Relationships between the Size of Aggregates,Particulate Organic Matter Content,and Decomposition of Plant Residues in Soil

Eurasian Soil Science - The distribution of total organic matter (Corg), particulate organic matter (CPOM), and potentially mineralizable organic matter (C0) in mega- (10–5 and 5–2 mm),...     

Biochemistry of lignin in soils of periodic excessive moistening (from the Example of Agrogray Soils in Opolie Landscapes of the Russian Plain)

Tissues of Angiospermae (deciduous arborous and herbaceous plants) were found to take part in the formation of humus in the agrogray soils. The proportions of lignic phenol contents between the soils did not change neither upon their plowing, no their drainage. Within the catenas studied, the maximal accumulation of phenol compounds takes place in the soils of the mesodepressions with long-term reduction conditions and in the soils of the microdepressions with spring perched water on two levels. In the Fe-Mn nodules of the agrogray soils, lignin of higher plants was found. Its fractional composition was correlated with the predominant vegetation. With the increasing size of the nodules, the amount of products of lignin oxidation in the nodules decreased due to its mineralization. Drainage caused a deep transformation of lignin in the Fe-Mn nodules, especially in the coarse fractions of concretions. The mineralization of lignin aromatic compounds under aerobic conditions was accompanied by the significant increase in the share of phenol acids.     

Estimation of the Biogenicity and Bioactivity of Gleyed Agrogray Nondrained and Drained Soils

Eurasian Soil Science - A comparison of the biological activity and biogenicity of drained and nondrained gleyed agrogray soils (Luvic Greyzemic Stagnic Phaeozems) of Moscow oblast has been carried...     

Scenario Projections of the Changes in Water Availability to Wheat Crops in the Steppe Crimea in the 21st Century and Some Measures Increasing the Efficiency of Its Cultivation

Eurasian Soil Science - The possible changes in water availability (aridity) to grain crops and their yields in the Crimean steppe in the 21st century are analyzed using the earlier developed MULCH...     

Resource-conserving and zero-waste principles of technologies for producing liquid-phase biosubstances

The principle of resource conservation of the technological process of producing liquid-waste biosubstances at all stages of realization of the technology is substantiated. Zero waste of the technology based on investigating the composition of by-products and determination of the method of converting them into a marketable product and purposes of use is proved.     

Effect of multipurpose compost on economically valuable celery traits and soil microbiocenosis

The complex effect of multipurpose compost (MPC) on the system soil-associative microflora-plant, increasing the numbers of soil microorganisms, their enzymatic activity, and NPK content and promoting an increase of celery yield by 1.5–2 times, is revealed. In this case, the content of nitrates in organs is within the limits of the maximum allow concentration.     

Chemical Composition of the Uranium Tail Storages at Kadji-Sai (Southern Shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan)

In 1996, an abandoned uranium mine was re-discovered in the Djilubulak ephemeral stream valley on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul - one of the largest and most pristine lakes in the world. The tail storages from the past mining may pose a pollution hazard to the lake water and sediments. A chain of six protective pools interconnected by drain pipes descend from the abandoned mine and processing plant down the Djilubulak stream valley. To assess the effectiveness of these catch pools and the scale of pollution risk the investigation of tail storages composition was performed. As a result, three sources of anomalous radioactivity were discovered: 1. Natural brown coal with the mean total radioactivity value not exceeding 16 kBq kg^-1, with U being in state of equilibrium with Ra. 2. Ashes depleted in U (relative to Ra) with the mean radioactivity reaching 49 kBq kg^-1, mostly due to the Ra content. 3. Clay and silt from the artificial protective pools where U activity (up to 2—2.5 kBq kg^-1) significantly exceeds that of Ra indicating recent process of U enrichment. Uranium in these pools is accompanied by very high contents of heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr, and to a smaller degree Pb, Mo, Hg, Ag. From the upper catch pool to the lower ones the content of U and some heavy metals diminishes. Within the two lowest pools neither U nor heavy metal contents exceed background values (U < 0.1 kBq kg^-1). It appears that the system of catch pools effectively protects Lake Issyk-Kul from inorganic pollutants at the present time. However, a flash flood or other catastrophic event could breach the catch pool dams and carry radioactive elements and heavy metals into the Djilubulak stream valley and the lake.     

Diverse antimicrobial killing by Enterococcus faecium E 50-52 bacteriocin

An effective bacteriocin was identified and characterized. Lactic acid bacteria were screened against Campylobacter jejuni. One bacteriocin producer, Enterococcus faecium (NRRL B-30746), was studied. The isolate was grown, and the bacteriocin was purified to single-band homogeneity. Biochemical traits indicated that the peptide was a Class IIa bacteriocin, and it was named E 50-52. The bacteriocin had a molecular weight of 3339.7 and an isoelectric point of 8.0. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of E 50-52 against C. jejuni, Yersinia spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella dysenteriae, Morganella morganii, Staphylococcus spp., and Listeria spp. ranged from 0.025 to 32 microg/mL. In therapeutic broiler trials, oral treatment with E 50-52 reduced both C. jejuni and Salmonella enteritidis by more than 100,000-fold in the ceca, and systemic S. enteritidis was reduced in the liver and spleen. The wide range of antibacterial activity of bacteriocin E 50-52 against pathogens provides a promising alternative to antibiotics.