The knowledge on the spatial distribution of soil available water capacity at a regional or national extent is essential, as soil water capacity is a component of the water and energy balances in the terrestrial ecosystem. It controls the evapotranspiration rate, and has a major impact on climate. This paper demonstrates a protocol for mapping soil available water capacity in South Korea at a f...

The study of uranium-series (U-series) isotopes in soil and sediment materials has been proposed to quantify rates and timescales of soil production and sediment transport. Previous works have studied bulk soil or sediment material, which is a complex assemblage of primary and secondary minerals and organic compounds. However, the approach relies on the fractionation between U-series isotopes i...

In an effort to customize biochars for soil amendments, multiple feedstocks have been combined in various ratios prior to pyrolysis at 350 °C. The resulting variation in the chemistry and structure can affect the adsorption capacity of biochar and thus influence the bioavailability of many chemical compounds in the soil system including phenolic acids. This study examines the sorption of C-labe...

Over evolutionary time humans have developed a complex biological relationship with soils. Here we describe modes of soil exposure and their biological implications. We consider two types of soil exposure, the first being the continuous exposure to airborne soil, and the second being dietary ingestion of soils, or geophagy. It may be assumed that airborne dust and ingestion of soil have influen...

Understanding regional variations of soil heavy metals and their anthropogenic influence are very important for environmental planning. In this study, 286 surface soil samples were collected in Fuyang county, and the 'total' metals for copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) were measured in 2005. Statistic analysis showed that Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd had been added by exterio...

Parent training (PT) is an evidence-based treatment for reducing and preventing child conduct problems and abusive parenting. However, questions have been raised about the dissemination of PT to culturally diverse families who hold different views on childrearing. Group PT was applied in two Chinese immigrant families illustrating strategies for addressing potential cultural barriers. The Incre...

Phosphorus (P) availability in calcareous forest soils is commonly low compared to siliceous soils. The main reason for this that phosphate ions tend precipitate with calcium (Ca). Weathering of rocks and the potential microorganisms dissolve parent material not fully understood. Therefore, we examined microbial carbonate dissolution abundance phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria temperate contrast...

The use of grain size distribution analysis in forensic enquiry was investigated with reference to four forensic case studies which contained the type of sample restraints and limitations often encountered in criminal case work. The problems of the comparison of trace and bulk samples are outlined and the need for multiple sample analysis is highlighted. It was found that the problems of soil a...