The influence of fertilizers,soil organic matter and soil compaction on maize yields on the Surinam ‘Zanderij’ soils

Summary In connection with the growing interest in Surinam to exploit the soils in the hinterland, some trials were carried out on Zanderij soils to study productivity, fertilizer need and influence of some special soil factors on yield. The test crop was maize. The yields were generally low which might partly be attributed to the relative dry weather conditions during the trials. On all soils investigated, yield responses to phosphate application were high. On loamy soils there was sometimes a response to nitrogen and on sandy soils to potassium. Yields on sands were lower than on loamy sands and sandy loams. The most important yield determining soil factor proved to be organic matter. On compacted soils yields were considerably lower which was due to increased mechanical impedance for root growth and in some cases to inadequate aeration. Also published as Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Paramaribo, Surinam. Also published as Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Paramaribo, Surinam.     

Effects of Soil Texture on Belowground Carbon and Nutrient Storage in a Lowland Amazonian Forest Ecosystem

Soil texture plays a key role in belowground C storage in forest ecosystems and strongly influences nutrient availability and retention, particularly in highly weathered soils. We used field data and the Century ecosystem model to explore the role of soil texture in belowground C storage, nutrient pool sizes, and N fluxes in highly weathered soils in an Amazonian forest ecosystem. Our field results showed that sandy soils stored approximately 113 Mg C ha^-1 to a 1-m depth versus 101 Mg C ha^-1 in clay soils. Coarse root C represented a large and significant ecosystem C pool, amounting to 62% and 48% of the surface soil C pool on sands and clays, respectively, and 34% and 22% of the soil C pool on sands and clays to 1-m depth. The quantity of labile soil P, the soil C:N ratio, and live and dead fine root biomass in the 0–10-cm soil depth decreased along a gradient from sands to clays, whereas the opposite trend was observed for total P, mineral N, potential N mineralization, and denitrification enzyme activity. The Century model was able to predict the observed trends in surface soil C and N in loams and sands but underestimated C and N pools in the sands by approximately 45%. The model predicted that total belowground C (0–20 cm depth) in sands would be approximately half that of the clays, in contrast to the 89% we measured. This discrepancy is likely to be due to an underestimation of the role of belowground C allocation with low litter quality in sands, as well as an overestimation of the role of physical C protection by clays in this ecosystem. Changes in P and water availability had little effect on model outputs, whereas adding N greatly increased soil organic matter pools and productivity, illustrating the need for further integration of model structure and tropical forest biogeochemical cycling. Received 3 March 1999; accepted 27 August 1999.     

Influence of soil texture, moisture, and surface cracks on the performance of a root-feeding flea beetle, Longitarsus bethae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the influence of soil texture, moisture and surface cracks on adult preference and survival of the root-feeding flea beetle, Longitarsus bethae Savini and Escalona (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a natural enemy of the weed, Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae). Adult feeding, oviposition preference, and survival of the immature stages of L. bethae were examined at four soil textures (clayey, silty loam, sandy loam, and sandy soil), three soil moisture levels (low, moderate, and high), and two soil surface conditions (with or without surface cracks). Both soil texture and moisture had no influence on leaf feeding and colonization by adult L. bethae. Soil texture had a significant influence on oviposition, with adults preferring to lay on clayey and sandy soils to silty or sandy loam soils. However, survival to adulthood was significantly higher in clayey soils than in other soil textures. There was a tendency for females to deposit more eggs at greater depth in both clayey and sandy soils than in other soil textures. Although oviposition preference and depth of oviposition were not influenced by soil moisture, survival in moderately moist soils was significantly higher than in other moisture levels. Development of immature stages in high soil moisture levels was significantly slower than in other soil moisture levels. There were no variations in the body size of beetles that emerged from different soil textures and moisture levels. Females laid almost three times more eggs on cracked than on noncracked soils. It is predicted that clayey and moderately moist soils will favor the survival of L. bethae, and under these conditions, damage to the roots is likely to be high. This information will aid in the selection of suitable release sites where L. bethae would be most likely to become established.     

