) GCRPS, water‐saturated soil: GCRPS_saturated; (3) GCRPS at 90% water‐holding capacity (WHC): GCRPS_90%WHC; and (4) GCRPS at 70% WHC: GCRPS_70%WHC. Results of the field experiment showed that dry‐matter production, number of tillers, as well as N and Mn concentrations in rice shoots of GCRPS were significantly lower than in paddy control, while there was no significant difference in shoot Fe, Cu, Zn, and P concentration and nematode populations. In the pot experiment, shoot Mn concentration significantly decreased with decreasing soil water content, while soil redox potential increased. Shoot–dry matter production and tiller number of GCRPS_saturated were significantly higher than in other treatments. Significant correlations were observed between the shoot Mn concentration and tiller number at maximum tillering stage in the field and pot experiment, respectively. We therefore conclude that the limitation of Mn acquisition might contribute to the growth and yield reduction of lowland rice grown in GCRPS. The experiment provides evidence that GCRPS_plastic combined with nearly water‐saturated soil conditions helps saving water and achieving optimum crop development without visual or latent Mn deficiency as observed under more aerobic conditions.     

Effects of N‐fertilization on shoots and roots of rape (Brassica napus L.) and consequences for the soil matric potential

The underlying question of these investigations asked, how and to which extent rape plants react with transpiration and soil water uptake to different degrees of nitrogen fertilization. Therefore repeated campaigns with concurrent measurements of plant surfaces (leaves, stems, pods), diurnal courses of leaf transpiration and root length density of rape plants growing on heavily (240 kg ha^—1), moderately, (120 kg ha^—1), and nil N‐fertilized plots of an experimental field in northern Germany were performed during two growing seasons. Additionally, matric potentials at different soil depths were measured. In the first year (1994) investigations were concentrated primarily on shoot area development and transpiration, whereas in the subsequent year (1995) root measurements were mainly undertaken. Also, the influence of soil management (ploughing, conservation tillage) was taken into consideration. The plots where the shoot measurements were carried out were ploughed in 1994 and rotovated in 1995. Matric potentials were measured in both years in ploughed soil and, for comparison, also in soils with conservation tillage. Shoot area index, as measure of the transpiratory capacity of the canopy, increased on ploughed soil and reached a maximum before flowering. Thereafter it decreased until harvest when the relative amount of green stems and pods was increasing. Then, the measured transpiration rate per pod surface area was equal to, or higher than, the transpiration rate per leaf surface area. Plant surface area was smaller in plots with conservation tillage and decreased generally with decreasing N‐fertilization. Increasing plant surface area was joined by an increasing density of plant canopy. Light interception was thus highest in the plots receiving 240 kg N ha^—1. Although the shading effect may cause a reduction of transpiration per plant, the total plant mass per area generally resulted in a greater water loss from these plots. Roots reached at least 110 cm depth. Root length density was significantly higher in the upper 10—30 cm of soil than at greater depths. Root mass was smaller in soil with conservation tillage than in ploughed soil. Oscillations of soil matric potentials in the diurnal and long‐term periods were highest in the upper 10 cm of soil. Here, they corresponded well with the cumulative diurnal transpiratory water loss. It is concluded that the soil water dynamics depends largely on the distribution of plant roots. As a result, rape plants did not change their specific transpiration capacity as a response to increased nitrogen fertilization. However, the transpiring plant surface and root length density increased the turnover rate of water by a higher plant density per plot. This effect was more pronounced in ploughed than in rotovated plots.     

