Midden Soil Research Articles

Paeniglutamicibacter quisquiliarum sp. nov., isolated from midden soil waste.

A Gram-stain-positive, irregular short-rod and non-motile bacterium, designated strain ABSL32-1T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Suphan Buri municipal solid waste disposal area. According to the results of a polyphasic taxonomic study, a novel species belonging to the genus Paeniglutamicibacter was described. Strain ABSL32-1T grew optimally at 20-25 °C and at pH 6.0-8.0 in the presence of 1 % (w/v) NaCl. The whole-cell sugars were ribose, mannose and glucose. The peptidoglycan structure contained A4α peptidoglycan (Lys-Glu; A11.54). The polar lipids contained digalactosyldiacylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified lipids. The major menaquinones were MK-9 and MK-10. The major cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0 (70.1 %). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain ABSL32-1T showed the highest similarity to Paeniglutamicibacter sulfureus DSM 20167T (99.5 %), followed by Paeniglutamicibacter antarcticus SPC26T (99.0 %) and Paeniglutamicibacter psychrophenolicus AG31T (98.8 %). The genome of strain ABSL32-1T is 4.4 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 66.0 mol%. The average nucleotide identity values between strain ABSL32-1T and the type strains P. sulfureus DSM20167T, P. antarcticus SPC26T and P. psychrophenolicus AG31T were 86.6, 74.7 and 83.6 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic properties, strain ABSL32-1T is proposed to represent a novel species to be named Paeniglutamicibacter quisquiliarum sp. nov. The type strain is ABSL32-1T (=TBRC 14976T=NBRC 115252T).

Earthworm Lumbricus terrestris mediated redistribution of C and N into large macroaggregate-occluded soil fractions in fine-textured no-till soils

By processing large quantities of crop residues, earthworms enhance the mineralization of organic matter but have also been shown to stabilize soil organic carbon (SOC) into soil fractions like microaggregates (53–250 μm) within macroaggregates (>250 μm) especially in no-till soils. Our objective was to find direct evidence on the impact of an anecic, soil surface-feeding earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris L., on the redistribution of SOC and soil nitrogen (N) into macroaggregate-occluded soil fractions of boreal soils. We sampled soil (0–5 cm depth) from the middens of L. terrestris (mounds of collected residue and surface casts at the openings of its permanent burrows) and the adjacent non-midden (bulk) soil at three no-till sites in southern Finland: two clayey sites (sites 1–2) and one coarse textured site (site 3). Compared to bulk soil, the soil in L. terrestris middens featured general increase in aggregate size and content of SOC and N within the large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) at the clayey sites. The microaggregates within the large macroaggregates had accumulated more SOC and N in the midden soil especially at site 1 where 99% of the difference in total SOC between midden and bulk soil was associated with this type of SOC stabilization. At site 2, the increase in SOC found in the large macroaggregates was counteracted by a decrease in SOC in microaggregates within the small macroaggregates (250–2000 μm). No differences in SOC stored in soil fractions were found between midden and non-midden soil at the coarse soil site 3 with higher top soil decomposition rate compared to sites 1 and 2. Across the study sites, the total amount of SOC was 6% higher in midden soil compared to the bulk soil. These results suggest L. terrestris mediates the storage of SOC and N into better protected soil fractions in clay soils under boreal conditions.

Minimally Invasive Research Strategies in Huron-Wendat Archaeology

ABSTRACTThe rapid pace of economic, political, and social change over the past 150 years has framed and reframed archaeological practice in Ontario. Indigenous groups have become increasingly involved in and critical of archaeological research. Indigenous peoples who value archaeological investigation of ancestral sites, but also desire to protect their buried ancestors, have restricted archaeological excavation and the analysis of remains. Over the last decade, research and consulting archaeologists in Ontario, Canada, have worked collaboratively with Indigenous peoples with an eye to developing sustainable archaeology practices. In the spirit of sustainable archaeology, a comprehensive research project and field school run by Wilfrid Laurier University is training the next generation of archaeologists to adopt investigative techniques that minimize disturbance of ancestral sites. Here we present the results of our surface, magnetic susceptibility, and metal detecting surveys of a Huron-Wendat village site, which pose minimally invasive solutions for investigating village sites in wooded areas. The water-sieving of midden soils in an attempt to recover 100 percent of cultural materials, and the analysis of archived collections also honor the values of Indigenous descendant communities by limiting additional invasive excavation.