Bioremediation and phytoremediation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) under various conditions

Remediation of contaminated soils is often studied using fine-textured soils rather than low-fertility sandy soils, and few studies focus on recontamination events. This study compared aerobic and anaerobic treatments for remediation of freshly introduced used motor oil on a sandy soil previously phytoremediated and bioacclimated (microorganisms already adapted in the soil environment) with some residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) contamination. Vegetated and unvegetated conditions to remediate anthropogenic fill containing residual TPH that was spiked with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) were evaluated in a 90-day greenhouse pot study. Vegetated treatments used switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). The concentration of aerobic bacteria were orders of magnitude higher in vegetated treatments compared to unvegetated. Nevertheless, final TPH concentrations were low in all saturated soil treatments, and high in the presence of switchgrass. Concentrations were also low in unvegetated pots with fertilizer. Acclimated indigenous microbial communities were shown to be more effective in breaking down hydrocarbons than introducing microbes from the addition of plant treatments in sandy soils. Remediation of fresh introduced NAPLs on pre-phytoremediated and bioacclimated soil was most efficient in saturated, anaerobic environments, probably due to the already pre-established microbial associations, easily bioavailable contaminants, and optimized soil conditions for microbial establishment and survival.     

Carbohydrates in water-stable aggregates and particle size fractions of forested and cultivated soils in two contrasting tropical ecosystems

Information on changes in storage and loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) when tropical forests are converted to cropland is needed for evaluating soil structural degradation and for selecting appropriate sustainable soil management practices. We evaluated changes in SOC storage of organic carbon and acid-hydrolyzable carbohydrates content of aggregated classes and particle size fractions of adjacent forested and cultivated soils in eight agroecosystems from Ethiopian highlands and Nigerian lowlands. In all agroecosystems, SOC content was two to four times higher in the forested than the cultivated soils. Higher SOC content was found in Ethiopian (20.2–47.3 g.kg^–1) than Nigerian (12.0–24.0 g.kg^–1) forested soils. The magnitude of reduction in SOC and total carbohydrates with cultivation was soil-specific, being generally higher in the sandy than the clayey soils. The smaller aggregate classes (< 1.00 mm) and the sand-sized particles (2000–63 µm) of the forested soils were preferentially enriched in carbohydrates relative to larger aggregates (4.75–1.00 mm). Carbohydrates were more concentrated in the clay-size fraction of the forested than in that of the cultivated soils. Cultivation reduced aggregate stability, increased the proportions of the smaller size aggregates and their associated carbohydrates relative to the forested soils. The susceptibility of the cultivated soils to loss in structural stability reflected this initial aggregation which was greater in the more stable clayey than the fragile sandy soils. The aggregate stability of either the forested or the cultivated soil could not be accounted for by the levels of OC or total carbohydrates in the soil.     

黄土高原生物结皮覆盖对风沙土和黄绵土溶质运移的影响

干旱和半干旱地区生物结皮的普遍发育显著改变了表层土壤的结构与养分富集特征,但其对土壤养分迁移和淋失的影响目前尚不明确。本研究针对黄土高原风沙土和黄绵土上发育的藓类生物结皮,以Ca²⁺和Cl^-为示踪离子开展溶质穿透试验,对有无生物结皮层及其覆盖下不同深度土壤的溶质运移特征进行了研究。结果表明: 在0～5 cm土层,生物结皮覆盖延缓了风沙土和黄绵土的溶质穿透过程,其Cl^-的穿透时间比无结皮延长了3.83(风沙土)和2.09倍(黄绵土),而Ca²⁺则分别延长了2.50和2.73倍。生物结皮覆盖条件下,表层0～5 cm土壤溶质完全穿透所对应的孔隙体积数比下层5～10 cm土壤更高,且其穿透历时更长;其中,Cl^-的穿透时间分别增加了67.3%(风沙土)和51.8%(黄绵土),Ca²⁺的穿透时间分别增加了8.0%和33.7%。生物结皮覆盖降低了土壤孔隙水流速(37.5%～70.2%);除风沙土的5～10 cm土层外,生物结皮使溶质弥散系数提高了1.73～6.29倍,使溶质弥散度提高了2.77～20.95倍。置换液完全穿透土壤后,风沙土和黄绵土的生物结皮层Ca²⁺含量显著高于无结皮,其分别比无结皮高4.14和2.58倍。研究证实,生物结皮覆盖能够提高表层土壤对养分的吸附与固持能力,从而减少土壤表聚养分的深层渗漏和流失,对干旱和半干旱地区退化土壤的肥力提升与植被恢复具有重要意义。     

Evaluating spatial within plot crop variability for different management practices with an optical sensor?

