This study investigated the abilities of pre-processing, feature selection and machine-learning methods for the spectroscopic diagnosis of soil arsenic contamination. The spectral data were pre-processed by using Savitzky-Golay smoothing, first and second derivatives, multiplicative scatter correction, standard normal variate, and mean centering. Principle component analysis (PCA) and the RELIE...

some contaminants associate with soil particles and, thus, their transport and fate in the environment is determined by the soil erosion processes. eutrophication, low oxygen levels and high nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) concentrations in reservoirs, canals and other water courses, is a common water pollution feature. phosphorus (p) is one of the major plant nutrients and also the major nu...

Biogeosciences Discussions This discussion paper is/has been under review for the journal Biogeosciences (BG). Please refer to the corresponding final paper in BG if available. Abstract Computed Tomography (CT) images provide a non-invasive alternative for observing soil structures, particularly pore space. Pore space in soil data indicates empty or free space in the sense that no material is p...

Physical characteristics of different features in desert is a reflection of severe thermal and climatic conditions. In this paper, diurnal surface temperature patterns of important surface features in Lut Desert were studied and the relationship among different surfaces analyzed. Diurnal trend in surface temperature of surface types, marl, dark sand, light sand, salt-affected soil, soul at 10 c...

Cold, water-saturated soils play important biogeochemical roles, yet almost nothing is known about the identity and habitat of microbes active under such conditions. We investigated the year-round microenvironment of an alpine tundra wet meadow soil in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, focusing on the biogeochemistry and microbial diversity of spring snowmelt--a dynamic time for alpine ecosystems. ...

Fairy Circles (FCs) are barren circular patches of soil surrounded by grass species, the origin of which is poorly understood. FCs feature in both the gravel plains and dune fields of the Namib Desert. While a substantial number of hypotheses to explain the origin and/or sustainability of fairy circles have been presented, none are completely consistent with either their properties or distribut...

Agricultural fertilization may change processes of elemental biogeochemical cycles and alter the ecological function. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometric feature plays a critical role in global soil carbon (C) metabolism, driving element cycles, and mediating atmospheric composition in response to agricultural nutrient management. Despite the importance on crop growth, the role of phosphorous (P) in co...

Body size is an important feature of an animal that is linked with its life history, morphology, physiology and ecology. Understanding the association between body size and habitat type of an animal and the underlying causes for this are important for determining their distribution. The present study examines the association between body size and habitat types of tiger beetles in Sri Lanka and ...

Rates of deforestation in the Amazon region have been accelerating, but the quantity and timing of nutrient losses from forested and deforested ecosystems are poorly understood. This paper investigates the broad variation in soil properties of the Amazon Basin as they influence transfers of plant nutrients from the terrestrial biosphere to the atmosphere and the aquatic biosphere. The dominant ...

Soil expansiveness is a major problem that need due attention in geotechnical investigations. It can detrimentally influence performance and life time of lightweight engineering infrastructures. For this study, soil samples were collected from eastern part of Addis Ababa city. Specific expansive soil engineering parameters; Consistency limits (liquid limits (LL), plastic limits (PL) and plastic...