Mapping of total nitrogen,available phosphorous and potassium in Amik Plain,Turkey

Soil nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium concentrations accurately revealed spatial distribution maps and site-specific management-prone areas through inverse distance weighting (IDW) method in the Amik Plain, Turkey. Spatial mapping of soil nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium is a very severe need to develop an economically and environmentally sound soil management plans. The objectives of this study were (a) to map spatial variability of total N, available P, and exchangeable-K content of Amik Plain’s soils and (b) to locate problematic areas requiring site specific management strategies for the nutrient elements. Spatial analyses of Kjeldhal-N, Olsen-P, and exchangeable-K concentrations of the soils were performed by the IDW method. Mean N content for surface soils (0–20 cm) was 1.38 g kg⁻¹, available P was 28.19 kg ha⁻¹ and exchangeable-K was 690 kg ha⁻¹ with the differences between maximum and minimum being 7.63 g N kg⁻¹, 242 kg P ha⁻¹, and 2,082 kg K ha⁻¹. For the surface soil, site-specific management-prone areas of Kjeldahl-N, Olsen-P, and exchangeable-K for “low and high + very high” classes were found to be 20.1–17.8%, 24.7–10.0%, and 4.1–39.6%, respectively. Consequently, lands with excessive nutrient elements require preventive-leaching practices, whereas nutrient-poor areas need fertilizer applications in favor of increasing plant production.     

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on soil respiration in temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia,China

Nitrogen addition to soil can play a vital role in influencing the losses of soil carbon by respiration in N-deficient terrestrial ecosystems. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of different levels of nitrogen fertilization (HN, 200 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹; MN, 100 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹; LN, 50 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) on soil respiration compared with non-fertilization (CK, 0 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), from July 2007 to September 2008, in temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Results showed that N fertilization did not change the seasonal patterns of soil respiration, which were mainly controlled by soil heat-water conditions. However, N fertilization could change the relationships between soil respiration and soil temperature, and water regimes. Soil respiration dependence on soil moisture was increased by N fertilization, and the soil temperature sensitivity was similar in the treatments of HN, LN, and CK treatments (Q ₁₀ varied within 1.70–1.74) but was slightly reduced in MN treatment (Q ₁₀ = 1.63). N fertilization increased soil CO₂ emission in the order MN > HN > LN compared with the CK treatment. The positive effects reached a significant level for HN and MN (P < 0.05) and reached a marginally significant level for LN (P = 0.059 < 0.1) based on the cumulative soil respiration during the 2007 growing season after fertilization (July–September 2007). Furthermore, the differences between the three fertilization treatments and CK reached the very significant level of 0.01 on the basis of the data during the first entire year after fertilization (July 2007–June 2008). The annual total soil respiration was 53, 57, and 24% higher than in the CK plots (465 g m⁻² year⁻¹). However, the positive effects did not reach the significant level for any treatment in the 2008 growing season after the second year fertilization (July–September 2008, P > 0.05). The pairwise differences between the three N-level treatments were not significant in either year (P > 0.05).     

