Effects of soil properties and trace metals on urease activities of calcareous soils

A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between urease activity and some physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of soils from central Iran. Inhibitory effects of Cr, Cd, and Pb on urease activity were also studied. Results indicated that no significant difference was observed between urease activity of field-moist and air-dried soils. Soil organic C and total N correlated highly significantly with urease activity, with r values of 0.899*** and 0.797***, respectively. There was also a significant correlation between urease activity and the number of bacteria grown on urea-agar media, with r value of 0.470*. A significant negative correlation (r =–0.492*) was observed between urease activity and electrical conductivity of saturation paste extracts. There were no significant correlations between urease activity and soil textural properties, pH, calcium carbonate equivalent, cation exchange capacity, and populations of soil bacteria on nutrient agar and population of soil fungi on potato dextrose agar. Both Cd and Pb inhibited urease activity to a similar extent and to a greater extent than did Cr.     

Making modern agriculture sustainable: Fam research network on agroecosystems

All forms of agriculture cause changes in the balances and fluxes of preexisting ecosystems, thereby limiting self-regulatory ecosystem (resiliency) functions. The intensive agriculture of the past, with its strong reduction of landscape structures and vast decoupling of energy and matter cycles, has caused stress and degradation of the production base; massive influence has also been exerted on neighboring compartments. This has resulted in the well known problems of pesticide loads, high phosphate loads to surface waters via over-fertilized soils or erosion as such. To overcome the economic, social and political inadequacies leading to ecological degradation, the demand for sustainable agricultural management needs to be transposed into knowledge-based practical instructions and political regulations on a regional scale. Thus, applied research for a sustainable and ecologically compatible land use aimed at sufficient food production is ever so important. In the FAM, thirty German research institutes have merged to perform research on this topic.     

The effect of soil flooding on the transformation of Fe oxides and the adsorption/desorption behavior of phosphate

As repeatedly reported, soil flooding improves the availability of P to rice. This is in contrast with an increased P sorption in paddy soils. The effects of soil flooding on the transformation of Fe oxides and the adsorption/desorption of P of two paddy soils of Zhejiang Province in Southeast‐China were studied in anaerobic incubation experiments (submerging with water in N₂ atmosphere). Soil flooding significantly increased oxalate‐extractable Fe (Fe_ox), mainly at the expense of dithionite‐soluble Fe (Fe_DCB), as well as oxalate‐extractable P (P_ox), but decreased the ratio of P_ox/Fe_ox. Flooding largely increased both, P adsorption and the maximum P adsorption capacity. The majority of newly sorbed P in the soils was P_ox, but also more newly retained P was found to be not extractable by oxalate. Flooding also changed the characteristics of P desorption in the soils. Due to a decrease of the saturation index of the P sorption capacity, P adsorbed by flooded soils was much less desorbable than that from non‐flooded soils. There are obviously significant differences in the nature of both, the Fe_ox and P_ox fractions under non‐flooded and flooded conditions. The degree of the changes in Fe_ox, P_ox, P adsorption and P desorption by flooding depended on the contents of amorphous and total Fe oxides in non‐flooded soils. Our results confirm that the adsorption and desorption behavior of P in paddy soils is largely controlled by the transformation of the Fe oxides. The reasons of the often‐reported improved P availability to rice induced by flooding, in spite of the unfavorable effect on P desorbability, are discussed.     

Wetting rate and sodicity effects on interrill erosion from semi-arid Israeli soils

Interrill erosion depends on soil detachment and sediment transport, which are affected by seal formation and runoff. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of wetting rate (WR) on runoff and soil erosion in semi-arid Israeli soils varying in clay content and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). Six soils, ranging in clay content between 90 and 680 g kg⁻¹ and ESP between 0.9 and 20, were packed in 0.2 m×0.4 m trays, wetted at 3 WRs (2, 8, or 64 mm h⁻¹), and thereafter exposed to 60 mm of distilled water rain in a laboratory rainfall simulator. Under non-sodic conditions (ESP<2), highest runoff and erosion were obtained from loam (220 g kg⁻¹ clay and 350 g kg⁻¹ silt) which was ascribed to its high susceptibility to seal formation, runoff and detachability. Runoff and erosion increased with an increase in ESP and WR. The effect of WR on runoff and erosion was negligible in loamy sand and generally increased with an increase in clay content. In clay soils (>600 g kg⁻¹ clay), WR played a greater role in determining runoff and erosion compared with raindrop impact. A linear type dependence existed between erosion and runoff for soils with ESP<5 or when slow WR was used. For high ESP soils, or when medium or fast WR were used, an exponential type relation described better the dependence of erosion on runoff. It is suggested that for sodic soils or for conditions favoring aggregate slaking, runoff level and its velocity were high enough to initiate rill erosion that supplemented raindrop detachment in markedly increasing erosion.     

