Humus Forms Research Articles

A review of additives use in straw composting.

Straw composting is not only a process of decomposition and re-synthesis of organic matter, but also a process of harmless treatment, avoiding air pollution caused by straw burning. Many factors, including raw materials, humidity, C/N, and microbial structure, may determine the composting process and the quality of final product. In recent years, many researches have focused on composting quality improvement by adding one or more exogenous substances, including inorganic additives, organic additives, and microbial agents. Although a few review publications have compiled the research on the use of additives in composting, none of them has specifically addressed the composting of crop straw. Additives used in straw composting can increase degradation of recalcitrant substances and provide ideal living surroundings for microorganism, and thus reduce nitrogen loss and promote humus formation, etc. This review's objective is to critically evaluate the impact of various additives on straw composting process, and analyze how these additives enhance final quality of composting. Furthermore, a vision for future perspectives is provided. This paper can serve as a reference for straw composting process optimization and composting end-product improvement.

Effects of management intensities on soil aggregate stability and carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus distribution in Phyllostachys edulis forests.

Soil aggregates are the main sites for the decomposition of soil organic matter and the formation of humus. The composition characteristics of aggregates with different particle sizes are one of the indicators for soil fertility. We explored the effects of management intensity (frequency of fertilization and reclamation) on soil aggregates in moso bamboo forests, including mid-intensity management (T1, fertilization and reclamation every 4 years), high-intensity management (T2, fertilization and reclamation every 2 years), and extensive management (CK). The water-stable soil aggregates (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm layers) from moso bamboo forest were separated by a combination of dry and wet sieving method and the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP) across different soil layers were determined. The results showed that management intensities had significant effects on soil aggregate composition and stability, and SOC, TN, AP distribution of moso bamboo forests. Compared with CK, T1 and T2 decreased the proportion and stability of macroaggregates in 0-10 cm soil layer, but increased that in 20-30 cm soil layer, while reduced the content of organic carbon in macroaggregates, the contents of organic carbon, TN and AP in microaggregates. Such results indicated that the intensified management was not conducive to formation of macroaggregates in 0-10 cm soil layer and carbon sequestration in macroaggregates. It was beneficial to the accumulation of organic carbon in soil aggregates and nitrogen and phosphorus in microaggregates with lower human disturbance. Mass fraction of macroaggregates and organic carbon content of macroaggregates was significantly positively correlated with aggregate stability, which best explained the variations of aggregate stability. Therefore, macroaggregates and organic carbon content of macroaggregates were the most important factors affecting the formation and stability of aggregates. Appropriate reduction of disturbance was beneficial to the accumulation of macroaggregates in the topsoil, the sequestration of organic carbon by macro-aggregates, and the sequestration of TN and AP by microaggregates, and improving soil quality and sustainable management in moso bamboo forest from the point of view of soil aggregate stability.

Роющая деятельность крота обыкновенного в условиях Беларуси и необходимость его отпугивания

The article presents the data of hunting for the mole in the republic in the last century, during the period when the hunting for the mole was carried out, the factors contributing to the increase in the number of the mole population at the present time are indicated: the absence of natural enemies, the adequacy of the food supply throughout the year, the lack of industrial catching. New data on the average size of molehills are given: diameter Dcr = 28 ± 2 cm, height Hcr = 9.7 ± 0.6 cm and their number in the studied areas of the Pruzhany region. Based on the data of counting molehills in Dzerzhinsky, Stolbtsovsky, Uzdensky, Pruzhany and Pinsk districts in areas under natural grasses or sown with cereal crops, an average number of molehills in the Brest region was established, which amounted to 36 molehills (average area 2.2 m2) per plot 10*10 m2, which is about 2 % of the total area. An approximate area was determined, amounting to 21.5 thousand hectares, located under molehills in the Brest region. The influence of the mole on the amount of processed land and the humus formation associated with this, depending on the intensity of catching, is considered; this year, this value amounted to 15.202 million tons of soil. The need to scare away moles, at least from areas of intensive visitation by people and domestic animals (garden plots) was noted due to the high infection of moles with ectoparasites dangerous to humans and animals. Information is provided on a new mole repeller developed in Belarus and mastered for production, based on calcium sulfate dihydrate, which does not contain pesticides and does not lead to the death of animals, but helps to leave the territory treated with this mole repeller.

