Arsenic-contaminated soils phytotoxicity studies with sunflower and sorghum

Background, Aim and Scope  Environmental pollution caused by arsenic (As) is a major ecological problem. There has been intense worldwide effort to find As-hyperaccumulating plants that can be used in phytoremediation—the green-plant-assisted removal of chemical pollutants from soils. For phytoremediation, it is natural to prefer cultivated rather than wild plants, because their agriculture is well known. This study was conducted to evaluate the tolerance of common sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.) and sugar sorghum(Sorghum saccharatum Pers.) for soil-As contents of 10–100 mg As kg^-1 soil, with sodium arsenite as a model contaminant. Methods  Plants were grown in a growth chamber for 30 days. Microfield experiments were conducted on experimental plots. To study the phytoremediation effect of the auxins indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), we treated 1- and 3-day-old plant seedlings with water solutions of the auxins (concentrations 10^-5, 10^-7, and 10^-9 g l^-1). The soil and plant-biomass samples were analyzed for total As by using the color reaction of ammonium molybdate with As. Results and Discussion  Phytotoxicity studies showed that 100 mg As kg^-1 soil poisoned sunflower and sorghum growth by 50%. There was a linear correlation between soil-As content and As accumulation in the plants. Laboratory experiments showed that the soil-As content was reduced two- to threefold after sunflower had been grown with 10–100 mg As kg^-1 soil for 30 days. Treatment of sunflower and sorghum seedlings with IAA and 2,4-D at a concentration of 10^-5 g l^-1 in microfield experiments enhanced the phytoremediation two- to fivefold as compared with untreated control plants. The best results were obtained with 3-day-old seedlings. Conclusion, Recommendation and Outlook  (a) Sunflower and sorghum are good candidates to remediate As-polluted soils. (b) Phytoremediation can be improved with IAA or 2,4-D. (c) Mixed cropping of sorghum and sunflower may be another way of improving phytoremediation.     

转变耕作方式对长期旋免耕农田土壤有机碳库的影响

土壤深松是解决长期旋免耕农田耕层浅薄化、亚表层（>15～30 cm）容重增加等问题的有效方法之一,而将长期旋免耕农田进行深松必然导致农业生态系统中土壤有机碳（soil organic carbon,SOC）及碳固定速率的变化。因此,为对比将长期旋免耕转变为深松前后农田土壤有机碳库变化,该研究利用连续12a 的旋耕和免耕长期定位试验以及在此基础上连续6 a旋耕-深松和免耕-深松定位试验,对比了转变耕作方式对农田土壤0～30 cm有机碳含量、周年累积速率及其固碳量的影响。研究结果表明,经过连续12 a的旋耕和免耕处理（2002－2014）,2014年免耕处理土壤0～30 cm有机碳储量比试验初期（2002年）提高38%,旋耕处理降低了30%,而对照常规处理无显著差异。免耕处理土壤0～30 cm有机碳储量比旋耕处理高约2.6倍（2014年）。长期免耕显著提高了土壤0～30 cm的有机碳含量,2002~2014年其土壤0～30 cm固碳量为16.69 t/hm2,但长期旋耕导致土壤0～30 cm SOC含量显著降低,表现为土壤有机碳的净损耗,年损耗速率为?0.75 t/hm2。而长期旋耕后进行深松（旋耕-深松处理）6年其土壤0～30 cm的有机碳含量较原旋耕处理提高32%～67%,且显著提高了土壤固碳量及周年累积速率;免耕-深松土壤0～30 cm的有机碳周年累积速率较免耕处理下降了42%。长期旋耕造成有机碳水平下降的条件下,将旋耕处理转变为深松处理在短期内更有利于促进土壤有机碳的积累,而将长期免耕处理转变为深松措施,降低了土壤有机碳的累积速率和固碳量。     