Selection of bioindicators in coal-contaminated soils of Dhanbad,India

Coal handling, crushing, washing, and other processes of coal beneficiation liberate coal particulate matter, which would ultimately contaminate the nearby soils. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the status of soil bio-indicators in the surroundings of a coal beneficiation plant, (in relation to a control site). The coal beneficiation plant is located at Sudamudih, and the control site is 5 km away from the contaminated site, which is located in the colony of Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research Institute, Digwadih, Dhanbad. In order to estimate the impact of coal deposition on soil biochemical characteristics and to identify the most sensitive indicator, soil samples were taken from the contaminated and the control sites, and analyzed for soil organic carbon (SOC), soil N, soil basal respiration (BSR), substrate-induced respiration (SIR), and soil enzymes like dehydrogenase (DHA), catalase (CAT), phenol oxidase (PHE), and peroxidase (PER). Coal deposition on soils improved the SOC from 10.65 to 50.17 g kg⁻¹, CAT from 418.1 to 804.11 μg H₂O₂ g⁻¹ h⁻¹, BSR from 8.5 to 36.15 mg CO₂–C kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, and SIR from 24.3 to 117.14 mg CO₂–C kg⁻¹ day⁻¹. Soils receiving coal particles exhibited significant decrease in DHA (36.6 to 4.22 μg TPF g⁻¹ h⁻¹), PHE (0.031 to 0.017 μM g⁻¹ h⁻¹), PER (0.153 to 0.006 μM g⁻¹ h⁻¹), and soil N (55.82 to 26.18 kg ha⁻¹). Coal depositions significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the DHA to 8.8 times, PHE to 1.8 times, and PER to 25.5 times, but increased the SOC to 4.71 times, CAT to 1.9 times, SIR to 4.82 times, and BSR to 4.22 times. Based on principal component analysis and sensitivity test, soil peroxidase (an enzyme that plays a vital role in the degradation of the aromatic organic compounds) is found to be the most important indicator that could be considered as biomarkers for coal-contaminated soils.     

Contribution of a sewage sludge application to the short-term carbon sequestration across a wide range of agricultural soils

The atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) have increased dramatically since the industrial revolution. The atmospheric enrichment with CO₂ and other GHGs has resulted in multiple negative consequences: such as the increase in the average temperature and the rise of the sea level. Hence, there is a growing interest in developing feasible methods to reduce the atmospheric levels of these gases. One of these strategies is to enhance C sequestration through the increase of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool by the amendment of agricultural soils with sewage sludge. However, there is considerable uncertainty about the effects (positive or negative) of sewage sludge applications on the SOC pool. Thus, a simple approach developed under laboratory conditions is presented to discern the effect of a single sewage sludge application of 50 t ha⁻¹ on the short-term SOC pool in 60 contrasting agricultural soils. The role of soil factors in the C sequestration of the recently added carbon was also studied. The application of sewage sludge supposed a mean increase of 1.7 ± 1.6 g SOC kg⁻¹, with peak increases of up to 3.8 g SOC kg⁻¹ and decreases of up to 4.6 g SOC kg⁻¹. The initial SOC contents conditioned the C sequestration after sewage sludge application, and no other soil property was related.     

Comparison of soil organic carbon content,hydraulic conductivity,and particle size fractions between a grassland and a nearby black pine plantation of 40 years in two surface depths

In highlands of semiarid Turkey, ecosystems have been significantly transformed through human actions, and today changes are taking place very rapidly, causing harmful consequences such as soil degradation. This paper examines two neighboring land use types in Indagi Mountain Pass, Cankiri, Turkey, to determine effects of the conversion of Blackpine (Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana) plantation from grassland 40 years ago on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil erodibility (USLE-K). For this purpose, a total of 302 disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were taken at irregular intervals from two sites and from two soil depths of 0–10 cm (D₁) and 10–20 cm (D₂). In terms of SOC, conversion did not make any statistical difference between grassland and plantation; however, there were statistically significant differences with soil depth within each land use, and SOC contents significantly decreased with the soil depth (P < 0.05) and mostly accumulated in D₁. SOC values were 2.4 and 1.8% for grassland and 2.8 and 1.6% for plantation, respectively, at D₁ and D₂. USLE-K values also statistically differed significantly with the land use, and in contrast to the statistics of SOC, there was no change in USLE-K with the soil depth. Since USLE-K was estimated using SOC, hydraulic conductivity (HC) and soil textural composition––sand (S), silt (Si), and clay (C) contents of soils––as well as SOC did not change with the land use, we ascribed the changes of USLE-K with the land uses to the differences in the HC as strongly affected by the interactions between SOC and contents of S, Si, and C. On an average, the soil of the grassland (USLE-K = 0.161 t ha h ha⁻¹ MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹) was more erodible than those of the plantation (USLE-K = 0.126 t ha h ha⁻¹ MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹). Additionally, topographic factors, such as aspect and slope, were statistically effective on spatial distribution of the USLE-K and SOC.     

