Dynamics of arsenic-containing compounds sorption on sediments

Background  River and lake sediments constitute complex and difficult analytical samples. On the other hand, sediments play a fundamental role in the distribution of toxic compounds in aquatic systems and in the evaluation of the current state and the course of changes taking place in the environment. Among elements present in the environment in trace concentrations, but having well-elaborated toxic properties, one of most dangerous is arsenic. The element occurs in the environment in several chemical forms, predominant are inorganic forms of As(V) and As(III), and methylated forms such as monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA). Objectives  Reported herein are experiments, which were undertaken with the aim of examining the dynamics of arsenic sorption in sediments and its dependence on speciation of the element and the pH in the environment. Simultaneously, influence of organic matter content and chemical composition of the sediments on As sorption, were investigated. Methods  Sediment samples (upper 10 cm layer) were collected from three sites located in the vicinity of Cracow:

Carbon cycling in subarctic tundra; seasonal variation in ecosystem partitioning based on in situ C pulse-labelling

Carbon assimilation and allocation were studied in a tundra ecosystem in northern Scandinavia. Seasonal variation in the below-ground carbon allocation to dissolved organic carbon (DOC), coarse-, fine-, and hair roots was investigated using in situ ¹⁴C pulse-labelling, adding 2-3 MBq ¹⁴CO₂ dm⁻² to the above-ground vegetation. Combining the allocation data with regression models of the seasonal carbon flux made it possible to estimate a temporally explicit ecosystem carbon allocation budget.The ecosystem was a net source of CO₂, losing on average 0.97 g C m⁻² d⁻¹ to the atmosphere, with little variation through the season. There was, however, significant temporal variation in partitioning of recently assimilated carbon. Allocation to below-ground compartments over 32 days following labelling increased from 18% in June to 55% in September. Above-ground allocation showed the opposite trend. Hair roots and DOC were strong sinks in the autumn. Transport of newly assimilated carbon occurred rapidly throughout the season, ¹⁴C appearing in all sampled pools within 4 h of labelling.The seasonal variation in carbon partitioning observed in this study has implications for the residence time of assimilated carbon in the ecosystem. A relatively greater allocation to rapidly decomposing pools, such as hair roots and DOC, would tend to reduce incorporation into woody tissue, increasing the overall rate of carbon cycling and decreasing ecosystem storage. The results of this study will be of value for building and validating mechanistic models of ecosystem carbon flow in tundra and subarctic ecosystems.     

Soluble organic nitrogen in agricultural soils

 The existence of soluble organic forms of N in rain and drainage waters has been known for many years, but these have not been generally regarded as significant pools of N in agricultural soils. We review the size and function of both soluble organic N extracted from soils (SON) and dissolved organic N present in soil solution and drainage waters (DON) in arable agricultural soils. SON is of the same order of magnitude as mineral N and of equal size in many cases; 20–30 kg SON-N ha^–1 is present in a wide range of arable agricultural soils from England. Its dynamics are affected by mineralisation, immobilisation, leaching and plant uptake in the same way as those of mineral N, but its pool size is more constant than that of mineral N. DON can be sampled from soil solution using suction cups and collected in drainage waters. Significant amounts of DON are leached, but this comprises only about one-tenth of the SON extracted from the same soil. Leached DON may take with it nutrients, chelated or complexed metals and pesticides. SON/DON is clearly an important pool in N transformations and plant uptake, but there are still many gaps in our understanding. Received: 10 June 1999     

Arbuscular mycorrhizae in a long-term field trial comparing low-input (organic, biological) and high-input (conventional) farming systems in a crop rotation

 Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) root colonization was studied in a long-term field trial in which four farming systems currently in use in Switzerland were continuously applied to a randomized set of plots at a single field site from 1978 till 1993. There were two low-input farming systems (organic and bio-dynamic) and two high-input (conventional) farming systems (according to Swiss guidelines of integrated plant production with and without farmyard manure). The systems had an identical 7-year crop rotation and tillage scheme and differed essentially only in the amount and type of fertilizer supplied and in plant protection management. The percentage of root colonization by AM fungi was determined in field samples 2–3 times over the growing season in crops in the rotation, namely in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Sardona), vetch-rye and grass-clover. We found the percentage of root length colonized by AM fungi to be 30–60% higher (P≤0.05) in the plants grown in soils from the low-input farming systems than in those grown in conventionally farmed soils. Approximately 50% of the variation of AM root colonization was explained by chemical properties of the soils (pH, soluble P and K, exchangeable Mg), the effect of soluble soil P being most pronounced. The potential of the field soils from the differently managed plots to cause symbiosis with AM fungi was tested in a glasshouse experiment, using wheat as a host plant. Soils from the low-input farming systems had a greatly enhanced capacity to initiate AM symbiosis. The relative differences in this capacity remained similar when propagules of the AM fungus Glomus mosseae were experimentally added to the soils, although overall root colonization by AM fungi was 2.8 times higher. Received: 27 August 1999     