Subsoil constraints to root growth exacerbate frequent water and nutrient limitations to crop yields in Mediterranean-type environments. Amelioration of subsoil constraints can relieve these limitations by opening root-access to subsoil water and nutrients. However, decisions in subsoil amelioration are hampered by seasonally variable yield responses in these environments. We used the APSIM model to analyse the impact of subsoil constraints on yield and yield variability. The simulated yield data were used to calculate the financial benefits of subsoil amelioration across several scenarios. There was a strong yield-dependence on accessible soil water governed by root depth. Root depth development was limited to a minimum of either the effect of subsoil constraints or the weather-dependent depth of the soil wetting front. Insufficient rainfall in dry years or in a drier region often resulted in shallow soil wetting fronts and correspondingly shallow roots even in the absence of subsoil compaction. In these situations, there is little response to subsoil amelioration. Positive yield responses and positive financial returns to subsoil amelioration are therefore greater in good rainfall years and are more likely in a wetter region. A yield response to amelioration is also greater in coarser textured sand than finer textured sandy loam in an average rainfall season because the same amount of rainfall results in a deeper wetting front in sand than in sandy loam. Hence, roots in a sand are required to grow deeper compared to a sandy loam to access the same amount of water and therefore benefited more from subsoil amelioration in an average rainfall year. In wet years, sands leach more nitrate than sandy loam, which decreases yields and the response to subsoil amelioration in sands is more than in the sandy loam. Environmental threats occur along with yield loss when roots cannot access subsoil water. These include increased nitrate leaching and deep drainage due to unused water remaining in the soil profile. By allowing roots to access deep soil water, ameliorating subsoil is expected to yield financial gains in average to good rainfall seasons and decrease the environmental risk of drainage and leaching loss. The financial gains are expected to offset potential financial losses in dry and dry finish seasons especially in coarser textured soils and wetter environment. Responsible Editor: Jan Vos.     

Physiological responses of apple fruits to oxygen concentrations

In experiments applying water regimes ranging from one eighth to twice the recorded average rainfall to six soils (two light sands and four silty clay loams) consistent positive correlations were found between rainfall and (a) the growth of foliage and roots of spring barley and spring oats, (b) the number of larvae which invaded the root system, (c) the number of immature females in July, and (d) the incidence of the fungus Verticillium chlamydosporium, an egg parasite of H. avenae. Final cyst numbers were sometimes lower than the number of immature females, probably because the latter were destroyed by the ‘Entomophthora-like’ fungus (Kerry & Crump 1977). Final populations of cysts and eggs were not always proportional to the number of larvae in root systems (even when the proportion of males was constant) but appeared more likely to be so in light sandy soils.     

Baseline Levels of Potentially Toxic Elements in Pampas Soils

The soils of the Pampas are thought to be generally non-contaminated but there is growing evidence of trace element accumulation at some specific sites. The goal of this study was to measure the current levels of the main Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE) in the top horizon and in specific soil profiles so that we would establish the baseline concentrations of these elements. Eighty-eight top soils and three soil profiles were sampled. The samples were acid digested. Arsenic, boron, barium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, silver, selenium and zinc were determined with inductively coupled argon plasma emission spectrometry (ICPES).

All of the values found are within the normal range for uncontaminated soils as reported from several continents. Elements with high environmental risk potential are lower than the admissible range of the European Union and some of them are orders of magnitude lower than those of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) 501 levels. Potentially Toxic Elements contents increased with depth or showed a maximum concentration at the B2 horizon. This is related to the parent material and the pedogenetic processes but not to recent contamination. Soil profiles showed higher concentrations of PTE in clayey horizons. However, these relationships did not appear in top soil samples in any soil Great Group studied. The shown data establishes a baseline for PTE concentrations for Pampas soils.     

