Inorganic Soil Research Articles

Soil amendments for improving grain quality of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) under drought

AbstractBackgroundUse of soil amendments in agriculture is an old practice and with increase in demand of organic agriculture, it is gaining more attention. Work on the quality of the produce more particularly if crop faces any adverse situation like drought are scarce. This paper provides a comparative assessment of organic (farm yard manure) and inorganic (biochar) soil amendments on grain quality of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) when crop faces drought. Different grain quality parameters were studied along with crop health and grain yield under the application of soil amendments during drought.ResultsBiochar and farm yard manure (FYM) lowered drought‐induced leaf water potential (upto 22%) and root nitrate reductase activity (by 62% and 67% respectively). Both inorganic and organic soil amendments improved in vitro protein digestibility (up to 16% and 37% respectively). Whereas higher grain phytic acid content (increased up to 40%) was noted from application of organic amendment (FYM) compared to inorganic (16% increase in biochar treated plots). Protein yield is enhanced (8%) under the application of Biochar‐enhanced protein yield by 8% when crops experienced drought at vegetative stage, whereas FYM reduced it by 9% under the same situation.ConclusionTested soil amendments can improve grain quality of grass pea. However, they were not equally efficient when the crop experienced drought at either stage of growth. Thus, screening of soil amendment is important when added under stressful situation like drought to ascertain better grain quality for consumers.

Changes in Chemical Composition, Sources, and Health Risk of PM2.5 with Sand Storm at a Small City in North China

Sand storm (SS) is highly concerned based on its adverse impacts on environment and health. A field observation was conducted in Dingxing County within the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region from 16 March to 9 April 2021 covering two SS episodes to evaluate the SS impacts on PM2.5 components, health risks, and sources. From the non-SS period (NSSP) to the SS period (SSP), more increase was found in PM10 (114 to 300 µg m–3) than PM2.5 (61.5 to 75.2 µg m–3), suggesting the obvious increment of coarse particles (PM2.5–10) in the SSP. PM2.5 reconstruction indicated that higher dust of 54.0 µg m–3 and trace element oxides (TEO) of 0.234 µg m–3 were found in the SSP, evidencing their immigration from the sand dust. In consequence, the elevated exposure risks via inhalation including carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic were found in the SSP. More attention should be paid to high non-carcinogenic risks of 2.49 for adults and children in the SSP. Again, the concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and secondary organic carbon (SOC) increased in the SSP, especially in the case of SOC. High usage of coal and biomass for heating purpose in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia might be an explanation. However, the mass contributions of nine water-soluble ions to PM2.5 decreased from 54.0% to 33.5% due to their low contents in sand dust. Seven sources including construction dust (CD), biomass burning (BB), secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA), industrial emissions (IN), vehicle emissions (VE), coal combustion (CC), and soil dust (SD) were recognized by positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. SD was the biggest contributor in the SSP and accounted for 68.8% of the PM2.5 mass. VE contributed highest to PM2.5 in NSSP, indicating the effective emission control on industries and coal combustion.

Isotope-Geochemical Studies of Groundwater in the Zapolyarny Region of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug

The aquifer of sandy deposits in the talik zone of the Pechora River valley was studied. The use of information on the distribution of tritium isotopes made it possible to clarify the recharge conditions of groundwater and their genetic structure in different parts of the aquifer. The tritium age of groundwater in coastal wells was 20–25 years, on the basis of which it was concluded that the groundwater that entered the aquifer before 1995–2000 was almost completely replaced. In wells, remote from the river bank, the age of the water is in the range from 20 to 50 years. However, unlike onshore wells, these groundwaters contain “bomb” water and old water that entered the aquifer be- fore 1952. The age of the old water reaches 12.9±2.5 thousand years. It has been established that the ratio between stable 13C and radioactive 14C isotopes of carbon changes with age, indicating an increase in the carbon exchange between dissolved inorganic carbon and soil carbon dioxide caused by permafrost thawing.

