Soil Description Research Articles

A Semi-Detailed Survey of Soils in the City of Jaboatão dos Guararapes – PE

The economic development of the city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes was generated spontaneously without considering the land use capacity or its position in the landscape. Due to the occupation and intensive disordered use of the city pedological coverage, there have been mass movements that have caused economic and social losses. These can be resized based on the understanding of the pedological aspects inherent to the city. The objective of the present paper was to map the soils of the city area at a semi-detailed level. For this purpose, different toposequences were used, with soil examinations at a rate of 1 for every 2.75 km², totaling 94 points. The mapping and taxonomic classification of soils were made in accordance with standards, procedures and criteria adopted by Embrapa Soils. Based on the morphological data, locations were defined for soil description and sampling, totaling 14 soil profiles. 15 soil classes were identified, and 23 mapping units were defined, which highlighted the notable role of the source material in the distribution of the city's pedological properties. The mapping units that require greater care for use are: a) in hill environments - PAdr1, PVAd1 and PVd; and b) in the fluvial-marine plains – EKu1, EKu2 and GXbd2. The expansion of urban areas must consider the type of soil and the behavior of the material, especially during the rainy season, in order to minimize risks and adverse losses.

Determination and classification soils in practice according to PN-EN ISO 14688:2018

Despite the passage of time, ISO standards for description and classification have not been fully adapted to common and correct use in practice. This article presents the methods of identification, description and classification of soils contained in PN-EN ISO 14688-1:2018-05 and PN-EN ISO 14688-2:2018-05 in practical terms. The level of detail of description depends on the properties of the soil in question, the size and quality of the soil sample as well as the purpose of their collection within the framework of the design or reconnaissance task performed. In this regard the practice of PN-EN ISO 14688-1:2018 soil determination and description varies. The article gives examples of soil determination based on the above-mentioned ISO standards in field and laboratory tests. Problems were observed due to, among other things, the translation of the standard as well as unspecified issues of description. Most soils usually include more than one fraction. A distinction is made between the main fraction and secondary fraction, as well as a tertiary fraction in justified cases. In the determination of the main fraction in practice there is no trouble, so in the case of multifractional fine-grained soils, the lack of a direct and unambiguous way to record the secondary fraction causes difficulties for the assessor resulting in discrepancies in the soil description

Slope Stability Analysis Throughout Road Around Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) using Fellenius Method

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) is a nature conservation area in Indonesia. The slope stability of the interprovincial roads in BBSNP needs to be assessed for slope stability. This study assesses slope stability using the Fellenius method for the factor of safety calculation. The data utilized consists of geological and structure regional conditions, soil descriptions, soil physical and mechanical properties, water content, liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, specific gravity, soil strength, slope dimensions, and slope weight. The sampling process is conducted un-disturb, followed by laboratory testing. The laboratory tests conducted include soil elasticity and plasticity, soil cohesion, and internal friction angle. The critical slopes at LT-L01 and LT-L23 are compromised due to the low cohesion values, making both slopes susceptible to landslides. The stable slope at LT-R04, LT-L15, LT-L19, and LT-R30 exhibit variability properties across the slopes. The lithology for slope LT-R04 consists of inorganic clay with high plasticity, slopes LT-L15 and LT-R30 have same lithology of silty clay with medium plasticity, while slope LT-L19 has lithology of silty clay with low plasticity. The safety factor values indicate stability due to moderate - high cohesion, contributing to slope stability. Material compaction is required to enhance cohesion values on the slopes. Additionally, need to mitigate water saturation conditions in the slope materials.

Vascular Plant Communities and Flora of the Seven Lakes Nature Preserve in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula

The Seven Lakes Nature Preserve comprises nearly 2,400 hectares of aquatic, wetland, and upland habitats in southeastern Alger and northeastern Schoolcraft counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The preserve was obtained and protected by the J.A. Woollam Foundation and has undergone several expansions. In an area of Michigan with relatively limited development and few roads, the natural communities of Seven Lakes are highly intact, and many of its habitats have recovered since the historic logging era. Botanical surveys were conducted in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022 with the goals of describing the natural communities and ecosystem processes and of producing a comprehensive floristic inventory. The post-glacial natural history of the region and a description of climate and soils are provided. A floristic quality assessment was performed, yielding a Total Floristic Quality Index of 99.9, a Total Mean C of 4.5 and a Native Mean C of 5.3. Within the upland forests, shrubby and forested wetlands, and open wetlands, eleven plant communities are described following the classification system proposed by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. The floristic affinities of rare or otherwise noteworthy taxa are discussed, as are potential threats to the ecosystem. Four-hundred ninety-three species and four hybrids were observed during our surveys, 147 species are represented by specimen vouchers and 440 are recorded as photo vouchers on iNaturalist. Sixteen new species records for Alger County are reported.