The ecology of Symphyla Part I. Populations

Symphylid populations were studied using a standardized sampling technique, consisting of twenty random, vertical 2 1/2 diameter cores taken to the subsoil, and flotation extraction. Of 415 locations sampled symphylids were present in 32.0% of grassland, 25.8% of forest litter, 44.2% of cultivated soils and 52.8% of greenhouse soils. Populations were high, up to 88,000,000 per acre, and the order of decreasing population density was greenhouse soil, outdoor cultivated soil, forest litter and fallow soil. Investigations on optimal soil type showed loams to be most favourable, pure sands and clays least suited, and clay loams and sandy clay loams intermediate. It was concluded that the most favourable soil characteristics for symphylids were high organic matter content, good moisture holding capacity and the ability to compact and form crevices.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Anwendung einer standardisierten Sammeltechnik wurden Symphylidenpopulationen untersucht, wobei dem Untergrund jeweils zufallsmäßig 20 vertikale Bohrkerne entnommen und durch Schlämmen ausgezogen wurden. Die an 415 Lokalitäten gesammelten Symphyliden waren zu 32,0% in Grasland, zu 25,8% in Waldstreu, zu 44,2% in Kulturböden und zu 52,8% in Gewächshausböden vertreten. Die Populationen waren groß, bis zu 88 Millionen je Morgen (acre), und die Populationsdichte nahm in folgender Reihe ab: Gewächshausböden, Freilandkulturböden, Waldstreu und Brachland. Untersuchungen über den optimalen Bodentyp ziegten, daß Lehmböden am günstigstenm reine Sand- und Tonböden am wenigsten geeignet sind, während toniger Lehm und sandiger Ton dazwischen liegen. Es wird geschlossen daß die günstigsten Bodeneigenschaften für Symphyliden in hohem Gehalt an organischer Substanz, guter Feuchtigkeitskapazität und der Fähigkeit zur Verfestigung und Hohlraumbildung bestehen.

     

Methods of measuring available nutrients in West Indian soils

Summary Total K, exchangeable K (NH₄OAc method), CH₃COOH, cold H₂SO₄ and boiling HNO₃ extractable K were compared with dry matter yield response and K uptake from maize grown on 155 Commonwealth Caribbean soils in greenhouse experiments.Correlation coefficients for soil test values with percentage yield and K uptake were calculated using data from all the soils together and also when the soils were grouped according to pH (< 5.5, 5.5–7.0 and > 7.0), per cent base saturation (< 60, 60–79, 80–99 and 100 per cent), cation exchange capacity (< 10, 10–30 and > 30 me per 100 g) and texture (clays, clay loams and loams and sands). In general, correlations of soil test value with K uptake were superior to those with percentage yield. Total K gave no significant correlations in any of the comparisons. The NH₄OAc (exchangeable K) and cold H₂SO₄ were the most successful methods overall and the least sensitive to changes in soil properties. The CH₃COOH extract in general was the least effective. The differing behaviour and the ability of the methods to extract K is discussed in relation to the mineralogy and genesis of the soils which make up the various groups when divided according to the soil properties listed above.     

Use of a glass bead-containing liquid medium for efficient production of a soil-free culture with polychlorinated biphenyl-dechlorination activity

We established a soil-free culture capable of dechlorinating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Kanechlor-300 and Kanechlor-400 by establishing a PCB-dechlorinating soil culture in liquid medium containing 0.5 mm glass beads. PCB-dechlorination activity in liquid cultures with glass beads appeared to depend on the size of the glass beads, and soil-free cultures with 0.05-, 1.0- or 2.0 mm glass beads did not dechlorinate PCBs. Soil-free culture without glass beads also failed to dechlorinate PCBs. The soil-free culture containing 0.5 mm glass beads dechlorinated 42.6 ± 12.0 mol% in total PCBs. This soil-free culture was more effective than soil culture for dechlorinating PCBs ranging from dichlorinated PCBs to tetrachlorinated PCBs. Clone analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that one of the predominant groups of microorganisms in the soil-free culture comprised heat-tolerant and spore-forming bacteria from the phylum Firmicutes. Heat treatment (100 °C, 10 min) did not destroy the PCB-dechlorination activity of the soil-free culture with glass beads. These results suggest that unknown species of the phylum Firmicutes were involved in PCB dechlorination in the soil-free culture. In this study, we succeeded in using a liquid medium containing glass beads as an inorganic soil substitute and showed that such a medium enhances PCB-dechlorination activity. Our study provides valuable information for developing PCB-bioremediation techniques using dechlorinating bacteria in anoxic contaminated soils and sediments.     

