Evolution of Organic Matter in Hummocky Bogs on the Barents Sea Coast in a Changing Climate

Eurasian Soil Science - The influence of macroparameters (botanical composition, degree of decomposition, and radiocarbon age of peat) on the molecular composition and structure of humic acids...     

Changes in the physical properties of typical chernozems of Kursk oblast under the conditions of a long-term stationary experiment

The light clayey typical chernozems were studied on the fields of a long-term experiment on continuous fallowing performed by the Kursk Research Institute of Agroindustrial Production. The experiment was initiated in 1964. It includes the following variants: bare fallow, fallow with NPK application, fallow with manure application, idle land, and cropland under traditional cereal rotation. The fundamental physical properties of the chernozems, such as the particle-size distribution, the aggregate-size distribution, the water stability of the aggregates, the specific surface (as determined by the methods of the equilibrium desorption of water vapor and nitrogen), the mechanical stability of the air-dried aggregates, and the penetration resistance have not changed significantly under the impact of fertilizers and manure application. At the same time, reliable changes have taken place in the physicomechanical properties of the chernozem, including, in particular, the strength of the aggregates and the dependence of the penetration resistance on the water content. This attests to changes in the structural bonds between the soil particles under the impact of the fertilizers. An exponential equation describing the dependence of the penetration resistance on the soil’s water content in the range from the liquid limit to the plastic limit has been suggested. The analysis of the approximation parameters of this equation shows that the application of manure increases the dilatant characteristics of the chernozem and lowers its penetration resistance at the given water content. Reliably higher values of the penetration resistance have been found in the soil of the cropland, which may be related to the somewhat coarser soil texture in this experimental variant.     

Changes in the properties of soils of Moscow forest parks under the impact of high recreation loads

The impact of off-road recreation loads with free moving of visitors across the area of forest parks is considered. This type of recreation loads exerts the most pronounced negative impact in soils. Quantitative estimates of changes in the morphological, physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils in Moscow parks Bitsevskii and Losinyi Ostrov under the impact of high recreation loads are given. Among the studied soil properties, the most significant changes take place in the soil structure, penetration resistance, and electrical conductivity. Quantitative data on the decrease in the number, biomass, and species diversity of soil mesofauna are also given.     

Model of sediment transport in an irrigation furrow

A new equation describing the transport of sediments by waterflows in irrigation furrows was developed. The equation was verified using the results of field studies on irrigated sierozems. The absolute relative error was 9%, and the coefficient of correlation was 0.92.     

Regularities of the distribution of eroded and aggraded soddy-podzolic soils on slopes

The distribution of differently eroded soddy-podzolic soils on slopes of different gradients, lengths, and aspects has been studied with the use of a quantitative parameter of slope erodibility K. The latter is calculated as a product of slope gradient in the power of 1.3 and the length of the flow line (m) in the power of 0.5. It is shown that moderately eroded soddy-podzolic soils appear on the slopes of northern and northeastern aspects with K equal to 0.4; on the slopes of southern aspect, this parameter is somewhat lower (0.24). Moderately eroded soils prevail on the slopes of northern and northeastern aspects with K equal to 0.7.     

Simulation of airflow and particle motion in a direct-flow spray dryer

The airflow motion in an upright direct-flow drying chamber is modeled with a heat carrier centrally fed to a cone of centrifugally sprayed dry milk particles. The calculations to describe this process are presented. Taking account of the gas dynamics of submerged jet motion, the derived dependences are compared with the results of testing a commercial spray dryer with a capacity of 500 kg of evaporated moisture per hour.     

Assessment of Carbon Removal with Soil Water in the Dominant Types of Forest in Bryansk Poles’e

Eurasian Soil Science - The problem of assessing carbon fluxes and pools in forests is acute due to climate change and contribution of forests to carbon reserves. The papers provides a comparative...     

Simulation of the selection process in local populations of dairy cattle

A computer simulation of the selection process in a small population of dairy cattle is conducted. The influence of the size of a nucleus and level of immigration of cows in the base population on the expected genetic progress and inbreeding is demonstrated.