Ecological Studies on the Soil and Vegetation of Krusadi Group of Islands in the Gulf of Manaar

The account presents the plant ecology with a description of soils and other related features of the Krusadi group of islands situated in the Gulf of Manaar approximately between 9°14'-9°15'N and 79°10.5'-79°14.5' E. Data on pH, organic matter contents, total soluble salts, sodium chloride contents and calcium carbonate contents in the soils of different habitats are presented in tabular form and an attempt made to correlate vegetation with the soil features. A classification of vegetation situations rather than strictly vegetation type has been brought out and comparison made with the main neighbouring island of Rameswaram with similar climate. The paper includes a vegetation map of the area prepared during the field work.

Review of soil form and wetness indicators for wetland delineation in South Africa

Wetland delineation in South Africa incorporates soil form and soil wetness indicators, requiring formal soil classification and description of soil redox morphology. The current wetland definition used administratively in South Africa focuses on saturated (hydric) soil signatures within plant root zones. Saturated soil horizons deeper than plant root zones fall outside the 50 cm criterion in the local approach as well as the accepted zone in USA literature. The field of hydropedology accommodates the classification of the various hydrologically active horizons and provides a tool for the handling of horizons with ephemeral wetness. This approach has been variably accepted by mandated authorities in South Africa. The South African soil classification system has evolved through three editions over the past 50 years while retaining the same redox morphology understanding. However, despite the concepts and context of redox morphology having been thoroughly technically adopted by soil scientists, this is not the case within the wetland research and management environment. This especially because the classification system is structured differently from other international systems, and the South African landscape is geologically ancient with mature soils, introducing challenges to resource assessment specialists who rely on international norms and approaches for wetland assessment. This paper reviews the various components of soil classification and redox morphology based on Fe and Mn minerals within the context of the South African soil classification system, the field of hydropedology and wetland delineation indicators. We provide a qualitative correlation between the various diagnostic horizons and materials in the system and their related redox morphology contexts that are relevant to wetland assessment, delineation, and protection in South Africa. This paper therefore aims to serve as a reference point for the description and correlation of various soil hydrological parameters used in formal assessments.

Comparative Spatial Modeling of Bretziella fagacearum Distribution in Northern Wisconsin, United States.

Bretziella fagacearum, the ascomycete fungus oak wilt, is considered a virulent threat to North American oaks, but the influence of the physical environment on this pathosystem remains unclear, particularly at the forest scale. This study explored the influence of terrain and soil factors on B. fagacearum infections, applying discrete and continuous spatial models to investigate the question, besides proximity to other infections, which environmental factors influenced B. fagacearum incidence? Locations of infections were recorded from 586 confirmed B. fagacearum sites, identified from 2004 through 2021 in a 76 km2 area of deep, sandy glacial outwash in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, northern Wisconsin. Public datasets derived from remote sensing were incorporated as covariates, describing terrain elevation (USGS 10-m DEM), soil physical and chemical properties (POLARIS), and forest composition (WiscLand2). Spatial models included generalized additive models (GAMs) and Neyman-Scott cluster process models. The results indicated that spatial dependence and the distribution of oak forests were the most important drivers of B. fagacearum distribution in this area, with more minor influence from elevation, hill shade, and drainage patterns. Comparison between modeling approaches indicated that-at this scale and in this area-the most accurate models were those that included host distribution, spatial dependence, and quantitative terrain and soil descriptions. However, a close approximation could be attained using nonlinear models (GAMs) that incorporated only host distribution and spatial dependence.

