Urease activity in two cultivated and non-cultivated arid soils

Summary Since urease activity in soil is believed to be relatively constant, the present study was designed to examine the effects of incubation, soil depth and the effect of cultivation on the persistence of urease activity in arid soils. Two soils were used, a Harkey (coarse, silty, mixed, calcareous, thermic, Typic Torrifluvent) and a Saneli (Clayey over sandy skeletal, montmorillonitic, calcareous, Vertic Torrifluvent), each consisting of a cultivated field and a non-cultivated roadbed site. Urease activity was much lower and more varable in the roadbed soils (40 years without cultivation) than in the cultivated field soils. Pre-incubation for 24 h with urea (with toluene) and without urea (without toluene) greatly reduced the total urease activity in all cases in relation to cell free urease activity (with toluene). Urease activity in the two field soils decreased slightly with profile depth but the decrease was greatest below the plow depth (33 cm). Protease activity or some inactivation processes must have lowered the urease content since there was substantially reduced urease activity after most pre-incubations. The extent of the urease activity decrease was so great that the addition of urea would have been required to increase the production of urease enzyme.     

Do plant clumps constitute microbial hotspots in semiarid Mediterranean patchy landscapes?

Three semiarid Mediterranean patchy landscapes were investigated to test the existence of a microsite effect (i.e. plant canopy vs. inter-canopy) on soil microbial communities. Surface soil samples were independently taken from both microsites under naturally changing conditions of humidity and temperature through the year. In gypsiferous soils covered with a shrub steppe, improved physical and chemical soil properties were registered underneath the plant canopy, where the densest and most active microbial communities were also detected (e.g. microbial biomass C averaged 531 and 202 mg kg⁻¹ in canopy and inter-canopy areas, respectively). In calcareous perennial tussock grasslands, either growing on soils over limestones or alluvial deposits, the microsite effect was not so marked. Soil humidity, temperature and total organic C were homogeneously distributed over the landscape conditioning their uniform microbial activity under field moisture conditions (ATP content averaged 853 and 885 nmol kg⁻¹ in canopy and intercanopy areas, respectively). However, readily mineralizable C and microbial biomass C were preferentially accumulated in soils underneath the tussocks determining their larger potential microbial activity (e.g. C hydrolysis capacity under optimal conditions). In conclusion, plant clumps either functioned as microbial hotspots where enhanced microbially driven ecosystem processes took place or as microbial banks capable of undergoing a burst of activity under favourable climatic conditions. Our results provide experimental evidence of a non-patchy distribution of certain soil microbial properties in semi-arid Mediterranean patchy ecosystems.     

Use of the BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure for the study of the partitioning of Cd, Pb and Zn in various soil samples

A slightly modified three-step sequential extraction procedure proposed by the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) for analysis of sediments was successfully applied to soil samples. Contaminated soil samples from the lead and zinc mining area in the Mezica valley (Slovenia) and natural soils from a non-industrial area were analysed. The total concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn and their concentrations in fractions after extraction were determined by flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS, ETAAS). Total metal concentrations in natural soils ranged from 0.3 to 2.6 mg kg^-1 for Cd, from 20 to 45 mg kg^-1 for Pb and from 70 to 140 mg kg^-1 for Zn, while these concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 35 mg kg^-1 for Cd, from 200 to 10000 mg kg^-1 for Pb and from 140 to 1500 mg kg^-1 for Zn in soils from contaminated areas. The results of the partitioning study applying the slightly modified BCR three-step extraction procedure indicate that Cd, Pb and Zn in natural soils prevails mostly in sparingly soluble fractions. Cd in natural soils is bound mainly to Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides, Pb to organic matter, sulphides and silicates, while Zn is predominantly bound to silicates. In contaminated soils, Cd, Pb and Zn are distributed between the easily and sparingly soluble fractions. Due to the high total Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations in contaminated soil close to the smelter, ! and their high proportions in the easily soluble fraction (80% of Cd, 50% of Pb and 70% of Zn), the soil around smelters represents an environmental hazard.     