Soil organic carbon content at a range of north Australian tropical savannas with contrasting site histories

Soils play an important role in the global carbon cycle, and can be major source or sink of CO₂ depending upon land use, vegetation type and soil management practices. Natural and human impact on soil carbon concentration and storage is poorly understood in native north Australian savanna, yet this represents the largest carbon store in the ecosystem. To gain understanding of possible management impacts on this carbon pool, soil organic carbon (SOC) of the top 1m of red earth sands and sandy loams common in the region was sampled at 5 sites with different vegetation cover and site history (fire regime and tree removal). SOC was high when compared to other published values for savannas and was more comparable with dry-deciduous tropical forests. Sites sampled in this study represent high rainfall savannas of northern Australia (> 1700 mm annual rainfall) that feature frequent burning (2 in 3 years or more frequent) and a cycle of annual re-growth of tall C₄ grasses that dominate the savanna understorey. These factors may be responsible for the higher than expected SOC levels of the surface soils, despite high respiration rates. Medium term fire exclusion (15–20 years) at one of the sampled sites (Wildlife Park) dramatically reduced the grassy biomass of the understorey. This site had lower SOC levels when compared to the grass dominated and frequently burnt sites, which may be due to a reduction in detrital input to surface (0–30 cm) soil carbon pools. Exclusion of trees also had a significant impact on both the total amount and distribution of soil organic carbon, with tree removal reducing observed SOC at depth (100 cm). Soil carbon content was higher in the wet season than that in the dry season, but this difference was not statistically significant. Our results indicated that annual cycle of grass growth and wildfire resulted in small carbon accumulation in the upper region of the soil, and removal of woody plants resulted in significant carbon losses to recalcitrant, deep soil horizons greater than 80 cm depth.     

Distribution of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the natural ecosystem

Natural occurrence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in Haryana soils showed that VAM sporulation was more intensive in the rhizosphere of nonlegumes than of legumes. Maximum number of spores (342 spores per 50 g of soil) was observed in the rhizosphere of mustard, followed by chickpea, wheat, pearl millet and pigeonpea. Four VAM generaviz. Glomus, Gigaspora, Sclerocystis andAcaulospora, were present there. Soil pH, total soil P, available P, type of soil, soil moisture and cropping season all variables influenced the VA mycorrhizal population in the natural ecosystem. Numbers of VAM spores highly correlated with the presence of total soil P and soil pH indirectly affected the VAM population through the total soil P. The spore population was abundant in sandy soils as compared to loamy sands. Drier soils had higher number of VAM spores. In summer, the VAM population in soil was less as compared to winter season.     

Influence of Edaphic Factors and Previous Crop on Pratylenchus spp. Population Densities in Potato

Root and soil samples from commercial potato fields were assayed for nematodes in 1983 and 1984. Pratylenchus spp. population densities in Suffolk County, New York, were consistently, though not always statistically, higher in potato fields that had been planted to rye or wheat rather than potatoes during the previous growing season. Regardless of the previous crop, population densities in the two potato production areas in Suffolk County differed significantly: population densities on the south fork were 1.9-5.5 times higher than those on the north fork. Species prevalence differed significantly on the two forks but was not related to the previous year''s crop. P. penetrans and P. crenatus were found primarily on the north and south forks, respectively. Differences in species distribution were associated with differences in soil types. P. crenatus was usually found on loams and silt loams, but P. penetrans was found more frequently on sandy soils.     