Soil erosion determinations by using 137Cs technique in the agricultural regions of Gediz Basin, Western Turkey

Gediz Basin is one of the regions where intense agricultural activities take place in Western Turkey. Erosion and soil degradation have long been causing serious problems to cultivated fields in the basin. This work describes the application of two different ¹³⁷Cs models for estimating soil erosion rates in cultivated sites of the region. Soil samples were collected from five distinct cultivated regions subject to soil erosion. The variations of ¹³⁷Cs concentrations with depth in soil profiles were investigated. Soil loss rates were calculated from ¹³⁷Cs inventories of the samples using both proportional model (PM) and simplified mass balance model (SMBM). When PM was used, erosion and deposition rates varied from −15 to −28 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and from +5 to +41 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively; they varied from −16 to −33 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and from +5 to +55 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ with SMBM. A good agreement was observed between the results of two models up to 30 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ soil loss and gain in the study area. Ulukent, a small representative agricultural field, was selected to compare the present data of ¹³⁷Cs techniques with the results obtained by universal soil loss equation (USLE) applied in the area before.     

Soil organic carbon storage changes in Yangtze Delta region,China

Soil carbon sequestration plays an essential role in mitigating CO₂ increases and the global greenhouse effect. This paper calculates soil organic carbon (SOC) storage changes during the course of industrialization and urbanization in Yangtze Delta region, China, based on the data of the second national soil survey (1982–1985) and the regional geochemical survey (2002–2005), with the help of remote sensing images acquired in periods of 1980, 2000, 2005. The results show that soils in the top 0–20 and 0–100 cm depth in this region demonstrate the carbon sink effect from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. The SOC storage in 0–20 cm depth has resulted in increase from 213.70 to 238.65 Tg, which corresponds to the SOC density increase from 2.94 ± 1.08 to 3.28 ± 0.92 kg m⁻², and mean carbon sequestration storage and rate are 1.25 Tg a⁻¹, 17.14 g m⁻² a⁻¹, respectively. The SOC storage in 0–100 cm depth has resulted in increase from 690.26 to 792.65 Tg, which corresponds to the SOC density increase from 9.48 ± 4.22 to 10.89 ± 3.42 kg m⁻², and mean carbon sequestration storage and rate are 5.12 Tg a⁻¹, 70.32 g m⁻² a⁻¹, respectively. Urban area in Yangtze Delta region, China, increased more than 3,000 km² and the urban growth patterns circled the central city region in the past 20 years. The SOC densities in 0–20 cm depth decrease gradually along urban–suburban–countryside and the urban topsoil is slightly enriched with SOC. Compared to the data of the second national soil survey in the early 1980s, the mean SOC density in urban area increased by 0.76 kg m², or up 25.85% in the past 20 years. With the characteristics of SOC storage changes offered, land-use changes, farming system transition and ecological city construction are mainly attributed to SOC storage increases. Because of lower SOC content in this region, it is assumed that the carbon sink effect will go on in the future through improved soil management.     

Erosion rates evaluated by the <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs technique in the high altitude area of the Qinghai–Tibet plateau of China

Studying spatial and temporal variation of soil loss is of great importance because of global environmental concerns. Understanding the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition in the high-cold steppe is important for designing soil and water conservation measures. Measured ¹³⁷Cs losses (Bq m⁻²) from long-term high altitude (4,000 m above sea level) watershed plots on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau and derived soil erosion estimates (Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) were significantly correlated to directly measured soil losses from the same plots, over the same period (1963–2005). The local reference inventory was estimated to be 2,468 Bq m⁻². The result of analyzing ¹³⁷Cs distribution and its intensity in the soil profiles in this area shows similarities to ¹³⁷Cs distribution in other areas. ¹³⁷Cs is basically distributed in the topsoil layer of 0–0.3 m. Soil erosions vary greatly in the entire sampled area, ranging from 5.5 to 23 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, with an average of 16.5 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ which is a moderate rate of erosion.     

