Influence of lime and gypsum on long-term rehabilitation of a Red Sodosol, in a semi-arid environment of New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. McL. Bennett ◽  
R. S. B. Greene ◽  
B. W. Murphy ◽  
P. Hocking ◽  
D. Tongway
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

This paper determines the influence of lime and gypsum on the rehabilitation of a degraded sodic soil in a semi-arid environment 12 years after application. The aim was to assess rehabilitation strategies for sodic soils as alternatives to the application of gypsum alone. An experimental site was used where lime and gypsum combinations (L0G0, lime 0 t ha–1 and gypsum 0 t ha–1; L0G1, L0G2.5, L0G5, L1G0, L2.5G0, L5G0, L1G1, L2.5G1) had been applied 12 years prior, in 1994. An earlier study had reported on the effects after 3 years of the chemical ameliorants and tillage on a range of soil physical and chemical properties at the site. The current study, sampled in 2006, assessed the effects after 12 years of lime and gypsum on soil chemistry, stability, hydraulics, vegetative growth and soil respiration. Calcium, primarily from lime, was observed to have a major effect on soil health. Significant effects on soil chemistry were limited to increases in exchangeable calcium and decreases in exchangeable magnesium, although aggregate stability in water and hydraulic conductivity were significantly improved where L5G0 was applied. Vegetation patch width, total nitrogen and carbon, and soil respiration were significantly improved where lime had been added at 2.5 or 5 t ha–1. As no lime could be detected in the soil 12 years after application, it was deduced that lime had acted as a catalyst for increased functionality in soil and vegetation interactions. This increased soil functionality resulted in an increased rate of lime dissolution in the soil.

Silvopastoral system for resilience of key soil health indicators in semi-arid environment

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivasan Ramakrishnan ◽  
Sunil Kumar ◽  
Manoj Chaudhary ◽  
Prabhu Govindasamy ◽  
Maniksha Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Health ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Silvopastoral System ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Reclaiming Tropical Saline-Sodic Soils with Gypsum and Cow Manure

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Gonçalo Filho ◽  
Nildo da Silva Dias ◽  
Stella Ribeiro Prazeres Suddarth ◽  
Jorge F. S. Ferreira ◽  
Ray G. Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arid Regions ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Soil Reclamation ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Cow Manure ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
Semi Arid

Saline-sodic soils are a major impediment for agricultural production in semi-arid regions. Salinity and sodicity drastically reduce agricultural crop yields, damage farm equipment, jeopardize food security, and render soils unusable for agriculture. However, many farmers in developing semi-arid regions cannot afford expensive amendments to reclaim saline-sodic soils. Furthermore, existing research does not cover soil types (e.g., Luvisols and Lixisols) that are found in many semi-arid regions of South America. Therefore, we used percolation columns to evaluate the effect of inexpensive chemical and organic amendments (gypsum and cow manure) on the reclamation of saline-sodic soils in the northeast of Brazil. Soil samples from two layers (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm in depth) were collected and placed in percolation columns. Then, we applied gypsum into the columns, with and without cow manure. The experiment followed a complete randomized design with three replications. The chemical amendment treatments included a control and four combinations of gypsum and cow manure. Percolation columns were subjected to a constant flood layer of 55 mm. We evaluated the effectiveness of sodic soil reclamation treatments via changes in soil hydraulic conductivity, chemical composition (cations and anions), electrical conductivity of the saturated soil-paste extract, pH, and the exchangeable sodium percentage. These results suggest that the combined use of gypsum and cow manure is better to reduce soil sodicity, improve soil chemical properties, and increase water infiltration than gypsum alone. Cow manure at 40 ton ha−1 was better than at 80 ton ha−1 to reduce the sodium adsorption ratio.

Observations on the effectiveness of warren destruction as a method of rabbit control in a semi-arid environment.

1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 232 ◽  
Author(s):  
JT Martin ◽  
JN Eveleigh
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Term Effect ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Rabbit Population ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Original Size ◽  
Semi Arid

The effectiveness of warren ripping as a method for controlling rabbits in a semi-arid environment was tested on a 3000 ha site at Kinchega National Park in western New South Wales. Estimates of rabbit numbers made during the study showed that the immediate effect of warren ripping was to reduce the rabbit population by about 65%. The longer term effect was to stabilise numbers at a relatively low level. The only warrens active 14 months after being ripped were those which gained new burrow entrances within two months of being destroyed. Re-opening rate of warrens was greatest for large limestone warrens where 90% of ripped warrens were again active after two months. Less than 30% of all sandy warrens became active again. Within each re-opened warren, the number of active entrances increased slowly but 14 months after being destroyed they had still not reached their original size.

Restoring soil fertility of degraded hardsetting soils in semi-arid areas with different pastures

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Y. Chan ◽  
A. M. Bowman ◽  
W. Smith ◽  
R. Ashley
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Stubble Retention ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Perennial Legume ◽  
Semi Arid