Root deployment and shoot growth for two desert species in response to soil rockiness

Soil texture, as well as the presence of rocks, can determine the water status, growth, and distribution of plants in arid environments. The effects of soil rockiness and soil particle size distribution on shoot and root growth, root system size, rooting depth, and water relations were therefore investigated for the Crassulacean acid metabolism leaf succulent Agave deserti and the C(4) bunchgrass Pleuraphis rigida after precipitation events during the summer and winter/spring rainfall periods in the northwestern Sonoran Desert. The soils at the field site varied from sandy (<3% rocks by volume) to rocky (up to 35% rocks), with greater water availability at higher water potentials for sandy than for rocky soils. Although A. deserti was absent from the sandiest sites, its shoot and root growth during both rainfall periods were greatest in comparatively sandier sites and decreased as the soil rock content increased. Furthermore, A. deserti had twofold greater root surface area, root?:?leaf area ratio, and mean rooting depth at sandier than at rocky sites. As for A. deserti, shoot growth was greater for P. rigida at the sandier sites than at the rockier sites, even though its root surface area and mean rooting depth did not vary significantly. After early spring rainfall events, the leaf water potential for A. deserti did not differ between rocky and sandy sites, but transpiration rates were almost twofold greater at rocky than at sandy sites. During the same period, P. rigida had lower leaf water potentials and 25% lower transpiration rates at rocky than at sandy sites. The greater variability in the deployment of the root systems of A. deserti in response to soil rockiness may reflect its evergreen habit and slower growth, which allow it to endure periods of lower water availability than does P. rigida, whose leaves die during drought.     

A comparison of fine root distribution and water consumption of mature Caragana korshinkii Kom grown in two soils in a semiarid region, China

Water is a key limiting factor for vegetation restoration in the semi-arid areas of China. Caragana korshinkii Kom is a shrub that is widely planted in this region to control soil erosion and land desertification. The objective of this study was to investigate the fine root distribution of mature C. korshinkii and its water consumption, when grown in either silt loam or sandy soils, in order to understand differences between the water cycles of two such soils found in the transition zone between fertile loess hills and desert of the Northern Loess Plateau. Fine root distributions were measured using the trench-profile method. Soil water dynamics were monitored with a neutron probe during two growing seasons. The results showed that fine root area density (FRAD) declined with increasing soil depth in both soils, with 70.7% and 96.6% of the total fine roots being concentrated in the upper 1-m layer of the silt loam and sandy soils, respectively. Water consumption by C. korshinkii in the silt loam was close to that in the sandy soil. Most water consumption in both soil types was from the upper 1-m layer. Little variation in plant available water (PAW) occurred in the 3–6 m soil layer during the whole study period. However, in this layer, the PAW was significantly lower in the silt loam soil than in the sandy soil. Total actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) was slightly higher from the sandy soil plots than from those of the silt loam soil during both growing seasons. Our study indicated that mature C. korshinkii effectively uses about the same amount of water from either the silt loam or sandy soils, but that more soil water at depth was extracted from silt loam soil than from sandy soil.     

Distribution of spring barley roots in Danish soils,of different texture and under different climatic conditions

Summary Spring barley root profiles have been investigated in three years with different climatological conditions during the growing season. In total, 50 root profiles were determined by measuring cm root/ml soil in different 10 cm sections of the profile. The investigations, show that the root density was nearly identical for all soil types within the upper part of the plough layer. The decrease in root density with depth is most pronounced for the sandy soils and less for the loamy soils. The mean max. root depth in the sandy soils was roughly 70 cm, while it was roughly 140 cm for the loamy soils. A comparison between the clay and silt content in the subsoil and the thickness of soil layers with more than given root densities shows that there is no correlation between texture and thickness of soil layers with more than 1.0 cm root/ml soil, while there was a clear, positive correlation between thickness of soil layers with lower root densities and the clay and silt content in the subsoil. The different climatological conditions during the growing season give rise to differences in the root development. Very wet springs seem to impede root development in loamy soils with slowly permeable subsoils, while this is not the case in the sandy soils.     

