Fire-prone forests in the American west are presently slated for extensive fuels reduction treatments, yet the effect on soil CO2 efflux rates, or soil respiration, has received little attention. This study utilizes the homogeneity of a Sierra Nevada ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws)–Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi, Grev. & Balf.) plantation to investigate changes in soil respirat...

This paper describes a new method to monitor continuously soil CO2 profiles using small solid-state CO2 sensors buried at different depths of the soil. Based on the measurement of soil CO2 profile and a gaseous diffusivity model, we estimated soil CO2 efflux, which was mainly from heterotrophic respiration, and its temporal variation in a dry season in a Mediterranean savanna ecosystem in Calif...

Four proximal soil sensors were tested at four smallholder farms in Embu County, Kenya: a portable X-ray fluorescence sensor (PXRF), a mobile phone application for soil color determination by photography, a dual-depth electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor, and a LED-based soil optical reflectance sensor. Measurements were made at 32-43 locations at each site. Topsoil samples were analyzed for ...

The susceptibility of the boll weevil (BW), Anthonomus grandis Boheman, to Steinernema riobrave and other nematode species in petri dishes, soil (Hidalgo sandy clay loam), and cotton bolls and squares was investigated. Third instar weevils were susceptible to entomopathogenic nematode (EN) species and strains in petri dish bioassays at 30 degrees C. Lower LC(50)'s occurred with S. riobrave TX- ...

This work investigated development of operating envelopes for stabilisation/solidification (S/S) treatment, and facilitation of biodegradation within S/S treated contaminated soils, with the aim of improving the robustness and sustainability of S/S technology. The ‘process envelopes’ study utilised different conventional cementitious binders for treatment of contaminated soil, and generated ext...

D. SOLOMON, J . LEHMANN, I . LOBE, C. E. MARTINEZ, S. TVEITNES, C. C. DU PREEZ & W. AMELUNG Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, Bradfield and Emerson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, Berlin University of Technology, Institute of Ecology, Department of Soil Science, Salzufer 12, 10587 Berlin, Germany, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, 418 ASI Building, The Pennsylvania Stat...

Required Readings: Raich, J.W. and G. Mora. 2005. Estimating root plus rhizosphere contributions to soil respiration in annual croplands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 69:634–639. Cheng, W., D.W. Johnson and S. Fu. 2003. Rhizosphere effects on decomposition: Controls of plant species, phenology, and fertilization. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 67:1418–1427. Collins, H.P., R.L. Blevins, L.G. Bundy, D.R. Christe...

Elevated levels of trace metal(loid)s reduce plant growth, both in soils contaminated by industrial activities and in acid agricultural soils. Although the adverse effects of trace metal(loid)s have long been recognized, there remains much unknown both about their behavior in soils, their toxicity to plants, and the mechanisms that plants use to tolerate elevated concentrations. Synchrotron-bas...

Predawn plant water potential (Psi(w)) is used to estimate soil moisture available to plants because plants are expected to equilibrate with the root-zone Psi(w). Although this equilibrium assumption provides the basis for interpreting many physiological and ecological parameters, much work suggests predawn plant Psi(w) is often more negative than root-zone soil Psi(w). For many halophytes even...