The Wollard #2 Site (41HE22) in the Upper Neches River Basin, Henderson County, Texas

The Wollard #2 site (41HE22) was first identified by Leroy Johnson, Jr. and Edward B. Jelks in August 1957 during their survey of then proposed Blackburn Crossing Reservoir, now Lake Palestine, in Henderson County, Texas. The site was described by Johnson as located in an old cultivated field on the high ground directly to the west of Caney Creek and the Neches River floodplain, is one of the most prolific sites located in the reservoir area…The midden soil at the site extends to a depth of 16 inches and is rich in animal and shell remains as well as stone flakes and artifact fragments. When Southern Methodist University (SMU) returned to the proposed Lake Palestine area in 1969 to complete data recovery investigations at sites to be inundated by the lake, they chose to work at the Wollard #2 site, which they renamed the Mitchell site (X41HE17). X is the SMU designation used for site numbering. Review of project area maps by Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) staff indicated that the Mitchell site was plotted in the same area as the Wollard #2 site, and thus the Mitchell site also has the 41HE22 trinomial. However, an examination of Anderson and a comparison to Johnson’s site map indicates that the SMU investigations at the Wollard #2/Mitchell site—which consisted primarily of systematic surface collections and the excavation of scattered 1 x 3 m units—unfortunately did not encompass any of the well preserved Caddo midden deposits described by Johnson. Rather, the SMU work was located uphill on the landform from the midden, in areas with sparse Caddo deposits. The SMU work recovered only 73 sherds in extensive surface collections on the landform and only another 361 sherds from the excavation of 36 1 x 3 m units in several areas of the Mitchell site. The brief work by Johnson and Jelks recovered almost as many sherds as did the entire SMU investigations at the site. Furthermore, no midden deposits were identified in the SMU work and only four pieces of animal bone were recovered; hardly evidence of a midden “rich in animal” bones as described by Johnson.

The 7-J Ranch Site (41HO4) in the Post Oak Savannah of East Texas, Houston County, Texas

The 7-J Ranch site (41HO4) is a multi-component Woodland period and Early Caddo period habitation site on a natural rise in the Trinity River floodplain in the Post Oak Savannah of East Texas. It is in an area of the middle reaches of the Trinity River where Woodland period sites (dating from ca. 500 B.C. to A.D. 800) are notably common on alluvial landforms, in particular Holocene Terrace-1 and alluvial rise landforms. The site appears to be a midden mound built up from the accumulations of habitation debris along the edge of the modern floodplain and the modern river channel. The midden mound is between 2-3 m in height and may cover as much as a 90 x 45 m area. The midden soil has been described as a black sandy soil with abundant amounts of preserved organic remains. The 7-J Ranch site has received no excavations since it was first recorded in the early 1960s, but several surface collections have been obtained from the site by University of Texas archaeologists in 1960, 1962, and 1977. These collections are curated at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin.

A concise review of lobster utilization by worldwide human populations from prehistory to the modern era

