Effects of a vermicompost composted with beet vinasse on soil properties, soil losses and soil restoration

The use of organic rich wastes instead or as a complement of mineral fertilizers is considered a good environmental practice, provided that the organic wastes are not severely polluted (e.g. occurrence of heavy metals, organic pollutants and/or pathogens). However, the effect of a particular organic waste on soil properties, soil loss and soil restoration depends on its chemical composition. In particular, the application of fresh beet vinasse showed a detrimental impact on the soil's physical, chemical and biological properties, increasing soil loss and decreasing plant cover, probably because it contains high quantities of monovalent cations, such as Na⁺, which destabilize the soil structure. The main objective of this work was to study the effect of beet vinasse co-composted with a vermicompost (constituted by green forages) at rates of 5 and 10 t kg organic matter ha^− 1, on physical (structural stability and bulk density), chemical (exchangeable sodium percentage) and biological (soil microbial biomass-C, soil respiration and soil enzymatic activities) properties of soils and, consequently, how its application may contribute to soil loss and soil restoration. The experiment was carried out for three years on a Xerollic Calciorthid located near Seville (Guadalquivir Valley, Andalusia, Spain). The co-composting of beet vinasse and green waste vermicompost had a positive effect on the soil's physical, chemical and biological properties, leading to a decrease in soil loss (31.2% compared with unamended soil) and an increase in plant cover (68.7% compared with unamended soil). These results suggest that the co-composting of beet vinasse with vermicomposts protects the soil and contributes to its restoration, thus representing a good strategy for recovering semiarid areas.     

Soil erosion prediction in the Grande River Basin, Brazil using distributed modeling

Mapping and assessment of erosion risk is an important tool for planning of natural resources management, allowing researchers to modify land-use properly and implement management strategies more sustainable in the long-term. The Grande River Basin (GRB), located in Minas Gerais State, is one of the Planning Units for Management of Water Resources (UPGRH) and is divided into seven smaller units of UPGRH. GD1 is one of them that is essential for the future development of Minas Gerais State due to its high water yield capacity and potential for electric energy production. The objective of this study is to apply the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) with GIS PCRaster in order to estimate potential soil loss from the Grande River Basin upstream from the Itutinga/Camargos Hydroelectric Plant Reservoir (GD1), allowing identification of the susceptible areas to water erosion and estimate of the sediment delivery ratio for the adoption of land management so that further soil loss can be minimized. For the USLE model, the following factors were used: rainfall–runoff erosivity (R), erodibility (K), topographic (LS), cover-management (C) and support practice (P). The Fournier Index was applied to estimate R for the basin using six pluviometric stations. Maps of the K, C, LS and P factors were derived from the digital elevation model (DEM), and soil and land-use maps, taking into account information available in the literature. In order to validate the simulation process, Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) was estimated, which is based on transported sediment (TS) to basin outlet and mean soil loss in the basin (MSL). The SDR calculation included data (total solids in the water and respective discharge) between 1996 and 2003 which were measured at a gauging station located on the Grande River and a daily flow data set was obtained from the Brazilian National Water Agency (ANA). It was possible to validate the erosion process based on the USLE and SDR application for the basin conditions, since absolute errors of estimate were low. The major area of the basin (about 53%) had an average annual soil loss of less than 5 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1. With the results obtained we were able to conclude that 49% of the overall basin presently has soil loss greater than the tolerable rate, thus indicating that there are zones where the erosion process is critical, meaning that both management and land-use have not been used appropriately in these areas of the basin. The methodology applied showed acceptable precision and allowed identification of the most susceptible areas to water erosion, constituting an important predictive tool for soil and environmental management in this region, which is highly relevant for prediction of varying development scenarios for Minas Gerais State due to its hydroelectric energy potential. This approach can be applied to other areas for simple, reliable identification of critical areas of soil erosion in watersheds.     