Вклад секретируемых фосфатаз в мобилизацию почвенных фосфатов штаммами Pantoea brenneri

Bacteria of the Pantoea genus have a positive effect on the growth and development of plants. In the genome of the P. brenneri strain3.5.2 we identified genes and genetic clusters associated with their multiple PGP-properties, previously confirmed by biochemical and microbiological methods. The strains are capable of hydrolyzing soil phytates and are active against inorganic soil phosphates: hydroxyapatite, phosphorite, and tricalcium phosphate. The gcd and pqqE genes responsible for the production of gluconic acid involved in the processes of phosphorus mobilization were identified. When grown on media with various sources of unavailable phosphorus, P. brenneri strains were able to secrete acid and alkaline phosphatases, the activity of which depended on the time of bacterial cultivation and the source of phosphate in the medium.

Water Magnetization and Application of Soil Amendments Enhance Growth and Productivity of Snapdragon Plants

Freshwater resources are being rapidly depleted because of the increased demand resulting from exponential world population growth and the effects of climate change, especially in arid and semiarid regions (e.g., Saudi Arabia). The present study aimed to examine the changes in growth and inflorescence production of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) plants in response to irrigation with saline or magnetized water, in addition to application of inorganic and/or organic soil amendments. Three different water types—tap water, magnetized saline water, and nonmagnetized saline water—were used to irrigate A. majus plants with or without soil amendments consisting of ferrous sulfate (Fe2SO4) and/or peatmoss. Irrigation with magnetized saline water adversely affected vegetative growth, inflorescence production, mineral contents, and survival rates of A. majus plants as compared with irrigation with tap water or magnetized saline water. Nevertheless, compared with unmagnetized saline water treatment, magnetizing nonmagnetized saline water before irrigation significantly improved water characteristics and plant growth and survival. Moreover, the addition of inorganic or organic soil amendments enhanced the growth of A. majus plants regardless of irrigation water type. Interestingly, the combination of irrigating with magnetized saline water and soil amendments (Fe2SO4 and peatmoss) significantly enhanced the growth of A. majus plants to a level that was comparable to that of control plants irrigated with tap water without soil amendments. Magnetization improved water quality and increased plants’ ability to absorb water and nutrients from soil solution. The utilization of magnetized saline water for irrigating food and forage crops either alone or in combination with soil amendments has potential benefits that warrant further research.

The ‘europium anomaly’ in plants: facts and fiction

AimsRare earth elements (REEs) and normalized REE patterns determined in plant and soil samples represent powerful tools to trace biogeochemical processes during weathering, soil genesis and processes in the rhizosphere, and thus publications reporting REE concentrations and normalized REE patterns in soil systems and plants are rapidly increasing.MethodsA normalized REE pattern allows for the recognition of anomalous concentrations of an individual REE. In the literature, anomalies are predominantly reported/focused for/on the redox-sensitive elements cerium (Ce) and europium (Eu) that can shift their oxidation state during interactions with organic and inorganic soil phases and the biological processes affecting their mobility in soil and uptake by plants. Thus positive Eu anomalies in plants are often interpreted as a consequence of reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ in the rhizosphere followed by a preferential uptake of Eu2+.ResultsDue to an analytical artefact in ICP-MS analysis, a false Eu anomaly may be reported. This can be avoided by using a barium (Ba) interference correction. We draw attention to the possibility of this problem and to being aware of its potential occurrence when Eu anomalies are reported.ConclusionsWe recommend (i) including information on how this potential problem was dealt with in the Materials and Methods section of articles and (ii) how to implement Findable Accessible Interoperable and Reusability (FAIR) guiding principles in that section (including data availability in an open repository).

Cultural treatments in pineapple crop. Management for high yield – Review

Several factors influence in the vegetative development, yield and quality of pineapple fruits, among which the cultural treatments adopted throughout the production cycle stand out, mainly weed control, mineral nutrition, irrigation and induction artificial flowering. The purpose of this review was to present the main advances in research on cultural treatments in the cultivation of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merril) and their effects on yield and fruit quality. Current research shows that interventions for weed management, through chemical control with herbicides or the adoption of organic or inorganic soil cover are strategies that can be adopted by producers who seek to reduce labor costs and provide good conditions for plant development. The use of mulching is a promising and effective practice, given the cost reduction with polluting herbicide applications and improvement of the physicochemical quality of the soil. Regarding mineral nutrition, pineapple is a rustic plant, tolerant to soils with moderate acidity and low levels of nutrients in the soil, however, liming and fertilization are essential for crops where high yields are sought. In the same way, it is verified that the pineapple, even being a CAM metabolism plant, tolerant to situations of water stress, is highly responsive to irrigation, which provides improvements in the vegetative and reproductive development of the plant. Another essential management practice in pineapple crops is artificial floral induction, a practice that aims to synchronize the flowering period, facilitate harvesting and ensure a consumer market in times when the supply of fruit is scarce

