Evaluation of phosphorus bioavailability in El Mex Bay and Lake Mariut sediments

Phosphorus (P) fractions and their bioavailability in the sediments from El Mex Bay and Lake Mariut in Egypt were investigated using different chemical extraction methods. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) extractable P (Olsen-P) was the largest fraction (14.42%), followed by algal available P (AAP) (3.56%), water soluble P (WSP) (0.79%), and readily desorbable P (RDP) (0.06%) for El Mex Bay. While AAP con-tributed 9.94% to total P in sediments from Lake Mariut, Olsen-P 8.53%, WSP 4.11%, and RDP 0.92%. Summation of the bioavailable P fractions didn't exceed the sediment quality guidelines, and, therefore, P doesn't represent a danger to marine organisms. Correlation coefficients showed that no apparent relations between total P (TP) and iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), and calcium (Ca) in the sediments. Fur-thermore, Fe:P ratio was less than 15 indicting that there was not enough Fe in surface sediments to bind to P at most of the sampling sites. The positive correlation between TP and organic matter (OM) for Lake Mariut and El Mex Bay sediments indicated that the organic matter content of the sediment was a useful predictor of the total phosphorus content. Data from this study constitute a baseline of phosphorus bioavailability in sediments from El Mex Bay and Lake Mariut and could be used as a reference for future studies on the changes of bioavailable and residual phosphorus fractions over time.     

Soil Microbial and Enzyme Activities Response to Pollution Near an Aluminium Smelter

The aim of this research was to assess the impact caused by a long‐term pollution by fluoride and heavy metals in two soils (PS1 and PS2) near an aluminium smelter in Slovakia, on soil microbial biomass C (MBC), basal respiration, metabolic quotient (qCO₂) water‐soluble organic C (WSOC) and enzymes activities involved in the C, N and P biogeochemical cycles. An unpolluted soil was used as control (C0). Results obtained for soil fluoride content reflected a gradient of fluoride exposure in topsoils of contaminated sites. Decreases in microbial and enzymatic activities and in MBC to organic C ratio were found in PS2 site, which is closer to the smelter and exhibited the highest fluoride content. PS1‐soil showed an extreme alkaline pH caused by leaching of waste effluents from the smelter dumping site, higher contents of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd, significantly larger MBC, qCO₂ and catalase and urease activities, and much larger basal respiration and dehydrogenase activity than PS2 and C0‐soil. Phosphatase, β‐glucosidase and BAA‐protease were negatively correlated with WSOC, basal respiration and dehydrogenase activity, and showed some degree of inhibition in polluted sites. These results may indicate different responses of microbial communities to ecosystem disturbances, caused by the drastic changes in soil's physicochemical properties as result of the long‐term emissions of fly ash with high levels of contaminants that are still affecting soil microbial and enzymatic activities.     

Composition and flux of suspended organic matter in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) — impact of the Three Gorges Dam and the role of tributaries and channel erosion

To investigate the sources of particulate organic matter (POM) and the impact of Three Gorges Dam (TGD), two large lakes and erosion processes on determining the composition and flux of POM in low water discharge periods along the middle and lower Changjiang, suspended particulate samples were collected along the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) in January 2008. Organic geochemistry of bulk sediment (particulate organic carbon, organic carbon to nitrogen molar ratio (C/N), stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) and grain size) and biomarker of bulk sediment (lignin phenols) were measured to trace the sources of POM. The range of C/N ratios (6.4–8.9), δ¹³C (?24.3‰ – ?26.2‰) and lignin phenols concentration Λ8 (0.45 mg/100 mg OC‐2.00 mg/100 mg OC) of POM suggested that POM originated from the mixture of soil, plant tissue and autochthonous organic matter (OM) during the dry season. POM from lakes contained a higher portion of terrestrial OM than the mainstream, which was related to sand mining and hydropower erosion processes. A three end‐member model based on δ¹³C and Λ8 was performed. The results indicated that soil contributed approximately 50% of OM to the POM, which is the dominant OM source in most stations. POM composition was affected by total suspended matter (TSM) and grain size composition, and the direct OM input from two lakes and channel erosion induced OM. The lower TSM concentration in January 2008 was mainly caused by seasonal variations; the impact from the TGD in the dry season was relatively small. A box model indicated that more than 90% of the terrestrial OM transported by the Changjiang in January 2008 was from the middle and lower drainage basins. Channel erosion induced OM, and contributions from Poyang Lake were the major terrestrial OM sources in the dry season. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Comparative Study of the Use of Organoclay‐Based Formulations and Organic Amendment to Reduce the Leaching of the Herbicide MCPA in Soil