土壤侵蚀实时监测仪研制介绍

土壤侵蚀已成为全球性环境灾害之一,严重威胁着工农业生产与人类生存环境。准确反映土壤侵蚀程度的水土流失规律研究是解决该问题的有效途径,同时也是有效治理生态环境建设的基础性研究之一。随着电子、计算机和通讯等自动化仪器的快速发展和对水土流失规律认识的不断深入,研制了土壤侵蚀实时监测仪,对其设计原理、组成以及工作流程作了详细介绍。     

太湖地区典型水稻土大时间尺度下的肥力质量演变

2004年通过调查与第2次土壤普查(1982年)相对应地块的土壤性状,对太湖流域江苏省武进地区典型水稻土土壤肥力变化趋势及原因进行分析.结果表明:从1982年到2004年,该研究区主要的6类水稻土共198个取样点的有机质、全氮、速效磷、速效钾显著上升,而pH和CEC显著下降.各亚类水稻土,除小粉土和沙土肥力质量指数有较大幅度提高外,其他类型水稻土肥力质量指数增加不大.各亚类水稻土土壤肥力单因子质量指数变化趋向一致,即1982年各亚类土壤速效钾的单因子质量为最低,其中速效钾单质量指数最小的小粉土为1.48;2004年pH值的质量指数则为最小值,其中pH质量指数最小的白土仅为1.73;同时,各水稻土CEC单质量指数由第2次土壤普查时的2.91～3.0显著下降为2004年的2.14～2.93.因此土壤酸化并伴随盐基离子的淋失是限制研究区水稻土土壤肥力质量的关键因素.     

城市土地置换过程中土壤污染研究进展评述

城市土地置换过程中严重的土壤污染已经成为制约城市地区土地可持续开发利用的主要因素.本文从城市土壤污染的内在机理研究、污染土地风险评价与风险管理研究、土壤污染与土地价值损失风险关系研究、污染土地治理和再开发投融资机制研究4个方面综述了国内外城市土地置换过程中土壤污染研究进展.述评认为土壤污染领域研究已经成为实现城市可持续发展的重要课题,土壤污染的环境管理理论与方法滞后于其他要素的研究,土壤污染风险评价与风险管理已经成为土壤环境管理的重要决策支撑.     

重金属的土水分配行为研究——根际土壤溶液采样器的应用

采用根际土壤溶液采样器(Rhizon-SMS)原位采集河南平原耕地土壤溶液.用土壤溶液中重金属浓度对数作为因变量、土壤溶液理化性质作为自变量,进行多元线性逐步回归,结果表明:只有有机碳进入Cu的相关方程,pH进入Cd的相关方程.土壤溶液pH和土壤中的Zn都作为自变量进入Zn的相关方程.土壤溶液中的Cu与pH没有线性关系,而Cd和Zn与土壤溶液pH有显著的线性关系(p＜0.01).计算了土壤中Cu、Cd、Zn在土壤与土壤溶液中的分配系数Kd.本研究中,3种重金属的Kd大小顺序为:Cu＞Zn＞Cd.根据Freeze 和Cherry模型,联合log(Kd-Cd)、log(Kd-Zn)与pH的线性关系,估计了Cd和Zn在土壤中的迁移速度.     

Aggregation in a surface layer of a hardsetting and crusting soil as influenced by the application of amendments and grass mulch in a South African semi-arid environment

Hardsetting and crusting are forms of soil structure degradation associated with the collapse of macroaggregates during wetting and are responsible for poor seedling emergence, crop establishment and yields of food crops especially in semi-arid environments. This study investigated the effects of applying of 3.0 t ha⁻¹ phosphogypsum, 1.0 t ha⁻¹ polymer gel, 3.0 t ha⁻¹ grass mulch and 5.0 t ha⁻¹ cattle manure to the topsoil (0–15 cm) of a soil with hardsetting and crusting behavior and observed changes on aggregation under field conditions for two consecutive seasons. There were significant improvements in soil aggregate properties in the amended soil over the control. Both aggregate size distribution and wet aggregate stability showed significant differences between the amendments in the two seasons. The mean weight diameters of aggregates were 4.23 mm (mulch), 3.31 mm (manure), 2.17 mm (polymer gel), 2.23 mm (phosphogypsum) and 1.36 mm (control). The aggregates (2–4 mm) from amended soil were consistently more stable than the control and were in the order polymer gel = manure > mulch > gypsum > control. Tensile strength and bulk density of aggregates, on the other hand, were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the unamended than amended soil.The application of soil amendments, especially mulch, significantly increased the soil water content over the two seasons and this was associated with lower soil penetration resistance in the latter. The reduced soil strength in the amended soils contributed to higher pegging, podding and grain yields of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean). This was confirmed by significantly higher correlations between soil aggregate characteristics, soil water, penetrometer resistance and growth and yield of bambara groundnut. The study concluded that significant improvements in soil aggregation can be obtained over a relatively short period and this can improve the yield of food crops.     