Characterization and classification of soils of a paddy field in Badeggi, Niger State, Nigeria

This study was conducted with the aim of characterizing and classifying the soils of a paddy field in Badeggi Katcha local Government Area of Niger State. Two pedons were dug representing upper and lower slopes of the field and were designated as Badeggi 1 and 2 (BDG1 and BDG2) respectively. The pedons were described on the field following the FAO guidelines for soil description. Soil samples were collected from each identified natural horizons and taken to the laboratory for analysis. Results revealed that BDG1 had greyish brown (10YR 5/2) at the topmost horizon and light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) at the subsoil, while BDG2 had light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) overlying light grey (10YR 7/2) at subsoil. Sand content ranged from 840 to 860 g/kg in BDG 1 and 690 to 830 g/kg in BDG 2, silt ranged from 50 to 70 g/kg in BDG 1 and 90 to 210 g/kg in BDG 2 and clay ranged from 90 to 100 g/kg in BDG 1 and 80 to 100 g/kg in BDG 2. Soils from the two pedons were moderately to slightly acidic, low in organic carbon and available phosphorus, while total nitrogen was rated low to medium and irregularly distributed down the two profiles, but exchangeable Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium were high across the study area. Using the USDA soil taxonomy system, the soils were classified as Plinthic Petraquepts (BDG 1) and Fluvaquentic Endoaquepts (BDG 2) which corresponded to Petric Plinthosols (Abruptic) and Fluvic Cambisols (Eutric) respectively, under World Reference Base for Soil Classification (WRB). The study has revealed that BDG1 is moderately well-drained while BDG2 is imperfectly drained. The soils are moderate to slightly acid with low inherent fertility as evidenced by low organic carbon, total nitrogen and available phosphorous. The soils were classified as Inceptisols at Soil Order level.

ЛАНДШАФТНО-ТИПОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ КЛАССИФИКАЦИЯ ПАСТБИЩНЫХ ЛАНДШАФТОВ ЗАПАДНО-КАЗАХСТАНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ РЕСПУБЛИКИ КАЗАХСТАН

Studying the floristic composition and dynamics of vegetation in pasture landscapes is of great importance. Pasture landscapes serve as a resource for livestock development, where processes of overgrazing and undergrazing, depletion of their flora, and reduced productivity of phytocenoses are currently observed. Studying the plant communities of pasture landscapes is relevant because assessing the condition of pasture landscapes and developing land management and ameliorative measures for them contribute to increasing their productivity and preserving landscapes as a whole. The natural fodder lands of the western part of the territory of the Zhanibek and Kaztal districts of the West Kazakhstan region served as the object of the study. The current state of natural pastures and hayfields has been studied, and a landscape-typological classification of pasture landscapes of the research objects has been compiled. Materials from geobotanical surveys have been analyzed. A modern landscape-typological classification of pasture landscapes has been developed, which combines 2 classes of pastures (semi-desert-steppe pastures on light-chestnut and saline soils and steppe pastures on chestnut soils), 4 subclasses of pastures (plain-flat, slightly inclined plane, slightly inclined plane with slightly dissected gully networks, gully-flat), and 14 groups of pasture landscapes, each with a brief description. Within the research objects, 14 groups of pasture landscapes have been identified with descriptions of characteristic plant communities and predominant soils. Natural pasture landscapes have been studied using field and satellite methods. It is recommended to use them as summer-autumn-spring pastures for coarse-haired and fine-haired sheep breeds, large horned cattle, horses, and saigas, and as winter pastures for horses and saigas.

Soil Survey and Lithogeochemical Techniques in Mineral Exploration

This paper investigates the critical roles of soil surveys and lithologic evaluation in identifying potential mineral resources. Soil surveys involve the systematic mapping, examination, description, and classification of soils within a defined area. Through targeted sampling and laboratory analysis, these surveys can reveal the concentration of metals in the soil. By analyzing these metal signatures, geoscientists can infer the underlying geology and identify areas with a higher likelihood of hosting valuable mineral deposits. Lithologic evaluation complements soil surveys by focusing on the physical characteristics of rock units exposed at outcrops, in hand samples, or cores. Observable with the naked eye or a magnifying lens, these characteristics include color, texture, and structural features. Lithogeochemistry, or rock geochemistry, builds upon this foundation by analyzing the chemical composition of the bedrock. This analysis aims to identify spatial patterns of elements typically associated with specific types of mineral deposits. By integrating the findings from soil surveys and lithologic evaluations, geoscientists gain a comprehensive understanding of the subsurface environment, enabling them to prioritize areas for further mineral exploration activities. This paper delves into the fundamentals of these techniques, highlighting their strengths and limitations in the context of mineral resource exploration.