Measurement and prediction of nitrogen loss by simulated erosion events on cultivated forest soils of contrasting structure

The objectives of this study were to determine nitrogen (N) loss associated with erosion of forest soils and to explore the role of soil structure and other factors governing N enrichment of sediment to aid prediction of N loss. We measured erosion, size distribution of aggregates in the sediment and N distribution in various aggregate fractions using simulated rainfall on samples of three cultivated forest soils of contrasting structure (repacked in trays) exposed to four erosion conditions. Both sediment loss and N loss increased with slope and kinetic energy of rainfall suggesting greater dependency of N loss on sediment loss than on N concentration in the sediment. Irrespective of erosion treatments and soil type, the bulk sediment and its size fractions were mostly richer in N than those of the uneroded soils. The enrichment ratio (E_R) and concentration ratio (C_R) of N for sediment cast some doubt on the application of raindrop stripping as a mechanism of N enrichment of sediment for soils of widely differing characteristics. Previously published models of N enrichment of sediment did not predict E_R for our soils satisfactorily. However, an empirical model using published data on erosion and N loss agreed well with the results. This predictive method only requires information on sediment loss that can be easily obtained from an erosion model.     

不同植被类型根系提高浅层滑坡土体抗剪强度的试验研究

通过对裸地、扭黄茅草地、车桑子灌木林地和桉树林地四种不同植被类型、不同深度土壤在天然含水量情况下的直剪试验，研究了植被类型对非饱和土抗剪强度的影响。结果表明，植被具有提高非饱和土抗剪强度的作用，黏聚力增加较大，内摩擦角增加相对较小；土层越深，土壤抗剪强度提高的程度越小。     

An analysis of wet deposition of sulfate using a trajectory model for East Asia

A long-range transport model for East Asia was developed to estimate the wet deposition of sulfate. The model is a trajectory type which is appropriate for long-term analysis. Trajectories of air masses are calculated by tracing the wind field which changes spatially and temporally. The processes of reactions, rainout removal, intake of sulfate in cloud water into rain water, and dry and wet depositions are considered. It is possible to calculate the concentration of sulfate in precipitation at a receptor by performing material balance in a grid box containing the receptor.The results obtained by the long-range transport model were evaluated through comparison with observation data of acidic deposition. The observation was conducted at 21 stations throughout Japan for one year. The calculated amount of wet deposition of sulfate in Japan was 0.22Tg/y in S equivalent, while the observed amount was 0.29Tg/y. The long-range transport model can predict almost 80% of observed wet deposition. The contributions of domestic anthropogenic sources and volcanic eruption to wet deposition of sulfate in Japan were estimated using the longrange transport model. The ratio of the deposition of sulfate due to Japanese anthropogenic sources to that due to the Asian continental sources was about 1 to 2. Since air stream from the direction of the Asian continent dominates during winter, the contribution of Japan to wet deposition in the region which faces the Sea of Japan amounted to less than 15%. The contribution of the sulfur oxides from volcanoes was about 20%.     

Cl-对土壤中肥料氮、微生物数量和酶活性的影响

Pot experiments were conducted to study the effect of Cl^- on transformation of fertilizer N,number of microorganisms and enzyme activities in soils.It is indicated that Cl^- did not show significant influence on total number of bacteria,actinomyces and fungi,but significantly reduced the number of nitrosolbacteria, which led to decrease of NO3^- content in the soil.Application of Cl^- to soil could significantly enhance the adtivities of phosphatase and urease in the coastal saline soil and orthic aquisols,In hilly red soil,however,the application of Cl^-1 at the rate of 500-1000mg Cl^- kg^-1 soil significantly decreased the activity of the two enzymes mentioned above.     

