How to characterize ‘good’ and ‘greening’ in the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): the case of clay soils in the Netherlands

The change in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union from product to producer support, including requirements for ‘good agricultural and environmental conditions’ and ‘greening’, is excellent. However, these requirements are now defined in rather general terms. Questions can be raised about suitable indicators, and there is a recognized need for effective management recommendations to support farmers in achieving the required ‘good’ conditions. These recommendations are bound to be quite different for different soils in different countries. A study of Dutch clay soils was based on a storyline describing current problems and management options for improvement, which were quantified using a soil–water–crop simulation model. Indicators were defined for agricultural conditions and suggestions made for the use of the model in a predictive mode to help farmers improve their soil management. Environmental conditions were judged by current environmental guidelines for water and air. When modelling, implicit assumptions that soils are homogeneous were shown to be unrealistic for these clay soils, requiring development of innovative methods and procedures, presenting a challenge for soil research.     

Near‐surface macropore flow and saturated hydraulic conductivity in drained and restored blanket peatlands

The impacts of blanket peatland management on water tables, near‐surface macropore flow and saturated hydraulic conductivity were investigated using automated dipwells and mini‐disc tension infiltrometers. Three neighbouring hillslopes which were undisturbed, drained and restored by drain blocking were studied. Mean water table depths at the undisturbed sites were slightly shallower than at the restored site and water tables at both sites were significantly shallower relative to the drained treatment. Through time, however, the water table at the restored treatment behaved in a markedly different way to that at the undisturbed site. Water tables reached the peat surface for only 2% of the time for the drained and restored treatments compared to 18% for the undisturbed treatment. The proportion of runoff flowing through macropores in the near‐surface layers of the peat was found to be large (≥60%) across all three treatments, yet functional macroporosity was found to be significantly greater in the undisturbed peat relative to the two other treatments. Meanwhile, saturated hydraulic conductivity was found to be significantly higher at the restored treatment relative to the two other treatments, with mean conductivities ca. 1.5 times greater, suggesting a form of heightened soil–water interaction. Combined, the results indicate that although restoration by ditch blocking may result in a relatively successful water table recovery, there may not be the full reinstatement of peatland hydrological processes.     

小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化对退化沙质草地土壤孔隙特征的影响

以内蒙古太卜寺旗地区退化沙质草地为研究对象,对该地区的小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化草地中的灌丛斑块和草地斑块分别取原状土柱各三个进行CT扫描,利用Fiji软件分析土壤孔隙结构特征的差异。研究结果表明,小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化对土壤的孔隙结构有较大影响,灌丛斑块土壤的总孔隙数、大孔隙数、总孔隙度、大孔隙度和孔隙等效直径均大于草地斑块土壤,灌丛斑块土壤的平均大孔隙度是草地斑块土壤的3倍。草地斑块土壤的大孔隙主要分布在0~50 mm土层深度,而灌丛斑块土壤的大孔隙在0~400 mm深度都有分布,这与土壤中灌丛的丰富根系分布有关。     

太湖流域典型设施蔬菜地土壤结构特征研究

快速城市化背景下设施蔬菜产业迅速发展，研究设施蔬菜地土壤结构演变特征，对强烈人为作用下土壤资源的可持续利用具有重要意义。本文以太湖地区水稻田、露天菜地和设施菜地为研究对象，采集表层和犁底层土壤进行理化分析，以土壤大孔隙（>50μm）、土壤水稳性团聚体表征土壤结构，通过与当地传统的水稻田和露天蔬菜地两种土地利用方式对比，研究设施菜地土壤结构的变化特征，并分析了其影响因子。结果表明，设施蔬菜种植显著增加了土壤大孔隙，并提高了土壤团聚体的稳定性，大孔隙方面主要增加了耕层（0-15cm）50-500μm和>500μm部分的孔隙度，其孔隙度与水田相比分别提高了133%和141%，与露天菜地相比分别提高了120%和50.4%；土壤团聚体表现为小团聚体减少，大团聚体增加，相比于水稻田和露天菜地，耕层水稳性团聚体平均重量直径（MWD）提高了72.3%和26.6%，团聚体破坏率（PAD）降低了46.5%和37.8%；犁底层MWD分别提高83.9%和78.1%，PAD降低42.9%和44.8%。有机质和土壤质地与土壤传输孔隙和团聚体稳定性具有显著相关性。相关分析结果表明，土壤结构参数与有机质含量和砂粒粉粒含量显著相关，研究区土壤质地为粉砂壤土，质地轻，设施菜种植中有机肥施用量倍增，有机质含量显著提高，有利于增加设施蔬菜土壤的大孔隙，增加大团聚体含量，提高团聚体稳定性。轻质粉砂壤土进行设施蔬菜种植后每茬施用有机肥11.3t/ha，能改善土壤结构，有效避免集约化种植后土壤板结现象。     