生物炭添加对矿区压实土壤水力特性的影响

中国黄土高原大型露天煤矿开采导致土壤质量下降,生物炭作为环境友好型土壤改良剂,在改善农田土壤质量中应用广泛,但在有关矿区压实土壤改良的研究中不够深入。为此,该研究通过室内试验分析不同粒径的生物炭在不同添加量下对矿区排土场压实土壤水力特性的影响。试验采用4种粒径（>1～2、>0.25～1、0.10～0.25、<0.10 mm）与4种添加量（0、4、8、16 g/kg）的生物炭,设计5种压实条件（容重分别为1.3、1.4、1.5、1.6、1.7 g/cm3）,并利用van Genuchten模型（VG模型）拟合土壤水分特征曲线。结果表明,添加生物炭后土壤水分特征曲线的相关系数均在0.960以上,标准差均小于0.015,说明VG模型适用于拟合添加生物炭后的土壤水分特征曲线。随着生物炭添加量的增加,土壤孔隙分布明显改变,形成了大量大孔隙和中孔隙,土壤的持水能力提高。在低容重（1.3、1.4 g/cm3）条件下,生物炭粒径越大（0.25～2 mm）添加量越高（8、16 g/kg）,土壤持水、保水效果越明显;在高容重（1.5、1.6、1.7 g/cm3）条件下,小粒径（<0.25 mm）和较低的生物炭添加量（4、8 g/kg）则表现出较好的持水能力。对于不同压实条件的排土场土壤,有针对性地施用生物炭,将有效提高土壤持水保水能力,提高土壤中植物的有效利用水分。     

Site‐specific effects of variable water supply and nitrogen fertilisation on winter wheat

The plant‐available soil water, amount and distribution of rainfall or irrigation are primary factors that may affect yield and quality of winter wheat in heterogeneous fields. The objective of this 2‐y study was to vary N application and water supply in order to achieve a more mechanistic insight into the effects of underlying differences in the site‐specific productivity on heterogeneous fields. Two N fertilizer rates (120 and 180 kg N ha^–1) and three different water supply treatments (rain sheltering, irrigation, rain‐fed) were compared on field sites with lower or higher plant available soil water capacities. On the whole, the site, rather than rainfall or N fertilisation, was the primary factor that accounted for variability in grain yield. Rainfall distribution during the growing season affected the overall yield level in a given year. The sites characterised by lower plant available water capacity did not show higher grain yield and improved quality with the increased N rate. This suggests that the reduced N rate should be recommended on these sites to take into account the environmental sustainability of N fertilisation. With respect to the higher N application at sites of high plant available soil water capacity, although the already high yield levels were not increased further, the protein quality was significantly improved in the first season within all treatments and in the second season in the irrigated treatments. Therefore, a higher N‐rate proved to be advantageous, especially considering that the residual nitrate levels after harvest were low. The study demonstrated that the response of winter wheat to water shortage or abundance and N fertilisation is site‐specific and dependent on the availability of soil water.     

How good is the evidence that soil‐applied biochar improves water‐holding capacity?

Biochar application to soil is suggested as a way of enhancing soil fertility by increasing the availability of nutrients and water. The former is perhaps better documented while the latter has less experimental support. This review critically investigates the recent literature which focuses on determining whether biochar induces increases in plant available water and that this provides part of the explanation for possible increases in crop yield. A number of studies suggest that biochar increases crop yields, and this is linked to the enhancement of soil water content and increased crop growth. However, many of these studies fail to fully consider if the measured biochar increases of 10–30% in soil water content were actually responsible for an increase in plant available water for crop growth. There is also limited evidence of increased crop yields when biochar is used in field experiments. While biochar soil application may increase soil water content, this appears to most likely occur with free draining coarsely textured sandy soils. As yet there is limited evidence that biochar improves soil water content in temperate soils and even less that it facilitates plant tolerance to drought stress. More recent literature shows the use of methods which quantify soil biochar changes with respect to plant water availability. However, despite some advances in our understanding of biochar's mode of action, there are still only a few studies which link increases in plant available water with increased crop yields, and particularly with respect to the longer term use and functionality of soil‐applied biochar.     

Attempt of a flux‐based evaluation of field capacity

Field capacity is one of the most frequently used soil parameters. According to the original definition, the field capacity is a site‐specific parameter, which is closely connected to soil water flux. Many of the existing procedures for field‐capacity estimation neglect its flux‐based character. In this study, a method and selected results are presented. This allows a better reflection of the unsteady behavior of unsaturated water flow in estimating field capacity. Based on the velocity of the relative internal drainage, a threshold value is defined (field‐capacity threshold) which enables a flux‐based estimation of the field‐capacity value. Furthermore, the direct consideration of the drainage time allows the soil water contents to be estimated for defined internal drainage durations.     

