Impact of land use changes on the hydrological properties of volcanic ash soils in South Ecuador

Abstract. The effect of land use on the water retention capacity of Umbric Andosols in south Ecuador was studied. The objective was to acquire a better insight into the hydrological processes of the ecosystem and the role of the soil, in order to assess the impact of changing soil properties due to land use change on the hydrology of the high Andes region. Field data on the water retention capacity at wilting point of Umbric Andosols were collected for both cultivated field conditions and original bush vegetation. The pH in water and in NaF, texture, organic matter content and dry bulk density were measured to show which physicochemical soil characteristics are responsible for the water retention of the Umbric Andosols and for the irreversible loss in water retention due to air drying. Organic matter content appears to be very important and certainly more important than allophane clay content. Water retention of the organic litter layer was calculated to be 16 mm, this would be lost when vegetation was cleared and the land cultivated.     

粉煤灰施入砂姜黑土对麦田重金属元素分布影响的研究

采用盆栽试验方法 ,研究了粉煤灰施入砂姜黑土的改良效果及Cd、Cr、Pb、Hg和As等重金属元素在小麦各部位的积累与分布。结果表明 :粉煤灰施入砂姜黑土可以降低土壤容重、比重及土壤粘粒含量 ,增加孔隙和土壤渗透系数。被吸收的重金属元素主要分布在根系中 ,其次是叶片 ,在茎杆、叶鞘及籽粒中的分布极少。根系对Cd和As具有富集作用 ;籽粒中Cd、Cr、Pb、As随用灰量的增加而增加 ,Hg则减少 ,但在 3 6× 10 4kg/hm2 的用灰量范围内 ,5种重金属元素在籽粒及土壤中的含量均在安全标准之内     

稻壳发电残余物稻壳灰对有机物的吸附作用

为解决稻壳发电残余物——稻壳灰的利用问题,该文研究了稻壳灰在不同条件下对有机污染物的吸附作用。结果表明,稻壳灰在经过碱洗处理后,其对有机污染物的吸附性能明显提高。当溶液pH值小于7.0时,稻壳灰对有机污染物的吸附效果要好于pH值大于7.0时的吸附效果。该研究表明,稻壳灰经过碱洗处理后,可以用作吸附剂,吸附污水中的有机污染物,实现废物的再次利用。     

粉煤灰和碳酸钙对As（Ⅲ）污染土壤上小麦产量性状及麦株As含量的影响

随着经济的发展,土壤As污染问题日益严重。采用露天盆栽试验方法,研究了在As（Ⅲ）污染土壤上,添加粉煤灰和碳酸钙对小麦成熟期产量及其性状、小麦根、茎叶和籽粒As含量的影响,并探讨了粉煤灰和碳酸钙对土壤As（Ⅲ）污染修复的有效方法。结果表明,在土壤中添加100g·kg^-1的粉煤灰或1．0g·kg^-1的碳酸钙能使小麦株高、结实小穗数、穗粒数、千粒重和产量增加。与对照相比,在As（Ⅲ）污染土壤上,100g·kg^-1的粉煤灰处理显著地增加了小麦产量（P〈0．05）,极显著地降低了小麦籽粒As含量（P〈0．01）;1．0g·kg^-1的碳酸钙处理极显著地增加了小麦的穗粒数、千粒重和产量（P〈0．01）,显著地降低了根中As含量（P〈0．05）,极显著地降低了籽粒As含量（P〈0．01）。因此,在As（Ⅲ）污染土壤上,添加100g·kg^-1的粉煤灰或1．0g·kg^-1的碳酸钙能使小麦产量升高,籽粒As含量下降,有效地缓解As（Ⅲ）对小麦的毒害。     

Determination of Plant-Available Nutrients in Two Wood Ashes: The Influence of Combustion Conditions

Wood ashes were traditionally used as a fertilizing agent from the very beginning of working land but the fertilizing quality varies according to the combusted biomass and also the industrial burning equipment. The differences between wood ash originated from fluid and classic boiler were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Mehlich 3 and deionized water extraction procedures in relation to extraction time. The results, especially of the SEM and chemical extractions, have demonstrated that the type of burning boiler determines the portions of the leachable nutrient elements. The silica and alumina ash content conducted by the elevated temperature transforms the main proportion of calcium and potassium into the insoluble feldspars. Due to this effect only a small amount of nutrients could be released and served as a fertilizing matter.     

Calcium requirements for peanuts

Abstract

Surface soils from ten soil series representing five great groups were collected from Alaska. These soils were selected from the important agricultural areas covering a wide geographic distribution. These soils can be divided into two distinct groups based on their parent material: loess and volcanic ash. Phosphorus sorption maxima were calculated based on the Langmuir isotherms. The volcanic ash soils (Cryandept and Cryorthods) showed an average P‐sorption maxima of 10,122 mg/kg and loess soils averaged 3,934 mg/kg. Both groups have similar portions of phosphorus in the organic form (19%) and occluded form (8 to 9%). The nonoccluded‐P in the volcanic ash soils and the loess soils was 68% and 43% respectively, and the Calcium‐P was 4% and 29% respectively.

Regression analysis indicated that aluminum and iron are primarily responsible for P‐sorption. The dithionite extractable Al is responsible for P‐sorption in volcanic ash soils, while oxalate extractable Al is responsible for P‐sorption in loess soils. Dithionite and oxalate extractable Fe probably play a secondary role in P‐sorption. The sorption isotherm, regression analysis and the P‐fractionation data provide the agronomist with useful information to estimate P requirement of newly cleared soils.     