大孔隙对土壤水分入渗特性影响的物理模拟试验

利用不同粒径砂石和大孔隙域模具模拟同一深度、不同有效面孔隙度,在特制试验装置中研究积水条件下大孔隙流的三维运移行为。结果表明：湿润峰平齐且稳定的转折时间和有效面孔隙度相关性较高;不同有效面孔隙度条件下累积入渗量符合Kostiakov模型但其参数是有效面孔隙度的函数;大孔隙的连通性在一定条件下对土壤水分的优先入渗起主导作用;大孔隙的存在导致大孔隙中心特征剖面湿润面积发生典型变化,给出了大孔隙中心特征剖面湿润面积增量的定量概念及其与有效面孔隙度之间的数学模型,并进行了验证,精度满足要求。     

Impacts of off-road traffic on soil physical properties of forest clear-cuts: X-ray and laboratory analysis

Due to the great year-round demand for forest products, off-road forestry traffic occurs even when the ground is susceptible to soil compaction and rutting. We investigated the impacts of repeated passes with a laden forwarder (34?Mg) on the soil physical properties of two clear-cuts on stony till soils in northern Sweden. Core samples (n?=?71) were collected from the top 5?cm of mineral soil in and beside wheel tracks, after six passes with the forwarder. Soil physical properties were quantified using classical soil physical analyses and X-ray tomography. The hydraulic conductivity was 70% lower in the wheel tracks than in the soil beside. The X-ray image analysis indicated that this was due to the smaller total volume and lower connectivity of structural pores (φ?>?60?µm). Total porosity was 24% and 12% lower in the tracks at the two sites respectively, and mean bulk density was 1.39?g?cm^?3 in the tracks, compared to 1.13?g?cm^?3 beside them. To conclude, traffic changed the soil physical properties in a way that may lead to longer periods of high water content in the wheel tracks, increased risk of surface runoff and insufficient aeration for optimal seedling growth.     

不同大孔隙深度对土壤水分入渗特性的影响

利用特定粒径砂石和特制模具模拟同一有效面孔隙度、不同深度的大孔隙域.研究积水入渗条件下水分在其中的三维运移行为.实验研究表明,大孔隙的存在导致水分入渗湿润锋在入渗初期剧烈紊动,但随着入渗的推移湿润锋逐渐平稳且其稳定的转折时间和孔隙深度相关性较高;大孔隙域的存在使得水分迅速充满孔隙域并到达大孔隙域底部.造成初期水分垂直和径向两部分入渗,累积入渗增量随着孔隙深度的增大而加大并与孔隙深度呈一定的函数关系;大孔隙域的存在使得湿润锋在转折时间T_p前后表现出不同的现象,大孔隙域中心处的湿润锋为入渗过程中的最深值即特征湿润锋Z_(mf),实验分析Z_(mf)与孔隙深度Z在转折时间T_p前后呈同一函数关系但前后系数不同.利用偏差J_p对所建立的回归函数模型进行了累积入渗量I、特征湿润锋Zmf预测值和实测值之间的精度检验.结果表明其满足精度要求.     

黄土丘陵区典型植物种群下土壤大孔隙特征及其影响因素研究

采用亮蓝(Brilliant blue,FCF)野外染色示踪实验和图像分析技术,研究了陇中黄土高原安家坡流域典型植物种群下土壤大孔隙分布特征及其与植物种群和土壤物理性质的关系。结果表明:6种植物种群下土壤中的大孔隙流不同,大孔隙流使水分在土壤中的运移深度提高了2～3倍;随着土层深度的加深,6种植物种群下土壤的染色面积均呈减小趋势;6种植物种群下土壤中各级别大孔隙以2、3级大孔隙最多,平均占染色面积的29.3%和29.4%,其次是1级和4级大孔隙,分别占17%和19.8%,5级特大孔隙最低,占4.5%。大孔隙分布特征与土壤有机质含量和容重有关。     

Structural improvement in a grassland soil after changes to wheel-traffic systems to avoid soil compaction

Abstract. We report on a study aimed at assessing improvements in soil structure that developed when a reduced ground-pressure traffic system was introduced onto grassland previously compacted by conventional machinery traffic, and when a zero traffic system was introduced on land previously under a reduced ground-pressure system. Increases in the volume, average size, and number of macropores, measured by image analysis, together with decreases in vane shear strength indicated structural improvement in soil under the substitute traffic systems relative to the same soil in the original systems. A smaller content of organic matter in the soil of the substitute systems than in the original systems was attributed to improved aeration and greater earthworm activity in the former.