Belowground Attributes on Reclaimed Surface Mine Lands over a 40‐year Chronosequence

Reclamation following mining activities often aims to restore stable soils that support productive and diverse native plant communities. The soil re‐spread process increases soil compaction, which may alter soil water, plant composition, rooting depths, and soil organic matter. This may have a direct impact on vegetation establishment and species recruitment. Seasonal wet/dry and freeze/thaw patterns are thought to alleviate soil compaction over time. However, this has not been formally evaluated on reclaimed landscapes at large scales. Our objectives were to (1) determine soil compaction alleviation, (2) rooting depth, and (3) spatial patterns of soil water content over a time‐since‐reclamation gradient. Soil resistance to penetration varied by depth, with shallow compaction remaining unchanged, but deeper compaction increased over time rather than being alleviated. Root biomass and depth did not increase with time and was consistently less than the values in the reference location. Plant communities initially had a strong native component, but quickly became dominated by invasive species following reclamation, and soil water content became increasingly homogeneous over the 40‐year chronosequence. Seasonal weather patterns and soil organic matter additions can reduce soil compaction if water infiltration is not limited. Shallow and strongly fibrous‐rooted grasses present in reclaimed sites added organic matter to shallow soil layers, but did not penetrate the compacted layers and allow water infiltration. Strong linkages between land management strategies, soil properties, and vegetation composition can advance reclamation efforts and promote heterogeneous landscapes. However, current post‐reclamation management strategies are incompletely utilizing natural seasonal weather patterns to reduce soil compaction. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Considerations on cross‐linking by bivalent cations in soil organic matter with low exchange capacity

A soil's cation exchange capacity (CEC) is expected to be relatively inert against changes in cation loading. In this study, we treated a soil sample originating from the organic layer of a forest soil with various bivalent cations after removing the native cations. Sorption isotherms and cation exchange capacity were determined, the latter using the BaCl₂ method. Sorption showed Langmuir characteristics, with the maximum coverage (Q_max) increasing in the order Ba²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺, but being clearly smaller than the initial load of native exchangeable cations. The Langmuir coefficient, k_Me, depended oppositely to the order obtained for Q_max. CEC increased upon cation treatment and it varied by a factor of almost two. The unexpected variation of CEC was explained by the low cation exchange capacity of the organic matter such that not all functional groups are close enough to be bridged and the second charge of a bivalent cation is not neutralized by the organic functional group. The Langmuir sorption type, and Q_max being smaller than the content of sorption sites and being largest for Mg, suggested that only a part of the sites can be cross‐linked and at least part of the cross‐links are formed by hydrated cations. Thermodynamic considerations allowed reconstruction of two contrasting processes during CEC determination by Ba²⁺: Case A: the disruption of cross‐links, which increases with the cationic strength and the cation load before CEC determination, but does not require structural re‐orientation in the SOM matrix, and Case B: the formation of new cross‐links during CEC determination, depending only on the content of unoccupied sites before CEC determination and requiring structural re‐organization of the matrix and thus a minimum matrix flexibility. The use of bivalent cations for CEC determination may thus result in an overestimation of CEC for organic matter with low CEC. This has, however, promising potential when comparing CEC determined with monovalent cations and bivalent cations. Using a set of bivalent cations, may allow probing distribution of distances between functional groups in the organic matter and even characterize the matrix rigidity of the cation‐cross‐linked network.     

Nitrogen forms affect root growth,photosynthesis, and yield of tomato under alternate partial root‐zone irrigation

To increase efficiency of water and nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, this study was conducted with a split‐root pot experiment to investigate the effects of different forms of N fertilizer on root growth, photosynthesis, instantaneous water use efficiency (IWUE), and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) under alternate partial root‐zone irrigation (APRI). Three irrigation modes comprised conventional irrigation (CI) and two kinds of APRI, i.e., APRI with water content in the drying soil compartment controlled at ≥ 60% or 40% of the water‐holding capacity (APRI‐60, APRI‐40). Two N forms included ammonium‐N and nitrate‐N supplied as calcium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, respectively. The results show that APRI‐60 enhanced root growth and increased leaf IWUE with a slight yield reduction compared with CI regardless of the N form supplied. In contrast, APRI‐40 significantly decreased root growth and inhibited photosynthesis, thereby resulting in a significant yield loss. In addition, at the flowering stage tomato plants grew better with ammonium‐N than nitrate‐N supply; however, at the fruit expansion stage and maturity stage, the tomato plants had a higher biomass accumulation and yield with nitrate‐N than ammonium‐N supply. Therefore, the application of APRI should consider the soil water condition coupled with an appropriate N form. In the present study, APRI controlled at ≥ 60% of the water‐holding capacity (WHC) for the drying soil side with nitrate‐N supply was the best water‐fertilizer supply for tomato cultivation.     