To evaluate the effectiveness of a pasture phase in restoring soil fertility, changes in concentration of organic carbon, physical and chemical properties of degraded hardsetting red soils (Alfisols) were assessed at 3 sites in the semi-arid central western region of New South Wales 3–4 years after conversion to different pastures. The pasture species included an annual grass, ryegrass (Lolium rigidum cv. Wimmera), an annual legume, barrel medic (Medicago truncatulata cv. Sephi) as well as a perennial grass, Consol lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), and a perennial legume, lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Trifecta). Significant differences in concentration of organic carbon in soils were found only in the top 0–2.5 cm even after 3–4 years under perennial pastures. The concentration of organic carbon under annual grass pasture did not differ from that in the fallow. Corresponding to the organic carbon concentrations, significant changes in water-stable aggregation (detectable to 20 cm depth) and hydraulic properties (up to a 5-fold difference in sorptivity, namely 0.29 mm/h 0.5 under fallow to 1.42 mm/h 0.5 under lucerne) were observed under perennial pastures when compared with that of the fallow. Of the 2 perennial pastures, Consol lovegrass and lucerne were both effective in promoting soil friability as well as water-stable aggregation. However, lucerne increased mineralisable nitrogen more than Consol lovegrass (by up to 4.6 times more, equivalent to 11.6 mg/kg in the 0–10-cm layer). Our results highlight the potential benefits of perennial pastures in maintaining the quality of the fragile hardsetting soils in the low rainfall areas. However, due to the slow rate and the restricted depth of improvement (0–2.5 cm), apart from incorporation of a pasture phase in the cropping system, soil management that maintains soil organic matter level and soil structure, namely reduced tillage and stubble retention, should also be adopted. These findings should be relevant to the management of the hardsetting soils that occupy 12% of the land area of Australia, particularly those in the lower rainfall areas.

Soil aggregate stability and wind erodible fraction in a semi-arid environment of White Nile State, Sudan

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Eltom Elhaja ◽  
Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim ◽  
Hassan Elnour Adam ◽  
Elmar Csaplovics
Keyword(s):  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Soil Aggregate ◽  
Soil Aggregate Stability ◽  
White Nile ◽  
Erodible Fraction ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Similarities and contrasts in the diets of foxes, Vulpes vulpes, and cats, Felis catus, relative to fluctuating prey populations and drought

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Catling
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

The diets of the fox, Vulpes vulpes, and feral cat, Felis catus, were studied at Yathong Nature Reserve in semi-arid western New South Wales. The overall occurrence of rabbit was 45.1% in stomachs of foxes and 54.0% in cats, representing 51.3 and 82.6% respectively of the weight of stomach contents. Both predators exhibited a functional response to rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, (their staple prey) during the rabbit breeding season. Predation on rabbits was greatest on an increasing prey population during good pasture conditions and a decreasing population during drought. After the rabbit breeding season, diet changed to other prey and resulted in an annual prey cycle which was similar for foxes and cats. Both predators successfully co-exist in the semi-arid environment by primarily utilising different age groups of the same staple prey and to some extent different supplementary prey. Foxes mainly ate adult rabbits and cats young rabbits. During the drought foxes preyed heavily on adult rabbits; cats ate some rabbits but relied heavily on other food sources. The supplementary prey of foxes were invertebrates, birds, reptiles and carrion; small mammals and fruits opportunely eaten. Invertebrates, birds, reptiles and small mammals were supplementary prey for cats with carrion opportunely eaten.

scholarly journals Livestock Manure and the Impacts on Soil Health: A Review

Soil Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Natasha Rayne ◽  
Lawrence Aula
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Livestock Manure

Soil health is the capacity of the soil to provide an environment for optimum growth and development of plants, while also ensuring the health of animals and humans. Animal manure has been used for centuries as a source of nutrients in agriculture. However, many other soil properties that contribute to soil health are affected when manure is applied. Bulk density, aggregate stability, infiltration, water holding capacity, soil fertility, and biological properties are impacted to various degrees with manure application. The goal of this paper was to compile the research findings on the effects of various livestock manure types on soil fertility, soil physical properties, soil biology and the yield of various cereal crops. Specifically, this paper summarizes results for poultry, cattle, and swine manure used in various cropping systems. Although there are conflicting results in the literature with regards to the effect of manure on various soil properties, the literature offers convincing evidence of beneficial impacts of manure on soil and the growth of crops. The degree to which manure affects soil depends on the physical and chemical properties of the manure itself and various management and environmental factors including rate and timing of application, soil type, and climate.

scholarly journals Influence of Organic Amendment on Soil Respiration and Maize Productivity in a Semi-Arid Environment

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 611
Author(s):  
Lamptey ◽  
Xie ◽  
Li ◽  
Coulter ◽  
Jagadabhi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Amendments ◽  
Swine Manure ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Chemical Fertilizer ◽  
Semi Arid

Soil degradation and C emissions are a threat to sustainable agriculture in many arid and semi-arid areas. For sustainable agriculture, the influence of soil amendments on crop production and soil respiration has been a key focus of research. A three-year field study to assess how soil amendments influence soil properties, soil respiration (Rs), and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) was conducted. Treatments were: no amendment (NA), chemical fertilizer (CF), swine (Sus scrofa L.) manure (SM), maize stover (MS), and swine manure + chemical fertilizer (SC). Soil amendment (CF, SM, MS, and SC) consistently produced greatest grain yield and aboveground biomass, which averaged 38 and 34% greater than NA, respectively. No amendment reduced Rs by an average of 12% compared to amendment treatments. Enhanced grain yield with soil amendment resulted in increased carbon emission efficiency (CEE) with SC>MS>CF>SM>NA. Across years, SC decreased soil bulk density by 13% and increased CEE, soil total C, and soil hydraulic conductivity by 52, 19, and 21%, respectively, compared to NA. These results demonstrate the viability of swine manure + chemical fertilizer at 200 kg N ha−1 as a soil amendment for improved CEE and advancing sustainable maize production in semi-arid rainfed environments.

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