Microbial response to warming and cellulose addition in a maritime Antarctic soil

AbstractMaritime Antarctic King George Island (South Shetland Islands) has experienced rapid warming in recent decades, but the impacts on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition remain ambiguous. Most vegetation cover is dominated by bryophytes (mosses), whereas a few vascular plants, such as Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis grow interspersed. Therefore, SOM is mainly enriched with carbohydrates and C‐alkyl, provided by mosses, which lack lignin as a precursor for aromatic compounds and humus formation. However, there is no clear answer to how substrate and temperature increase changes in Antarctic microbial respiration. We determined in what way SOM mineralization changes with temperature and substrate addition by characterizing the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil respiration in an open‐top chamber warming experiment. We hypothesized that: (a) cold‐tolerant microorganisms are well adapted to growing in maritime Antarctic soils (~ 0°C), so would not respond to low and moderate temperature increases because they undergo various metabolic mechanism adjustments until they experience increasing temperatures toward optimum growth (e.g., by enzyme production); and (b) cellulose, as a complex carbonaceous substrate of vegetated areas in Maritime Antarctic soils, activates microorganisms, increasing the Q10 of soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization. Soils (5–10 cm) were sampled after four consecutive years of experimental warming for SOC composition, microbial community structure, and C mineralization at 4, 12, and 20°C with and without cellulose addition. Functional group chemoheterotrophs, represented mainly by Proteobacteria, decomposed more refractory SOC (aromatic compounds), as indicated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, in ambient plots than in warming plots where plants were growing. The C‐CO2 efflux from the incubation experiment remained stable below 12°C but sharply increased at 20°C. Q10 varied between 0.4 and 4 and was reduced at 20°C, whereas cellulose addition increased Q10. In conclusion, as confirmed during field studies in a climate scenario, cold‐tolerant microorganisms in maritime Antarctic soils were slightly affected by increasing temperature (e.g., 4–12°C), with reduced temperature sensitivity, as summarized in a conceptual model.

High oil content inhibits humification in food waste composting by affecting microbial community succession and organic matter degradation

Composting is an effective technology to realize resource utilization of food waste in rural China. However, high oil content in food waste limits composting humification. This study investigated the effects of blended plant oil addition at different proportions (0, 10, 20, and 30%) on the humification of food waste composting. Oil addition at 10%–20% enhanced lignocellulose degradation by 16.6%–20.8% and promoted humus formation. In contrast, the high proportion of oil (30%) decreased the pH, increased the electrical conductivity, and reduced the seed germination index to 64.9%. High-throughput sequencing showed that high oil inhibited the growth and reproduction of bacteria (Bacillus, Fodinicurvataceae, and Methylococcaceae) and fungi (Aspergillus), attenuated their interaction, thus, reducing the conversion of organic matter, such as lignocellulose, fat, and total sugar, to humus, consequently leading to negative impacts on composting humification. The results can guide composting parameter optimization and improve effective management of rural food waste.

Suolo, humipedon e gestione forestale

Forest soil is a living and important part of the forest. It is essential for the development and reproduction of plants and for the evolution of the entire ecosystem. Proper management of the forest must also take into account the vitality and biodiversity of the soil. Due to an erroneous and non-biological conception of soil, and consequent difficulty in linking the physical aspect to the biological functioning of this complex ecosystem, the official soil classification of the last 30 years has abandoned the original link with climate, vegetation and the ecology of the environment in which soil evolves and coexists. In recent years the soil profile was divided into three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon), and it was then possible to link the first and most biological section of the soil to the characteristics of the environment and to its genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distinguish organic horizons generated essentially by arthropods and enchytraeids in cold and acidic or dry and arid environments, from organo-mineral horizons created by earthworms in more temperate and mesotrophic situations. Each set of horizons can be assigned to a system or form of humus, with important implications for forestry. For example, earthworms are more present in the early and late stages of sylvogenesis; by completely recycling the litter, they accelerate the provision of the organic and inorganic nutrients of the soil to the roots and the pedofauna. In general, it is now possible to associate a humus system with a given environment, with a spatial and temporal scale suitable for forest management. This paper promotes a more in-depth knowledge of the soil, to encourage foresters to take care of even half of the forest under their boots.