Traditional soil and land appraisal on fadama lands in northeast Nigeria

Abstract. As part of a study of recession farming on the 'fadama' lands on a segment of the Komadugu-Yobe floodplain, a survey was carried out to investigate the local farmers' perception of soil types and management practices. The farmers are clearly aware of the differences in soil type on the fadama and they possess unique skills in managing their farm lands. The farmers classify fadama soils for recession farming by assessing soil texture and soil drainage conditions by feel and observation. Integrating such local knowledge into soil surveys will lead to better practical definition of mapping units and give soil names that have more meaning for the farmers.     

冻融对土壤分离能力及侵蚀阻力的影响

冻融后坡面为水力侵蚀产沙提供了大量有效物质源,是河道泥沙的主要策源地。该研究利用室内模拟冻融和径流冲刷试验,设置不同冻融循环次数、坡度和流量梯度,分析冻融对土壤分离能力及侵蚀阻力的影响机制。结果表明,冻融条件下,坡度、流量和冻融循环次数均对土壤分离能力有显著影响(P0.05),贡献率分别为17.94%、19.96%和18.43%。冻融前后,土壤分离能力基本均随坡度和流量的增加而增大,冻融后的均值(5.28±2.48g/(cm~2·min))显著大于冻融前(2.39±1.71 g/(cm~2·min)),但冻融后的增幅明显小于冻融前。不同坡度和流量条件下,冻融1次后,土壤分离能力均显著增大(P0.05),但其随冻融循环次数增加的变化趋势差异较大,只有在坡度与流量同时较小(10°和≤18L/min)或较大(15°和≥18L/min)时,呈显著增大趋势。冻融循环1、5、10次后,土壤细沟可蚀性分别增大1.25、1.66和1.72倍,随冻融次数的增加逐渐趋于稳定;土壤临界剪切力冻融后显著降低,与冻融次数无明显关系。冻融后土壤平均容重、水稳性团聚体和抗剪强度分别降低了6.61%、24.77%和21.35%,土壤孔隙度和三相结构指数变化与之相反。冻融条件下,土壤细沟可蚀性与水稳性团聚体和抗剪强度呈显著负相关关系,而与孔隙度呈显著正相关关系。     

Application of low‐phosphorus‐containing legume residues reduces extractable phosphorus in a tropical Ultisol

Application of legume green manure (GM) is suggested to be effective in increasing the availability of native soil phosphorus (P) and the dissolution and utilization of phosphate rock (PR)‐P by food crops. Experiments were conducted to study the dynamics of extractable P (P extracted by Bray‐1‐extracting solution) of an Ultisol amended with or without GM residues of contrasting P concentrations in the absence of growing plants. In two separate experiments, GM residues of Aschynomene afraspera (a flood‐tolerant legume) and of Crotalaria micans (upland) with varying P concentrations were added to an acidic soil amended with PR‐P or triple superphosphate (TSP) in plastic bottles. Soil moisture was brought to field capacity of the soil in the upland experiment and saturated with distilled water in the lowland setup. This was done to simulate aerobic upland and anaerobic lowland soil conditions in the relevant plastic bottles. Only P concentration of the residues added varied, while lignin and C : N ratios were similar. A temperature of 25°C was maintained throughout the experiment. Changes in soil extractable Bray‐1‐P were measured at the end of the incubation period (60 or 80 d). In the aerobic soils, extractable P in the combined PR+GM or TSP+GM treatments was significantly lower than in the PR‐ or TSP‐ treated soils. The amendment with GM residues alone significantly increased Bray‐1‐P over the unamended control in the case of the inorganic P‐fertilized GM residues. The trend in extractable P was similar in the soils incubated under anaerobic conditions. However, in the case of PR, concentrations of P extracted by Bray‐1 solution did not significantly change in the presence or absence of GM. The results suggest that the incorporation of GM residues with low P concentration does not lead to a net P release in upland or lowland soils. These results have implications for nutrient cycling in farming systems in W Africa as most of the soils are poor and very low in available P.