COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOIL DEGRADATION AND SOIL STRUCTURE IN CROPLANDS AFFECTED BY EROSION AND SOIL DEHYDRATION TREATED WITH A BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUST FORMING ALGAL CULTURE

Soil Fauna Diversity – Function , Soil Degradation , Biological Indices , Soil Restoration

Soil-forming factors and Soil Taxonomy

a r t i c l e i n f o Here we analyze the past and present roles of the five soil-forming factors in USDA Soil Taxonomy. As opposed to the 7th Approximation of 1960, the factorial and genetic approach is clearly present in Soil Taxonomy. Soil climate is the most important factor in Soil Taxonomy. It is used at the highest level to define two of the 12 soil orders: Aridisols, the soils of the dr...

Effect of soil structure breakdown on splash erosion in different soil textures

This study was carried out to investigate the role of soil structure in splash erosion in semi-arid soils. Splash erosion was measured in four soil textures (silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam and sandy loam) with two soil structure conditions (with natural structure and under aggregate breakdown) using a simulated rainfall with 50 mmh-1 in intensity for 30 min in splash caps with 10-c...

Impact of Environmental Factors and Biological Soil Crust Types on Soil Respiration in a Desert Ecosystem

The responses of soil respiration to environmental conditions have been studied extensively in various ecosystems. However, little is known about the impacts of temperature and moisture on soils respiration under biological soil crusts. In this study, CO2 efflux from biologically-crusted soils was measured continuously with an automated chamber system in Ningxia, northwest China, from June to O...

Soil Erosion and Conservation