Effect of calcium peroxide assisted microwave irradiation pretreatment on humus formation and microbial community in straw and dairy manure composting

In this study, the effects of four pretreatment methods on the crystallinity of maize straw were compared, and the CaO2 assisted microwave pretreatment was selected for straw and dairy manure composting. The humification and microbial community were investigated. Results showed that the pretreatment increased the initial water-soluble carbon, which favored the microbial activity, and the CO2 release increased by 15.71%. Pretreatment promoted the lignocellulose degradation, with total degradation ratio of 37.06%. The final humic acid content was 11.39 g/kg higher than the control. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that polyphenols and amino acids were significantly related to humus formation. In addition, pretreatment rendered the Firmicutes the most dominant phylum, and increased the metabolic intensity of reducing sugar metabolism, aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and carbon fixation pathways. Redundancy analysis revealed that the dominant genus of Firmicutes was significantly positively correlated with humus, while that of Actinobacteriota was correlated with CO2 release.

Agrochemical Parameters of the Fertility of the Arable Meadows Differentiated Soils of the Primorsky Region in the Conditions of Long-Term Agricultural Use

The results of studies of the agrochemical properties of meadow differentiated soils of reference plots that have been in agricultural circulation for a long period are presented. The humus content, exchange acidity and the degree of saturation with bases have not changed much over 35 years of intensive soil use in agriculture. A decrease of hydrolytic acidity and the content of available phosphorus, as well as a significant increase in the content of exchangeable potassium was revealed. A trend towards a decrease in the content of exchange bases was noted. The calculated complex indicator of the agrochemical state of the soil indicates the multidirectional change in soil fertility in the studied areas, which is associated with differences in the availability of mobile forms of phosphorus and humus. The need for the widespread application of phosphorus fertilizers and a decrease in the differentiation of soil fertility in various areas has been identified.

Qualitative composition of humus and physical and chemical properties of typical chernozem depending on the fertiliser system

The soil-forming process is closely related to the accumulation and circulation of organic substances, which are a source of nutrients for plants released during the mineralisation of humus, so research on determining the qualitative composition of humus is relevant. In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to determine humic and fulvic acids in typical chernozem, depending on the fertiliser system. The leading approaches to solving this problem are conducting field and laboratory studies to determine the quality indicators of humus and dispersion methods to establish the accuracy and reliability of experimental data. Based on the conducted studies, it was observed that the application of an organo-mineral fertiliser system leads to an increase in the content of humic acids, while the insoluble residue shows an increase in carbon content. The utilisation of organo-mineral fertilisers resulted in a reduction in the excessive accumulation of non-humified organic substances. Additionally, the soils in these areas exhibited a higher level of organic substance humification. The combination of organic matter at a rate of 11.5 tonnes per hectare (8 tonnes of manure and 3.5 tonnes of by-products) and mineral fertilizer N27P38K45 in a crop rotation resulted in an increasing trend of the buffering capacity of typical chernozem soil. In this scenario, there was an increase in absorption capacity at the end of the second rotation for grain-legume crop rotation by 6.05 mg/equiv per 100 g, specialised grain-legume rotation by 3.9 mg/equiv per 100 g, and legume rotation by 3.06 mg/equiv per 100 g of soil compared to the beginning of the first rotation. The use of organo-mineral fertilisers increases the third fraction of fulvic acids in specialised grain-legume rotation, which affects the ratio of humic acids to fulvic acids in favour of the humic type of humus formation. The ratio of humic acids to fulvic acids in the grain-planting crop rotation in the organo-mineral system was 2.84 at the end of the second rotation, and 2.24 at the beginning of the first rotation. The research materials are of practical importance for farmers when analysing the fractional-group composition of typical chernozem humus

Enhancing the compost maturation of deer manure and corn straw by supplementation via black liquor

In this paper, the relationship between black liquor and microbial growth, enzymatic secretion and humus formation in composting was studied. The results showed that black liquor inoculation is an effective way to promote fermentation process. After black liquor inoculation, the abundance of Corynebacterium, Aequorivita, and Pedobacter, which have the catalase and oxidase activity, has been significantly increased. The enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase, catalase, peroxidase and invertase was 40 mg/(g·24h), 6.5 mg/(g·20 min), 13 100 mg/(g·24h), and 6100 mg/(g·24h) respectively at day 18. Humic acid and fulvic acid concentration was 12 g/kg and 11 g/kg which is higher than that of the treatments of no black liquor inoculation. The results suggested that black liquor inoculation was beneficial to indigenous microorganisms reproduce efficiently, then the secretion of enzymes related to cellulose, hemicellulose, and lipid hydrolysis, and the formation of humic substances.