Meeting the UK's climate change commitments: options for carbon mitigation on agricultural land

Abstract. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union is committed to an 8% reduction in CO₂ emissions, compared to baseline (1990) levels, during the first commitment period (2008–2012). However, within the overall EU agreement, the UK is committed to a 12.5% reduction. In this paper, we estimate the carbon mitigation potential of various agricultural land-management strategies (Kyoto Article 3.4) and examine the consequences of UK and European policy options on the potential for carbon mitigation.
We show that integrated agricultural land management strategies have considerable potential for carbon mitigation. Our figures suggest the following potentials (Tg yr⁻¹) for each scenario: animal manure, 3.7; sewage sludge, 0.3; cereal straw incorporation, 1.9; no-till farming, 3.5; agricultural extensification, 3.3; natural woodland regeneration, 3.2 and bioenergy crop production, 4.1. A realistic land-use scenario combining a number of these individual management options has a mitigation potential of 10.4 Tg C yr⁻¹ (equivalent to about 6.6% of 1990 UK CO₂-carbon emissions). An important resource for carbon mitigation in agriculture is the surplus arable land, but in order to fully exploit it, policies governing the use of surplus arable land would need to be changed. Of all options examined, bioenergy crops show the greatest potential. Bioenergy crop production also shows an indefinite mitigation potential compared to other options where the potential is infinite.
The UK will not attempt to meet its climate change commitments solely through changes in agricultural land-use, but since all sources of carbon mitigation will be important in meeting these commitments, agricultural options should be taken very seriously.     

Analysis of soil-vegetation systems' sensitivity to changes of climate-dependent carbon turnover parameters

 The nonlinear model of the carbon cycle in soils (NAMSOM) was used to analyze the sensitivity of soil organic matter levels to variations in carbon turnover parameters. We were able to predict the sensitivity of soil organic matter levels to variations of climate-dependent carbon turnover parameters, which allowed us to compare the sensitivity of soil organic matter levels to net primary productivity of plant communities and plant debris decomposition rate constants across the range of soils in the European part of Russia. The results indicate that meadow steppes show the lowest sensitivity to variations of these parameters. In passing from meadow steppes to the northern taiga and to semideserts, the sensitivity increases. In general, soil organic matter levels of boreal forest ecosystems are about 2–3 times more sensitive to input and decomposition of plant debris than to decomposition of humus. In subboreal grassland ecosystems the sensitivity to humus decomposition increases and becomes closer to the degree of sensitivity shown by soil organic matter levels to variations of productivity and decomposition of plant debris. The proposed method may be useful for predicting the response of ecosystems to climatic change. Received: 1 December 1997     

潮土小麦碳氮含量对长期不同施肥模式的响应

【目的】以潮土21年长期定位试验为基础,分析不同施肥模式下冬小麦不同生育期的地上部生物量、碳氮含量、碳氮比及碳氮积累量,探讨冬小麦碳氮含量对不同施肥模式的响应规律。【方法】试验包括不施肥(CK)、单施氮肥(N)、施氮磷肥(NP)、施氮钾肥(NK)、氮磷钾配施(NPK)、氮磷钾肥配施有机肥(NPKM)、施氮磷钾肥及玉米秸秆还田(NPKS)7个处理。在2011 2012年冬小麦生长季,分别采集越冬、拔节、灌浆、成熟四个生育时期地上部植株样品,利用Euro Vector EA3000型元素分析仪对小麦植株样品的全碳、全氮含量进行测定。【结果】NPK、NPKM和NPKS处理均能显著提高各生育期小麦地上部干重,其中NPKM处理小麦地上部干重在越冬、拔节、灌浆、成熟期分别比CK提高了111%、194%、238%、206%,除越冬期外,等量氮肥条件下,NPK、NPKM和NPKS 3个处理间小麦同一生育期地上部干重无显著差异,说明与氮磷钾配施相比,有机无机配施与秸秆还田这两种措施并不能显著提高小麦地上部生物量;小麦地上部碳含量受不同施肥影响很小,不同生育期小麦地上部碳含量平均值为410 g/kg;小麦成熟期地上部氮含量以N和NK处理最高,分别达到19.4和18.1 g/kg,其中N处理小麦地上部氮含量分别比NPKM和NPKS处理高52%和66%。随着生育期的推移,各处理小麦氮含量逐渐降低,总体表现为越冬期拔节期灌浆期≥成熟期;在整个生育期中各施肥处理碳含量基本保持不变而氮含量呈逐渐下降趋势,这就使得各施肥处理地上部分C/N比随生育期的推移呈逐渐增加趋势;不同施肥下小麦碳积累量差异性和地上部干物质重差异性规律一致,而不同施肥下地上部氮积累量差异性不同于干物质重的差异性,以NP处理最高,达545 kg/hm2,分别比NPKM和NPKS处理高61%和68%。【结论】施肥方式不能显著改变小麦碳含量但能影响氮含量,因此小麦生物量大小决定了其碳的积累量,相应地,C/N比大小则由氮含量决定。氮磷钾配施、有机无机配施及秸秆还田处理下,小麦具有较高的生物量从而具有较高的碳氮积累量,这有利于增加农田系统碳、氮积累,提升土壤碳、氮肥力。     

