Understanding the dynamics of water distribution in soil is crucial for enhancing our knowledge of managing soil and water resources. The application of X-ray computed tomography (CT) to the plant and soil sciences is now well established. However, few studies have utilized the technique for visualizing water in soil pore spaces. Here this method is utilized to visualize the water in soil in si...

Unlike conventional sensor systems such as Landsat-TM, Spot-MX or IRS-LISS, which acquire data in only a few spectral bands, the development of scanner systems that acquire data in many narrow-wavelength bands allows the use of almost continuous reflectance data in studies of the Earth’s surface. This not only produces laboratory-like reflectance spectra with absorption bands specific to object...

Sorted circles emerge as self-organized patterns from a laterally uniform active layer that becomes laterally sorted as frost heave deforms the interface between a stone layer and an underlying soil layer. In a three-dimensional, cellular model of the active layer, cyclic freezing and thawing drives transport of stone and soil particles by (1) addition of ice particles representing soil expansi...

Soil compaction may affect N mineralization and the subsequent fate of N in agroecosystems. Laboratory incubation and field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of surface soil compaction on soil N mineralization in a claypan soil amended with poultry litter (i.e., Turkey excrement mixed with pine shavings as bedding). In a laboratory study, soil from the surface horizon of a Mex...

The responses of soil respiration to environmental conditions have been studied extensively in various ecosystems. However, little is known about the impacts of temperature and moisture on soils respiration under biological soil crusts. In this study, CO2 efflux from biologically-crusted soils was measured continuously with an automated chamber system in Ningxia, northwest China, from June to O...

Information of spatial and temporal variations of soil quality (soil properties) is required for various purposes of sustainable agriculture development and management. Traditionally, soil quality characterization is done by in situ point soil sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis. Such methodology has limitation for assessing the spatial variability of soil quality. Various researchers i...

Soil microbial properties are known to exhibit high spatial and temporal variability, which can hinder our understanding of the effects of agricultural management on soil microbial activities, populations and communities. However, if this variability is explicitly considered in soil sampling schemes, experimental results can help us better understand soil microbial properties. In this initial a...

To understand effects of soil microbes on soil biochemistry in alpine grassland ecosystems under environmental changes, we explored relationships between soil microbial diversity and soil total nitrogen, organic carbon, available nitrogen and phosphorus, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in alpine meadow, alpine steppe and cultivated grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau unde...

objective: the main purpose of this research is review of principles, concepts, problems and solutions of soil ethic. methods: in this research by descriptive method and delphi technique was used for identifying soil ethical concepts, soil ethical principles, problems and difficulties of soil ethics in iran and al around the world and suggestions for improvement of soil ethics in iran. the popu...

Soil is one of our most precious natural resources. Proper soil management is a key to sustainable agricultural production. Soil management involves six essential practices: proper amount and type of tillage, maintenance of soil organic matter, maintenance of a proper nutrient supply for plants, avoidance of soil contamination, maintenance of the correct soil acidity, and control of soil loss (...