冻融期积雪覆盖下土壤水热交互效应

为了研究季节性冻土区土壤水热时空分异特征,揭示冻融过程中的水热相互作用机理及其复杂性。在松嫩平原黑土区,以野外实测试验数据为基础,分别建立裸地、自然降雪、积雪压实和积雪加厚覆盖处理条件下20 cm土层土壤含水率和温度的耦合模型,并通过对比模型的预测效果研究土壤水热变化的复杂程度,采用差异性分析和基于小波变换的分形理论方法定量研究含水率与温度序列的变异波动性和分维指标,进而验证不同覆盖处理条件对于土壤水热空间变异复杂性的影响。结果表明:冻结期,积雪阻碍了环境因素对于土壤水热迁移过程的影响,土壤含水率和温度的耦合效果较好,并且预测值与实测值能够较好的吻合,裸地、自然降雪、积雪压实、积雪加厚处理条件下的相对误差分别为0.42%、0.31%、0.13%和0.06%,随着积雪厚度的增加和密度的增大,含水率和温度的差异性减弱,复杂程度逐渐降低;融化期,积雪覆盖区的融雪水入渗抑制了土壤温度稳定提升,含水率出现骤然升高的现象,自然降雪、积雪压实、积雪加厚条件下的含水率变化分别为14.31%、15.90%和16.91%,土壤温度变化范围分别为-5.9~5.3、-3.6~6.9和-3.1~3.8℃,二者的互作效应减弱,并且随着积雪覆盖量的增加,土壤的水热时空迁移复杂程度逐渐增强。同时,采用基于小波变换的分形理论研究土壤含水率和温度的时间序列复杂性精度较高、结果可靠。该研究对于揭示冻土区土壤水热迁移动态规律,准确预测春播期土壤温度和墒情,合理高效地利用松嫩平原的土壤水资源具有重要的理论价值和现实意义。     

土壤盐渍化治理防护毯的研发及试验

土壤盐碱化问题是中国农业面临的一个巨大挑战,严重制约着农业生产的发展。为探索治理土壤盐渍化的方法,该文基于干旱区5类代表性土壤（砾砂、粉土/粉砂、粉土/粉细砂、粉土和亚黏土）的盐碱化规律,以盐碱土形成原因为切入点,结合土壤水的毛细管作用,以海绵（强力吸水层）、吸热聚乙烯编织布（蒸散加强层）为主要材料,设计出一种盐碱地治理防护毯,并对防护毯吸盐的深度和效果进行试验研究。结果表明：5类土壤表面的积盐情况各不相同,粗颗粒土（砾砂及砂土）含量较大时,在强蒸发条件下,3～4 d土样表面积盐后形成了一层厚约3～4 mm"盐痂";细颗粒土（亚黏土和粉土）含量相对较多时,短期内表面积盐速度相对较慢且现象也不明显,10～12 d后,土样表面可观察到一层细密的晶体盐颗粒。所以,土壤岩性质地与表层积盐量关系密切。总体趋势是：土壤颗粒越粗,土壤表层在早期的积盐量越大;土壤颗粒越细,土壤表层在后期的总体积盐量越大。在干燥通风和室外温度25℃的条件下,防护毯针对上述不同类型土壤进行吸盐试验,在4 d后0～10 cm土层的含盐量（质量分数,下同）均可减少80%（P＜0.05）以上;＞10～20 cm土层至少减少50%（P＜0.05）以上;对于砂性土来说,＞20～30 cm土层含盐量减少了50%左右（P＜0.05）,而黏性土和壤土可减少20%～30%以上（P＜0.05）。对于实际中的盐碱土而言,含盐量减少30%时,土壤的肥力和可耕作程度会明显改善,能有效减小盐碱化对作物生长的影响。此外,研究还发现,铺设防护毯还能改变盐碱地表层土壤的结构,增强土壤的透气性。防护毯最佳使用时间应为土壤毛细管作用最强烈的时间段。该研究提供了一种有效的盐碱地治理措施。     

The effect of precipitation and application rate on dicyandiamide persistence and efficiency in two Irish grassland soils

The nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) has had variable success in reducing nitrate () leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soils receiving nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Factors such as soil type, temperature and moisture have been linked to the variable efficacy of DCD. As DCD is water soluble, it can be leached from the rooting zone where it is intended to inhibit nitrification. Intact soil columns (15 cm diameter by 35 cm long) were taken from luvic gleysol and haplic cambisol grassland sites and placed in growth chambers. DCD was applied at 15 or 30 kg DCD/ha, with high or low precipitation. Leaching of DCD, mineral N and the residual soil DCD concentrations were determined over 8 weeks high precipitation increased DCD in leachate and decreased recovery in soil. A soil × DCD rate interaction was detected for the DCD unaccounted (proxy for degraded DCD). In the cambisol, degradation of DCD was high (circa 81%) and unaffected by DCD rate. In contrast, DCD degradation in the gleysol was lower and differentially affected by rate, 67 and 46% for the 15 and 30 kg/ha treatments, respectively. Variation in DCD degradation rates between soils may be related to differences in organic matter content and associated microbiological activity. Variable degradation rates of DCD in soil, unrelated to temperature or moisture, may contribute to changing DCD efficacy. Soil properties should be considered when tailoring DCD strategies for improving nitrogen use efficiency and crop yields, through the reduction of reactive nitrogen loss.     

模拟自然降雨条件下植物根系增强边坡土体抗剪强度特征

该研究以位于青藏高原东北部黄土区的西宁盆地作为试验区,采用柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii Kom.)、霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylon(Bunge)Maxim.)、垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans Griseb.)、细茎冰草(Agropyron trachycaulum(Linn.)Gaertn.)的单播种植,以及柠条锦鸡儿分别与细茎冰草、垂穗披碱草混播种植等2种方式,开展了原位模拟降雨试验并采用直接剪切试验,系统分析了模拟降雨试验前后试验区边坡表层以下3个不同位置处复合体抗剪强度大小及其随深度变化规律。结果表明:模拟降雨试验前,由柠条锦鸡儿与细茎冰草、垂穗披碱草混播的边坡a层(0~20 cm)根-土复合体黏聚力分别为19.5、18.9 k Pa,均较相同条件下单播边坡a层复合体黏聚力大;混播种植边坡各层根-土复合体黏聚力均较模拟降雨试验后裸坡a层土体黏聚力大,其中柠条锦鸡儿与细茎冰草混播边坡、垂穗披碱草混播边坡模拟降雨试验后,a层复合体黏聚力分别较裸坡a层黏聚力的增幅为30.65%~56.45%;柠条锦鸡儿、霸王、垂穗披碱草、细茎冰草单播边坡b层复合体黏聚力增幅为4.17%~38.89%;柠条锦鸡儿分别与细茎冰草、垂穗披碱草混播边坡b层黏聚力增幅为29.17%~34.72%;边坡c层土体黏聚力增幅相对不及a层、b层显著,反映了草本起到浅层加筋作用,灌木则起到深部锚固作用。     

几种有机酸对恒电荷和可变电荷土壤吸附Cu2+的影响

以恒电荷土壤(黄褐土和黄棕壤)和可变电荷土壤(红壤和砖红壤)为供试材料,研究了乙酸、草酸、酒石酸和柠檬酸对土壤吸附重金属铜离子(Cu2 )的影响。结果表明,在相同酒石酸浓度下,土壤对酒石酸的吸附量依次为黄棕壤(2 1 8mmolkg-1) >红壤(15 4mmolkg-1) >砖红壤(9 5mmolkg-1) ,土壤吸附有机酸后负电荷量增加,相同条件下增幅为砖红壤>红壤>黄棕壤;无有机酸配体时,供试土壤对Cu2 的吸附量为黄褐土>黄棕壤>砖红壤>红壤;加入有机酸时,随有机酸浓度增高,土壤对Cu2 的吸附一般表现为“峰”形曲线,峰所对应的有机酸浓度因有机酸类型而异,且随土壤可变电荷性质增强而增高;土壤吸附有机酸后对Cu2 的次级吸附不同于有机酸与铜共存时的竞争吸附,且因土壤性质表现迥异。这些结果意味着在存在有机酸配体的根际环境中,恒电荷土壤与可变电荷土壤对Cu2 的吸附明显不同,并将影响重金属离子在根际的转化与有效性     

鲁西北高产粮田土壤重金属环境质量评价

对聊城市十五里元镇高产粮田100个土壤样品中铜、锌、铅、镉含量进行分析测定,参考国家土壤环境质量标准(GB15618-1995),采用单因子污染指数法和内梅罗综合污染指数法对土壤环境质量进行了评价。研究结果表明,十五里元镇高产粮田土壤综合污染指数为1.161,处于轻度污染状态;4种重金属元素的单项污染指数均未超标,但镉污染达到警戒级。