Selection of soil physical quality indicators in relation to soil erodibility

Soil quality indices based on soil characteristics can be used to assess the sustainability of soil and to assist in soil management decisions. Principal component analysis (PCA) technique was used to identify dominant soil characteristics in relation to soil erodibility in watersheds of submontane Punjab (India). Soil physical and chemical characteristics were evaluated for four locations with four land uses at each location whereas runoff, soil loss and soil erodibility were determined at two locations under natural rainfall conditions and at four locations under simulated rainfall conditions. PCA was performed on 22 physical and chemical soil characteristics, which grouped these soil characteristics into five distinct principal components (PCs). These five PCs namely soil hydraulic factor, density factor, structural factor, sand factor and cation factor, explained 86% variability in data. These PCs also explained 86, 96 and 93% variability under natural rainfall conditions and 75, 76 and 77% variability under simulated rainfall conditions in relation to runoff, soil loss and soil erodibility, respectively. Soil total organic carbon content can be considered as dynamic soil physical quality indicator and can be used to monitor temporal and spatial changes in soil quality.     

砂壤土上甘蔗管理的土壤质量指示评估

An important factor for the sustainability of soils highly susceptible to degradation is the use of monitoring tools that promptly and realistically reflect changes imposed on soil by different cropping systems. To select soil quality indicator variables in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) production areas that fulfill the criteria of sensitivity to management practices and between-season consistency in the management discrimination, ten composite soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected in July 2005 (rainy season) and again in March 2006 (dry season) from areas under cultivation of organic sugarcane (OS), green sugarcane (GS), burned sugarcane (BS) and from an adjacent native forest (NF) area at Usina Triunfo, Boca da Mata, Alagoas, Brazil. Microbial biomass-C (MBC), total organic C (TOC), soil enzyme activity expressed as the rate of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, mean weight diameter of water-stable soil aggregates (MWD), and percentage of water-stable macroaggregates (PWSA) were analyzed. Although MBC and TOC were higher in NF than in the cultivated areas, no differences were observed in these C pools between the three sugarcane systems. The response of FDA to the site management was dependent on the sampling time. In the rainy period, the activity followed the order: NF > OS > GS > BS, whereas in the dry season, only NF differed from the other treatments. Irrespective of the sampling time, MWD and PWSA decreased in the order NF > OS = GS > BS. The variables MWD and PWSA are quite sensitive for discriminating between site management histories regardless the sampling season.     

Evaluation of soil erosion risk and identification of soil cover and management factor (C) for RUSLE in European vineyards with different soil management

Vineyards show some of the largest erosion rates reported in agricultural areas in Europe. Reported rates vary considerably under the same land use, since erosion processes are highly affected by climate, soil, topography and by the adopted soil management practices. Literature also shows differences in the effect of same conservation practices on reducing soil erosion from conventional, bare soil based, management. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is commonly adopted to estimate rates of water erosion on cropland under different forms of land use and management, but it requires proper value of soil cover and management (C) factors in order to obtain a reliable evaluation of local soil erosion rates. In this study the ORUSCAL (Orchard RUSle CALibration) is used to identify the best calibration strategy against long-term experimental data. Afterwards, ORUSCAL is used in order to apply the RUSLE technology from farm based information across different European wine-growing regions. The results suggest that the best strategy for calibration should incorporate the soil moisture sub-factor (S_m) to provide better soil loss predictions. The C factor, whose average values ranged from 0.012 to 0.597, presented a large spatial variability due to coupling with local climate and specific local management. The comparison across the five wine-growing regions indicates that for the soil protection management, permanent cover crop is the best measure for accomplishing sustainable erosion rates across the studied areas. Alternate and temporary cover crops, that are used in areas of limited water resources to prevent competition with vines, failed to achieve sustainable erosion rates, that still need to be addressed. This raises the need for a careful use of C values developed under different environmental conditions.     