三峡库区消落带湿地土壤有机碳及其组分特征

湿地生态系统土壤有机碳库的组分变化对于全球碳平衡起着极其重要的作用。本研究选取三峡库区消落带湿地3个海拔梯度的土壤,以从未淹没的样地作为对照,研究消落带湿地不同海拔梯度土壤有机碳组分的特征。结果表明:土壤有机碳、易氧化有机碳、水溶性碳水化合物有机碳和和微生物生物量碳均以消落带小于未淹没样地。在消落带,海拔最低、淹没持续时间较长且正处于水位波动期的样地土壤有机碳、易氧化碳和微生物生物量碳显著低于其他样地,而土壤矿化碳显著高于其他样地。相关性分析表明,土壤有机碳与微生物生物量碳(R~2=0.94)的正相关性显著高于与易氧化有机碳(R~2=0.88)、水溶性有机碳(R~2=0.73)及其水溶性碳水化合物(R~2=0.70)之间的正相关性,但是与矿化碳之间无显著的相关性。因此,土壤微生物生物量碳是消落带湿地土壤有机碳随不同海拔梯度变化的最敏感的组分。     

玉米茎秆汁液对土壤的减水减沙效益及其机理

为研究土壤改良剂玉米茎秆汁液对中国西部地区水土流失的影响和机理,该文通过室内土壤理化性质测定和人工模拟降雨试验,研究了地表施加玉米茎秆汁液对土壤团聚体的平均重量直径、土壤有机质质量分数和土壤减水减沙效益的影响。试验以未施加任何玉米茎秆汁液的黄土坡面为对照,设计单位面积玉米茎秆汁液施加量1 041.7 mL/m2,施加汁液体积分数25%和50%,降雨强度为50 mm/h,研究玉米茎秆汁液施加对土壤减水减沙的影响。结果表明,玉米茎秆汁液的施加可以增加土壤有机质的含量,提高土壤团聚体的平均重量直径,降低产流产沙速率。对照、体积分数25%和50%汁液施加下的土壤团聚体平均重量直径分别为0.18、0.46和0.51 mm,土壤有机质质量分数分别为5.70%、6.75%和7.17%。较对照,体积分数25%和50%汁液施加下,土壤的减水效益分别为45.81%和48.34%,减沙效益分别为65.00%和75.47%。玉米茎秆汁液的减水减沙效益随时间的推移而降低,月均减水、减沙效益降低量约为1.25%和1.41%,研究中施加体积分数25%和50%汁液的土壤减水减沙效益约可持续3和4.5 a。综上,玉米茎秆汁液作为土壤改良剂在施加量为1 041.7 mL/m2时,茎秆汁液与水的体积比为1:1时,效果较好。该研究可以为将玉米茎秆汁液作为土壤改良剂用于土壤侵蚀的防治提供施放参考。     

蜡样芽孢杆菌及其生物被膜对有机酸及乙醇的抗性比较

为比较蜡样芽孢杆菌及其生物被膜对环境压力的抗性,该文主要研究了4种有机酸（乙酸、柠檬酸、乳酸和苹果酸）和乙醇对蜡样芽孢杆菌及其生物被膜存活率的影响。结果表明：生物被膜态蜡样芽孢杆菌对乙酸的抗性高于浮游态菌。扫描电镜结果显示,经乙酸处理后,浮游态蜡样芽孢杆菌的细胞表面严重受损,而生物被膜态菌的表面形态未发生明显变化。在柠檬酸、乳酸、苹果酸和乙醇存在的条件下,生物被膜态蜡样芽孢杆菌比浮游态菌表现出更强的压力抗性,特别是在高浓度（有机酸16%～20%,乙醇50%～60%）的情况下,该现象尤为显著。因此,在食品工业中控制被膜态蜡样芽孢杆菌对预防和阻止食品腐败非常重要。该研究结果为实际生产中有效控制蜡样芽孢杆菌及其生物被膜的形成提供参考。