Weathering fluxes of arsenic from a small catchment in Slovak Republic

Inputs of As to a small catchment due to chemical weathering of bedrock, mechanical weathering of bedrock, and atmospheric precipitation were 71.53, 23.98 and 0.02 g ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. The output fluxes of As due to mechanical erosion of soil, biological uptake, stream discharge, and groundwater flow were 6.32, 4.77, 0.37 and 0.02 g ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. The results indicate that arsenic accumulates in soil and regolith with a very high rate. This is attributed to the selective weathering and erosion with respect to arsenic and fixation of arsenic in the secondary solids produced by weathering. The output fluxes of As in stream and groundwater in Vydrica catchment in Slovak Republic (0.39 g ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) based on muscovite–biotite granites and granodiorites were much lower compared to catchments in a gold district in the Czech Republic. These results may be ascribed to the low levels of arsenic pollution measured in Vydrica catchment. The arsenic fluxes were estimated by calculation of mechanical and chemical weathering rates of the bedrocks in Vydrica catchment from mass balance data on sodium and silica. The justification of the steady state of Na and Si is that neither of the elements is appreciably accumulated in plants and in exchangeable pool of ions in soil.     

Patterns of mangrove forest structure and soil nutrient dynamics along the Shark River estuary, Florida

The basal area and productivity of managrove wetlands are described in relation to selected soil properties to understand the general pattern of optimum forest stature at the mouth of estuaries in the Everglades, such as the Shark River Slough, Florida (U.S.). The basal area of mangroves decreases from 40.4 m² ha⁻¹ and 39.7 m² ha⁻¹ at two stations 1.8 km and 4.1 km from the estuary mouth to 20.7 m² ha⁻¹ and 19.6 m² ha⁻¹ at two sites 9.9 km and 18.2 km from the mouth, respectively. The gradient in basal area at these four sites is mostly the result of approximately 34 yr of growth since Hurricane Donna. Wood productivity is higher in the lower estuary (10.7 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 12.0 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) than in the upper estuary (3.2 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 4.2 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Porewater salinity among these four mangrove sites during seasonal sampling in 1994 and 1995 ranged from 1.6 g kg⁻¹ to 33.5 g kg⁻¹, while sulfide was generally<0.15 mM at all sites. These soil values indicate that abiotic stress cannot explain the decrease in forest structure along this estuarine gradient. Concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are more closely related to patterns of forest development, with higher soil fertility at the mouth of the estuary as indicated by higher concentrations of extractable ammonium, total soil P, and available P, along with higher ammonium production rates. The more fertile sites of the lower estuary are dominated by Laguncularia racemosa, whereas the less fertile sites in the intermediate and upper estuary are dominated by Rhizophora mangle. Relative N mineralization per unit of total N is higher in the lower estuary and is related positively to concentrations of available P, indicating the importance of turnover rates and nutrient interactions to soil fertility. Concentrations of Ca-bound P per volume soil in the lower estuary is 40-fold higher than in the upper estuary, and along with an increase in residual P in the upper estuary, indicate a shift from mineral to organic P along the estuarine gradient. Mineral inputs to the mouth of Shark River estuary from the Gulf of Mexico (rather than upland inputs) apparently control the patterns of mangrove structure and productivity.     

Marine Macrophyte Wrack Inputs and Dissolved Nutrients in Beach Sands

We investigated the role of sandy beaches in nearshore nutrient cycling by quantifying macrophyte wrack inputs and examining relationships between wrack accumulation and pore water nutrients during the summer dry season. Macrophyte inputs, primarily giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, exceeded 2.3 kg m⁻¹ day⁻¹. Mean wrack biomass varied 100-fold among beaches (range = 0.41 to 46.43 kg m⁻¹). Mean concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), primarily NO_x⁻-N, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in intertidal pore water varied significantly among beaches (ranges = 1 to 6,553 μM and 7 to 2,006 μM, respectively). Intertidal DIN and DON concentrations were significantly correlated with wrack biomass. Surf zone concentrations of DIN were also strongly correlated with wrack biomass and with intertidal DIN, suggesting export of nutrients from re-mineralized wrack. Our results suggest beach ecosystems can process and re-mineralize substantial organic inputs and accumulate dissolved nutrients, which are subsequently available to nearshore waters and primary producers.     