利用不同土壤Nmin目标值进行露地花椰菜氮肥推荐

确定蔬菜不同生长阶段根层土壤中既满足蔬菜氮需求但又不造成环境问题的土壤无机氮量 (土壤Nmin目标值 )是精确化氮肥施用技术的重要环节。本研究在露地条件下 ,设置不同土壤Nmin目标值 (N 0、50、100、200、300及 400kg hm2) ,依据土壤 蔬菜体系无机氮平衡的方法进行了花椰菜氮肥推荐 ,从产量、氮吸收、损失及经济等方面对合理的土壤Nmin目标值进行了初步筛选。研究结果表明 ,花椰菜不同生育阶段最佳生长及氮吸收所需的根层土壤Nmin目标值大致为N 100kg hm2,而保持土壤 作物体系无机氮平衡的氮供应量大致为 200kg hm2,相当于Nmin目标值为N50kg hm2。综合产量、环境、经济效益三因素 ,N 10 0kg hm2应是满足花椰菜正常需要且不会产生较大环境问题的合理土壤Nmin目标值。     

基于GIS的农田土壤水分状况管理模型及应用

基于GIS开发了土壤水分和土壤电导率的简单专题图及精细专题图模块。简单专题图为运行于农田PDA的嵌入式GIS系统提供采样异常点检查验证;精细专题图为运行于上位机的农田信息处理系统提供信息可视化管理。简单专题图调用GIS组件方法获得并据此建立了采样管理模型;精细专题图中,土壤水分采用克里金插值算法预测的均方根百分比误差（RMSPE）为5.489%;土壤电导率插值模型采用泛克里金算法预测的RMSPE为18.451%。基于精细农田信息专题图,根据特定作物不同生长时期需水量的专家推荐值建立了土壤水分管理模型,利用该模型进行的一次灌溉决策显示,土壤含水率方差从灌溉前的1.9168调整到了灌溉后的0.8906。试验表明,采样管理模型能够指导田间采样,农田水分管理模型能够指导农田灌溉。     

A social learning video method: Identifying and sharing successful transformation knowledge for sustainable soil management in Switzerland

To enhance sustainable land use, a From Farmer to Farmer project was conducted in Switzerland (2001–2010). A multi‐stakeholder discussion group co‐produced nine videos with experienced farmers and wine producers showing sustainable soil management practices. We analysed the video audio‐visual content and drew on reflections of the co‐production process, referring to concepts of system, target and transformation knowledge, as well as on social learning. The analysis showed a broad range of means (or actions) for sustainable soil management in arable land management, fodder production and wine growing that are aligned to transformation knowledge. The research showed that farmers refer to three phases of social learning, light‐bulb moments, coping with challenges and gaining successful expertise. These are not just linear processes of individuals. Four types of social learning were found in the video analysis: (a) learning from observing actions of others, (b) sharing experiences with storytelling, (c) informal social interactions and (d) being a role model with a large social network. Videos enable transformation knowledge to be shared with peers using storytelling; this powerful narrative communication style provides credibility and respects the ‘thought style’ of the target audience group. We conclude that for successful implementation of sustainable actions, it is important to address a specific target group and share their transformation knowledge built upon system and target knowledge. The social learning video method is a viable way to enable social learning between science, administration and practice and has potential for fostering change in sustainable soil management.     

Reactive aluminum in the vermont soil test

Abstract

Determination of Reactive Al by extracting a soil sample with pH 4.8 NH₄ OAc (1.25 N acetate) characterizes for northern acid soils the quantity of soil acidity that must be neutralized to meet lime need and also lower the P adsorbing capacity. Extracted Al is used in conjunction with pH in 10 mM CaCl₂ to calculate the lime requirement directly. First, the amount of P fertilizer needed is approximated, based on the P intensity (Available P) determined in the same NH₄ OAc extract. Then the recommended amount is increased by a P‐fixation factor obtained from the Reactive Al measured, and decreased by a Reserve P factor derived from fluoride extractable P.