Phosphorus availability of sewage sludge‐based fertilizers determined by the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique

The plant‐availability of phosphorus (P) in fertilizers and soil can strongly influence the yield of agricultural crops. However, there are no methods to efficiently and satisfactorily analyze the plant‐availability of P in sewage sludge‐based P fertilizers except by undertaking time‐consuming and complex pot or field experiments. We employed the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique to quantify the plant P availability of various types of P fertilizers with a novel focus on sewage sludge‐based P fertilizers. Mixtures of fertilizer and soil were incubated for 3 weeks at 60% water holding capacity. DGT devices were deployed at the beginning of the incubation and again after 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Two weeks of incubation were sufficient for the formation of plant‐available P in the fertilizer/soil mixtures. In a pot experiment, the DGT technique predicted maize (Zea mays L.) biomass yield and P uptake significantly more accurately than standard chemical extraction tests for P fertilizers (e.g ., water, citric acid, and neutral ammonium citrate). Therefore, the DGT technique can be recommended as a reliable and robust method to screen the performance of different types of sewage sludge‐based P fertilizers for maize cultivation minimizing the need for time‐consuming and costly pot or field experiments.     

Nitrogen release from air‐dried biosolids for fertilizer value

Mineral‐N production by air‐dried biosolids was measured in an Australian tenosol type soil with two moisture conditions over 70 days, using a controlled laboratory incubation procedure. The biosolids were from both air‐drying pans and stockpiles. Inorganic‐N components (NH₄‐N, NO₃‐N and NO₂‐N) were present in all biosolids, with higher concentrations in samples from air‐drying pans compared with stockpiles of 1 yr age. Nevertheless, significant production of NO₃‐N occurred in moist soil amended with all air‐dried biosolids. In contrast, saturated soil amended with air‐dried biosolids generally showed a net loss of inorganic‐N compounds during incubation, presumably owing to denitrification. In the saturated soil, only biosolids from air‐drying pans provided NO₃‐N production from existing NH₄‐N. The results indicated that biosolids from air‐drying pans provided the most robust production of NO₃‐N, compared with aged material from the stockpiles, owing to the reduced N content and increased stability of the organic fraction in stored biosolids. However, the rates of N‐mineralization in the tenosol soil were substantially lower than reported for more fertile soil types and most of the organic‐N content of the biosolids remained undegraded by day 70. The biosolids thus may substantially remain to provide improved properties of soil, such as structure and water‐holding capacity. The results suggest that anaerobically digested biosolids from air‐drying pans are potentially highly consistent products that could be effective replacements for inorganic‐N fertilizer in agricultural production.     

Water retention properties of a sandy soil with superabsorbent polymers as affected by aging and water quality

Hydraulic properties, specifically the water holding capacity of soils, play a key role in the ability of soils to sustain plant growth. Additions of hydrophilic polymers (superabsorbents) can improve the water holding capacity of sandy soils. This has led to practical applications of these materials particularly in arid regions and countries, where water is the limiting factor for plant production. The objectives of this study are to investigate how effective hydraulic properties of polymer‐soil mixtures are affected by addition of absorbents in different concentrations. Novel aspects are the investigation of aging under repeated wetting–drying‐cycles over an appreciable time in the field and a systematic investigation of the salt influence on the water uptake of polymers. We added the polymer Super AB, A‐200 (Iran Polymer Institute), to dune sand in ratios of 0.3%, 0.6%, and 1% w/w. We found that the effective water retention characteristics of the soil–absorbent mixtures were improved with respect to plant‐available water compared to the pure sand, and the improvement was related to the respective amount of absorbent in the mixture. The plant available water content (PAW) increased from 0.005 for the untreated sand to 0.06, 0.20, and 0.28 g g^?1, respectively, for the sand with the three polymer additions. Due to aging of the polymers, PAW decreased after 6 months of cyclic drying and wetting to about half of the value immediately after the initial treatment. We attribute this to the effect of salts. This is corroborated by the results from water uptake experiments by the pure polymers. Repeated cycles of water uptake showed that salts in the water greatly reduced the uptake capacity of the polymers after few cycles. The effect was strong for bivalent cations and less pronounced for monovalent cations.     

