Effects of tilling methods on soil penetration resistance,organic carbon and water stable aggregates in a vineyard of semiarid Mediterranean environment

Tillage, especially in semiarid Mediterranean environment, enhances the mineralization process of soil organic matter (SOM) and, in turn, decreases aggregate stability. Furthermore, continuous tillage leads to the formation of plough pan beneath the tilled layer. In the present study, we investigated the effect of an innovative self-propelled machine (spading machine, SM) for shallow tillage on SOM, water stable aggregates (WSA) and soil penetration resistance (PR). Such effects were compared to those of chisel plough (CP), rotary tiller (RT) and no tillage (NT). Each tilling method was applied up to a depth of 15 cm, whereas in NT only a brush cutter was used for weed control. Soil analyses were performed at the start of the experiment (March 2009, T0), in April 2010 (T1), May 2012 (T3), and June 2014 (T5) at both 0–15 and 15–30 cm. Compared to T0, soil PR increased with time in all the treatments and generally followed the order SM?<?RT?<?CP?<?NT. In soil tilled with the SM, soil PR never exceeded 2.5 MPa that was demonstrated to be a critical value for root elongation, and no evidence of the formation of plough pan beneath the tilled layer was observed. SOC as well as water content and WSA were higher in SM compared with CP and RT. In conclusion, the spading machine was proved to be more efficient in lowering the soil PR and in avoiding the formation of the plough pan. Furthermore, SM increased SOC and WSA.     

Accuracy assessment of noise mapping on the main street

Among the sounds constituting a part of our daily lives, the undesired and disturbing ones are named noise. The noises can be defined as the acoustic energy that affects the physiological and psychological welfare of humans due to its direct or indirect effects on the human health. But, the traffic noise, which is one of the disturbing noises having wide dispersion in urban areas, affects the health of a gradually increasing number of people. The number of studies on measurement, dispersion, and mapping of traffic noise in developed and developing countries is gradually increasing. It can be seen that the studies concentrate on mapping based on the city centers and neighborhoods, where the traffic is intense. In this article, unlike the regional noise measurement studies, the transversal cross sections were established with a certain interval according to the land status along the main street, and the noise measurement points were determined using the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). The daily mean noise levels (L_den) were calculated by performing the measurements at daytime, evening, and nighttime. Using ArcGIS 10.4 software, the accuracy of noise maps created via inverse distance weighting (IDW), radial basis function (RBF), and ordinary kriging (OK) geostatistical analysis interpolation methods and the dispersion effect of traffic noise were compared. According to the visual method and error corrections, it was found that the best noise map was obtained using the RBF method. It is believed that the map provides accurate and reliable results because of the flat land surface, higher noise values measured on the road region, decrease in the noise at the points farther from the road region, and soft transitions between the noise values depending on the distance from the road. In order to take measures in order to decrease or eliminate noise on the main street, the local administrators and decision-makers can make use of these maps, the accuracy of which has been confirmed.     

The Starzach site in Southern Germany: a site with naturally occurring CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions recovering from century-long gas mining as a natural analog for a leaking CCS reservoir

In this paper, we present the Starzach site, a region featuring numerous natural CO₂ emission spots, such as mofettes, that reappeared after a longer period of extensive industrial CO₂ mining. We discuss the results of a detailed literature study on the geological setting and the activities related to the gas mining in combination with own measurements to introduce the site as an example on how gas leakage from an insecure CCS reservoir could manifest at the surface. The site is in particular interesting for such investigations as the CO₂ emissions started to replenish after the end of the CO₂ mining and offers the unique possibility to investigate an increase in degassing activity as it might be expected for an active CCS site where leakage is suspected. Based on the geological setting and soil, gas emission, and isotope investigations, we further discuss the source of the CO₂ emission and the gas ascent to the ground surface via deep-reaching faults, latter being so far excluded by previous work. The combination of our extensive literature review and recent field investigations allowed us to draw new geological conclusions for the site that were under discussion for a long time and to give insight into the site’s potential for CCS-related analog studies in the future.     