MCPA (4‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxyacetic acid) is an acidic herbicide widely used on olive crops in Spain. Due to its anionic form at natural soil pH, there is high risk of leaching and groundwater contamination by the use of this herbicide. The aim of this work was to study the effects of organoclay‐based formulations of MCPA and olive oil waste amendment on MCPA leaching in a sandy loam soil. For this purpose, batch adsorption and column leaching studies were performed. The organoclays used to prepare the clay‐based formulations of MCPA were obtained by treating Wyoming montmorillonite (SWy‐2) and Arizona montmorillonite (SAz‐1) with an amount of hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) cation equal to 100% of the CEC of the montmorillonites. The organic residue used in this study was a solid waste from olive oil production (olive oil waste, OOW). The soil was amended with the organic residue at the rate of 10% (w/w). Batch release and column leaching studies indicated that organoclay‐based formulations of MCPA reduced the release rate and the leaching of the herbicide as compared to the use of a conventional formulation containing the herbicide in an immediately available form. The increase in soil organic matter of the soil upon amendment with the organic residue also resulted in greater adsorption and reduced leaching of MCPA in the soil. Accordingly, both the use of organoclay‐based formulations and the amendment of soil with OOW are proposed as efficient strategies to reduce extensive leaching losses associated with the application of MCPA in high‐risk scenarios, such as Mediterranean olive groves.     

Assessments of Potential Spatial‐temporal Variations in Phosphorus Distribution and Fractionation in River Bed Sediments

Sediment characteristics influence the distribution and bioavailability of phosphorus (P) in river sediments. In this study, we analyzed different P fractions in the sediments of the Bronx River, New York City, NY, using sequential extraction. The results showed that the average P pool rank order was HCl?P > NaOH?P > NaHCO₃?P > residue?P, and their relative proportions were 3.7: 2.0: 1.4: 1 in sediments collected in 2006, while HCl?P > NaOH?P > residue?P > NaHCO₃?P, with their relative proportions of 27.8:6.2:2.7:1 in the sediments obtained in 2007. The strong correlation between microbial P and organic P (OP), along with the changes in microbial P over time indicate that most of the OP in the river bed sediments is potentially bioavailable. The sediment transport, deposition, assimilation, the exchange of P between sediments and water columns, the land use changes, raw sewer discharge, gas spill, construction, fertilizer application, etc., as well as the hydro‐climatic changes could result in the spatial and temporal variations in P bioavailability in the river bed sediments. The estimations of P pools and their bioavailability in river bed sediments could help determine the spatial and temporal variations in P transport and impacts of land use on water quality, in turn, help regulate P in the river's watershed.     

Changes in carbon and nitrogen cycling in a floodplain lake over recent decades linked to littoral expansion,declining riverine influx,and eutrophication

This study aimed to understand changes in the biogeochemical processing of organic matter (OM) in response to multiple stressors (e.g., littoral area expansion, wastewater input, and hydrological regulation) in East Dongting Lake (Central China) over the past 60 years, using analyses of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratios, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and diatoms from 2 sediment cores collected from the littoral and central parts of the lake. OM mainly originated from phytoplankton and C₃ plant‐derived soil OM based on the ranges of C/N ratios (from 7 to 11) and δ¹³C (between ?27‰ and ?23‰). Littoral area expansion due to siltation caused an increasing influx of terrestrial soil OM in the 1980s and the 1990s, subsequently lowering δ¹³C values and rising C/N ratios in both sediment cores. Meanwhile, higher δ¹⁵N was linked to a high influx of isotopically heavy nitrate from urban and agricultural wastewaters. After 2000, slight decreases in TOC and TN in the littoral area were attributable to reducing inputs of external OM, likely linked to declining sediment influx from the upper reaches resulting from the Three Gorges Dam impoundment. Contrasting increases in TOC, TN, and C/N ratios in the central part indicated a high influx of terrestrial soil OM due to the declining distance from the shoreline with littoral area expansion. Declining δ¹⁵N values after 2000 indicated an increase in N₂‐fixing cyanobacteria with eutrophication. Changes in diatom assemblages in both the littoral and central zones reflected nutrient enrichment and hydrological alterations. These results indicate that littoral expansion, declining riverine influx, and anthropogenic nutrient inputs are potential driving forces for the biogeochemical processing of OM in floodplain lakes. This study provides sedimentary biogeochemical clues for tracking past limnological conditions of floodplain lakes that are subjected to increasing disturbances from hydrological regulation and eutrophication.     