Influence of soil inorganic amendments on heavy metal accumulation by leafy vegetables.

The present study aims to assess the effect of four inorganic soil amendments, such as lime (CaCO3), red mud consisting of 75% hematite (Fe2O3), gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), and Al oxide (Al2O3), of an alkaline heavy metal-contaminated soil. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted by physically mixing individual six subsamples of a soil sample collected from Thessaly area with four inorganic soil amendments along with two leafy plants, spinach and lettuce. Al oxide causes the maximum reduction of the water-soluble Cu concentration, as its concentrations is no longer detectable. The Cu availability index decreases when aluminum oxide was used. The use of gypsum and red mud caused almost equal reduction while the smallest decrease was caused by the use of lime. The Zn availability index decreased equally when aluminum oxide and gypsum were mixed with the soil sample. The highest reduction of Cu and Zn transfer coefficient (TC) was observed when the Al2O3 was used. In spinach, Zn TC reduction was 39.8% and Cu TC reduction was 41.0%. In lettuce, the addition of Al2O3 led to Cu TC reduction of over 37.3% and Zn TC reduction of up to 38.7%. Generally, Al2O3 nanoparticles may function as suitable sorbents for the removal of Zn and Cu from soil samples, with an increasing effectiveness in spinach rather than lettuce. Liming materials seem to increase the soil alkalinity and promote the complexation of soluble heavy metals with hydroxide ions leading to immobilization of heavy metals in soil and reduce their amount in leafy vegetables. Remediation of contaminated soils is considered necessary to reduce environmental risks and to achieve the means available to increase agricultural production of safe and quality food.

Can the impact of canopy trees on soil and understory be altered using litter additions?

Trees can have large effects on soil nutrients in ways that alter succession, particularly in the case of nitrogen-(N)-fixing trees. In Hawai'i, forest restoration relies heavily on use of a native N-fixing tree, Acacia koa (koa), but this species increases soil-available N and likely facilitates competitive dominance of exotic pasture grasses. In contrast, Metrosideros polymorpha ('ōhi'a), the dominant native tree in Hawai'i, is less often planted because it is slow growing; yet it is typically associated with lower soil N and grass biomass, and greater native understory recruitment. We experimentally tested whether it is possible to reverse high soil N under koa by adding 'ōhi'a litter, using additions of koa litter or no litter as controls, over 2.5 yr. We then quantified natural litterfall and decomposition rates of 'ōhi'a and koa litter to place litter additions in perspective. Finally, we quantified whether litter additions altered grass biomass and if this had effects on native outplants. Adding 'ōhi'a litter increased soil carbon, but increased rather than decreased inorganic soil N pools. Contrary to expectations, koa litter decomposed more slowly than 'ōhi'a, although it released more N per unit of litter. We saw no reduction in grass biomass due to 'ōhi'a litter addition, and no change in native outplanted understory survival or growth. We conclude that the high N soil conditions under koa are difficult to reverse. However, we also found that outplanted native woody species were able to decrease exotic grass biomass over time, regardless of the litter environment, making this a better strategy for lowering exotic species impacts.