Impact of effective microorganisms and other biofertilizers on soil microbial characteristics,organic‐matter decomposition,and plant growth

Incubation and pot experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of commercially distributed biofertilizers (effective microorganisms [EM], BIOSTIMULATOR, BACTOFIL‐A, and BACTOFIL‐B) on soil microbial‐biomass content and activity, net N mineralization in soil, and growth of Lolium perenne. According to the manufacturers, the products tested are based on microbial inoculants or organic growth stimulants, and are supposed to influence soil microbial properties and improve soil conditions, organic‐matter decomposition, and plant growth. In the incubation experiment (40 d, 20.6°C, 50% maximum water‐holding capacity), EM was repeatedly applied to soil together with different organic amendments (nonamended, chopped straw, and lupine seed meal). Under the experimental conditions of this study, no or only marginal effects of EM on organic C, total N, and mineral N in soil could be observed. In soil treatments without any organic amendment, EM suspension slightly enhanced microbial activity measured as soil CO₂ evolution. In soil with easily degradable plant residues (lupine seed meal), EM suspension had a suppressive effect on microbial biomass. However, comparisons with sterilized EM and molasses as the main additive in EM suspension showed that any effect of EM could be explained as a pure substrate effect without the influence of added living organisms. In the pot experiment with Lolium perenne (air‐conditioned greenhouse cabin, 87 d, 16.8°C, 130 klxh d^–1 light quantity), the products EM, BIOSTIMULATOR, BACTOFIL‐A, and BACTOFIL‐B were tested in soil with growing plants. The products were repeatedly applied for a period of 42 d. Within this study, no effects of the different biofertilizers on mineral N in soil were detectable. There were clear suppressive effects of all tested biofertilizers on microbial‐biomass content and activity. Comparisons with sterilized suspensions showed that the effects were not due to living microorganisms in the suspensions, but could be traced back to substrate‐induced processes.     

Climate‐strategic agriculture and the water‐soil‐waste nexus

Adoption of input‐responsive varieties enhanced food production during the second half of the 20th century. However, even bigger challenges lie ahead because of the growing societal demands. For example, the global population of 7.2 billion in 2013 is projected to reach 9.2 billion by 2050 and stabilize at 10 billion by 2100. The growing and increasingly affluent population, with preference towards more and more meat‐based diet, is likely to jeopardize the finite, fragile, and dwindling soil and water resources which are already under great stress in densely populated countries in Asia and elsewhere. Economic growth and increase in gross domestic product also lead to generation of waste or by‐products, along with contamination and eutrophication of water resources. International trade in food/feed products also involves transfer of virtual water, which is a serious issue when water‐scarce countries export virtual water to water‐endowed countries. The problem is confounded by the present and future climate change driven by the growing energy demands of the carbon civilization. Thus, adaptation to climate change represents both a threat and an opportunity for sustainable development. Adaptive strategies must be sustainable socially and environmentally and advance the Millennium Development Goals, while buffering agroecosystems against extreme climate events (e.g., pedologic, agronomic, and ecologic drought). Thus, recognizing and addressing the water‐soil‐waste nexus is important to achieving climate‐strategic agriculture. Sustainable intensification of agroecosystems, producing more per unit consumption of essential resources, must consider judicious management of hydrological and biogeochemical cycles (C, N, P, S). The soil C pool must be managed and enhanced to offset anthropogenic emissions, and mitigate/adapt to the climate change. The pace of adoption of recommended land use and soil‐/plant‐/animal‐management practices can be kept at par with advances in scientific knowledge through continuous dialogue between scientists on the one hand and policy makers / land managers on the other to translate research data into policy and action plans.