三峡库区消落带土壤有机质和全氮含量分布特征

在三峡库区消落带落干期间(2010年4月),对库区巫山-重庆主城区段消落带土壤有机质(OM)和全氮(TN)含量分布及与土壤理化性质的相关性进行了调查研究.结果表明该区域消落带土壤OM和TN含量均较低,分别为10.70±4.03和0.84±0.39 mg/g,且服从正态分布.消落带土壤碳氮比(C/N)较低,推测消落带土壤无机氮在淹水期间存在向上覆水体释放的可能性.在与其它关于土壤OM和TN含量研究的比较中,研究区域内土壤OM和TN含量处于偏低的水平;而在与对照带样品的比较分析中发现,消落带样品的OM和TN含量变异系数均偏低,因此消落带干湿交替可减小不同区域消落带之间土壤OM和TN含量差异.相关性分析表明,消落带土壤pH、ORP、TN与OM之间呈显著正相关,可见研究范围内消落带土壤氮形态可能主要以有机氮的形式存在于有机质中,而C/N与TN呈负相关,与OM相关性不显著,表明C/N的大小主要取决于TN含量.     

北京官厅水库流域农田地表径流生物可利用磷流失规律

在模拟降雨条件下(30-69mm/39min),对官厅水库流域玉米地和休闲地地表径流泥沙和生物可利用磷(BAP)流失进行了初步研究. 累积泥沙产量受雨强、坡度和作物覆盖影响,变幅为305.1-24933.4g/10m2;径流平均颗粒态生物可利用磷(BPP)、溶解态磷(SP)浓度都超出水体允许临界值0.02mg/L,表明流域农田地表径流对库区水体存在潜在污染危害;径流累积BAP流失达0.08-4.804g/10m2,估算的农田径流BAP流失达0.49kg/(hm2.a)以上. 79.7%以上的BAP是颗粒态的. 研究结果有助于采取措施减少农田径流向库区输入生物可利用磷、准确地评估流域农业管理实践对水库水质的影响.     

Incorporation of Heavy Metals Bioavailability into Risk Characterization

The bioavailability of field‐aged Cd and Cu was calculated, and compared to the total concentrations determined by acid digestion. Only 0.60–4.15% for Cd and 0.59–9.43% for Cu were found to be bioavailable when determined by stomach‐phase extraction. The incorporation of bioavailability reduced more than 90% of the calculated risk of the metals at the site of study. It should be noted that such a reduction may not be generalized and the site‐specific bioavailability needs to be determined case by case.     

Determination of EC50 Values for Cu,Zn, and Cr on Microorganisms Activity in a Mediterranean Sandy Soil

Ecotoxicity of three potentially toxic metals (PTM) (Cu, Zn, and Cr) in a slightly acidic sandy soil is tested using the soil respiration test (OECD‐217) in order to determine EC₅₀ values for the carbon transformation activity of microorganisms. Addition of an organic amendment of Populus leaves is also crossed with metal spiking in order to investigate possible interaction with metal toxicity. Soil respiration is measured at day 1 and 28 after the soil spiking with the PTM to assess short‐term effects on soil microbial activity. Of the three metals tested, Cu shows the highest toxicity at the longest exposure times (day 28) and Zn shows a strong inhibitory effect in the short‐term (day 1), even though later toxicity diminish significantly. Cr is the least toxic studied PTM. Organic amendment outweighs any adverse effects of these metals, increasing soil respiration, even in the treatments with high doses of metals.     