Effect of long-term application of animal manure on physical properties of three soils

Surface soil samples to 15 cm depth were taken from replicated plots in an ongoing long-term field experiment involving application of animal manure on three soils in Virginia. The sampled plots had received either no manure or the equivalent of 289,000 kg ha^–1 of manure as dry weight. The manure was applied annually at the beginning of each spring for 15 years from 1978 through 1992. The plots were cropped similarly since 1978. Soil textures were a fine sandy loam at Holland in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, a silt loam at Blacksburg in the Appalachian region, and a clay loam at Orange in the Piedmont region of Virginia. The following measurements were made on subsamples: liquid and plastic limits, wet aggregate stability, aggregate size distribution, dispersible clay percentage, water retention at 0. 03, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 MPa tension, and modulus of rupture of moulded briquettes at a water content corresponding to 0.1 MPa tension. Organic matter content by the Walkley-Black method was significantly higher in the manure-treated soils at all three locations. Increases were 3% for the sandy loam and 25% for the silt loam and clay loam. From these values it was estimated that at least 95% of the total applied manure had been degraded over the 15 years. Results showed that the liquid and plastic limits for all three soils were higher (p<0.05) for the manure-treated samples. However, the differences in the limits were only 2 to 3%. The modulus of rupture values were lowered by addition of the animal manure. Decreases (p<0.05) occurred for the silt loam and clay loam samples. The wet aggregate stability increased and the dispersible clay decreased in the manure-treated soils. Increases (p<0.05) in wet aggregate stability occurred for the sandy loam and silt loam samples. Decreases (p<0.05) in dispersible clay were measured for the sandy loam and clay loam samples. Water retention was consistently, but only slightly, increased by manure addition. The increases, in the order of sample texture, were clay loam > sandy loam silt loam. Increases tended to be higher at the lower values of tension. Manure addition consistently increased the weight percentages of aggregates passing a given mesh size. Increases, in order of sample texture, were silt loam > clay loam > sandy loam. In their entirety, these results show that the manure produced measurable changes in the soil physical properties. The magnitude of the changes, in most cases, were small and depended on the soil texture. Given the high total amount of manure applied, the results indicate that manure-induced physical changes in the soil were small and evidently did not accumulate over time. Rapid microbial degradation of the manure could be responsible for the lack of marked changes in the soil physical properties.     

科尔沁沙地不同土地利用类型土壤化学计量特征

土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)化学计量是衡量土壤质量及生态系统元素限制的重要指标,探讨土地利用和土层深度对土壤化学计量特征的影响有利于揭示科尔沁沙地土壤元素循环规律。本研究以科尔沁沙地5种土地利用类型(灌溉农田、旱作农田、沙质草地、固定沙丘、流动沙丘)土壤为对象,分析不同土地利用类型和不同土层土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)含量及其化学计量特征。结果表明: 1)科尔沁沙地0～10 cm SOC(3.23 g·kg^-1)、TN(0.37 g·kg^-1)、TP(0.15 g·kg^-1)含量及化学计量比(C:N、C:P、N:P分别为9.07、25.56、2.97)远低于中国陆地土壤。2)土地利用变化显著改变了SOC、TN、TP含量及其化学计量特征,0～100 cm SOC、TN、TP含量均表现为灌溉农田>沙质草地>旱作农田>固定沙丘>流动沙丘;沙质草地、灌溉农田、旱作农田C:N显著高于固定沙丘和流动沙丘,沙质草地、固定沙丘、灌溉农田、旱作农田C:P显著高于流动沙丘,5种土地利用类型N:P无显著差异。3)随土层深度增加,沙质草地、固定沙丘、灌溉农田、旱作农田SOC和TN含量显著降低,流动沙丘SOC、TN含量和C:P在各土层间无显著差异;总体上,各土地利用类型TP含量和C:N受土层影响较小;沙质草地、固定沙丘、灌溉农田、旱作农田C:P和沙质草地N:P随土层深度增加而降低。4)SOC、TN、TP、C:N与中砂粒、细砂粒、土壤容重呈显著负相关,与黏粉粒和极细砂粒呈显著正相关。沙漠化导致科尔沁沙地SOC和养分流失,加剧土壤N缺乏,水肥投入有助于耕地维持相对较高的土壤养分水平。