The byproducts of flue gas desulfurization (BFGD) are a useful external source of Ca(2+) for the reclamation of sodic soils because they are comparatively cheap, generally available and have high gypsum content. The ion solution composition of sodic soils also plays an important role in the reclamation process. The effect of BFGD on the soluble salts composition and chemical properties of sodic...

SOIL pore space and its intrinsic characteristics such as surface area, roughness, tortuosity, and connectivity are probably the most important factors controlling water and solute movement in soils. Interaggregate porosity is the result of the arrangement of the soil aggregates. These aggregates are composed of subunits, of which clay minerals and other colloids are the main components. The wa...

Understanding soil evaporation in reforestation processes in an area of extreme drought is important. We examined the effects of drip-irrigated, high-salinity groundwater on the formation of soil salt crusts and subsequent soil evaporation in the Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt. Soil evaporation was measured using micro-lysimeters (MLS, 20 cm in length × 10 cm in diameter), and chemical c...

This study focused on the effects of organic and inorganic amendments and straw retention on the microbial biomass (MB) and taxonomic groups of bacteria in sugarcane-cultivated soils in a greenhouse mesocosm experiment monitored for gas emissions and chemical factors. The experiment consisted of combinations of synthetic nitrogen (N), vinasse (V; a liquid waste from ethanol production), and sug...

Conversion of native rainforest ecosystems in Limón Province of Costa Rica to banana and pineapple monoculture has led to reductions in biodiversity and soil quality. Agroforestry management of cacao (Theobroma cacao) is an alternative system that may maintain the agricultural livelihood of the region while more closely mimicking native ecosystems. This study compared physical, biological and c...

abstract rhizosphere is a small zone with chemical, physical, and biological properties different from those of the bulk soil. information regarding the kinetics of cu release in the rhizosphere soil is scant. throughout this research, kinetics of cu release was investigated in wheat crop rhizosphere vs. non-rhizosphere in 10 calcareous soils by use of rhizobox and in greenhouse conditions. ext...

Landscapes evolve in response to external forces, such as tectonics and climate, that influence surface processes of erosion and weathering. Internal feedbacks between erosion and weathering also play an integral role in regulating the landscapes response. Our understanding of these internal and external feedbacks is limited to a handful of field-based studies, only a few of which have explicit...

Soil contamination is a worldwide problem. Soil remediation is often carried out to reduce the risks posed by contaminants in the soil to human health and environment. Contaminant concentration is typically the only soil quality aspect maintained in remediation projects. However, emerging regulatory requirements on soil protection has introduced the soil function concept and demand that other c...

Chemical extractions of soil organic matter (SOM) have not been widely used to elucidate the dynamics of SOM in field settings, especially to address issues of nutrient cycling. To illustrate potential applications of chemical extractions to nutrient issues, this report reviews studies in which the extraction of SOM fractions was based on their binding to polyvalent soil cations. Radiocarbon ag...