Spatial and temporal variations of nutrient concentration in the groundwater of a floodplain: effect of hydrology,vegetation and substrate

Spatio‐temporal variations in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in groundwater were analysed and related to the variations in hydrological conditions, vegetation type and substrate in an alluvial ecosystem. This study was conducted in the Illwald forest in the Rhine Plain (eastern France) to assess the removal of nutrients from groundwater in a regularly flooded area. We compared both forest and meadow ecosystems on clayey‐silty soils with an anoxic horizon (pseudogley) at 1·5–2 m depth (eutric gley soil) and a forest ecosystem on a clayey‐silty fluviosoil rich in organic matter with a gley at 0·5 m depth (calcaric gley soil). Piezometers were used to measure the nutrient concentrations in the groundwater at 2 m depth in the root layer and at 4·5 m depth, below the root layer. Lower concentrations of nitrate and phosphate in groundwater were observed under forest than under meadow, which could be explained by more efficient plant uptake by woody species than herbaceous plants. Thus NO₃‐N inputs by river floods were reduced by 73% in the shallow groundwater of the forested ecosystem, and only by 37% in the meadow. Compared with the superficial groundwater layer, the lowest level of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃‐N) and the highest level of ammonium nitrogen (NH₄‐N) were measured in the deep layer (under the gley horizon at 2·5 m depth), which suggests that the reducing potential of the anoxic horizon in the gley soils contributes to the reduction of nitrate. Nitrate concentrations were higher in the groundwater of the parcel rich in organic matter than in the one poorer in organic matter. Phosphate (PO₄‐P) concentrations in both shallow and deep groundwater are less than 62 to 76% of those found in surface water which can be related to the retention capacity of the clay colloids of these soils. Moreover, the temporal variations in nutrient concentrations in groundwater are directly related to variations in groundwater level during an annual hydrological cycle. Our results suggest that variations in groundwater level regulate spatio‐temporal variations in nutrient concentrations in groundwater as a result of the oxidation–reduction status of soil, which creates favourable or unfavourable conditions for nutrient bioavailability. The hydrological variations are much more important than those concerning substrate and type of vegetation. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of Humification Processes in Recycling Organic Wastes of Various Nature and Sources as Soil Amendments

Recycling the large amounts of organic wastes produced by agriculture, forestry, urban and industrial activities as soil, organic amendments are the most popular and efficient option for avoiding their dispersion in the environment and restoring, maintaining, and/or improving the content of soil organic matter. Chemical stability and biological maturity are two important factors for the successful use of organic wastes in agriculture with limited risk for the surrounding environment. Stabilization and maturation of raw organic wastes inherently imply the achievement of an extensive humification, that is, a wide conversion of easily degradable organic matter to refractory organic compounds that resemble native soil humic substances (HS). Soil HS are the most important components of soil organic matter responsible of several soil functions and processes. As a consequence, the amount and quality of HS‐like fractions in any organic amendment are believed to be of primary importance for its agronomic efficacy, environmental safety and economic value. The first part of this review focuses on the chemical and physico‐chemical changes occurring in the humic substances (HS) ‐like fractions of organic wastes of various nature and sources subjected to common treatment processes aimed at producing environmentally‐safe soil amendments with beneficial agronomic properties. The second part discusses the composition, structure, and chemical reactivity of the HS‐like components in organic amendments of various origins and nature, and their effects on native soil HS. The review concludes by highlighting the need for innovative research targeted mainly to achieve a better fundamental understanding of the molecular structure and reactivity of soil HS and HS‐like fractions in organic amendments, the mechanisms of HS formation and transformations in the natural environment and during the treatment processes of raw organic wastes, the interactions with metals and organic xenobiotics, and the direct physiological effects that HS may exert on plants.     

