Assessment of the usefulness of particle size distribution measured by laser diffraction for soil water retention modelling

Particle size distribution (PSD) is a major soil characteristic, which is essential and commonly used for the development of pedotransfer functions (PTFs) to estimate the water retention of soils. The laser diffraction method (LDM) became a popular alternative to the standard sieve‐hydrometer method (SHM) of PSD measurement. Unfortunately, PSDs determined with LDM and SHM methods differ sometimes substantially. Moreover, it is claimed that the laser diffraction method underestimates finer fractions in favor of coarser fractions. Several authors have tried to elaborate on methods to recalculate LDM PSD into its SHM counterparts, but no universal methodology has been developed to this date. In this paper, we use PSD determined by LDM directly for PTF development and compare it with the classical PTF approach based on PSD measured by SHM. Four different PTF models based on LDM particle size distribution data were developed, with different PSD characteristics taken as the models' input variables. The possibility of using alternative PSD characteristics, such as deciles, area moment mean and volume moment mean, for PTF development was examined. The accuracy of PTF models constructed on the basis of LDM‐measured PSD was comparable with that of the developed models using texture data obtained from SHM, giving approximately the same RMSE and R² values. Our study shows that LDM‐measured particle size distribution may be directly used for PTF developments without any recalculations to their sieve‐hydrometer counterparts.     

Land use effects on labile N extracted with permanganate and the nitrogen management index in the Cerrado region of Brazil

 The effect of land use on the availability of nitrogen (N) was studied by separating total N into a labile and a stable fraction by oxidation and extraction of labile N with KMnO₄. The nitrogen management index (NMI) was calculated following the method of Blair et al. (1995) for the carbon management index. In all systems, labile N released by KMnO₄ was a better indicator of N availability than total and stable N. The NMI was a good indicator of N availability but gave no information about the total amount of N. In land use system analysis, total N and labile N can be used together as a simple and rapid way to evaluate the N status of the soil. Legume-based pastures specifically increased the amount of labile N. Although soybeans had a dominant role in the continuous cropping systems studied, the total N contents of these systems were lower than those of the natural Cerrado. The availability of N under legume-based pastures and legume-based pasture-crop rotations was higher than under the natural Cerrado and the continuous cropping systems. Received: 11 June 1997     

用激光法和吸管法测定东北黑土区侵蚀泥沙颗粒组成的差异分析

吸管法是测定颗粒组成的经典方法,激光法作为一种新兴的方法,近年被广泛应用于土壤和河流泥沙颗粒组成的分析中,并逐步应用到侵蚀泥沙粒径分析.为获取激光法与吸管法测定侵蚀泥沙特性指标和不同粒径的差异以及二者之间的转换关系,对18个黑土区侵蚀泥沙样品颗粒组成进行了测定和分析.采用中值粒径D50和平均质量直径MWD进行侵蚀泥沙样品特性分析,激光法比吸管法测定结果明显偏低;但2种方法测定D50和MWD具有很好的线性转换关系(R＞0.9,P ＜0.001).激光法测定的砂粒和黏粒质量分数低于吸管法测定值,测定粉粒质量分数明显高于吸管法测定值.测得砂粒、粉粒和黏粒含量在2种方法间,均具有很好的线性转换关系(R＞0.8,P ＜0.001).进一步细分泥沙颗粒为大于中砂、细砂、极细砂、粗粉和细粉这5个粒级时,2种方法间除极细砂(R=0.764,P＜0.001)外,其余粒级均具有很好的线性转换关系(R＞0.8,P＜0.001).     

Effectiveness of different soil amendments to reduce the Pb and Zn extractability and plant uptake in soils contaminated by anticorrosion paints beneath pylons

Red lead (Pb₃O₄)‐ and ZnO‐containing anticorrosion paints in the past have been extensively applied to high‐voltage steel pylons which has led to heavy metal (HM) soil contaminations in their vicinity. Since pylons are commonly found on agricultural land, there is a potential risk of HM plant uptake. This is promoted by the fact that in contrast to the moderate total Pb contents (several 100 mg kg^–1) in three nutrient‐poor and acidic pylon soils the Pb amounts extractable with NH₄NO₃ were extremely high, reaching almost 20% of total Pb. A 18‐week field pot trial (three harvests in a six‐week interval) using Lolium multiflorum was conducted to study the HM plant uptake and the efficiency of the four soil additives, lime (LI), Novaphos (NP), water‐treatment sludge (WS), and ilmenite residue (IR) in reducing the plant uptake and NH₄NO₃‐extractability of Pb and Zn in the soils. Lead concentrations in L. multiflorum shoots grown in the untreated soils reached maximum values of 128 mg (kg dry weight)^–1. Novaphos was most efficient in decreasing shoot Pb (–90%) followed by LI (–78%) and WS (–73%). For Zn, too, LI (–82%), NP, and WS (both –66%) substantially reduced plant uptake. Ilmenite residue was generally only poorly efficient. The dry‐matter yield in the NP, LI, and WS treatments was significantly increased. While the relationship between Pb‐NH₄NO₃ and Pb‐plant was high when considering the three harvests separately (R > 0.93) a poor relationship (R = 0.63) exists over all harvests together. This was attributed to different transpiration rates affecting the HM flux into the plants, since the temperature regime changed greatly during the cultivation period. For Zn, no such close relationship between the NH₄NO₃‐extractable soil fraction and shoot Zn was found, most likely due to antagonistic effects from Mg which greatly varied in the three soils.     