AbstractLobsters are important resources throughout the world's oceans, providing food security, employment, and a trading commodity. Whereas marine biologists generally focus on modern impacts of fisheries, here we explore the deep history of lobster exploitation by prehistorical humans and ancient civilizations, through the first half of the 20th century. Evidence of lobster use comprises midden remains, artwork, artefacts, writings about lobsters, and written sources describing the fishing practices of indigenous peoples. Evidence from archaeological dig sites is potentially biased because lobster shells are relatively thin and easily degraded in most midden soils; in some cases, they may have been used as fertilizer for crops instead of being dumped in middens. Lobsters were a valuable food and economic resource for early coastal peoples, and ancient Greek and Roman Mediterranean civilizations amassed considerable knowledge of their biology and fisheries. Before European contact, lobsters were utilized by indigenous societies in the Americas, southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand at seemingly sustainable levels, even while other fish and molluscan species may have been overfished. All written records suggest that coastal lobster populations were dense, even in the presence of abundant and large groundfish predators, and that lobsters were much larger than at present. Lobsters gained a reputation as “food for the poor” in 17th and 18th century Europe and parts of North America, but became a fashionable seafood commodity during the mid-19th century. High demand led to intensified fishing effort with improved fishing gear and boats, and advances in preservation and long-distance transport. By the early 20th century, coastal stocks were overfished in many places and average lobster size was significantly reduced. With overfishing came attempts to regulate fisheries, which have varied over time and have met with limited success.

Shell middens and other anthropogenic soils as global stratigraphic signatures of the Anthropocene

Abstract Evidence for aquatic foraging, fishing, and scavenging by hominins dates back at least two million years, but aquatic resource use intensified with the appearance of Homo sapiens . The development of new fishing and seafaring technologies contributed to population growth and the spread of humans around the world. By the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, fishing peoples lived along coastlines, rivers, and lakes in Africa, Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas, creating shell midden soils marked by accumulations of mollusk shells, animal bones, artifacts, and other cultural debris. After global sea level rise slowed ∼8000 years ago, a proliferation of shell middens formed an increasingly prominent stratigraphic signature for identifying and defining an Anthropocene Epoch. The formation of these distinctive cultural soils, often marked by unique soil chemistry and biotic communities, is essentially contemporaneous with the development of agricultural economies and the widespread soil and landscape changes associated with them. Defined by these global and highly visible anthropogenic soil signatures, I propose that the Anthropocene began about 10,000 years ago and should replace or be merged with the Holocene.

Phosphate location and reaction in an archaeoanthrosol on shell-mound in the Lakes Region, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Prehistoric shell middens, called “sambaquis”, occur along the Brazilian coast, but their geoarchaeological and pedological contexts remain little explored. We characterized micromorphological attributes and forms of phosphate of key horizons of a soil at Sambaqui. We identified how pedogenesis may affect archaeological materials, helping interpretations relating to the occurrence of elevated concentrations of phosphate, associated with habitation. Micromorphology and microchemical analysis using SEM/EDS investigated well-studied horizons of these shell midden soils. Phosphate mobility is demonstrated by the occurrence of secondary Ca-phosphates in deeper strata free from artifacts, below the midden. Ca-apatite forms well-defined microaggregates of illuvial/chemical origin. The primary sources of the Ca and P have disappeared, and we suggest they were organic materials and ash rather than the existing fragments of bone apatite or shells present in the overlying archaeoanthrosol. The in situ preservation of denser and larger bone fragments may be attributed to the apatite-rich micromass, which retards Ca-apatite dissolution from bone fragments. The presence of phosphate-rich lower strata without direct anthropic inputs indicates that P leaching and precipitation as secondary forms has occurred during wet climate episodes.

Improving quality of rice straw through treatment with urea and midden soil for large animals

Twelve indigenous growing cattle (live weight 130.00 ± 1.67 kg) were selected and divided into four groups having three animals in each group. Group A, B, C and D supplied 3.0% urea + 2.0% midden soil, 3.0% urea + 3.0% midden soil, 3.0% urea + 4.0% midden soil and 3.0% urea + 5.0% midden soil treated rice straw. In addition to this all the animals were supplied 2 Kg green grass, 450 g concentrate mixture and 40 g salt per 100 kg body weight. Rice straw treated with 3.0% urea+ 2.0% midden soil resulted an improvement in crude protein content of rice straw from 3.30 to 7.08% which was further increased by 7.40, 7.90 and 8.14% treatment with 3.0% urea + 3.0% midden soil, 3.0% urea + 4.0% midden soil and 3.0% urea + 5.0% midden soil respectively. The addition of 5.0% midden soil as a urease source with 3.0% urea (D) treated rice straw not only significantly (P<0.01) increased the coefficient of digestibility of DM, CP, CF, EE and NFE but also significantly (P<0.05) increased the coefficient of digestibility of OM than other treatments. Digestible organic matter (DOM), crude protein (DCP), digestible crude fibre (DCF), digestible nitrogen free extract (DNFE) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) contents were significantly (p<0.01) higher in diet D in comparison to diet A, B and C. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v42i1.15770 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2013. 42 (1): 29-34