Soil phosphorus bioavailability assessed by XANES and Hedley sequential fractionation technique in a glacier foreland chronosequence in Gongga Mountain,Southwestern China

The primary productivity of terrestrial ecosystems is influenced by soil phosphorus bioavailability, which depends largely on chemical fractions of phosphorus. The sequential fractionation technique developed by Hedley et al. or its subsequent modification is a well-known method to determine soil phosphorus forms. Hedley sequential fractionation technique separates the phosphorus into fractions based on their different chemical solubilities in extractants with certain chemical properties. Recently, synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy has been employed to measure soil phosphorus species directly and non-invasively. The XANES method provides information concerning local structure and chemical information of target elements at a molecular level. Thus, it can distinguish phosphorus fractions bound by metal oxides or hydroxides (such as Fe, Al, and Ca). In this present work, the phosphorus speciation of topsoil along a glacial foreland chronosequence in Gongga Mountain is determined using these two methods. The changes in soil phosphorus bioavailability along the 120-year-old chronosequence are assessed based on comparisons of the results obtained by these two methods. The results indicate that Hedley sequential fractionation technique shows a greater ability to determine soil bioavailable phosphorus (Resin-P and NaCHO₃-P), while XANES is effective in distinguishing phosphorus bound by metal compounds. In the chronosequence, Ca- and Al-bound phosphorus were derived mainly from primary minerals, whose phosphorus contents decreased within 120 years of moraine weathering and soil development. The content of soil bioavailable phosphorus increased rapidly after 30 years since deglaciation. The increasing phosphorus bioavailability promoted the colonizing and primary succession vegetation.     

How the capacity of bedrock to collect dust and produce soil affects phosphorus bioavailability in the northern Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania

More above-ground biomass (kg m⁻²) grows in the northern Appalachian Mountains (USA) in forests on shale than on sandstone at all landscape positions other than ridgetops. This has been tentatively attributed to physical (rather than chemical) attributes of the substrates, such as elevation, particle size, and water capacity. However, shales have generally similar phosphorus (P) concentrations to sandstones and, in the Valley and Ridge province, they erode more quickly. This led us to hypothesize that faster replenishment of the lithogenic nutrient P in shale soils through erosion + soil production could instead control the differences in biomass. To test this, soils and foliage from 10 sites on shales and sandstones in the northern Appalachians from roughly the same elevation and aspect were analysed. We discovered that, when controlling for location, concentrations of bioavailable P in soils and P in foliage were higher and P resorbed from senescing red oak leaves was lower on slower-eroding sandstone than on faster-eroding shale. Lower resorption generally can be attributed to lower P limitation for trees. Further investigation of weathering and erosion on one of the sandstone–shale pairs within a larger, paired watershed study revealed that the differences in P concentrations in biomass and foliage between lithologies likely developed because sandstones act as ‘collectors’ that trap nutrients from residual and exogenous sources, while shales erode quickly and thus promote production of soil from bedrock that releases P to ecosystems. We concluded that the combined effects of differential rates of dust collection and erosion results in roughly equal biomass growing on sandstone and shale ridgetops. This work emphasizes the balance between a landscape's capacity to collect dust versus produce soil in controlling bioavailability of nutrients.     

Spatial and temporal variations in source,diagenesis, and fate of organic matter in sediments of the Netravati River,India

Organic matter (OM) such as organic nitrogen plays a substantial role in the global biogeochemical cycling of bio‐reactive components—amino acids (AA) in aquatic environments. Spatial and temporal variations in source, diagenesis, and fate of organic nitrogen such as AA in sediments of small tropical rivers and the role of oxbow/meandering loops under changing climatic conditions are poorly investigated. This study assessed the spatial and seasonal variations in OM composition, source, and diagenesis of a tropical small mountainous river—Netravati River, India, for 1 year. Water samples were determined for suspended particulate matter, and surface sediments were examined for bulk parameters, surface area (SA), and the L‐ and D‐enantiomers of AA. The L‐ and D‐enantiomers of AA displayed subtle seasonal variations in composition and depicted varying degrees of diagenesis. The concentration of D‐enantiomer of AA was high and showed substantial contributions from bacteria, terrestrial source, and in situ production. The D‐arginine was the most abundant D‐enantiomer of AA in the study area, possibly due to extracellular secretion by bacterial species and adsorption onto sediments, and thus, it was protected from degradation. Degradation index was more negative at the oxbow and meandering loop stations during the dry season suggesting that local geomorphologic settings steer the diagenesis of OM within the river. A negative relationship between gamma‐aminobutyric acid and organic carbon:surface area (OC:SA) ratio and a positive correlation between tyrosine and OC:SA ratio suggested accelerated loss of OM. Furthermore, the concentrations of most bulk parameters were higher in the lower reaches during monsoon and premonsoon seasons. Taken together, changes in seasons have an operational control in distinguishing the composition, source, and diagenesis of spatial OM distribution. Moreover, oxbows and river meandering loops influence the diagenetic processes in small tropical river systems.     