Unlike a buffer lime requirement method, which predicts lime needed to reach a target pH, the Reactive Al test estimates the quantity of acidity that must be neutralized to prevent fixation of P fertilizer by soil Al and to release P from Al‐bound sources. Attaining a particular target pH is not the primary goal. The Reserve P test measures the amount of unavailable Al phosphates that becomes partially available when lime needs are met.     

Revisiting classic water erosion models in drylands: The strong impact of biological soil crusts

Soil erosion and subsequent degradation has been a contributor to societal collapse in the past and is one of the major expressions of desertification in arid regions. The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) models soil lost to water erosion as a function of climate erosivity (the degree to which rainfall can result in erosion), topography, soil erodibility, and land use/management. The soil erodibility factor (K) is primarily based upon inherent soil properties (those which change slowly or not at all) such as soil texture and organic matter content, while the cover/management factor (C) is based on several parameters including biological soil crust (BSC) cover. We examined the effect of two more precise indicators of BSC development, chlorophyll a and exopolysaccharides (EPS), upon soil stability, which is closely inversely related to soil loss in an erosion event. To examine the relative influence of these elements of the C factor to the K factor, we conducted our investigation across eight strongly differing soils in the 0.8 million ha Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We found that within every soil group, chlorophyll a was a moderate to excellent predictor of soil stability (R² = 0.21–0.75), and consistently better than EPS. Using a simple structural equation model, we explained over half of the variance in soil stability and determined that the direct effect of chlorophyll a was 3× more important than soil group in determining soil stability. Our results suggest that, holding the intensity of erosive forces constant, the acceleration or reduction of soil erosion in arid landscapes will primarily be an outcome of management practices. This is because the factor which is most influential to soil erosion, BSC development, is also among the most manageable, implying that water erosion in drylands has a solution.     

土壤耕作及秸秆还田对冬小麦生长状况及产量的影响

该文研究了土壤耕作、秸秆还田两项技术措施及其交互效应对冬小麦群体发育动态、冬小麦产量形成及其构成要素的影响。常规耕作、免耕、耙耕、深松4种土壤耕作技术与无秸秆还田、秸秆全量粉碎还田两种秸秆还田量构成8个处理,并对不同处理中冬小麦生长发育动态及产量形成进行调查、分析。结果表明不同耕作处理对冬小麦出苗率、群体动态、产量构成有显著影响,免耕小麦出苗率仅60.2%,群体过小,产量显著低于常规耕作;耙耕、深松在与常规耕作相同播量下能形成适宜的群体,且穗粒数、千粒重均高于常规耕作,分别比常规耕作增产8.15%和6.91%;经作用力分析,耕作措施是影响冬小麦群体结构与产量构成的最重要因素,作用力大于秸秆及秸秆×耕作交互效应。     

北京石质山区不同水土保持措施对土壤物理性质及抗冲性的影响——以房山区蒲洼小流域为例

为评价北京山区多年来小流域综合治理的水土保持效果,也为以后小流域治理和植被重建提供理论支撑,以房山区蒲洼小流域为研究地,采用典型样地调查、野外抗冲性实验和室内样品处理的方法,对比分析不同水土保持措施的土壤物理性质、土壤质地和抗冲性.结果表明:随着土层加深,各类措施下土壤密度均呈现增大趋势,总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度呈现减小趋势,而非毛管孔隙度没有明显规律.不同水土保持措施下,土壤密度、总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度均有改善(侧柏林除外),改善程度由好到差依次为:辽东栎次生林＞油松落叶松混交林＞石坎梯田＞油松林＞落叶松林＞灌丛;各类措施下土壤颗粒均以细、中粉粒为最多,分形维数显示各类水保措施土壤通透性均较为良好;相比荒地,各类措施下土壤冲刷量显著减小,径流时间延长,冲刷量依次为油松落叶松混交林(0.82 kg/cm3)＜侧柏林(1.14 kg/cm3)＜落叶松林(1.30 kg/cm3)＜辽东栎次生林(3.91 kg/cm3)＜油松林(5.96 kg/cm3)＜荆条灌丛(10.88 kg/cm3),延缓径流冲刷时间由大到小依次为:辽东栎次生林(55.65 s/m)＞油松落叶松混交林(46.82 s/m)＞落叶松(28.19 s/m)＞荆条灌丛(22.39s/m)＞侧柏林(17.48 s/m)＞油松林(16.94 s/m).土壤抗冲性与细、中粉粒体积分数(正相关)、非毛管孔隙度呈显著(负相关)关系最为密切,由此推出大根径的根系穿插形成的非毛管孔隙对土壤抗冲性是负效应.综上,油松落叶松林混交林提升土壤蓄水持水性能、土壤抗冲性均显示出很大的优势;石坎梯田效果也较好,是小流域治理应首先考虑的2类措施.     

