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Chromium isotope systematics and concentrations of dissolved Cr were studied in shallow aquifers at four industrial sites in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. Chromium plating baths and wastewaters started to contaminate groundwater in the late 1940s. Since plating shops at all sites still operate, it was possible to determine the δ53Cr signatures of the plating baths. The mean δ53Cr values of the...
The coals and coal-bearing mangrove sediments of Sandakan Formation have been evaluated for their source rock potential, paleoredox conditions and source of organic input, as well as the age and paleovegetation distribution using geochemical and petrographical methods. The studied samples were generally rich in organic carbon, which varied from 0.60 (massive mudstone) to 62.37wt% (coal). The studied...
The soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) stocks in mountainous forests are influenced by the forest diversity, topographic features, and climate change impacts. Role of forest SOC and N stocks in global C cycle has been a subject of great research recently, but the effect of topographic features on their dynamics at the stand level has received less attention especially under temperate conditions...
Studies on the quantities and distribution of soil organic carbon stocks (SOC-S) can help to fill the knowledge gaps in estimating the amount of carbon stored in soils. However, one of the problems of soil organic carbon (SOC) is the high variability in space and time. Over the years, many researchers have studied the soil mainly in two different ways: by pedogenic horizons in entire soil profiles...
The strong affinity of phosphorus (P) to iron (Fe) oxides and hydroxides in highly weathered tropical soils limits P availability and therefore plant productivity in tropics. In flooded soils, however, P fixed by Fe oxides and hydroxides can be released into more available forms because of Fe3+ reduction to Fe2+. These P dynamics in flooded soils are well documented for rice paddies. Such effects...
Land degradation is considered to be a major environmental problem of the European continent, especially in the Mediterranean region. This study aims to deliver new results in terms of the actual land sensitivity to degradation in the southern and central southeastern areas of Europe, by improving the results of the DISMED (Desertification Information System for the Mediterranean) project, initiated...
On the Swiss Plateau, glacial and glaciofluvial sediments deposited during MIS 2 are widespread. They are generally overlain by younger sediments of different origin, mainly related to periglacial and slope wash processes. Depending on their genesis and composition, 3 types of slope deposits can be distinguished, which are classified as units 1, 2a and 2b. Unit 1 is characterized by its wide spatial...
Soil pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are alternatives to expensive field and laboratory methods for acquiring soil hydraulic properties. Traditional PTFs generally require soil physiochemical properties (such as particle size distribution, bulk density, soil organic matter, etc.) as inputs. Soil spectral information is, more recently, being considered as an additional input property for improving the...
The effect of antecedent soil moisture content on runoff and soil erosion was investigated in many previous studies. These studies revealed contradictory findings. The present study investigated the combined effect of raindrop temperatures and antecedent soil moisture on interrill flow generation and erosion of a loamy soil (Loess), using a rotating disk rain simulator. The experiments were applied...
Recent studies have demonstrated that soils formed on pyroclastic ash deposits are much more common in the Mediterranean area than previously assumed. These soils are an important key to understanding past volcanic events and landscape evolution. Chronological information in soils of Quaternary volcanic events, however, remains still poorly understood in southern Italy. Using a multi-method forensic...
Carbonate mountain ranges surrounding volcanic centers in the Campania region of southern Italy are covered by discontinuous ash-fall pyroclastic deposits of variable thicknesses. The cover thickness and stratigraphy are relevant to hydrological controls on both rainfall-induced landslides and groundwater recharge. To improve understanding of the hydrologic regimes within the pyroclastic soil mantle,...
Geomorphic processes driven by water are particularly active in mountain environments, especially under the current climate conditions. Erosion and dissolution processes shape meaningful landforms, in different kinds of deposits and rocks, and in some cases they are classified as geomorphosites. Such landforms, especially earth pyramids and rock pillars, are usually characterized by a high scientific...
A set of chemical, physical and microbial characteristics of different burnt soils from Sierra de Aznalcóllar (Sevilla, Spain) affected by one or two sequential fires, were analysed and compared with those of their respective control soils. A decrease in total organic carbon was observed in burnt soils, which could be attributed to the impact of the fires on vegetation cover. Biomass (estimated as...
Rangelands in SW Spain constitute the most extensive ranching system on the Iberian Peninsula. During the last few decades, a significant increase in livestock numbers, along with a progressive substitution of cattle for sheep, have led to land degradation processes such as the reduction of grass cover and increased soil compaction in heavily grazed areas. Nevertheless, a better understanding of how...
Cation exchange capacity (CEC), as an important indicator for soil quality, represents soil's ability to hold positively charged ions. We attempted to predict CEC using different statistical methods including monotone analysis of variance (MONANOVA), artificial neural networks (ANNs), principal components regressions (PCR), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) in order to compare the utility of these...
Soil moisture has high spatial and temporal variability, depending on topography, soil texture, vegetation and meteorological conditions. It influences many processes in the soil and supplies water to the vegetation. This is often a limiting factor in agricultural production.Over an 18-month period, we measured soil moisture dynamics down to a depth of 70cm in a long-term trial in Bolivia comprising...
This paper addresses the timing of accelerated soil erosion and landscape degradation in central Mexico. It shows data on erosion sequences in the Valley of Teotihuacan, an area where agricultural dates back to at least since 1100BCE, and an ideal setting to test ideas on the effect of preconquest versus post-conquest anthropogenic impacts on the environment. The methods include stratigraphy, detailed...
Climate change has different manifestations in various regions all over the world. Such changes strongly affect ecosystem services, environmental and agricultural stability. Soils play a crucial role in the complex system that generates climate change. However, the nature and structure of response of different soils to climate change is still distant to be interpreted. Bearing in mind that climate...
Farmers' use of tillage implements under extremely dry soil conditions, ignoring optimum soil moisture conditions, results in low field efficiency, high fuel consumption and ultimately poor soil structure. Accordingly, the effect of tillage, applied under a range of near-plastic-limit soil moisture contents, on the efficiency of conventional tillage implements and subsequent soil structure, was investigated...
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