Soil samples from the Jakara irrigation project site were evaluated with respect to possible degradation caused by irrigation. Most of the soils were neutral to alkaline with pH values ranging between 6.58 + 0.04 and 10.45 + 0.03. The electrical conductivity ranged from 0.3 + 0.01 to 75.2 + 0.06 dSm-1 which implies low to very high salinity. The concentrations of the exchangeable cations in the...

Nutrient dynamics in the Bela watershed, Nepal were examined using a range of GIS budget modelling and field analysis techniques. The fertility status analysis showed that soil acidity, phosphorus availability, and lack of base cations were the key soil fertility issues. Nutrient budget calculations revealed significant annual phosphorus deficits for maize rota­ tions, but only minor deficits i...

variety of crops. Pot tests indicated that addition of about 200 p.p.m. of copper from copper sulfate produced a toxic reaction in soils low in copper, but otherwise comparable to Alsatian vineyard soils, which were found to contain as much as 400 p.p.m. of copper. Among the crops tested, vines were most resistant to copper toxicity; clover and alfalfa were most sensitive. Symptoms of copper po...

In forest ecosystems, a change of soil nitrogen (N) cycling after disturbance is regulated by various factors. Sasa dwarf bamboo (hereafter referred to as Sasa) is an understory plant that grows thickly on the forest floor in northern Hokkaido, Japan. However, the ecosystem function of Sasa after disturbances in the soil N cycling is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determ...

Restoration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon- (PAH-) polluted sites is presently a major challenge in agroforestry. Consequently, microorganisms with PAH-degradation ability and soil fertility improvement attributes are sought after in order to achieve sustainable remediation of polluted sites. This study isolated PAH-degrading bacteria from enriched cultures of spent automobile engine-oil po...

land-use change affects a number natural processes such as soil erosion, sedimentation, flooding and destruction of soil physical and chemical properties. this change of ecosystem causes the degradation of soil quality which eventually leads to a severe decrease in soil fertility. therefore, various aspects of land-use change should be taken into account in national major decision makings. this...

it is well known that ground-shaking site effect caused by an earthquake can vary significantly within a small distance. this is because at sites having soft soil and/or topographic and basement undulations, seismic energy gets trapped, leading to amplification of vibration that may cause considerable damage to man-made structures. theoretical analysis and observational data have shown that eac...

This study was conducted to evaluate soil fertility status in the eight major agro ecosystems viz., coconut, banana, rubber, paddy, arecanut, nutmeg, pepper and vegetables in Thrissur District, Kerala. For this, a total of 30 panchayats out of 92 were selected representing 6 agro ecological zones in the district. Surface soil samples (0-15 cm) @ one sample/ ha. were collected from dominant agro...