Nitrogen cycling in plant and soil subsystems is driven by changes in soil salinity following coastal embankment in typical coastal saltmarsh ecosystems of Eastern China

Recently, coastal land reclamation through the use of embankments has increased worldwide, and its impacts on ecosystem processes and functionality have been widely reported. However, the ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling turnover processes following the establishment of coastal embankments remain unknown. For this study, we investigated stocks of various types of N in soils, N storage in plant subsystems, the microbial immobilization and mineralization of N, as well as soil physiochemical properties in embanked and adjacent unembanked Spartina alterniflora, Suaeda salsa, and Phragmites australis saltmarshes in the coastal wetlands of China. Coastal embankments in a S. alterniflora saltmarsh significantly decreased the total plant N storage by 50.24%, concentrations of total soil organic N (SON) by 55.16%, ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) by 32.33%, nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N) by 41.23%, nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) by 13.38%, and the value of soil net ammonification (RA) by 83.49%. However, in P. australis saltmarshes they significantly increased the total plant N storage by 160.24%, concentrations of SON by 57.28%, NH4-N by 7.89%, NO2-N by 101.76%, NO3-N by 32.05%, and the value of RA by 392.95%. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in N cycling following the establishment of coastal embankments in S. salsa saltmarshes. Significant changes in the organic and inorganic soil N pools of S. alterniflora and P. australis saltmarshes were driven by plant residue inputs, which were significantly affected by decreasing soil salinity in these coastal wetlands. Furthermore, our results indicated that coastal embankments altered the immobilization of soil N and mineralization of microorganisms by influencing the growth and activities of soil microbes, which were primarily associated with changes in soil organic and inorganic N pools following the development of coastal embankments. In summary, alterations in the organic N inputs of plants were initiated by the dramatically decreased soil salinity, which was the main determinant that drove N cycling in the soil subsystems of coastal wetlands subsequent to the establishment of coastal embankments.

Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis and Pantoea ananatis simultaneously promote soil inorganic phosphate dissolution and soil Pb immobilization

The phytoavailability of lead (Pb) can be greatly reduced when Pb forms stable phosphate compounds in soil. This study employed broth culture, soil incubation, and pot experiments to investigate whether phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) could effectively immobilize soil Pb through dissolution of insoluble inorganic P compounds. The results showed that both Bacillus thuringiensis GL-1 (GL-1) and Pantoea ananatis HCR2 (HCR2) could use Ca3(PO4)2, FePO4, and AlPO4 as the sole P resource and significantly increase water-soluble phosphate concentrations, which reached 555.84 and 392.66 mg/L, 13.82 and 72.06 mg/L, and 93.29 and 92.87 mg/L, respectively. The minimum pH of these culture media was reduced to 3.93 and 4.02, 3.37 and 3.40, and 2.86 and 2.89, respectively. Compared with the control, inoculation of GL-1 to artificially Pb-contaminated soil significantly reduced Fe–P, Al–P, Olsen-P, and NH4NO3-extractable Pb concentrations by 13.70%, 15.84%, 13.29%, and 33.61%, respectively, while reduced those by 23.75%, 53.43%, 11.66%, and 47.54% in the case of HCR2. Similarly, inoculation of GL-1 or HCR2 significantly reduced Fe–P concentrations of the historically metal-contaminated acidic soil by 50.00% and 46.73%, respectively. The NH4NO3-extractable soil Pb concentrations also decreased, which was only significant in soil inoculated with GL-1. Pot experiment found that inoculation of GL-1 and HCR2 decreased soil Pb phytoavailability and consequently inhibited its uptake by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Meanwhile, the inoculation of HCR2 significantly promoted plant growth and reduced shoot Pb concentrations when grown in artificially Pb-contaminated soil. The results suggest that inoculation of GL-1 and HCR2 could be applied for remediating Pb-contaminated soils.

Ectomycorrhizal fungal decay traits along a soil nitrogen gradient

The extent to which ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi decay soil organic matter (SOM) has implications for accurately predicting forest ecosystem response to climate change. Investigating the distribution of gene traits associated with SOM decay among ectomycorrhizal fungal communities could improve understanding of SOM dynamics and plant nutrition. We hypothesized that soil inorganic nitrogen (N) availability structures the distribution of ECM fungal genes associated with SOM decay and, specifically, that ECM fungal communities occurring in inorganic N-poor soils have greater SOM decay potential. To test this hypothesis, we paired amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of 60 ECM fungal communities associating with Quercus rubra along a natural soil inorganic N gradient. Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities occurring in low inorganic N soils were enriched in gene families involved in the decay of lignin, cellulose, and chitin. Ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition was the strongest driver of shifts in metagenomic estimates of fungal decay potential. Our study simultaneously illuminates the identity of key ECM fungal taxa and gene families potentially involved in the decay of SOM, and we link rhizomorphic and medium-distance hyphal morphologies with enhanced SOM decay potential. Coupled shifts in ECM fungal community composition and community-level decay gene frequencies are consistent with outcomes of trait-mediated community assembly processes.

