Search results for "Topsoil"
showing 10 items of 77 documents
The use of constructed wetlands for the treatment and reuse of urban wastewater for the irrigation of two warm-season turfgrass species under Mediter…
2017
Constructed wetlands (CWs) represent low-cost technology for the treatment and reuse of wastewater in urban areas. This study aimed to evaluate the pollutant removal efficiency of a CW system and to assess the effects of irrigation using treated urban wastewater on soil and on two warm-season turf species. The research was carried out in Sicily (Italy) on a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow system which was fed with treated urban wastewater following secondary treatment from an activated-sludge wastewater treatment plant. The pilot system was located in an open urban park and comprised two separate parallel planted units. Experimental fields of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and Paspalum …
SOILS WITH HIGH ORGANIC CARBON STORAGE CAPACITY IN DEPTH
2012
Most studies about soil organic carbon (OC) stock focus on the topsoil storage capacity, however, it has been proved that OC can reach relatively high values also in depth. The aim of this work was a preliminary investigation of the soil types with a high OC content in depth and the relationship with the main pedogenetic factors. The dataset was the 1,414 Italian National Soil Typologies (STU). The selected attributes were: mean value of OC in the superficial functional horizon (L1); weighted average value between 50 and 100 cm (L2) and under 100 cm (L3); WRB classification; main lithology, morphology and land-use. About 92% of typologies had more than 0.58% of OC in L1, about 30% in L2, an…
Land Use History and Site Formation Processes at the Punic Site of Pauli Stincus in West Central Sardinia
2013
The site of Pauli Stincus is located near the town of Terralba, on the inland shores of the Gulf of Oristano in west central Sardinia, Italy, and was occupied between the mid-4th and the late 2nd century B.C. The site and its surroundings were the object of a joint archaeopedological and geomorphological study, which complemented the data from archaeological excavations. This study allowed us to evaluate the suitability of the different landscape and soil components for crop production in the Punic period. The discovery of a buried plow soil at the site's edge enabled us to identify a set of agricultural practices carried out by Punic farmers. These included the removal of sandy topsoil to …
Long-term effects of contrasting tillage systems on soil C and N pools and on main microbial groups differ by crop sequence
2021
Abstract Determining the best conservation agriculture practices for increasing soil organic carbon (C) and hence soil quality is of paramount importance in the semi-arid Mediterranean environment, where soils are experiencing a continuous decline in organic matter. Therefore, the aim of this long-term study was to assess the combined effects of tillage system and crop sequence on soil organic C and biochemical properties of soil generally used as indicators of soil quality. After 23 years of continuous application of contrasting tillage systems (conventional tillage [CT], vs. no tillage [NT]) and crop sequences (wheat monoculture vs. wheat-faba bean rotation), soil samples were collected f…
Spatial Distribution of Soil Hydrological Properties in the Kilombero Floodplain, Tanzania
2017
Analysis and interpretation of soil properties dynamics is a keystone in understanding the hydrologic responses and yield potential of floodplain wetlands. This study characterizes the distribution and spatial trends of selected soil physical properties in the Kilombero floodplain, Tanzania. A total of 76 composite soil samples were taken from 0 to 20 cm and 20 to 40 cm depth in a regular grid design across three hydrological zones, related to flooding intensity defined as fringe, middle, and riparian during the rainy season of 2015. The samples were analyzed for soil texture, bulk density, organic carbon, and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Seasonal soil moisture content was monitored at…
Soil Erosion as an Environmental Concern ... for Everyone?
2020
Nowadays, the scientific community is aware of the negative environmental impacts of soil erosion on ecosystem services. Soil erosion is one of the most important causes of land degradation because of its immediate influence of the most fertile topsoil parts. It is well-known that questions related to who, what, why, where and when soil erosion causes negative impacts must be considered by stakeholders and policymakers. However, why do the Sustainable Development Goals tell anything about soil erosion? In this keynote, we will try to show the importance to develop tools which can be used to assess soil erosion to obtain convincing results for stakeholders and policymakers. According to this…
Critical range of soil organic carbon in southern Europe lands under desertification risk.
2021
Soil quality is fundamental for ecosystem long term functionality, productivity and resilience to current climatic changes. Despite its importance, soil is lost and degraded at dramatic rates worldwide. In Europe, the Mediterranean areas are a hotspot for soil erosion and land degradation due to a combination of climatic conditions, soils, geomorphology and anthropic pressure. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is considered a key indicator of soil quality as it relates to other fundamental soil functions supporting crucial ecosystem services. In the present study, the functional relationships among SOC and other important soil properties were investigated in the topsoil of 38 sites under different …
Plant diversity effects on the water balance of an experimental grassland
2014
In the literature, contrasting effects of plant species richness on the soil water balance are reported. Our objective was to assess the effects of plant species and functional richness and functional identity on soil water contents and water fluxes in the experimental grassland of the Jena Experiment. The Jena Experiment comprises 86 plots on which plant species richness (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 60) and functional group composition (zero to four functional groups: legumes, grasses, tall herbs, and small herbs) were manipulated in a factorial design. We recorded meteorological data and soil water contents of the 0·0–0·3 and 0·3–0·7 m soil layers and calculated actual evapotranspiration (ETa)…
Comparison of neophyte communities of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Acer negundo L. in the eastern Baltic Sea region cities of Riga and Kaunas
2015
Abstract In this study, we examined the species composition of neophyte communities of Robinia pseudoacacia and Acer negundo and compared the site conditions of the urban environment of two cities—Riga and Kaunas. Eighty-five plots of A. negundo and R. pseudoacacia communities were selected. Within each plot, all of the vascular plant species were recorded, and their abundance was estimated in 2014. Composite soil samples of the 0–10 cm mineral topsoil were collected for the estimation of the soil chemical properties at nine systematically distributed points in each sample plot. The soil pH KCL , exchangeable bases, total nitrogen, total organic matter, C/N ratio, and concentrations of the …
Exposure assessment of a burning ground for chemical ammunition on the Great War battlefields of Verdun
2007
The destruction of arsenical shells from the 1914/18 war in the vicinity of Verdun (France) during the 1920s resulted in a locally limited but severe soil contamination by arsenic and heavy metals. At the study site, the main part of the contaminant inventory occurs in the upper 20 cm of the topsoil which is essentially composed of combustion residues. Besides, some Cu (cmax.=16,877 mg/kg) and Pb (cmax.=26,398 mg/kg) in this layer, As (cmax.=175,907 mg/kg) and Zn (cmax.=133,237 mg/kg) were detected in very high concentrations. The mobilities of Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in the soil system were derived from ammonium nitrate eluates. They are strongly influenced by the soil pH and can be described by…