Diversity of soil mite communities when managing plant communities on set-aside arable land

When restoring former agricultural land to more low-nutrient input ecosystems, the establishment of a plant community can be enhanced by sowing desirable species. In this study our aim was to determine whether management of the plant community influences the microarthropod community. We carried out a field experiment in three European countries on set-aside arable land and determined soil mites from the sites in Sweden, The Netherlands and Spain. Experimental plots on set-aside arable land were sown with high (15 species) or low (4 species) plant species seed mixtures; other plots were colonized naturally. A field with continued agricultural practices and a later successional site (target site) were used for comparison with the experimental plots. Soil from the later successional site was inoculated into half of the plots. Abandoning agricultural practices increased the density of mites at one site while the number of mite species was not affected. Sowing plant seeds had no effect on mite densities at any of the sites. The community composition of mites changed in response to management of the plant community, as shown by canonical correspondence analysis. Among the functional groups of mites, saprophytes generally dominated on all plots at all sites. Mites parasitic on insects were not present on fields with continued agricultural practice in Sweden and The Netherlands, and might thus be regarded as an indicator of an increase in trophic complexity in the sown and naturally colonized treatments. Predatory and plant parasitic mites showed no consistent pattern in relation to the treatments of the three sites. Soil inoculation treatment had only a minor impact on the soil mite communities.     

不同土壤管理措施下塿土团聚体的大小分布及其稳定性

土壤团聚体是土壤的重要组成部分,其大小分布影响土壤的功能。本文利用22年土长期定位试验,研究不同土壤管理措施和不同施肥对土壤机械稳定性和水稳性团聚体的分布及其稳定性的影响。土壤管理措施包括裸地休闲、 撂荒和小麦/玉米轮作体系,其中小麦/玉米轮作体系中有9种施肥处理,分别为不施肥（CK）,化肥氮（N）、 磷（P）和钾（K）不同配施5个处理（N、 NP、 NK、 PK、 NPK）,秸秆还田与化肥配合（SNPK）,有机肥与化肥配施2个处理（M1NPK、 M2NPK）。结果表明,不同管理措施显著影响表层（010 cm）和亚表层（1020 cm）土壤的机械稳定性和水稳性团聚体的分布。与作物体系比较,长期休闲可显著增加机械稳定性微团聚体（0.25 mm）的含量,对水稳性团聚体的含量和分布没有显著影响。而长期撂荒显著增加了大于2 mm 的团聚体含量及团聚体的稳定性。长期不同施肥显著影响 030 cm 土层的机械稳定性和水稳性团聚体的分布,总趋势为施肥比不施肥处理降低了1 mm的团聚体含量,增加了0.25~1 mm的团聚体含量,但对土壤团聚体的稳定性没有显著影响。因此,土撂荒22年后显著增加了土壤团聚体的稳定性,而种植作物和不同施肥处理对土壤团聚体的稳定性影响甚微。     

Vegetal cover to estimate soil erosion hazard in Rhodesia

Evidence is presented to show that percent vegetal cover is the major factor determining the erosion hazard from crops and grassland in Rhodesia. Percent vegetal cover is proposed as a satisfactory quantitative expression for inclusion in soil-loss estimation equations. This proposal is considered to have substantial advantages over the cropping management factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and to be particularly suited to developing countries. A system of classifying vegetation is suggested to account for the secondary influence on soil loss of variations in plant height, stem and rooting characteristics.     