Porosity and wave velocity evolution of granite after high-temperature treatment: a review

The evolution of porosity and changes in wave velocity in granite after high-temperature treatment has been experimentally investigated in different studies. Statistical analysis of the test results shows that there is a temperature threshold value that leads to variations in porosity and wave velocity. At a temperature that is less than 200 °C, the porosity of granite slowly increases with increases in temperature, while the wave velocity decreases. When the temperature is greater than 200 °C (especially between 400 and 600 °C), the porosity quickly increases, while the wave velocity substantially decreases. The temperature ranges of room temperature to 200 and 200–400 °C correspond to the undamaged state and the micro-damage state, respectively. The results confirm that there is an important link between the variations of physical and mechanical properties in response to thermal treatment. By studying the relationships among rock porosity, wave velocity and temperature, this provides the basis for solving multi-variable coupling problems under high temperatures for the thermal exploitation of petroleum and safe disposal of nuclear waste.     

Biosorption with autochthonous and allochthonous fungal biomasses for bioremediation and detoxification of landfill leachate

Landfill leachates are not adequately treated in traditional wastewater treatment plants, on account of their problematic peculiarities: i.e., dark colour, high concentration of recalcitrant pollutants and COD, and high toxicity. In this work, 19 biomasses (15 autochthonous and 4 allochthonous) were exploited in biosorption treatment for the remediation of a leachate (influent) and the effluent coming from the biological oxidation with activated sludge and nitrification–denitrification treatment. The effects of the initial pH, the biomass amount, and the medium for the biomass pre-culture were considered. The best configuration was: pH 5, 5 g L^??1 biomass cultivated on STY medium. Eventually, the two most effective biomasses, Cunninghamella bertholletiae MUT 2861 and Aspergillus fumigatus MUT 4050, were used in consecutive 2 h cycles in a batch biosorption experiment. The effectiveness of the treatment decreased in subsequent cycles in terms of decolourisation (31–15%). COD, Cl^?, SO₄^2?, total N, and toxicity were removed mainly in the second cycle of treatment (up to ??36, ??12, ??15, ??17 and ??49%, respectively). The results suggest that the effluent toxicity was basically due to uncoloured substances, which were mainly removed after coloured molecules.     

Land readjustment for minimizing public expenditures on school lands: a case study of Turkey

Education infrastructure issues have been one of the most important topics in developing countries that have difficulty reserving money for education infrastructure needs, especially Turkey. Development plans have a crucial role in meeting school infrastructure needs in Turkey. Generally, the expropriation method has been used for land transitions from private to public ownership. However, scarcity of monetary resources for such land transitions and legal/technical deficiencies delays the process. The main objectives of this paper are to respond to the need of the education sector by using land management tools and to identify the most suitable land management tool for allocating basic and primary school lands free of charge. Current trends, education indicators, management responsibility and financial resources, statistical and economical information, education infrastructure needs, and qualitative-quantitative characteristics of the pupils in the Turkish education system are analyzed based on national and international reports. Then, the property right problems experienced in the process of allocating school lands are defined. Methods of transferring school lands to public ownership are examined, and the benefit-cost relationships are revealed. Land readjustment (LR) would make an important contribution to planning decisions and the implementation stage in the sustainable management of school lands.     

Aerosol-trace gases interactions and their role in air quality control of Delhi city (India)

Atmospheric dust is considered to be the major cause of poor air quality due to its contribution to high particulate levels, but their interaction with the acidic gases helps in controlling the level of SO₂ and NO₂ through ambient neutralization reactions. In the present study, the interaction of acidic gases such as SO₂ and NO₂ with alkaline dust was investigated during October, 2013–July, 2014 at a site named as Babarpur located at the Trans-Yamuna region of Delhi. The concentration of SO₂ ranged from 10 to 170 μg/m³ with an average of 36 μg/m³ while that of NO₂ ranged from 15 to 54 μg/m³ with an average of 26?±?8 μg/m³. The results were observed to be well within the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) limits prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The average concentrations of SO₂ during day and night time were recorded as 31?±?18 and 43?±?53 μg/m³ respectively while the mean concentrations of NO₂ during day and night time were recorded as 26?±?7 and 27?±?12 μg/m³ respectively. A positive correlation between SO₄^2? and NO₃^? was also observed indicating their secondary aerosol formation. In aerosol phase, average concentrations of SO₄^2? during day and night time were 3.9?±?0.3 and 6.5?±?2.3 μg/m³ respectively while that of NO₃^? were 9.5?±?1.5 and 7.3?±?0.5 μg/m³ respectively. Molar ratios of Ca²⁺/SO₄^2?, NH₄⁺/SO₄^2?, and NH₄⁺/NO₃^? were observed as 8, 5, and 1.7 during daytime and 1.5, 0.4, and 0.8 during nighttime respectively. Such molar ratios confirmed high concentrations of sulphate (SO₄)^2? and low concentrations of nitrate (NO₃^?) during night time, thereby indicating different pathway of aerosol formation during day and night time. Surface morphology and elemental composition of aerosol samples showed various oval, globular, and platy shapes where the diameter varied from few nm to ~5 μm depending on their precursors. There were certain shapes like grossularite, irregular aggregate, grape-like, triangular, and flattened which indicate the crustal origin of aerosols and their possible role in SO₂ and NO₂ adsorption.     