Resource-saving technologies of cultivation of ear crops in the Central Chernozem region

Research focused on the search for the most eff ective resource-saving agrotechnologies allows us to objectively, comprehensively and reasonably determine the feasibility of reducing the need for material resources (their optimization) in the cultivation of crops based on the analysis of various factors involved in the formation of the crop, to develop and test eff ective resource-saving schemes without compromising quantitative and qualitative indicators. The purpose of the research was to study the use of resource-saving technologies for the cultivation of ear crops in the Central Chernozem region. In the work for the conditions of the Central Chernozem region the most appropriate combinations of precursors, systems and methods of basic tillage were determined, contributing to the optimization of resource consumption in the cultivation of winter wheat (combined tillage system with shallow tillage-free tillage after sideral crops or grasses), in the cultivation of spring barley (combined tillage system with surface main tillage by rowed predecessors or with zero processing after buckwheat). It was found that under the conditions of the Central Chernozem region, winter wheat yield indicators were associated fi rst of all, with changes in the content of mobile forms of potassium in the soil by 75 % or more (correlation coeffi cient was 0,9); in the second, alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen, as well as acidity of soil (correlation coeffi cient was 0,5–0,6); in the third, the content of mobile forms of phosphorus and humus (correlation coeffi cient was 0,3–0,4). Based on the revealed features of the variability of the main indicators of the fertility of chernozem typical in technologies of various intensity levels, scientifi cally based solutions have been developed that contribute to improving the efficiency of resource-saving techniques in applied agricultural technologies.

Biochar drives humus formation during composting by regulating the specialized metabolic features of microbiome

Humus formation of composting is crucial for improving organic fertilizer quality. Biochar has been found to be a low-cost, eco-friendly and effective promoter for humus formation, while the mechanisms underlying the biochar-driven humus formation during composting remain unknown. The present study was aimed to explore the effect of biochar addition on humus formation by integrated analyses of fungal communities, functional genes and metabolic features during composting using the advanced techniques of fluorescence spectrometry, high throughput sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics. The efficiencies of fulvic acid and humic acid formation were increased by 17.4 % and 39.4 %, respectively, under biochar addition relative to the control at the mature phase. Biochar addition significantly increased temperature, lignocellulose degradation and the activities of urease, peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase, and altered the fungal community composition and diversity with the latter significantly correlated with humic acid content. The altered fungal community subsequently resulted in the stimulation of fungal function of Wood Saprotroph and expression of CAZyme genes at the thermophilic and mature phases. Ultimately, biochar addition significantly enhanced the Xenobiotics metabolism (Bisphenol metabolism and Quinone biosynthesis) and Amino acid metabolism (Tryptophan metabolism and Tyrosine metabolism), which were responsible for humus formation via producing metabolic compounds such as quinolines, phenolics and aromatic amino acids at the mature phase. Our findings suggest that biochar addition can effectively stimulate humus formation by selectively regulating fungal communities and metabolic features during composting, so that benefits the improvement of soil fertility and health upon the organic fertilizer application.

МИКРОБИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВЫ ПЛОДОРОДИЯ СЕРЫХ ЛЕСНЫХ ПОЧВ

The features of humus formation and manifestations of biological activity of soils are revealed. In the studied soils, the total volume of incoming phytomass is 46 kg /ha, and the underground phytomass exceeds the above-ground one by more than two times. In gray forest soils, the decomposition of cellulose during the growing season amounted to 38.2%. The distribution of organic residues entering the soil under conditions of deep freezing and slow thawing is due to the low capacity of the humus horizon and small reserves of humus in gray forest soils. However, the composition of humus is dominated by agronomically valuable fractions that provide significant stability of humic substances. The humus content is low. Catalase and urease activity has been studied from numerous soil enzymes involved in various processes of transformation of organic and mineral substances. It is shown that according to the level of catalase and urease activity in accordance with the scale of D. G. Zvyagintsev, these soils are characterized as poor. The relevance of the research is caused by the need to analyze and simulate the transformation of matter in the Selenga River-delta-Lake system.Baikal", forecasting and creating the conditions necessary to maintain sustainable soil fertility within the framework of protecting the natural environment of the unique lake. The purpose of the research was to determine the genetic properties and the associated transformation of organic substances, as well as to identify the biological activity of gray forest soils on the riverine plain adjacent to the waters of the unique Lake Baikal. The information obtained on biological activity can be used in agricultural practice in assessing soil productivity, as well as in conducting environmental monitoring.

