Hardpans (plough/hoe pans) are commonly believed to restrict plant root growth and crop yields under conventional small-scale agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. This study questions the notion of widespread hardpans in Zambia and their remedy under conservation tillage. Soil penetration resistance was measured in 8x12 grids, covering 80 cm wide and 60 cm deep profiles in 32 soil pits. Large and...

The overgrazing and excessive utilization of rangelands has caused vegetationand soil degradation in many rangelands. In the rangeland management, the soil andvegetation elements, environmental factors and livestock should be considered as decisionmaking agents. Various methods are applicable for the rangeland restoration as contourfurrows and mortar stone dam. In order to evaluate the effects ...

ABSRACT A study was carried out to investigate the potential of Corn (Zea mays) for phytoremediation of soil contaminated with Cadmium and Lead. Soil samplings of 0-20 cm depth were taken from the Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province in the western of Iran. Corn plantlets were planted in pots containing 3 kg of these soils. The experiment consisted of 9 treatments including soil without cadmium and L...

Composted municipal solid wastes (CMSW) could potentially be used as a mulching material to control runoff and soil erosion. The effects of mulching with CMSW on water percolation and rate of compost decomposition were studied using laboratory rainfall simulator. Samples of typical loess soil (Calcic Haploxeralf) were packed in boxes and either covered with 0, 100,200 and 300 m' ha-' of CMSW, o...

abstract in this study the effects of land use changes from pasturelands to croplands on soil microbiological and biochemical properties were studied in kangaver, dehno and soltanye regions. composite soil samples from 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths of pasture and cultivated lands were taken from kangaver, dehno and soltanye regions, and soil microbial respiration, microbial biomass c and n, and urea...

Objective: Soil salinity is one of the major worldwide environmental constraints affecting agricultural production in arid and semiarid regions. Lack of proper management of water and soil resources lead to increase soil salinity and reduce soil fertility. On the other hand, it seems simple and cheap method of measuring soil salinity is necessary. The aim of this study was to determine the rela...

soil water potential was determined for three soil samples (i.e. 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm depth) by the filter paper method (hamblin, 1981) and also for four non-destructive soil samples (i.e. 0-30, 30-50, 50-75 and 75-90 cm horizon) using pressure plate method.  in filter paper method, the filter paper is placed in hydraulic contact with the soil until an equilibrium state is attained in which...

During 2012–13, the presence of ascomycetous species in soil was studied in Kermanshah province (W Iran). In each location, samples were collected from 0–30 cm depth and passed through 2 mm, 40 and 60 mesh sieves. Using soil plating method, 10 g of soil samples were placed in 90 ml of 0.1% water-agar containing 100 ppm NPX, mixed and serially diluted to 10-2 to 10-5 and 1 ml of each solution fl...

Surface and soil core samples from northeast China were analyzed for Pu isotopes. The measured (240)Pu/(239)Pu atomic ratios and (239 + 240)Pu/(137)Cs activity ratios revealed that the global fallout is the dominant source of Pu and (137)Cs at these sites. Migration behavior of Pu varying with land type and human activities resulted in different distribution of Pu in surface soils. A sub-surfac...

The stable oxygen isotope ratio (6 0) of treering cellulose is jointly determined by the 6 0 of xylem water, the 8' 8 0 of atmospheric water vapor, the humidity of the atmosphere and perhaps by species-specific differences in leaf structure and function. Atmospheric humidity and the 6 0 of water vapor vary seasonally and annually, but if the canopy atmosphere is well mixed, atmospheric characte...