Estimation of Iodine Leaching in Soil Amended with Organic and Inorganic Materials Using HYDRUS 1-D Model

This study investigated the ability of a HYDRUS 1D model for predicting the vertical distribution of potassium iodine (200 ppm) in soil columns after amendment with five different common remediation materials (gypsum, lime, fly ash, charcoal, and sawdust) at a rate of 2.5% (w/w), relative to an unamended control soil. Results showed that relative to the unamended soil, iodine leaching was decreased by all amendments but that the magnitude of the decreases varied with the soil amendment applied. Iodine content was highest in the upper layer of the soil columns and decreased progressively with soil depth. The model was evaluated via comparison of the model simulated values with measured values from the soil column studies. The results showed that the HYDRUS 1D model efficiency was near to 1, indicating the stimulated results near to the measured values. Therefore, this study showed that iodine leaching through a soil could be ascertained well using a HYDRUS 1D model. The model over predicted iodine leaching, results in a weak correspondence between the simulated and the measured results for iodine leaching. This suggests that the HYDRUS-1D model does not explain accurately different organic and inorganic amended soil and the preferential flow that occurs in these columns. This may be due to the fact that Freundlich isotherm, which is part of the transport equations, does not sufficiently describe the mechanism of iodine adsorption onto the soil particles. This study would help to select an amendment for an effective management strategy to reduce exogenous iodine losses from agro-ecosystems. This would also improve scientific understanding of iodine transport in soil profile.

Grazing and nitrogen addition restructure the spatial heterogeneity of soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activities

Abstract In grassland ecosystems, large herbivorous animal grazing activity and increasing nitrogen deposition strongly alter microbial community structure and function. Understanding the effects of grazing and nitrogen addition on the spatial heterogeneity in soil microbial community structure, enzymatic activities and the underlying mechanisms are crucial for making better predictions of soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling. We examined the spatial heterogeneity of soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activity associated with changes in soil microclimate, soil characteristics, plant biomass and soil nutrient responses to grazing and nitrogen addition using a manipulative experiment with control (CK), grazing (G), nitrogen addition (N) and grazing plus nitrogen addition (NG) treatments in a Leymus chinensis meadow steppe, in north‐eastern China. The results demonstrated that soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activities showed a high level of spatial dependence [C/(C + C0) ≥ 0.9] in the CK plot. G, N and NG treatments not only reduced the spatial variability of soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activities but also reshaped the spatial links between enzyme activities and microbial community structure. Litter biomass, soil temperature and soil nutrients (soil dissolved inorganic nitrogen or soil dissolved organic carbon) explained 21%–27% of the spatial variability of soil microbial community structure in the CK treatment and pH was the strongest driver for the spatial variability of soil enzymatic activities. Meanwhile, the homogenization in soil water content induced by the N addition treatment was a determinant of the reduction in spatial heterogeneity of the microbial community structure. The combination of soil physico‐chemical properties (bulk density, soil pH and soil dissolved inorganic nitrogen), soil temperature and root biomass explained 32%–43% of the spatial variability of the microbial community structure in the G treatment, and N and G treatments had additive effects on the spatial heterogeneity of total PLFAs by homogenizing root biomass. Plant biomass and microbial community structure were the major drivers for the spatial heterogeneity of enzymatic activities under G, N and NG. In NG, the change in spatial variability of enzymatic activities was dominated by N addition. Regardless of grazing, N addition facilitated the spatial correlation between microbial community structure and enzyme activities. Overall, our results revealed the drivers of soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activities spatial pattern shift due to grazing and N addition, highlighting the role that spatial variability in soil microbial community structure and enzymatic activities has on the L. chinensis meadow steppe. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Potential of Chamomile recutita Plant Material to Inhibit Urease Activity and Reduce NH3 Volatilization in Two Agricultural Soils