Vertical patterns of stable carbon isotope in soils and particle-size fractions of karst areas, Southwest China

Taking limestone soil and yellow soil, the two major soil types in karst areas as examples, analyzing stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C value) of soil organic matter (SOM) in bulk soils and particle-size fractions of four soil profiles under three vegetable forms, the following results are reached: in the limestone soil profile, soil organic carbon contents are all above 1.0%, the highest value is 7.1% in the surface soil; however, they are between 0.3% and 4.6% in the three yellow soil profiles. From the surface to the bottom of the soil profiles, the variation of δ¹³C value of soil organic carbon for limestone soil profile is only between −24.1‰ and −23.0‰, however, it’s between −24.8‰ and −21.1‰ for yellow soil profiles. The variation range of δ¹³C value of soil organic carbon associated with particle-size separates is slight for limestone soil but is considerable for yellow soil. The contrast research indicates that the changes between the contents and the δ¹³C value of soil organic carbon with depth are complex. The vertical patterns of stable carbon isotope in soil organic matter have a distinct regional characteristic in karst areas.     

Soil erosion risk assessment of the Keiskamma catchment,South Africa using GIS and remote sensing

This paper examines the soil loss spatial patterns in the Keiskamma catchment using the GIS-based Sediment Assessment Tool for Effective Erosion Control (SATEEC) to assess the soil erosion risk of the catchment. SATEEC estimates soil loss and sediment yield within river catchments using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and a spatially distributed sediment delivery ratio. Vegetation cover in protected areas has a significant effect in curtailing soil loss. The effect of rainfall was noted as two pronged, higher rainfall amounts received in the escarpment promote vegetation growth and vigour in the Amatole mountain range which in turn positively provides a protective cover to shield the soil from soil loss. The negative aspect of high rainfall is that it increases the rainfall erosivity. The Keiskamma catchment is predisposed to excessive rates of soil loss due to high soil erodibility, steep slopes, poor conservation practices and low vegetation cover. This soil erosion risk assessment shows that 35% of the catchment is prone to high to extremely high soil losses higher than 25 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ whilst 65% still experience very low to moderate levels of soil loss of less than 25 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Object based classification highlighted the occurrence of enriched valley infill which flourishes in sediment laden ephemeral stream channels. This occurrence increases gully erosion due to overgrazing within ephemeral stream channels. Measures to curb further degradation in the catchment should thrive to strengthen the role of local institutions in controlling conservation practice.     

Annual variations in the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in the Upper Yellow River area

Measurements taken between July 2006 to May 2007 at the Maqu station in the Upper Yellow River area were used to study the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in this area. These data revealed distinct seasonal variations in downward shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, upward longwave radiation and net radiation, with larger values in the summer than in winter because of solar altitudinal angle. The upward shortwave radiation factor is not obvious because of albedo (or snow). Surface albedo in the summer was lower than in the winter and was directly associated with soil moisture and solar altitudinal angle. The annual averaged albedo was 0.26. Soil heat flux, soil temperature and soil water content changed substantially with time and depth. The soil temperature gradient was positive from August to February and was related to the surface net radiation and the heat condition of the soil itself. There was a negative correlation between soil temperature gradient and net radiation, and the correlation coefficient achieved a significance level of 0.01. Because of frozen state of the soil, the maximum soil thermal conductivity value was 1.21 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹ in January 2007. In May 2007, soil thermal conductivity was 0.23 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, which is the lowest value measured in the study, likely due to the fact that the soil was drier then than in other months. The soil thermal conductivity values for the four seasons were 0.27, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.83 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, respectively.     