多尺度土壤入渗特性的变异特征和传递函数构建

土壤入渗特性的变异特征具有明显空间依赖性和尺度效应,其多尺度上的参数估值是农田灌溉设计和管理的重要基础。该研究以在关中平原进行的52组双环入渗试验为基础,通过比较不同方法计算的标定因子对Kostiakov公式的标定效果,结合小波分析和通径分析方法识别并量化分析标定因子和土壤特性参数（土壤机械组成、容重、初始含水率和有机质含量）在多尺度的相关性,在此基础上分别利用多元线性回归（Multiple Linear Regression, MLR）、BP神经网络（BP Artificial Neural Network, BP-ANN）和支持向量机（Support Vector Machine, SVM）3种方法构建估算标定因子的土壤传递函数。结果表明,采用最小二乘法计算标定因子对Kostiakov公式的标定效果最优,所有测点标定后累积入渗量与实测值的均方根误差（Root Mean Square Error, RMSE）、平均偏差（Mean Bias Error, MBE）、相对误差绝对值均值（Mean Absolute Value of Relative Error, MARE）分别为1.83 cm、0.24 cm、21.2%;多尺度条件下,土壤容重、砂粒、黏粒和有机质含量组合是引起研究区域标定因子空间变化的主要变异源,其中标定因子与砂粒和有机质含量呈显著正相关关系,总通径系数分别为0.78和0.65,与黏粒和土壤容重呈显著负相关关系,总通径系数分别为?0.74和?0.68;采用SVM法构建估算标定因子的土壤传递函数精度最高,其验证集所得入渗量估算值与实测值具有较高的一致性,两者间的RMSE、MBE和MARE分别为1.92 cm、0.05 cm和27.6%,说明SVM法可用于构建估算标定因子的土壤传递函数。研究结果有助于揭示多尺度上土壤入渗特性的变异特征和解决入渗参数难以快速获取的问题。     

Contrasting grain crop and grassland management effects on soil quality properties for a north-central Missouri claypan soil landscape

Abstract

Crop management has the potential to either enhance or degrade soil quality, which in turn impacts on crop production and the environment. Few studies have investigated how crop management affects soil quality over different landscape positions. The objective of the present study was to investigate how 12 years of annual cropping system (ACS) and conservation reserve program (CRP) practices impacted soil quality indicators at summit, backslope and footslope landscape positions of a claypan soil in north-central Missouri. Claypan soils are particularly poorly drained because of a restrictive high-clay subsoil layer and are vulnerable to high water erosion. Three replicates of four management systems were established in 1991 in a randomized complete block design, with landscape position as a split-block treatment. The management systems were investigated: (1) annual cropping system 1 (ACS1) was a mulch tillage (typically ≥ 30% of soil covered with residue after tillage operations) corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation system, (2) annual cropping system 2 (ACS2) was a no-till corn–soybean rotation system, (3) annual cropping system 3 (ACS3) was a no-till corn–soybean–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation system, with a cover crop following wheat, (4) CRP was a continuous cool-season grass and legume system. In 2002, soil cores (at depths of 0–7.5, 7.5–15 and 15–30 cm) were collected by landscape position and analyzed for physical, chemical and biological soil quality properties. No interactions were observed between landscape and crop management. Relative to management effects, soil organic carbon (SOC) significantly increased with 12 years of CRP management, but not with the other management systems. At the 0–7.5-cm soil depth in the CRP system, SOC increased over this period by 33% and soil total nitrogen storage increased by 34%. Soil aggregate stability was approximately 40% higher in the no-till management systems (ACS2 and ACS3) than in the tilled system (ACS1). Soil aggregation under CRP management was more than double that of the three grain-cropping systems. Soil bulk density at the shallow sampling depth was greater in ACS3 than in ACS1 and ACS2. In contrast to studies on other soil types, these results indicate only minor changes to claypan soil quality after 12 years of no-till management. The landscape had minor effects on the soil properties. Of note, SOC was significantly lower in the 7.5–15-cm soil depth at the footslope compared with the other landscape positions. We attribute this to wetter and more humid conditions at this position and extended periods of high microbial activity and SOC mineralization. We conclude that claypan soils degraded by historical cropping practices will benefit most from the adoption of CRP or CRP-like management.     