The large amount of ammonia released during agricultural application of urea fertilizer can result in a partial loss of applied nitrogen, having a detrimental effect on air quality. Although Chamomile recutita has nitrogen transformation inhibitory properties, providing potential agricultural and environmental benefits, the full extent of the effects of the major constituents of this plant on urease activity and NH3 volatilization in soils is currently unknown. Soil incubation experiments were established using 2-Cyclopenten-1-one and Eugenol, two major constituents of C. recutita, to evaluate their effects on inorganic soil nitrogen pools, urease activity, and NH3 volatilization in grey desert soil and red soil. An application rate of 0.25 g N kg−1 soil fertilizer was applied as urea with and without additives. An unfertilized treatment was also included as a control. In order to compare results, N(butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), a common synthetic urease inhibitor, was also used. NBPT, 2-Cyclopenten-1-one and Eugenol were applied at a rate of 0.00125 g kg−1 soil (equivalent to 0.5% N). The results indicated that the rate of urea hydrolysis was higher in grey desert soil compared to red soil. Soil in the urea-only treatments recorded urea hydrolysis to be almost complete within seven days of application. The rate of hydrolysis was inhibited by the two natural compounds, and higher concentrations of urea were maintained for more than two weeks. Soil amended with the two materials exhibited strong soil urease inhibition in both soil treatments (75.1% in the alkaline grey desert soil and 72.8% in the acidic red soil). The strongest inhibitory effect occurred one to three days after incubation in the Eugenol treatment. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of Cyclopenten-1-one and Eugenol were superior to that of NBPT in the two soils. Cyclopenten-1-one and Eugenol also significantly reduced soil NH3 emissions by 14.2 to 45.3%, especially in the acidic red soil. Molecular docking studies confirmed inhibition mechanisms, highlighting that natural compounds interacted with the amino acid residues of the urease active center. This action resulted in the urease active pocket being blocked, thereby inhibiting enzyme activity. Overall, our findings suggest that 2-Cyclopenten-1-one and Eugenol are both capable of hindering urease activity and reducing the risk of N loss in the two tested soils. Results highlight their applicability as urease inhibitors and their effect in delaying the release of ammonia nitrogen, thereby increasing fertilizer N use efficiency. However, in order to fully assess N use efficiency and the N balance due to the presence of Chamomile extract in soil-crop systems, further field scale investigations are required.

Phosphorus Dynamics in Sugarcane Fertilized With Filter Cake and Mineral Phosphate Sources

Organic residual material such as filter cake, combined with mineral phosphate fertilizers, may alter the soil phosphorus (P) bioavailability for sugarcane as a consequence of the competing effect in adsorption sites. This study aimed to quantify the changes in both the inorganic and organic soil P fractions as amended by phosphate fertilizer sources and filter cake and to link the P fractions to sugarcane response. An experiment was conducted in an Oxisol, in a randomized block design with factorial arrangement of 4 × 2, and three replications. Three P fertilizer sources (triple superphosphate, Araxá rock phosphate, and Bayóvar® reactive phosphate) plus a control (no P) were evaluated under both the presence and absence of filter cake. At the end of the second crop cycle, the following were measured: the cane yield, the tissue P content, and soil P fractions. All fertilizer sources were efficient in supplying P to sugarcane. Araxá rock phosphate generated a higher accumulation in moderately labile P, whereas the soluble triple superphosphate resulted in higher labile P. The filter cake, as a source of nutrients and organic matter, has an important contribution to maintain more available P for sugarcane absorption, especially when associated with triple superphosphate. The amount of P absorbed by sugarcane was correlated with the soil labile P (r= 0.58) and also with the inorganic P moderately labile (r= 0.42). Both fractions must be taken into account for a short- to medium-term availability of P for sugarcane in Oxisols.