基于电阻率断层扫描技术探测林地土层厚度

土层厚度对林地生产力具有重要影响,是评价林地土壤质量的重要指标。为了对林地土壤的土层厚度进行调查,该文应用电阻率断层扫描技术对林地土壤土层厚度进行了研究,对其可适用性做出评价。通过在野外试验点对土壤电阻率的实地断层扫描,将其结果与实际测定得到的基岩特征电阻率相结合,预测土层厚度,并将预测值和实地基坑开挖数据进行比较。结果表明,研究区土层厚度多在小于2 m的范围内,电阻率断层扫描技术估测结果与实测结果相符(均方根误差为0.2678),初步表明该技术在估算林地土层厚度方面具有良好的适用性。该研究结果为土壤学方面相关研究提供重要手段,也将对土壤质量评价和土地利用等相关工作提供指导。     

渠井用水比对灌区降水响应及其环境效应分析

渠井结合灌区适宜渠井用水比例关系灌区地下水环境和区域农业可持续发展。该文以人民胜利渠灌区为例,集合了灌区1954-2014年农业用水量及降水量、研究区域2008-2014年渠井用水比、地下水埋深、地下水水化学特征数据,分析了降雨量、地下水动态特征与渠井用水比例的相关性,以期探明渠井结合灌区渠井用水比对降雨的响应及其对土壤和地下水环境的影响。结果表明,典型渠井结合灌区渠井用水比与年降水量呈线性正相关;渠系上游地下水水位变化较下游更为剧烈,在用水水平、用水方式一致条件下,渠井用水比例越大,地下水埋深超过11 m区域增幅越小,较大的渠井用水比例对于上游地下水位下降减缓效果明显;平水期、枯水期,由于渠井用水比例不合理,地下水无序开采且超采严重,区域地下水碱化趋势明显;受气候变化影响,近5 a渠灌水量仅为多年均值的75.52%,未来区域降水量具有减小趋势,这势必进一步加剧农业水资源紧缺的形式。为了满足农业的正常生产,增加灌区地下水开采成为唯一解决途径,这势必加剧地下水的碱化趋势及地下水超采区的扩大。因此,确定灌区适宜的渠井用水比例对于灌区水资源的科学利用与农业的可持续发展具有重要意义。     

聚丙烯酰胺对干旱半干旱区不同作物水分利用及产值的影响

为了在半干旱区和干旱区农业生产中推广应用聚丙烯酰胺(polyacrylamide,PAM),在半干旱区选择了西瓜、马铃薯、玉米和谷子,在干旱区选择了春小麦、向日葵、玉米和番茄,以不施PAM为对照,测定PAM对不同作物产量、产值、水分利用效率和水分生产率的影响。结果表明半干旱区西瓜、马铃薯、玉米和谷子的产量分别提高了36.76%、24.83%、20.20%和13.16%,产值提高了36.32%,23.04%,9.37%,10.18%,水分利用效率提高了30.15%,18.83%,13.42%和6.24%,水分生产率提高了30.57%,22.97%,16.79%和11.66%。干旱区春小麦、向日葵、玉米、番茄的产量分别提高了18.56%,12.82%,13.65%和16.54%,产值提高了12.78%,10.70%,9.53%和14.71%,水分利用效率提高了13.49%,17.03%,12.96%和25.12%,水分生产率提高了16.14%,11.62%,11.79%和14.85%。干旱区春小麦的增产率和增值率虽然高于向日葵,但增产值却极显著低于向日葵。建议半干旱区应用PAM应优先选择西瓜和马铃薯,干旱区应优先选择番茄和向日葵。     

Storage effects on the community level physiological profiles of Mediterranean forest soils