Physical and chemical attributes of archaeological soils developed from shell middens in the Região dos Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In prehistoric times, innumerous shell middens, called "sambaquis", consisting mainly of remains of marine organisms, were built along the Brazilian coast. Although the scientific community took interest in these anthropic formations, especially since the nineteenth century, their pedological context is still poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize and identify the physical and chemical changes induced by soil-forming processes, as well as to compare the morphology of shell midden soils with other, already described, anthropogenic soils of Brazil. Four soil profiles developed from shell middens in the Região dos Lagos - RJ were morphologically described and the physical and chemical properties determined. The chemical analysis showed that Ca, Mn, Mg, and particularly P and Zn are indicators of anthropic horizons of midden soils, as in the Amazon Dark Earths (Terras Pretas de Índio). After the deposition of P-rich material, P reaction and leaching can mask or disturb the evidence of in situ man-made strata, but mineralogical and chemical studies of phosphate forms can elucidate the apparent complexity. Lower phosphate-rich strata without direct anthropic inputs indicate P leaching and precipitation in secondary forms. The total and bioavailable contents of Ca, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cu, P, and organic C of midden soils were much higher than of regional soils without influence of ancient human settlements, demonstrating that the high fertility persisted for long periods, at some sites for more than 4000 years. The physical analysis showed that wind-blown sand contributed significantly to increase the sand fraction in the analyzed soils (texture classes sand, sandy loam and sandy clay loam) and that the aeolian sand accumulation occurred simultaneously with the midden formation.

Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Lumbricus terrestris . L. middens in four arable, a pasture, and a forest ecosystems

Lumbricus terrestris' middens contain large concentrations of organic material and have been characterized as microenvironments distinct from the surrounding soil. The direct and indirect consequences of midden formation on nutrient cycling dynamics and organic matter pools in various ecosystem types have not received much consideration. Therefore, we focused on the differences in C and N dynamics between midden and bulk soil samples in four corn (Zea mays L.) agroecosystems, a rotational pasture and a deciduous forest, in June, July and August of 1996, in Ohio, USA. Paired earthworm midden and bulk soil samples were analyzed for mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3–-N), dissolved organic N, microbial biomass N (MBN) and carbohydrate C (CarbC). Additionally, coarse litter, fine litter, particulate organic matter, and soil organic matter fractions were separated and analyzed for total C, total N and C:N ratios. Mineral and dissolved N levels were higher in the midden soil relative to those in the bulk soil for all ecosystem types, except for only NO3–-N levels in two highly fertilized agroecosystems and in the pasture. MBN, CarbC, and total C and N levels for all organic fractions were significantly greater in the earthworm midden samples relative to these in the bulk samples across all ecosystem types. The plan defined by principal component analysis clearly separated two main groups: (1) includes the forest, the pasture and the less fertilized cornfields and the midden effect is to increase slightly the organic matter content and strongly the inorganic N content, and (2) includes the heavily fertilized agroecosystems and the midden effect is also to increase the organic matter content but to decrease the inorganic N content. We concluded that L. terrestris' middens significantly raised overall soil C and N levels relative to the bulk soil, in a variety of ecosystem types, and, given the abundance of earthworm middens, these macrosites should receive important attention when evaluating nutrient cycling processes at the systems level.