Spatial Database Designing for Environmental Monitoring and Decision Making in Mitrovica Region, The Republic of Kosovo

The integration of spatial data analysis methods and thematic map models is an approach to reduce the negative impact of anthropogenic pressure on the environment due to mining and waste generation. The large amounts of industrial waste from mining in the Mitrovica region in northern Kosovo lead to serious environmental problems with organic and inorganic water and soil pollution. This study aims to design and establish a geospatial database for long-term environmental monitoring, provide analytical tools, and support appropriate management decisions by local authorities and agencies. The database contains topographical elements and ecological parameters collected from different national and open access international sources. All collected data have been analyzed, standardized and harmonized within the open-source QGIS ver.3 software. The results showed that in developed datasets were organized in different GIS layers and compiled several thematic maps. The designed database is unique by its architecture, providing an opportunity for periodical monitoring of the environment near the mining areas.
 Keywords: Environmental monitoring; Spatial database; Open source software; QGIS; Kosovo.
 
 Copyright (c) 2021 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember
 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

Soil Colloids, Types and their Properties: A review

The colloidal complex of soils is the fine and supreme functional section of the organic and inorganic soil particles where most of the chemical properties take place. The inorganic or clay colloidal complex of soils occurs as too fine particles and organic colloidal complex happen in the form of humus particles.

The tea plant CsLHT1 and CsLHT6 transporters take up amino acids, as a nitrogen source, from the soil of organic tea plantations

Organic tea is more popular than conventional tea that originates from fertilized plants. Amino acids inorganic soils constitute a substantial pool nitrogen (N) available for plants. However, the amino-acid contents in soils of tea plantations and how tea plants take up these amino acids remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that the amino-acid content in the soil of an organic tea plantation is significantly higher than that of a conventional tea plantation. Glutamate, alanine, valine, and leucine were the most abundant amino acids in the soil of this tea plantation. When 15N-glutamate was fed to tea plants, it was efficiently absorbed and significantly increased the contents of other amino acids in the roots. We cloned seven CsLHT genes encoding amino-acid transporters and found that the expression of CsLHT1, CsLHT2, and CsLHT6 in the roots significantly increased upon glutamate feeding. Moreover, the expression of CsLHT1 or CsLHT6 in a yeast amino-acid uptake-defective mutant, 22∆10α, enabled growth on media with amino acids constituting the sole N source. Amino-acid uptake assays indicated that CsLHT1 and CsLHT6 are H+-dependent high- and low-affinity amino-acid transporters, respectively. We further demonstrated that CsLHT1 and CsLHT6 are highly expressed in the roots and are localized to the plasma membrane. Moreover, overexpression of CsLHT1 and CsLHT6 in Arabidopsis significantly improved the uptake of exogenously supplied 15N-glutamate and 15N-glutamine. Taken together, our findings are consistent with the involvement of CsLHT1 and CsLHT6 in amino-acid uptake from the soil, which is particularly important for tea plants grown inorganic tea plantations.

Soil net nitrogen mineralization and leaching under Miscanthus × giganteus and Zea mays

AbstractThe winter fallow period common in annual cropping systems leaves soils vulnerable to erosion and nutrient loss, especially to nitrogen (N) leaching. This vulnerability can be mitigated with perennial crops that have living roots in the ground year‐round. The mechanisms, magnitude, and consistency with which perennial crops retain N are not clear. We used an experiment to test whether a perennial crop, miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.), would leach less N than continuous maize (Zea mays L.) and how soil net N mineralization (Nmin) may explain observed leaching under varied environment and management conditions. The experiment included three crossed factors: (1) cropping system (maize, juvenile miscanthus = 1–2 years old, mature miscanthus = 3–4 years old); (2) N fertilization (0 and 224 kg N ha−1); and (3) environment (four site‐years at two locations in Iowa, USA, that differed in climate and soil fertility). We measured N cycling dynamics, including: inorganic soil N (ammonium + nitrate), in situ Nmin, N leaching, crop N uptake, and calculated system N use efficiency. There were many complex interactions among factors. On average, cumulative Nmin under juvenile miscanthus was 111% greater than maize, but as miscanthus matured, there was no difference in Nmin between the perennial crop and maize. There was no difference in N leaching between juvenile miscanthus and maize, but mature miscanthus decreased N leaching by 42% and 88% compared to maize (with and without N fertilization, respectively). Across all treatments, there was no relationship between Nmin and N leaching, suggesting other mechanisms are regulating N leaching. Overall, mature miscanthus shows promise as a tool to reduce N losses in areas dominated by annual row‐crops.