Priming effect of the addition of maize to a Japanese volcanic ash soil and its temperature sensitivity: a short-term incubation study

ABSTRACT

The response of soil organic matter (SOM) to global warming is a crucial subject. However, the temperature sensitivity of SOM turnover remains largely uncertain. Changes in the mineralization of native SOM, i.e., priming effect (PE) may strongly affect the temperature sensitivity of SOM turnover in the presence of global warming. We investigated the direction and magnitude of the PE in a Japanese volcanic ash soil at different temperatures (15°C, 25°C, and 35°C) using a natural ¹³C tracer (C4-plant, maize leaf) in a short-term (25 days) incubation study. In addition, we evaluated the temperature sensitivity expressed as Q₁₀ value with and without the addition of maize to the soil and their relations to PE. We found that positive PE occurred at each temperature condition and tended to increase with decreased temperature, and these PE results were consistent with the microbial biomass at the end of the incubation period. CO₂ emission from control soil (without maize) increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 2.6), but CO₂ emission from the soil with added maize did not significantly change with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 1.0). This was caused by the suppression of CO₂ emission from the soil with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 0.9). On the other hand, soil-originated CO₂ emission clearly increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 3.4) when Q₁₀ values were calculated on the assumption that the temperature and substrate supply increase at the same time (from 25°C). These results suggest that not only the temperature increase but also the labile carbon supply may be important for the temperature sensitivity of Japanese volcanic ash soil.     

Liming and sulfur amendments improve growth and yields of maize in Rubona Ultisol and Nyamifumba Oxisol

Aluminum toxicity is a major limitation to crop production on highly weathered and leached soils in Rwanda. Moreover, sulfur though widely deficient in Rwanda acidic soils has received little attention by soil fertility researchers. A field experiment on maize response and soil nutrients status to liming materials of travertines at 3.4 t ha^?1, ash wood 1.2 t ha^?1 of CaO equivalent and sulfur at 10 kg ha^?1 combined with NPK at 80, 60, and 45 kg ha^?1 respectively was conducted in Rubona Ultisol and Nyamifumba Oxisol. Results revealed that travertine and wood ash increased the soil pH from 4.7 to 5.8 or higher and decreased exchangeable Al³⁺ and H⁺ to near 0 cmolc kg^?1. Soil nutrients generally increased to high or medium ranges for crop production. Leaf dry biomass, plant height and maize grain yields were significantly higher in Rubona Ultisol than in Nyamifumba Oxisol. Plots that received wood ash, with NPKS or with NPK, generally had higher maize yields, followed by those which received travertines and NPKS or NPK which had maize growth response as compared to the control plots which received NPK only. Thereby, a combination of wood ash with NPKS or NPK, travertines with NPKS was found to neutralize soil aluminum toxicity, increase soil nutrients status to required levels for plant growth and increase maize yields significantly.     

Characteristics of soils derived from tephra and pyroclastic flow deposits from Taal volcano,the Philippines

The various morphological, physico-chemical and mineralogical properties of soils derived from tephra and pyroclastic flow deposits of the Taal volcano were characterized and evaluated.

1. As compared with the pumiceous sandy soils of Mt. Pinatubo, soils of the Taal volcano showed generally a finer texture (silty clay to clay) with the exception of the base surge materials consisting of loam.

2. Parent ashes ranged from basaltic-andesite to basalt, as compared with andesitic to dacite for Mt. Pinatubo. Lithologic nature as well as the age of the tephra seemed to account for the advanced degree of weathering and resultant high clay content in the Taal soil.

3. Clay consisted predominantly of crystalline silicate mineral dominated by halloysite. Dominance of crystalline clay could be due to the ustic moisture conditions with a long dry period. In common with Mt. Pinatubo soils, soils of the flood plains were dominated by 2 : 1 clay minerals.

4. Based on the data on andic soil properties the soils studied could not be classified as Andisols. Basically, the typical andic soil properties did not develop under a ustic soil moisture regime which contributed to the clay mineral composition. Two of the pedons examined in this study were classified as Andic Eutropepts while on the pedons studied had been classified as Ustarent.     

Combining pre-transplanting phosphorus application and green manure incorporation: a trial for reducing fertilizer input

Pre-transplanting phosphorus application is a fertilization method that can reduce phosphorus (P) fertilization of the field and increase P use efficiency. We investigated whether P use efficiency can be increased further by combining pre-transplanting phosphorus application and the green manure practice, using cabbage as a test plant in a field experiment performed from 2006 to 2008. The pre-transplanting phosphorus application successfully reduced P fertilization of the field to half without any yield losses in 2006 and 2008. However, growth and yield could not be maintained with the pre-transplanting phosphorus application when P fertilization was halved in 2007. Differences among seasons and discrepancies in the results compared to previous studies may have arisen from the differences in the field management and the nursery soil used. No benefits of green manure in terms of the subsequent cabbage yield were detected. Consequently, there was no positive effect of the combination of pre-transplanting phosphorus application and incorporation of green manure. Studies with mycorrhizal plants as test plants may be necessary to verify the mechanism of enhanced P supply by the incorporation of green manure, and to examine any potential benefit of combining green manure and pre-transplanting phosphorus application practices.