Geochemistry of Holocene–Late Pleistocene sediments in the Berezovka River valley (Near-Yenisey Siberia)

Despite their great importance, Holocene–Late Pleistocene sediments are poorly studied in the valleys of rivers in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe territory. We present the first detailed study of the geochemical composition of the first floodplain terrace sediments in the valley of the Berezovka River, and the continuous accumulation that occurred at the Late Pleistocene-Holocene (from 20833 ± 519 cal yr BP). This is of great fundamental importance and is the basis for further studies on the influence of anthropogenic activities on the natural environment in the Krasnoyarsk agglomeration. The sediments were covered by modern alluvial dark-humus hydrometamorphosed soil. Macromorphological studies and investigation of the humus content have revealed a well-developed process of humus formation and humus accumulation, a gley process. The measured contents of some elements (U, Pr, Rb, V, Bi, Cd, As, Th, Ga, Co, and Sm) exceeded the respective Clarke values for the Earth’s crust. The distribution of most elements and their accumulation in the Middle-Late Holocene (from to 5477–4985 to 1241–803 cal yr BP) in the middle of the sediment profile is explained by the high content of mud and clay minerals. Based on the coefficients of radial migration, we established that most of the studied elements were introduced into the sediments during high water levels and floods. The values of palaeomarkers indicate a change in climatic conditions in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene from dry and cold to more humid and warm, and from arid and cold (in the Early Holocene) to modern climatic conditions, respectively.

Humus profile specificity of chernozems of the Ob river left bank within the Priob Plateau

Purpose of the study: to identify the features of chernozem humus profiles of the river Ob left bank within the Priob plateau (south of West Siberia) and the reasons that determined their diversity. Place and time. The south of West Siberia (Topchikhinsky district of the Altai Territory), the north-eastern part of the Priobsky plateau, the steppe zone of the Pre-Altai province of the Kulundinsky-Aleysky district, the key site "Volodarka" on the eastern edge of the Porozikhinsky-Aleysky ridge (52°41-42' N and 83°38'E). Sampling was carried out annually in August. Methodology. The collection and interpretation of materials are based on the principles and rules of the systems approach and soil ecology. The objects of study were southern and ordinary chernozems confined to different parts of the Volodarka key site (according to the soil classification of 1977; these classification names of soils are used in the text; according to the new Classification of Russian Soils (2004), the soils belong to the subtype of migratory-mycelial and textural-carbonate; according to WRB-2015 they are in the reference soil group Chernozems with the qualifiers calcic and siltic). The characteristics of humus profiles were obtained using traditional methods. All methods of analytical and instrumental study of humus and its individual components were identical. Methodological features of the research include detailed sampling (every 5–10 cm or less within the visual boundaries of the horizons) in late summer and the absence of strict methods for purifying preparations from mineral impurities. In this work, the concepts of “humus” and “system of humus substances” in soils are used as synonyms. Main results. The humus profiles of the chernozems of the studied territory, currently functioning under the same conditions, have a significant variation in characteristics, representing a range of options typical for such soils (when, based on the combination of characteristics of elementary humus-forming processes - EHP - the upper part with the humification-transformation type of their structure and the lower one - with a transformation-migration type of combination of EHP), to varying degrees of structural complexity (when several parts are distinguished with different quantitative ratios of humus substances parameters with the predominance of their self-healing processes against the background of other EHP). The main characteristics of the studied buried paleosols lie within the limits peculiar to soils formed in temperature conditions optimal for humus formation, but different moisture conditions. Conclusion. A significant difference in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of chernozem humus profiles of the Ob river left bank within the Priob Plateau is due to both the complex history of the territory development, and different levels of self-healing capabilities of the natural open self-regulating humus substance system, depending on environmental conditions during the period of its formation. During complex history of the territory development different horizons of Middle Pleistocene soils came to the surface in different places, and therefore are found within the thickness usual for mature full-profile modern soils. The advantage of using humus profiles when analyzing the state of soils and the natural environment that forms them is the possibility of conducting a more detailed analysis of the variability of properties, the use of sediments and soils of different preservation, and identifying variations in environmental parameters even in the case of very short episodes of change in one or more soil formation factors or their individual characteristics, which are shorter in duration than the characteristic time required for the formation of the trait morphological expression. The materials presented in the work and their interpretation show that the information obtained about the soil state and the environment based on the study of soil humus profiles (the characteristics of which can be the results of studying the composition and properties of humus) has not lost its significance and can be used in solving a wide range of soil science problems including monitoring soil conditions, as well as substantiating forecasts of their behavior when changing environmental operating conditions.