Геоэкологические проблемы излива термальных вод скважины 9-Т Каргалинская

Based on stock materials on the Kargalinskoye thermal water deposit and field studies in the area of the geothermal well 9-T Kargalinskaya (Chechen Republic), mapping of the area of impact of the outflowing waters of this well was carried out and a comprehensive geoecological assessment of their impact on the landscape and land use was given. At the mesolevel, an assessment was made of the integration of the well into the regional landscape structure (a profile was built on which the main geological and geographical boundaries and units of physical and geographical differentiation are indicated: types and groups of landscapes). At a large-scale level, a comprehensive mapping of landscapes and land use was carried out on a scale of 1:10 000. In the field, characteristics were given to natural complexes of the rank of tracts and facies (with a description of vegetation, soils and actual use), water temperatures were measured, and water samples were taken for chemical analysis from a well and a groundwater basin used for drip irrigation of agricultural land. Geobotanical studies of the flora were carried out with the identification of the main phytocenoses, at some points of which transects (1 m2) were laid, dominant associations, the number of dominants, and the total projective cover were determined.

Introducing a New Pyrogenic Podzolic Sub-Horizon to Clarify Organic Matter Pools in Pine Forest Soils

Pine-green moss forests on Podzols exhibit high susceptibility to fire. Subsequent to wildfire, soot and charcoal enter the soil profile and accumulate in the upper part of the podzolic horizon (E). This process results in the development of a greying pyrogenic podzol horizon (Epyr). The maximum concentration of pyrogenic components accumulates in the surface layer of Epyr, which is 1 to 4 cm thick and the darkest in colour. The comprehensive soil descriptions showed the existence of a fine pyrogenic layer between the forest floor and mineral horizon. This layer was not analysed. The current shift in science towards assessing the environmental aspects of soil organic matter dynamics requires a more detailed study of the soil profile. We suggest distinguishing the pyrogenic organic mineral sub-horizon of the Eopyr as the upper Epyr layer. Our results show this sub-horizon contains sand, humus, detritus, and charcoal. It forms around 6%–22% of the entire organic matter pools in the biologically active part of the soil (0–30 cm). Further research is needed to obtain reliable qualitative and quantitative data on Eopyr.

Retention efficiency for microplastic in a landscape estimated from empirically validated dynamic model predictions

Soils are recipients of microplastic that can be subsequently transferred to the sea. Land sources dominate inputs to the ocean, but knowledge gaps about microplastic retention by land hinder assessments of input rates. Here we present the first empirical evaluation of a dynamic microplastic fate model operating at landscape level. This mechanistic model accounts for hydrology, soil and sediment erosion, particle characteristics and behavior. We predict microplastic concentrations in water and sediments of the Henares river (Spain) within the measurement uncertainty boundaries (error factors below 2 and 10, respectively). Microplastic export from land and discharge by river fluctuates in a non-linear manner with precipitation and runoff variability. This indicates the need of accurate dynamic descriptions of soil and stream hydrology even when modeling microplastic fate and transport in generic scenarios and at low spatio-temporal resolution. A time-averaged landscape retention efficiency was calculated showing 20–50% of the microplastics added to the catchment over a multiannual period were retained. While the analysis reveals persistent uncertainties and knowledge gaps on microplastic sources to the catchment, these results contribute to the quantitative understanding of the role of terrestrial environments in accumulating microplastics, delaying their transport to the sea.

68 Integrating Enviromics, Genomics, and Machine Learning for Precision Breeding of Resilient Beef Cattle

Abstract Animal breeding is one of the main pillars of livestock production. Statistics, computer science, and genomics have transformed productivity in the industry. Another round of breakthroughs is expected to come from harnessing the power of big data and machine learning analytics to address the complex interaction between animal genetics and the environment. Developing methods that enable precise selection decisions for animals in diverse production environments is expected to result in significant productivity gains and a reduction in welfare issues, while also mitigating the environmental impact of suboptimal allocation of resources to ill-adapted animals. Due to climate uncertainty, an understanding of these genetic and environmental interactions will be critical for decision-making. Our multi-institutional group initiated a project to generate a comprehensive enviromics data lake to develop and apply novel methods for breeding more adapted and resilient beef cattle for varying environments. Using GIS technology and integrating various sources of environmental information from publicly available databases and satellite imaging, detailed descriptions of soil, climate, forage, and weather conditions will be created for thousands of U.S. farms, representing millions of cattle, with phenotypic and genotypic data. Farms will be comprehensively described in terms of their facilities and management practices through surveys. Machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques will then be used to predict future animal performance for precision livestock management. The proposed models will also be biologically validated by measuring direct indicators of animal resilience. Results will be communicated to beef cattle producers and industry groups to foster the implementation of environment-aware approaches into routine genetic evaluations. In this talk, we will discuss this ongoing project in detail and present some preliminary results.