Indirect effects of earthworms on microbial assimilation of labile carbon

Interactions between earthworms and microorganisms can be important in regulating the rate of soil carbon turnover and maintaining soil fertility in agroecosystems. Despite the significance of earthworms in nutrient cycling in agroecosystems, the indirect influence of earthworms on C assimilation by microorganisms has not been adequately quantified. We assessed microbial assimilation of 13 C -labeled acetate in earthworm ( Lumbricus terrestris) middens and surrounding soil collected from maize agroecosystems. Incorporation of 13 C into microbial lipids was used as an indicator of microbial growth rates. Earthworm middens had significantly lower concentrations of microbial phospholipid phosphates and lower natural abundance δ 13 C than the surrounding soil. After incubation with 13 C -labeled acetate, microbial communities in earthworm middens had greater 13 C / 12 C ratios of microbial lipids than microbial communities from surrounding soil. The 13 C enrichment per unit of microbial phospholipid was much greater in middens than in surrounding soil indicating that: (i) microbial lipid synthesis was significantly higher in the earthworm middens; (ii) microbial assimilation efficiency for 13 C -labeled acetate was greater in midden soil; or (iii) assimilation of 13 C -labeled acetate relative to other C sources was proportionately greater in middens than in the surrounding soil. Our results suggest that there were functional differences between microbial communities in earthworm middens and surrounding soil, probably due to a combination of physical, chemical, and biological changes in the midden microenvironment. The resulting differences in microbial communities or activity increased microbial growth rates and assimilation of readily available C substrates in middens relative to surrounding soil.

Spring dynamics of soil carbon, nitrogen, and microbial activity in earthworm middens in a no-till cornfield

Earthworm activity may be an important cause of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of soil properties in agroecosystems. Structures known as “earthworm middens,” formed at the soil surface by the feeding and casting activities of some earthworms, may contribute significantly to this heterogeneity. We compared the temporal dynamics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and microbial acitivity in Lumbricus terrestris middens and in surrounding non-midden (bulk) soil during the spring, when seasonal earthworm activity was high. We sampled soil from middens and bulk soil in a no-till cornfield on four dates during May and June 1995. Soil water content and the weight of coarse organic litter (>2mm) were consistently higher in middens than in bulk soil. Total C and N concentrations, C:N ratios, and microbial activity also were greatest in midden soil. Concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen and dissolved organic N were greater in middens than in bulk soil on most dates, suggesting accelerated decomposition and mineralization in middens. However, concentrations of nitrate were usually lower in middens, indicating reduced nitrification or increased leaching and denitrification losses from middens, relative to bulk soil. Fungal activity, as well as total microbial activity, was consistently greater in middens. The contribution of fungae to overall microbial activity differed significantly between middens and bulk soil only on one date when both soils were very dry; the contribution of fungae to microbial activity was lower in the middens on this date. We conclude that the midden-forming activity of L. terrestris can be a major determinant of spatial heterogeneity in some agricultural soils, and that this can potentially affect overall rates of soil processes such as organic matter decomposition, N mineralization, denitrification, and leaching.

Soil Ecology of Coccidioides immitis at Amerindian Middens in California

Outbreaks of coccidioidomycosis and isolation of Coccidioides immitis have been reported from Amerindian middens. This study was undertaken to determine the most important ecological component(s) for the occurrence of C. immitis at archeological sites. Soils from 10 former Indian villages with no prior history of coccidioidal infection were collected and cultured. The physicochemical properties of the midden soils were compared with nonmidden soils and positive soils. The following theories for the sporadic distribution of the pathogen in the soil of the Lower Sonoran Life Zone were considered: (i) the Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) association, (ii) the preference for saline soils, (iii) isolation near rodent burrows, and (iv) animals as possible agents of dispersal. Results showed that a high percentage of the midden soils contained C. immitis , whereas none of the adjacent, nonmidden soils yielded the fungus. Physicochemical analyses revealed that the dark color and alkaline pH of the midden soils were due to past organic contamination. Repeated isolations were made from soils with low to moderate alkalinity. Alkalinity and sandy texture were consistent features of all soils in this study. However, the lack of any reports of nonsandy infested soils possibly indicates that the sandy texture and alkalinity may be factors in the distribution of this fungus. The organic content, soil parent material, and color were not important in the soil ecology. L. tridentata was not significant in the macroflora at the infested sites surveyed. Samples collected without reference to rodent burrows yielded a high percentage of recoveries. Animals, although not the major natural reservoir, cannot be ignored as possible factors in the ecology of C. immitis .