MANAGEMENT OF AEROBIC FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGIES’ MICROBIOLOGICAL PROCESSES

All methods of compost producing to research and computer’s modeling were subjected: in burts mixing by mechanisms of various designs is carried out, so as in rotating drums and cultivation rooms. The research results showed that in the burts, at existing mechanisms using, after 5-fold mixing non uniformity of 36-51% was obtained, whereas for highquality compost, the non uniformity within 10-15% should be. There at drums’ rotating using, the ammonia release has been established, that indicates putrefactive objects’ developing, so mold and the other harmful processes called ammonification, at which organic matter decomposing. The method of compost preparation in cultivation rooms has a certain perspective. A group of scientists from various institutes and departments was tasked with a highly efficient method developing when organic fertilizers producing at existing shortcomings eliminating. Based on academicians Tikhonovich I.A. and Panikov N.S. scientific developments the abovementioned scientists group’s research directions were determined. Almost 30 years experience of these authors and other scientists allowed to develop the byproducts technology aerobic fermentation of agriculture and other industries, at various industry and international conferences presenting. This many years work’s real result is a new type of compost - a soil-biological complex (PBK) producing. An application dose of this product is 6-7 t/ha, that is equivalent to 40 t/ha of traditional compost at other agrotechnical properties improving. The PBK preparation method as aerobic fermentation’s technology is called. It is based on the soil’s microbiological community of microorganisms reproducing. At the same time, enzymes by microorganisms’ accelerating the humus formation’s processes in 1013 or more times has produced.

Insight into humification of mushroom residues under addition of Rich-N sources: Comparing key molecular evolution processes using EEM-PARAFAC and 2D-FTIR-COS analysis

Accelerating the humification of organic solid waste is one of the most important issues in composting. This present study aims to study and compare the humification process of different rich-N sources (chicken manure, cattle manure, and urea) addition during the composting of mushroom residues, from macro physicochemical properties to micro humic molecular structure evolution process. The physicochemical elements and humic components were determined for evaluating the compost quality and humification degree as composting proceed. The coupled analysis of excitation-emission matrix with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation with Fourier transform infrared spectrum (2D-FTIR-COS) were used to characterize the functional molecular structure evolution of dissolved organic matter during humification process. The results indicated that the rank order for humification level were the treatments of chicken manure (HM), urea (UM), cattle manure (CM), and single mushroom residue treatment (CK), with their humification index of 22.18%, 22.05%, 18.47%, and 16.52%, respectively. Humic substance, humic acid, and fulvic acid were obtained the highest in HM treatment with contents of 35.41 ± 0.86%, 23.32 ± 1.57%, and 10.97 ± 0.52%, respectively. The rich-N source addition enhanced the degradation of protein-like and polysaccharides-like substances in dissolved organic matter, thus accelerating the humification process of mushroom residues. The key structure evolution of dissolved organic matter in the HM treatment, in which the CO and CC stretching of quinone, amide, or ketone, and the C–O stretching of polysaccharides may be responsible for the faster formation of humus compared to the other nitrogen treatments. In this study, redundancy analysis indicated that the total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) may be the potential indicators for determining the humification level as composting proceed. The result provides significant insight into the humification mechanism of mushroom residue under different types of nitrogen sources at the molecular level, and will be reference for improving the composting technique in practical field.