Spatial variability of heavy metals in soils across a valley plain in Southeastern China

An investigation was carried out to survey the magnitude and spatial distribution of heavy metals, as well as their relation with soil series, in a valley plain in Southeastern China. Soil was sampled at 159 sites by combining a squared grid and nested sampling strategies along the transect perpendicular to the Qujiang River in Zhejiang Province, China. Total concentrations of six metals, namely Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, were measured. Classical statistics and geostatistics were used to quantify their spatial characteristics. There was a considerable variation in many of these parameters. The total concentrations ranged from 6.8 to 29.3 mg kg⁻¹ for Cu, 6,784 to 18,678 mg kg⁻¹ for Fe, 94 to 385 mg kg⁻¹ for Mn, 6.1 to 20.3 mg kg⁻¹ for Ni, 25.0 to 49.5 mg kg⁻¹ for Pb, and 12 to 160 mg kg⁻¹ for Zn. Pearson correlation coefficients among total metal concentrations and selected soil properties showed a number of strong associations. By virtue of analysis of variance, a predominant influence of soil series on the spatial variability of metal concentrations was observed. All metals were spatially correlated. The semivariograms of Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn were dominated by short range correlation (600 or 700 m), and that of Pb by long range (1200 m). Block kriging maps of total metal concentrations and soil properties showed strip distributions, perpendicular to the river, in the manner similar to the soil series. Principal component analysis was run to identify common distribution patterns of heavy metals and soil properties. These results illustrate that soil series information of valley plain may be useful for developing management zones for site-specific agriculture.     

Soil salinity and sodicity in a shrimp farming coastal area of the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

Soil salinity and sodicity are environmental problems in the shrimp farming areas of the Cai Nuoc district, Ca Mau province, Vietnam. In 2000, farmers in the district switched en masse from rice cropping to shrimp culture. Due to recent failure in shrimp farming, many farmers wish to revert to a rotational system with rice in the wet season and shrimps in the dry season. So far, all their attempts to grow rice have failed. To assess soil salinity and sodicity, 25 boreholes in shrimp ponds were analysed in four consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2004. The results showed that soil salinity was quite serious (mean EC_e 29.25 dS m⁻¹), particularly in the dry season (mean EC_e 33.44 dS m⁻¹). In the wet season, significant amounts of salts still remained in the soil (mean EC_e 24.65 dS m⁻¹) and the highest soil salinity levels were found near the sea. Soil sodicity is also a problem in the district (exchangeable sodium percentage range 9.63–72.07%). Sodicity is mainly a phenomenon of topsoils and of soils near the sea. Both soil salinity and sodicity are regulated by seasonal rainfall patterns. They could together result in disastrous soil degradation in the Cai Nuoc district.     

Assessment of soil moisture influence on CO2 flux: a laboratory experiment

Accurate measurements to assess the influence of soil moisture on CO₂ flux requires the absolute estimates of soil CO₂ flux. Thus, it was constructed a calibration system where CO₂ with fixed concentration flowed through the different porous material. Previous to measurement, in order to verify the performance and reliability of a closed dynamic chamber, different discontinuous air-mixing rates and times were tested. The CO₂ flux was estimated through sequential lectures and the best fit for flux measurements was obtained taking short readings every 3 min, during a total time of 12 min (R ² = 0.99). The best mixing rate was attained for 250 mL min⁻¹, allowing 25 s of mixing previous to CO₂ extraction for an infrared gas analyzer. The deviation of the measured values for dry sand from the reference CO₂ flux (0.097 and 0.071 g m⁻² min⁻¹) was 5 and 7%. On dry sandy loam soil (SLS) the deviation was 2%. The measured fluxes decreased 73 and 22% with content moisture of 20 and 10% (sand), and 78% with content moisture of 31% (SLS). This work allowed to estimate how much the measured emission rates deviate from the true ones for the specified chamber and sampling conditions.     

