Search results for "Soil Chemistry"
showing 6 items of 36 documents
Effects of soil fauna on leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus from experimental systems simulating coniferous forest floor
1990
Long-term experiments (97–98 weeks) were carried out in macrocosm systems simulating the complexity of coniferous forest soil. The macrocosms were partially sterilized by freezing, thawing and drying, then re-inoculated with microbes alone or microbes + soil fauna. Removable microcosms containing birch litter, spruce litter, or humus were inserted into the substrate humus in the macrocosms. Two experiments used organic matter only, and in the third there was mineral soil below the humus. The macrocosms were incubated in climate chambers that simulated both summer and winter conditions. At 4- to 6-week intervals the substrates were irrigated for analyses of pH, total N, NH 4 + −N, NO 3 − −N,…
Evaluation of the soil fauna impact on decomposition in a simulated coniferous forest soil
1990
Long-term experiments (ca. 2 years) were carried out in laboratory systems that simulated the complexity of a coniferous forest floor. The test materials were partially sterilized by freezing and thawing, and reinoculated with (1) microbes alone or (2) microbes with fauna. Removable microcosms containing birch litter, spruce litter, or humus were inserted into a humus substrate. Two experiments used organic matter only, and another included a layer of mineral soil below the humus. Both were incubated in climate chambers that simulated both summer and winter conditions. The evolution of CO2 was measured at regular intervals. In order to determine the C content of the leachates, the macrocosm…
How Humic Substances Dominate Mercury Geochemistry in Contaminated Floodplain Soils and Sediments
1998
The interaction of mercury (Hg) and humic substances (hs) was studied in floodplain topsoils and surface sediments of the contaminated German river Elbe. An intimate coupling exists between the geochemical cycles of Hg and organic carbon (OC) in this ecosystem. Humic substances exert a dominant influence on several important parallel geochemical pathways of Hg, including binding, transformation, and transport processes. Significant differences exist between the Hg-hs associations in floodplains and sediments. Both humic acids (ha) and fulvic acids (fa) contribute to Hg binding in the sediments. In contrast, ultrafiltration experiments proved that Hg in the floodplain soils is almost exclusi…
Biotic and abiotic soil properties influence survival of Listeria monocytogenes in soil
2013
International audience; Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen responsible for the potentially fatal disease listeriosis and terrestrial ecosystems have been hypothesized to be its natural reservoir. Therefore, identifying the key edaphic factors that influence its survival in soil is critical. We measured the survival of L. monocytogenes in a set of 100 soil samples belonging to the French Soil Quality Monitoring Network. This soil collection is meant to be representative of the pedology and land use of the whole French territory. The population of L. monocytogenes in inoculated microcosms was enumerated by plate count after 7, 14 and 84 days of incubation. Analysis of survival pr…
Changes in gene expression during adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to the soil environment
2011
project SEST 009; International audience; Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen responsible for listeriosis. In order to study the processes underlying its ability to adapt to the soil environment, whole-genome arrays were used to analyse transcriptome modifications 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 18 h after inoculation of L. monocytogenes EGD-e in soil extracts. Growth was observed within the first day of incubation and large numbers were still detected in soil extract and soil microcosms one year after the start of the experiment. Major transcriptional reprofiling was observed. Nutrient acquisition mechanisms (phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase systems and…
The ecology of the cork-oark (Quercus suber L.) stands in NW Sicily
2017
The uneven presence of the cork oak (Quercus suber L.) within its distribution range seems to be affected not only by its climatic requirements but also by rather specific edaphic needs. In fact, most of the known populations throughout the Mediterranean area thrive on acidic soils deriving from metamorphic or volcanic rock outcrops. However, some Italian populations of this species behave as if they were independent on the chemical and physical characteristics of the substrate, e.g. growing on calcareous soils, which are considered less suitable. This is the case of some populations in central Italy (Latium) and NW Sicily (Trapani Mts. and Palermo Mts.). A multidisciplinary investigation c…