草灌植被恢复提高坡地土壤水稳性团聚体和碳、 氮含量的有效性: 退耕年限的影响

【目的】退耕还林还草是防治我国西部土壤侵蚀、 恢复土壤肥力的最重要措施。本研究选择陕北黄土高原的神木、 吴旗典型丘陵退耕还林还草区,研究不同退耕年限草(苜蓿)灌(沙棘)植被提高010 cm表层土壤有机碳、 速效氮和全氮储量和各级土壤水稳性团聚体含量分布的有效性,旨在揭示退耕还林工程提高坡耕地土壤质量的有效性机理,为我国坡耕地土壤肥力提高措施的选择提供科学依据。【方法】应用空间替代时间的方法,选择土壤类型和坡度一致的三个不同退耕年限的全坡地景观(包括坡上部、 坡中部和坡下部),采集土壤样品,分析有机碳等指标。【结果】草灌植被提高土壤有机碳、 速效氮和全氮储量及土壤水稳性团聚体含量的效应随退耕年限的增加而增加; 种植5年的沙棘林坡地土壤有机碳、 全氮和速效氮储量相对于退耕前分别提高了1.4、 0.5、 0.3倍,种植10年以上沙棘林地分别提高了6.6、 2.4、 1.5倍; 种植5年苜蓿使坡耕地土壤有机碳、 全氮和速效氮储量分别提高了0.4、 0.1、 5.0倍,种植10年以上苜蓿地分别提高了0.7、 0.3、 5.2倍。种植5年和10年以上的沙棘林提高坡耕地土壤总有机碳的效应分别是种植5年和10年以上苜蓿的3.4和9.5倍; 种植5年和10年以上的沙棘林提高坡地土壤全氮储量的效应分别比种植5年和10年以上苜蓿大9倍以上。坡耕地种植5年苜蓿提高土壤速效氮的效应是种植5年沙棘林的19.2倍,种植10年以上的苜蓿提高土壤速效氮的效应是种植10年以上沙棘林的3.4倍。沙棘林对土壤有机碳和全氮的提高效应显著大于苜蓿,而苜蓿对土壤速效氮含量的增加效应显著大于沙棘林。沙棘和苜蓿在提高坡地土壤有机碳和全氮储量的差异大小与退耕前坡地土壤有机碳和全氮储量水平有关,而土壤速效氮储量的差异与其根系的固氮功能差异密切相关,苜蓿根系固氮作用大于沙棘林,显著提高了土壤速效氮含量。种植5年和10年以上沙棘林使坡地土壤0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量分别增加了41%和56%,退耕还林植被提高0.25 mm粒级土壤水稳性团聚体含量主要是对粒径为0.25~2 mm水稳性团聚体含量的增加效应。【结论】草灌植被在提高侵蚀坡地土壤有机碳、 氮储量和稳定土壤结构方面具有重要作用,在选择提高我国坡耕地土壤肥力的措施时应该考虑这一作用。     

Ecological intensification of cropping systems enhances soil functions,mitigates soil erosion,and promotes crop resilience to dry spells in the Brazilian Cerrado

Water scarcity threatens global food security and agricultural systems are challenged to achieve high yields while optimizing water usage. Water deficit can be accentuated by soil physical degradation, which also triggers water losses through runoff and consequently soil erosion. Although soil health in cropping systems within the Brazilian Cerrado biome have been surveyed throughout the years, information about soil erosion impacts and its mitigation are still not well understood; especially concerning the role of cropping system diversification and its effects on crop yield. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess whether ecological intensification of cropping systems –inclusion of a consorted perennial grass and crop rotation– could promote soil coverage and consequently decrease water erosion and soil, water, and nutrient losses. This work studied the effects of crop rotation and consorted Brachiaria, along with different levels of investment in fertilization on soil physical quality and on soil, water, and nutrient losses, and crop yields. Results proved that soybean monoculture (SS) is a system of low sustainability even under no-till in the Brazilian Cerrado conditions. It exhibited high susceptibility to soil, water, and nutrient losses, causing low crop yields. Our results showed that water losses in SS cropping system were approximately 10% of the total annual rainfall, and total K losses would require an additional 35% of K application. Conversely, ecological intensification of cropping systems resulted in enhanced soil environmental and agronomic functions, increased grain yield, and promoted soil and water conservation: high soil cover rate, and low soil, water and nutrient losses. Ecological intensification proved to be an adequate practice to boost crop resilience to water deficit in the Brazilian Cerrado.