Holocene tectono-geomorphic evolution of Haryana plains,Western Ganga plain,India

Haryana plain is the drainage divide between the Ganga plain in the east and the Indus plain in the west. Being a part of the Himalayan foreland, its geomorphology, sedimentation processes, and tectonism are broadly controlled by the Himalayan tectonics. Soil and geomorphological mapping in Haryana plain bring out geomorphic features such as paleochannels, various active drainage patterns, and landforms such as old fluvial plains, floodplains, piedmonts, pediments, terminal fans, and eolian plains. Based on the degree of soil development, and Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, the soil-geomorphic units were grouped into six members (QIMS-I to VI) (Quaternary Indus Morphostratigraphic Sequence) of a morphostratigraphic sequence: QIMS-VI 9.86–5.38 Ka, QIMS-V 5.38–4.45 Ka, QIMS-IV 4.45–3.60 Ka, QIMS-III 3.60–2.91 Ka, QIMS-II <?2.91–1.52 Ka, and QIMS-I <?1.52 Ka. OSL chronology of different geomorphic features suggests six episodes of tectono-geomorphic evolution in the region since 10 Ka. Neotectonic features such as nine faults, two lineaments, and five fault-bounded tectonic blocks have been identified. Independent tilting and sagging of the blocks in response to neotectonics have resulted in modification of landforms, depositional processes, and hydro-geomorphology of the region. Major rivers like the Yamuna, the Ghaggar, and the Sutlej show different episodes of shifting of their courses. Lineament controlled few extinct channels have been recorded between 20 and 25 m depth below the surface in the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles. These buried channels are aligned along the paleo-course of the Lost Saraswati River interpreted from the existing literature and hence are considered as the course of the lost river. Seven terminal fans have been formed on the downthrown blocks of the associated faults. The Markanda Terminal Fan, the first of such features described, is indeed a splay terminal fan and was formed by a splay distributary system of the Markanda River. Association of three terminal fans of different ages with the Karnal fault indicates the segment-wise development of the fault from west to east. Also, comparison with other such studies in the Ganga plain to further east suggests that the terminal fans formed by streams with distributary drainage pattern occur only in semiarid regions as in the present area and thus are indicators of semiarid climate/paleoclimate. Though the whole region is tectonically active, the region between the Rohtak fault and Hisar fault is most active at present signified by the concentration of earthquake epicenters.     

Reservoir architecture and fracture characterization of low-permeability sandstone reservoir: a case study of Biandong oilfield,Jinhu depression,northern Jiangsu Basin,China

Fracture is one of the most important factors through the whole process of low-permeability reservoir development. Biandong oilfield is a typical low-permeability fractured sandstone reservoir, and has stepped into high water cut stage; thus, the waterflooding effect is poor. Therefore, many contradictions such as high moisture content, decreasing production speed, and low recovery efficiency are becoming increasingly prominent, which have seriously hindered the sustainable development, and need to be solved urgently. However, few such studies on reservoir characterization in low-permeability fractured sandstone reservoir have been conducted in China. In this study, through comprehensive analysis on reservoir characterization and sedimentary environment, significant results are achieved. Three types of fracture occurrence are identified; they are high-angle fracture, low-angle fracture, and horizontal fracture, respectively. Two types of reservoir pore (primary porosity and secondary porosity) are recognized based on thin-section observation and analysis. The diagenetic stage of Biandong oilfield are divided into three stages, early A, early B, and late A, respectively. Finally, a regional discrete fracture network model is established with Fisher’s algorithm based on three-dimensional geological model. All the research results presented above can make a significant instructing function for making reservoir development plan and improving recovery efficiency.