Nitrate contamination of groundwater in an agroecosystem in Zhangye Oasis,Northwest China

In order to assess the extent of groundwater contamination by nitrate (NO₃ ⁻–N) and to provide information about the deterioration of the groundwater quality in Zhangye Oasis, Northwest China, a study was conducted in this area. The mean value of NO₃ ⁻–N concentrations in groundwater samples was 10.66 ± 0.19 mg l⁻¹. NO₃ ⁻–N concentrations exceeding 10 mg l⁻¹ (the threshold for drinking water set by the World Health Organization) were found in 32.4% of 71 wells, and were 13, 33.3, 52.4 and 50.0% in the groundwater samples from drinking wells, irrigation wells, hand-pumping wells and groundwater table observation wells, respectively. The result showed that the groundwater samples that had NO₃ ⁻–N concentrations exceeding the threshold for drinking water were mostly collected from a depth of less than 20 m. Groundwater NO₃ ⁻–N concentrations in areas used for the cultivation of vegetables, seed maize and intercropped maize were significantly higher than those in urban or paddy areas. NO₃ ⁻–N contamination of groundwater in areas with sandy soil was more severe than in those with loam soil.     

Comparison of soil erosion and deposition rates using radiocesium, RUSLE, and buried soils in dolines in East Tennessee

 Three dolines (sinkholes), each representing different land uses (crop, grass, and forest) in a karst area in East Tennesse, were selected to determine soil erosional and depositional rates. Three methods were used to estimate the rates: fallout radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs) redistribution, buried surface soil horizons (Ab horizon), and the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). When ¹³⁷Cs redistribution was examined, the average soil erosion rates were calculated to be 27 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the cropland, 3 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the grassland, and 2 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the forest. By comparison, cropland erosion rate of 2.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1, a grassland rate of 0.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and a forest rate of 0.2 t ha^–1 yr^–1 were estimated by RUSLE. The ¹³⁷Cs method expressed higher rates than RUSLE because RUSLE tends to overestimate low erosion rates and does not account for deposition. The buried surface horizons method resulted in deposition rates that were 8 t ha^–1 yr^–1 (during 480 yr) at the cropland, 12 t ha^–1 yr^–1 (during 980 yr) at the grassland, and 4 t ha^–1 yr^–1 (during 101 yr) at the forest site. By examining ¹³⁷Cs redistribution, soil deposition rates were found to be 23 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the cropland, 20 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the grassland, and 16 t ha^–1 yr^–1 at the forest site. The variability in deposition rates was accounted for by temporal differences;¹³⁷Cs expressed deposition during the last 38 yr, whereas Ab horizons represented deposition during hundreds of years. In most cases, land use affected both erosion and deposition rates – the highest rates of soil redistribution usually representing the cropland and the lowest, the forest. When this was not true, differences in the rates were attributed to differences in the size, shape, and closure of the dolines. Received: 10 October 1995 · Accepted: 13 October 1995     

Effects of saline water irrigation on soil properties in northwest China

Due to the lack of freshwater, highly saline groundwater was the main irrigation source in the last few decades in the Minqin Basin, which is in northwest China. The study evaluates the effects of salt accumulation on the soil physical–chemicals properties. Undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were taken from the experiment site, which was irrigated with saline water at a concentration of 0.8, 2 and 5 g L⁻¹ (coded later as C₀₈, C₂ and C₅). Undisturbed soil samples, at depths of 0–45 and 45–60 cm were taken to determine the water retention curve (WRC). Moreover, in the same place, another set of undisturbed soil samples were taken to determine the porosity and pore-size distribution (PoSD). From the WRC, the water-holding capacity of the soil was estimated. Disturbed soil samples at depths of 0–20, 0–45, 45–60 and 80–100 cm were taken to determine the index of aggregates stability in water (IC). The electrical conductivity of the saturated paste (EC_e) was determined at depths of 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm, during the irrigation season on C₀₈, C₂ and C₅ treatments. The results show that the total porosity and the index of aggregates stability in water decrease with the increasing salinity of irrigation water, and the EC_e increases with the increasing salinity of irrigation water especially in the surface soil. The water-holding capacity (WHC) of soil also increases with the increasing salinity of irrigation water.