Community level physiological profiles (CLPPs) have been implemented in many European soil monitoring programmes as a rapid tool for the assessment of the functional properties of soil microbial communities. However, this technique has not been harmonized among different laboratories. In this experiment, the changes of the CLPPs after storage of three Mediterranean forest soils were characterised for two sampling depths. The methods to store the samples were cooling, freezing and room temperature storage. Data presented in this study provide evidence that substantial changes can occur to the soil microbial community functions, regardless of the kind of storage. Changes in functional diversity and substrate evenness depended on the profile and sampling depth. The rate of consumption of the groups of substrates, however, shifted towards an enhanced utilisation of carboxylic acids, phenols and/or amines after 1 month storage at 4 °C, regardless of the profile or sampling depth. This was attributed to the physical disruption of soil aggregates and exposure of relatively recalcitrant occluded organic matter. These effects levelled out during 1-year storage. The great sensitivity of CLPPs to storage treatment suggests to take care for immediate analysis after sampling. In case fresh samples are not available, freezing is recommended as a convenient alternative; in that case, however, the kinetic approach is required for data analysis.     

Nitrogen fertilizer–induced mineralization of soil organic C and N in six contrasting soils of Bangladesh

A 90‐day laboratory incubation study was carried out using six contrasting subtropical soils (calcareous, peat, saline, noncalcareous, terrace, and acid sulfate) from Bangladesh. A control treatment without nitrogen (N) application was compared with treatments where urea, ammonium sulfate (AS), and ammonium nitrate (AN) were applied at a rate of 100 mg N (kg soil)^–1. To study the effect of N fertilizers on soil carbon (C) turnover, the CO₂‐C flux was determined at nine sampling dates during the incubation, and the total loss of soil carbon (TC) was calculated. Nitrogen turnover was characterized by measuring net nitrogen mineralization (NNM) and net nitrification (NN). Simple and stepwise multiple regressions were calculated between CO₂‐C flux, TC, NNM, and NN on the one hand and selected soil properties (organic C, total N, C : N ratio, CEC, pH, clay and sand content) on the other hand. In general, CO₂‐C fluxes were clearly higher during the first 2 weeks of the incubation compared to the later phases. Soils with high pH and/or indigenous C displayed the highest CO₂‐C flux. However, soils having low C levels (i.e., calcareous and terrace soils) displayed a large relative TC loss (up to 22.3%) and the added N–induced TC loss from these soils reached a maximum of 10.6%. Loss of TC differed depending on the N treatments (urea > AS > AN >> control). Significantly higher NNM was found in the acidic soils (terrace and acid sulfate). On average, NNM after urea application was higher than for AS and AN (80.3 vs. 71.9 and 70.9 N (kg soil)^–1, respectively). However, specific interactions between N‐fertilizer form and soil type have to be taken into consideration. High pH soils displayed larger NN (75.9–98.1 mg N (kg soil)^–1) than low pH soils. Averaged over the six soils, NN after application of urea and AS (83.3 and 82.2 mg N (kg soil)^–1, respectively) was significantly higher than after application of AN (60.6 mg N (kg soil)^–1). Significant relationships were found between total CO₂ flux and certain soil properties (organic C, total N, CEC, clay and sand content). The most important soil property for NNM as well as NN was soil pH, showing a correlation coefficient of –0.33** and 0.45***, respectively. The results indicate that application of urea to acidic soils and AS to high‐pH soils could be an effective measure to improve the availability of added N for crop uptake.     

连续四年施用规模化猪场猪粪温室土壤重金属积累研究

分别采集连续施用0～4年猪粪的蔬菜温室土壤和蔬菜果实样品，测定土壤和果实中Cu、Zn、Pb、Mn、Cr、Cd、Ni和As全量以及土壤中Cu、Zn、Pb、Mn、Cd和As有效态含量，对测定数据进行了Fisher小样本非参数随机化显著水平检验，研究连续4年施用规模化猪场猪粪的温室土壤重金属积累、重金属有效态含量变化及对蔬菜可食部分的影响。结果表明，连续4年施用猪粪，主要导致土壤中Cu和Zn的积累，As有一定积累，Pb、Cd、Ni和Cr短期积累效应不明显，Mn积累不明显，长期大量施用猪粪，Pb、Cd、Ni和Cr有积累的风险；土壤pH值降低；Cu、Zn有效态与全量呈显著正相关(p<0.05)，与pH值呈极显著负相关(p<0.01)；Pb、Cd和Mn有效态与pH值呈显著负相关(p<0.05)；Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd和Mn有效态含量增加；有效态As与全As含量和pH值相关性不明显，但连年施用猪粪As有效态含量增加；连续4年施用规模化猪场猪粪的温室生产的部分番茄和黄瓜As含量超标。若连续以150 m³/(hm²·a)的猪粪施用量于该研究区蔬菜温室，土壤中全Cu和全Zn含量分别经过10年和15年可能超过国家农田土壤二级标准。该研究可为降低温室土壤重金属污染风险提供依据。     