Soil Ecology of Coccidioides immitis at Amerindian Middens in California

Outbreaks of coccidioidomycosis and isolation of Coccidioides immitis have been reported from Amerindian middens. This study was undertaken to determine the most important ecological component(s) for the occurrence of C. immitis at archeological sites. Soils from 10 former Indian villages with no prior history of coccidioidal infection were collected and cultured. The physicochemical properties of the midden soils were compared with nonmidden soils and positive soils. The following theories for the sporadic distribution of the pathogen in the soil of the Lower Sonoran Life Zone were considered: (i) the Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) association, (ii) the preference for saline soils, (iii) isolation near rodent burrows, and (iv) animals as possible agents of dispersal. Results showed that a high percentage of the midden soils contained C. immitis, whereas none of the adjacent, nonmidden soils yielded the fungus. Physicochemical analyses revealed that the dark color and alkaline pH of the midden soils were due to past organic contamination. Repeated isolations were made from soils with low to moderate alkalinity. Alkalinity and sandy texture were consistent features of all soils in this study. However, the lack of any reports of nonsandy infested soils possibly indicates that the sandy texture and alkalinity may be factors in the distribution of this fungus. The organic content, soil parent material, and color were not important in the soil ecology. L. tridentata was not significant in the macroflora at the infested sites surveyed. Samples collected without reference to rodent burrows yielded a high percentage of recoveries. Animals, although not the major natural reservoir, cannot be ignored as possible factors in the ecology of C. immitis.

Nutrient digestibility and growth of local bull calves as affected by feeding urea and urease enzyme sources treated rice straw

The experiment was conducted for a period of 75 days to study the effect of treatment of straw with urea or with urea and a urease containing chick pea seed meal and midden soil on chemical composition of treated rice straw, feed intake of the animals, nutrients digestibility, body weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency. For the study twelve indigenous growing bulls aged approximately 20 months and weighing 115.16 ± 1.50 kg were divided into four groups having three animals in each group. The animals of group A received 3.5% urea treated fresh straw, group B received 3.5% urea treated ensiled straw, group C received 3.5% urea + 2.5% midden soil treated ensiled straw and group D received 3.5% urea + 2.5% chick pea treated ensiled straw. All the animals were supplied with treated rice straw, green grass and concentrate mixture. Rice straw treated with 3.5% urea resulted an improvement in crude protein content of rice straw from 3.33 to 7.70 and 8.10 % (without ensiling and ensiling) which was further increased by 8.20 and 9.50% with the addition of 2.5% midden soil and 2.5% chick pea seed meal at the time of treatment. Significantly higher (P<0.05) daily dry matter intake was observed in animals fed diet D (4.42) followed by diet C (4.39), diet B (4.34) and diet A (4.12). The total CP intake by the animals of D groups was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of the animals receiving diet A, B and C. During the 75 days trail, the total live weight gains were 30.50, 35.17, 38.17 and 39.83 kg for bull calves fed diet A (3.5% urea treated straw without ensiling), diet B (3.5% urea treated straw with ensiling), diet C (3.5% urea + 2.5% midden soil treated straw) and diet D (3.5% urea + 2.5% chick pea seed meal treated straw) respectively. The daily live weight gains were 0.41, .047, 0.51 and 0.53 kg in groups A, B, C and D respectively. Midden soil and chick pea seed meal addition with treated rice straw not only significantly (P<0.01) increased the coefficient of digestibility of DM, CP, and CF but also significantly (P<0.05) increased the coefficient of digestibility of OM, NFE than only urea treated straw (both without ensiling and ensiling). Addition of urease sources also increased (P<0.01) the digestible crude protein (DCP), digestible ether extract (DEE). Digestible nitrogen free extract (DNFE), digestible organic matter (DOM) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) contents were significantly (P<0.05) higher in diet D in comparison to diet A, B and C. Key words: Bull calves; Digestibility; Midden soil; Urea; Urease DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v39i1-2.9682 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2010, 39(1&2): 97-105