Isotopic fractionation induced by a surface effect influences the estimation of the hydrological process of topsoil

Isotopic heterogeneity in soil water has hindered the application of isotope compositions (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) in soil water dynamics. This heterogeneity has been suggested to be caused by soil properties such as organic matter (OM) and clay content. However, this is yet to be verified in field soil. We sampled the organic layer (O-horizon soil) with highly decomposed organic material and the A-horizon soil in western Sichuan, China, and equilibrated these samples with vapour created by unconfined labelling water. The relationship between soil properties and isotopic fractionation (ε_T/U) between unconfined water and the total soil water was used to determine the line-conditioned excess (lc-excess) and source rain of A-horizon field soil by removing the influence of confined water. Equilibration experiments demonstrated a significant isotopic difference between the ε_T/U levels in the A-horizon and O-horizon soils, indicating that OM plays an important role in isotopic fractionation. In field samples, the lc-excess of the unconfined A-horizon water was, on an average, 2.5‰ higher than that of bulk soil water. The average offsets between the annual rain and the estimated source rain of soil water decreased by 5.0 and 0.5‰ for hydrogen and oxygen after removing the influence of confined water. Isotopic heterogeneity should not be ignored while examining the evaporation of soil water, soil source rain, and hence the recent ‘two water worlds’ hypothesis, which is especially true for cases in which the soils contain high levels of OM.     

Spectroscopic Characterization of Organic Structures and Organic‐Inorganic Interactions in Paper Mill Sludge

The organic composition and organic‐inorganic interaction in paper mill sludge (PS) solvent extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone and ethanol) and humic fractions, humic acid (HA) and humin (HU) were studied by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), proton and carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR; ¹³C NMR), Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy (UV‐vis). The strategy of fractionating the PS, sequentially, with organic solvents of increasing polarity is a reliable analytical procedure for humic substance sample separation because it results in more purified fractions. FTIR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR results showed that hexane extract consisted mainly of aliphatic hydrocarbon structures. Their contents in the extracts decreased as the polarity of the extracting solvent increased and the content of oxygen functional groups increased. Carboxylic and carboxylate functional groups were found in the acetone extract, and ester and ether functions were predominantly found in the ethanol extract. EPR spectra revealed some Fe³⁺ complexes with rhombic structure (g₁ = 4.3; g₂ = 9.0) in the humic fractions and in all solvent extracts, except hexane. Quasi‐octahedral Fe³⁺ complexes (g = 2.3; ΔH_pp ≤ 400 G) were found in the HU fraction and in the acetone extract. The organic free radical content in the HA fraction was higher than the non‐fractionated PS sample and HU fraction.     

What is groundwater and what does this mean to fauna? - An opinion

Many subsurface waters are considered groundwater but are influenced in shallow depths by hyporheic, parafluvial and/or soil interception water to such a degree that groundwater fauna (stygofauna) communities may be significantly altered. Recharge, even if spatially and temporally distinct, delivers input of dissolved oxygen, organic matter (OM), and nutrients that caters sustainably for ubiquists such as stygophiles and hyporheic fauna, but renders the life of uncompetitive stygobites difficult or impossible. The impact of recharge at shallow groundwater thus needs to be taken into account when determining groundwater fauna reference communities and when evaluating monitoring studies.One of the main characteristics of groundwater is low OM concentration. In contrast, high OM concentrations are typical of hyporheic or parafluvial waters, which are enriched by OM from the river, the riparian soils and from interflow, and which contribute significantly to river OM balance. Consequently, for ecological studies on subsurface waters, both the origin of the water and OM, and the intensity of surface water interactions should be considered. Here, we discuss how groundwater spatial and temporal heterogeneity translates into faunal distribution patterns. In terms of the origin of water and OM, and from an ecological point of view, we need to distinguish between (i) shallow groundwater characterized by infiltrating precipitation and soil recharge, (ii) shallow groundwater interacting with surface water bodies such as continuously flowing and ephemeral streams and rivers, and (iii) “old” groundwater which has no recent connections to the surface and is thus largely secluded from input of nutrients and carbon. Water in the first two groups is characterized by high amounts of OM of varying quality, while water in the third group is characterized by low amounts of low quality OM. Consequently, stygophiles dominate in groups 1 and 2, with hyporheic fauna taking up a considerable proportion in group 2, while stygobites only dominate in group 3. Thus, for studies aiming to assess impacts on groundwater, only sampling sites of the third group should be used for reference sites as these are the most likely sites to have little surface impact and a stygofauna representative of the deeper aquifer.     