Modelling soil organic carbon concentration of mineral soils in arable land using legacy soil data

Soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration is an essential factor in biomass production and soil functioning. SOC concentration values are often obtained by prediction but the prediction accuracy depends much on the method used. Currently, there is a lack of evidence in the soil science literature as to the advantages and shortcomings of the different commonly used prediction methods. Therefore, we compared and evaluated the merits of the median approach, analysis of covariance, mixed models and random forests in the context of prediction of SOC concentrations of mineral soils under arable management in the A‐horizon. Three soil properties were used in all of the developed models: soil type, physical clay content (particle size <0.01 mm) and A‐horizon thickness. We found that the mixed model predicted SOC concentrations with the smallest mean squared error (0.05%²), suggesting that a mixed‐model approach is appropriate if the study design has a hierarchical structure as in our scenario. We used the Estonian National Soil Monitoring data on arable lands to predict SOC concentrations of mineral soils. Subsequently, the model with the best prediction accuracy was applied to the Estonian digital soil map for the case study area of Tartu County where the SOC predictions ranged from 0.6 to 4.8%. Our study indicates that predictions using legacy soil maps can be used in national inventories and for up‐scaling estimates of carbon concentrations from county to country scales.     

Application of a low-cost database to soil erosion and soil conservation studies in the Awash Basin,Ethiopia

In large-scale land resource planning exercises, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) form a valuable means of storing, retrieving, displaying, and analysing spatially-referenced data, as well as enabling the simulation of the consequences of various alternative development options. However, at this scale only generalized policies for the allocation of finance can be made, and the implementation of those policies will invariably require detailed evaluation at the local level. This suggests that expenditure on the central planning process itself should be limited, with funds reserved for later site studies. The form of GIS adopted centrally should also lend itself to easy use and interpretation by policymakers and planners. These requirements suggest that GIS development using proprietary off-the-shelf database management software may be preferable to high-technology GIS software. This paper outlines the development of such a GIS, based on dBase-III-plus and its internal programming language, in the analysis of problems of soil erosion and soil conservation in the large (110,000 km²) drainage basin of the Awash River in Ethiopia. The methodology employed involves the FAO modification of the Universal Soil Loss Equation, which clearly lacks a secure process basis, but is appropriate for the scale of planning involved and the quality of calibration data available. The GIS is used to map patterns of soil erosion, to identify target areas for conservation on the basis of criteria of sensitivity to land use change, and to assess the costs and benefits of conservation work in those areas. It is suggested that the simple form of GIS involved in this study has much to offer environmental managers in developing countries in the rapid development of plans for soil conservation.     

太行山前平原土壤养分分布特征与肥料精准管理研究

对太行山前平原土壤养分分布特征与肥料精准管理研究结果表明,该区土壤养分含量集中在1个或相邻2个养分含量等级范围内,对土壤养分进行分区管理存在可能性;按照土壤养分含量分级标准其土壤肥力属中等水平。土壤速效磷含量高低与冬小麦产量密切相关,P肥施用为影响冬小麦产量的主要因子,而N肥为影响玉米产量的最重要因素,其次为土壤碱解氮与P肥。