A Practical Group Symbol and Group Name Approach (PSNA) according to EN ISO 14688-2:2018

Classification systems are crucial to the description and classification of soils, helping to facilitate soil identification, as well as the understanding, and interpretation of soil materials worldwide. In this study, EN ISO 14688-2:2018 and ASTM D2487-17e1 were employed to develop a practical soil identification approach called Practical Group Symbol and Group Name Approach (PSNA). The method presented herein is not a classification system or a standard but is rather an approach that makes EN ISO 14688-2:2018 usable in practice and enables soil particle identification in detail. The use of this practical method can eliminate any ambiguity in communicating soil characteristics. Practical flow charts were prepared for defining group names and symbols of soil particles. The method enables the classification of gravel, sand, silt, clay, and organic material. A user-friendly macro was also developed in Microsoft Excel, utilizing the integrated programming language Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to facilitate the implementation of this approach. In the present study, an Excel-based triangular diagram was developed. In addition to the triangular diagram, two charts were considered. From these contributions, the group symbol and group name of soil mixtures can be easily and practically defined.

Влияние климатических и гидрологических изменений на лесорастительные условия речных пойм Донского бассейна

The article deals with the problem of floodplain forest degradation in the steppe zone, using the Don basin’s rivers as an example. The floodplains of the Khoper, Buzuluk, Ilovlya, Medveditsa, and Chir rivers were the key objects of the study. Identification of the landscape-hydrogeological conditions of river floodplains was carried out using the profiling method. In total, five transverse landscape profiles were laid in the floodplains of the listed rivers, along which leveling was carried out to build a hypsometric profile and a comprehensive soil and plant description. For the arid zone rivers, ground feeding is an important source of moisture in addition to atmospheric. Therefore, one of the main tasks was to determine the groundwater level using subsurface sounding (georadar). The analysis of the maximum levels of data for spring floods showed a trend of decreasing the height of floods since the late 1990s. Comparison of these data with the hypsometric profile and radar survey data revealed that the provision of complete flooding of floodplains occurs once every 10–20 years. The absence of annual complete flooding of floodplains with water has led to a decrease in the groundwater level to 5–6 m, which is an unfavorable factor for the development of woody vegetation. The climatic and hydrological conditions of the steppe zone considered in the article are unfavorable for the development of woody vegetation since they do not correspond to the conditions of its initial formation. In view of the existing conditions and the identified trends in the reduction of floods and the fall of the groundwater level, it is possible to predict a further reduction and redistribution of the forest cover of the Don basin’s river floodplains.

The Applicability of Various Pedotransfer Functions to the Description of Soils

The Applicability of Various Pedotransfer Functions to the Description of Soils

Providing standardized soil profile data for greater noida region

Soil science research relies on reliable information about soil and other characteristics obtained through examination and description of the soil in the field. A good soil description can also prevent errors in soil sampling. Our team conducted field and laboratory investigations to assess the soil’s properties and determine its characteristics. Based on our findings, we were able to evaluate the soil parameters and determine the appropriate design specifications for a safe and stable structure. This report will include the methodology of investigation, field, and laboratory test results, recommendations, and a suitable type of foundation.

Identifying potentially dangerous areas of frost heaving and surfacing of the buried oil pipeline

This scientific study aims to automatically identify potentially dangerous areas of frost heaving and surfacing of a buried oil pipeline using the geological description of soil profile. The geological description of soil profile along the proposed route of a pipeline entails the study and identification of various layers of soil to determine the soil's suitability for pipeline installation and support. Enriching the geological description of soils in the first stage was achieved by creating a family of parameters that characterize the presence of water in two states and the interaction of the buried oil pipeline with soil layers. In the second stage, missed and erroneous soil parameters were restored by searching for similar patterns along the route of the pipeline using the enriched geological description of soil profile. Afterward, the selected areas of frost heaving and surfacing were ranked by potential danger in the third stage. The algorithm developed was shown to reduce the risk of damage to the oil pipeline and enrich the geological description of soil profile without additional field works. The results of the study allowed for the allocation of potentially dangerous areas where frost heaving and surfacing occur. The methodology described in the study can be applied in the midstream segment of the oil and gas industry to minimize the risk of pipeline damage.

The Applicability of Various Pedotransfer Functions to the Description of Soils

The article presents a comparative analysis of the hydrophysical characteristics, obtained with the use of pedotransfer functions, and the hydrophysical characteristics from the global soil set.