The effect of conservation tillage on runoff erosivity and soil erodibility during concentrated flow

Crop residues in conservation tillage systems are known to cause both a reduction in the erosive runoff power and an increase in the topsoil erosion resistance. In this study, the relative importance of both mechanisms in reducing soil loss by concentrated flow erosion is examined. Therefore, a method to calculate the effective flow shear stress responsible for soil detachment in the presence of a residue cover is applied. The determination of effective flow shear stress is based on the recalculation of the hydraulic radius for residue treatments. The method was tested in a laboratory flume by comparing soil detachment rates of identical pairs of soil samples that only differ in the presence or absence of crop residues. This shear stress partitioning approach and a soil detachment correction were then applied to a dataset of soil detachment measurements on undisturbed topsoil samples from a no‐till field plot on a loess‐derived soil, sampled during one growing season. Results indicate that only a small fraction (10% on average) of the difference in soil detachment rate between conventional and conservation tillage can be attributed to the dissipation of shear forces on the residues. The remaining decrease in soil detachment during concentrated runoff after a two‐year application of conservation tillage can be explained by the increased dry bulk density and root and crop residue content in the topsoil that reduces soil erodibility. After correcting for the presence of residues, the temporal variability in soil detachment rates (D_r) during concentrated flow for a given flow shear stress (τ) for both treatments can be predicted fairly well (R² = 0·87) from dry soil bulk density (DBD, representing consolidation effects), soil moisture content (SMC, representing antecedent rainfall conditions), the dry mass of organic material (OM, representing root growth and residue decomposition) and saturated soil shear strength σ_{s, sat} using an equation of the form: This study is the first to show that the effect of conservation tillage on soil detachment rates is a result of soil property modifications affecting soil erodibility, rather than a result of the surface residue decreasing flow erosivity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Moisture characteristics and their point pedotransfer functions for coarse‐textured tropical soils differing in structural degradation status

The effect of soil structure on hydraulic pedotransfer functions (PTFs) in tropical soils with similar mineralogy and texture has not been well documented. Structurally contrasting soils from representative locations in southeastern Nigeria were analyzed for moisture retention at 0, 6, 10, 33, 100, 300 and 1500 kPa among other properties. They were grouped by depth (topsoils or subsoils) and also by their structural degradation status into low‐ and high‐stability soils, corresponding to organic matter (OM):[silt + clay] of <7.5 and >7.5%, respectively. Soil depth and structural stability influenced the soil moisture characteristic curves. The data were fitted to three tropical point PTFs, but none of them proved appropriate for predicting moisture retention in the soils. We therefore derived new ones using multiple linear stepwise regressions before and after the dataset grouping and compared their performances by means of cross‐validation. Moisture retention in the soils (sand content, 73.2–93.8%) could not be calibrated from texture and OM concentration alone, until when bulk density, total porosity and microporosity were included among the regressors. Microporosity's role was particularly outstanding at all matric potentials but the 1500 kPa. The ensuing PTFs represent a good fit for the soil moisture retention data. The two grouping strategies resulted in lower SE of the estimates in some cases, but this did not enhance the performances of the concerned PTFs. At the 1500 kPa, however, the PTF incorporating all datasets performed better than separate PTFs for topsoils/subsoils but worse than the one for high‐stability soils. Information on soil structure can therefore benefit PTF derivation for kaolinite‐dominated, coarse‐textured tropical soils at all the matric potentials considered. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.