Diet-related composition of the gut microbiota of Lumbricus rubellus as revealed by a molecular fingerprinting technique and cloning

Interactions between earthworms and microorganisms are essential for the functioning of soil ecosystems as they affect organic matter degradation and nutrient cycling. This is also true for the alpine region, where socio-economic changes lead to the increasing abandonment of pastures, which in turn, causes a considerable shift in the diet of saprotrophic invertebrates and thus impacts food web and decomposition processes. To enhance our understanding of how this diet shift influences earthworms and associated microorganisms, we studied the gut content and cast microbiota of Lumbricus rubellus (Lumbricidae, Oligochaeta), a key macrodecomposer on alpine pastureland in the Central Alps. A feeding experiment with L. rubellus and three different food sources that represent the vegetation shift from an alpine pasture to an abandoned site was set up. Earthworms were collected in the field, transferred to a climate chamber and fed with cow manure, dwarf shrub or grass litter for six weeks. PCR-DGGE (Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis of the DNA extracted from the substrates, the earthworms' gut contents and casts revealed that the gut and cast microbiota was strongly influenced by the food source ingested. Cloning of bacterial 16S rRNA gene fragments demonstrated that the intestinal content was dominated by Proteobacteria, especially from the Gamma-subclass, followed by members of the phyla Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. In contrast, Actinobacteria were detected abundantly in all samples types when a cultivation approach was used. In conclusion, the gut microbiota of L. rubellus was shown to be substantially affected by the food source ingested, suggesting that this essential macrodecomposer is exposed to the diet shift resulting from a land-use change in the alpine area.     

Preliminary modelling of sediment production and delivery in the Xihanshui River basin, Gansu, China

This paper outlines an analysis of the spatial distribution of sediment production, delivery and yield in the Xihanshui River basin, South Gansu, China, using the modelling tools of SedNet (Prosser et al., 2001). This model can assess the delivery efficiency to downstream locations, as well as identifying locations with high rates of sediment production. Preliminary model experiments assist understanding of the spatial dynamics of these sediment processes and evaluation of the effectiveness of soil conservation practices since the mid-1980s. Three scenario years (dry, average and wet) from the 1983–2005 record are identified and modelled, and land use and management are represented in the model to reflect known changes since the 1980s. Results show hillslope erosion to be a dominant source of sediment supply, causing the latter to decrease ten-fold between 1984 and 1997/2000. Estimated bank erosion and floodplain deposition rates are sensitive to parameter values, but bank erosion appears less sensitive than hillslope supply to rainfall. The model can be used to assess net changes in floodplain storage; for default parameters, floodplain deposition rates are 25–200 times the rates of bank erosion depending on the climate scenario. Comparing simulation results with measured sediment yields at the three gauging stations indicates encouraging agreement in 2000. In 1984 (the wet year), the model under-predicts, suggesting that additional unmodelled sediment production processes, especially mass movement and gully erosion, may be important in wet years. Mass movement inventory data could close the gap between the high yields measured in the wet scenario year and the estimated yield due to hillslope erosion alone. In 1997 (the dry year), the model over-predicts; this suggests that the land use change parameters required to reflect the effects of conservation may not have been sufficient, implying that conservation has been generally effective, and that evidence of declining sediment yield is not simply a reflection of drier conditions.     

三种土壤微生物总DNA提取方法的比较

本文对3种常用的土壤微生物总DNA提取方法Martin法、高盐改进法及试剂盒法进行了比较,并通过DNA得率、纯度及16S rDNA V3可变区的PCR扩增结合DGGE法（denatumg gradient gel electrophoresis）,分别对3种方法进行评价。结果表明,3种方法提取的DNA均能满足土壤微生物多样性分析的要求。其中试剂盒方法操作简单,提取的DNA质量较高,但DNA得率较低且成本昂贵。Martin法和高盐改进法用时较长,DNA得率较高,纯度较低,但对后续PCR扩增和DGGE分析没有明显影响,且成本低廉。