Trace element release from forest floor can be monitored by ion exchange resin tubes

Risk assessment of heavy metal input into forest ecosystems requires information about metal fluxes from the forest floor (organic layer) into the mineral soil. Common methods for the monitoring of element fluxes are generally time‐consuming and expensive. Additionally, the reliability of the results is in part contested especially for trace elements, showing very low concentrations which are sometimes even below analytical detection limit. We used ion exchange resin tubes installed below the forest floor to determine heavy metal and As fluxes at 25 forest monitoring sites in Germany. Chloride tracer experiments and the comparison of our data with throughfall and lysimeter data, determined within the Level II monitoring network, proved the accuracy of our method. Mean trace element fluxes based on the resin method were 50 g As ha^–1 yr^–1, 2 g Cd ha^–1 yr^–1, 168 g Cu ha^–1 yr^–1, 176 g Ni ha^–1 yr^–1, and 186 g Pb ha^–1 yr^–1.The results show that the organic layer may change into a source of heavy metals after emission has decreased.     

Variability of CO2 and N2O emissions during freeze‐thaw cycles: results of model experiments on undisturbed forest‐soil cores

The amounts of N₂O released in periods of alternate freezing and thawing depend on site and freezing conditions, and contribute considerably to the annual N₂O emissions. However, quantitative information on the N₂O emission level of forest soils in freeze‐thaw cycles is scarce, especially with regard to the direct and indirect effect of tree species and the duration of freezing. Our objectives were (i) to quantify the CO₂ and N₂O emissions of three soils under beech which differed in their texture, C and N contents, and humus types in freeze‐thaw cycles, and (ii) to study the effects of the tree species (beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.)) for silty soils from two adjacent sites and the duration of freezing (three and eleven days) on the emissions. Soils were adjusted to a matric potential of –0.5 kPa, and emissions were measured in 3‐hr intervals for 33 days. CO₂ emissions of all soils were similar in the two freeze‐thaw cycles, and followed the temperature course. In contrast, the N₂O emissions during thawing differed considerably. Large N₂O emissions were found on the loamy soil under beech (Loam‐beech) with a maximum N₂O emission of 1200 μg N m^–2 h^–1 and a cumulative emission of 0.15 g N m^–2 in the two thawing periods. However, the sandy soil under beech (Sand‐beech) emitted only 1 mg N₂O‐N m^–2 in the two thawing periods probably because of a low water‐filled pore space of 44 %. The N₂O emissions of the silty soil under beech (Silt‐beech) were small (9 mg N m^–2 in the two thawing periods) with a maximum emission of 150 μg N m^–2 h^–1 while insignificant N₂O emissions were found on the silty soil under spruce (0.2 mg N m^–2 in the two thawing periods). The cumulative N₂O emissions of the short freeze‐thaw cycles were 17 % (Sand‐beech) or 22 % (Loam‐beech, Silt‐beech) less than those of the long freeze‐thaw cycles, but the differences between the emissions of the two periods were not significant (P ≤ 0.05). The results of the study show that the amounts of N₂O emitted in freeze‐thaw cycles vary markedly among different forest soils and that the tree species influence the N₂O thawing emissions in forests considerably due to direct and indirect impacts on soil physical and chemical properties, soil structure, and properties of the humus layer.