THERMODYNAMIC ASPECTS OF THE GEOSYSTEM FUNCTION OF THE PEDOSPHERE

Modern unceasing processes of dehumification and degradation of arable soils require the search for new non-traditional approaches to solving this global environmental problem, which determines the relevance of the research. After all, plowing significantly disrupts the thermodynamic interaction of the soil with environmental factors. The purpose of the publication is to consider the regularities of the evolution of the properties of the pedosphere from a geosystem perspective, to define the concept of geomembrane properties, and to reveal the mechanism of regulating the thermodynamic interaction of the soil with the environment based on the concept of its homeostasis, which will allow a more reasonable explanation and forecast of modern evolutionary changes in the properties of soils and soil cover from a higher perspective organizational level of the geosystem. The main tasks are defined as: the development of a methodology for studies of the thermodynamic interaction of soil with climatic factors, the creation of tools for monitoring the course of thermodynamically unbalanced processes in the soil environment, and their approbation in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. It is proposed to consider the soil as a dissipative thermodynamic non-equilibrium system that is constantly in the process of self-stabilization and self-organization due to interaction with climatic factors of the environment. Therefore, soil homeostasis means the presence of subordinate energy-consuming processes of a certain intensity, which form the structure of the thermodynamic system of the soil, as the structure of its pore space. It was determined that the general direction of the development of the pedosphere, as an element of the Earth's lithospheric shell, is the densification of the parent rock with the formation of structural macroporosity of the soil and the development of heterogeneity. It is shown in the example of Ukraine, that the geomembrane properties of soils have a zonal nature and are aimed at limiting the power of the zone of active energy-mass exchange.
 The concept of the dynamics of geomembrane properties of the pedosphere, as a manifestation of a higher hierarchical level of geosystem organization, is proposed to be used to solve purely applied issues, such as assessing the impact of climate change, humus formation, and modern dynamics of soil fertility, increasing the sustainability and ecological safety of soil use.

Půdní vývoj v nivě řeky Dyje v předpolí hradby hradiska Pohansko u Břeclavi

This work provides comprehensive information on soil development on the floodplain of the river Thaya in the area of the foreland of the Early Mediaeval agglomeration of Pohansko near Břeclav. We evaluated the basic properties of late Holocene soils and their genesis, assessed the influence of humans and identified particular soil-forming processes based on a combination of selected physical (grain-size distribution, magnetic susceptibility), chemical (Fe, Mn, P, Ca, soil pH) and biochemical analyses (total organic carbon and soil organic matter) as well as micromorphological observations. Our research revealed three autochthonous soils: two buried soils and one recent soil. All the soils were identified as Gleyic Fluvisols developed from overbank deposits and affected by intensive oxidation-reduction processes. The A horizons of the soils evolved by the formation and accumulation of humus. The upper buried Fluvisol certainly evolved during the 9th and 10th centuries (presence of Great Moravian sherds). However, its pedogenesis possibly started much earlier and ended later. Despite the presence of macroscopic evidence of human activities in this soil, there is no evidence of any anthropic influence on soil formation processes. The basal buried Fluvisol developed even before the Great Moravian settlement. Nevertheless, due to a lack of dating, the exact age of this soil cannot be determined at this stage of our study. Future research focused on dating will advance our understanding of the Holocene dynamic and development of the palaeoenvironment.

The south-eastern slope of the Greater Caucasus The impact of micromobiements to the micromiological process and fermentativ activity on territorial lands

in 2012-2017, the activity of bacteria, ray fungi and microscopic fungi from microorganisms was studied in field experiments with the aim of studying the effect of micronutrients on the productivity of winter wheat in moderately eroded gray mountain-brown soils. The regularity of the activity of the microorganisms that play a major role during the vegetation period of wheat was studied. It was found that the micronutrients given to the soil increased the activity of groups of microorganisms in all variants of the experiment. Thus, the effect of micronutrients on the activity of bacteria was greater. Likewise, micronutrients also increased the activity of fungi and fungi. has increased. The activity of bacteria and fungi has increased. Also, does this group of microorganisms develop better, especially in conditions without humidity? From these 5-6 years of research carried out by us, we can draw the conclusion that microelements significantly revive the microbiological process in eroded soils, as a result of which decomposition and synthesis of decay in the soil is significantly improved, and the process of humus formation is accelerated.