Modification of the potential production capabilities of agricultural terrace soils due to historical cultivation in the Budina cadastral area, Slovakia

Abstract The soil production attributes of historical agrarian terraced fields were examined in the Budina cadastral area of the Ostrozky Mountains. This landscape represents a unique sub-mountainous Carpathian landscape with farms that use a historically preserved triple-field agricultural system. We determined the geo-spatial parameters of different types of land cover and terraces using geographic information systems. The soil depth was measured in the field, and the skeleton content was determined in the laboratory. We compared data regarding the potential production capabilities of the soil with data from the national classification of agricultural soils. Our results indicated that the soil productivity attributes improved because the naturally less fertile cambisols were positively affected by terracing and long-term cultivation. We recommend the preservation of traditional agricultural activities in historical terraced fields because these terraces represent valuable features that improve the quality of the landscape.

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Changes in soil organic carbon pool in three long-term fertility experiments with different cropping systems and inorganic and organic soil amendments in the eastern cereal belt of India

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr09089 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 413 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Subhadip Ghosh ◽

Brian R. Wilson ◽

Biswapati Mandal ◽

Subrata K. Ghoshal ◽

Ivor Growns

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Management Options ◽

Near Surface ◽

Soil C ◽

Inorganic And Organic

Soil organic carbon (SOC) constitutes a significant proportion of the terrestrial carbon (C) store and has a pivotal role in several physical, chemical, and biological soil processes that contribute to soil productivity and sustainability. Applications of inorganic and organic materials are management options that have the potential to increase SOC in agricultural systems. A study was conducted in 3 long-term fertility experiments (Barrackpur, Mohanpur, and Cuttack) on agricultural soils in the eastern cereal belt of India, to examine the effect of cultivation and the application of inorganic and organic amendments on total soil organic carbon (TOC) and on the proportions of soil C fractions at these sites. A supplementary aim of this study was to determine the suitability of the loss-on-ignition (LOI) method to routinely estimate SOC (Walkley and Black, WB) in this region by determining relationships and conversion factors between the WB and LOI techniques. Soil was sampled at 3 depths (0–0.15, 0.15–0.30, and 0.30–0.45 m) from 4 treatments (conventional cultivation, NPK, NPK+FYM, and fallow) of the experimental sites and analysed for TOC and various soil C pools. There were differences in the magnitude of TOC values among the sites. Conventional cultivation had the lowest TOC contents (148 t/ha) and NPK+FYM amended soils the largest (207 t/ha), with intermediate values in the other treatments. The non-labile or residual SOC fraction (Cfrac4) constituted the largest percentage of SOC under all treatments and varied from 35–49%. A higher proportion of the labile Cfrac1 fraction was observed under the fallow, whereas the proportion of Cfrac4 was significantly larger under NPK+FYM. There was a significant decrease in SOC with increasing soil depth. SOC decreased up to 17% at 0.15–0.30 m and declined a further 21% at 0.30–0.45 m. The more labile C fractions (Cfrac1, Cfrac2, Cfrac3) dominated in the near surface soil layers, but decreased significantly in the deeper layers to be dominated by Cfrac4 at 0.30–0.45 m depth. We also observed a strong correlation between the WB and LOI methods (calibrated for each soil) irrespective of soil depths and conclude that this might be a suitable method to estimate SOC where other techniques are not available. We conclude that fertiliser application and especially manure application have the potential to significantly increase SOC in agricultural soils.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAND TENURE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss86-036 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 66 (2) ◽

pp. 357-366 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

W. VAN VUUREN ◽

P. YSSELSTEIN

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Soil Conservation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Contractual Obligations ◽

The Impact

Renting of agricultural land is gaining in importance in Canada. The impact of rental on soil conservation and on long-term soil productivity was examined in central southwestern Ontario. Prevailing leasing contracts were short-term, with a minimum of contractual obligations on both parties. A difference in soil management practices was found between owner-operated land and rented land. Both recurrent and nonrecurrent practices upgrading the soil were carried out to a lesser extent on rented than on owner-operated land, while the quality of the rented land was in fact lower and in greater need of ameliorative practices. This resulted in a difference in grain corn yield; the lower yield being obtained from rented land. Key words: Land tenure, tenancy, rental contract, soil conservation, soil productivity, soil quality

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Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.800087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Jiajia Zhang ◽

Guoyuan Zou ◽

Xuexia Wang ◽

Wencheng Ding ◽

Li Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Soils ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Northern China ◽

Plastic Film ◽

Plastic Film Mulching ◽

Global Environmental ◽

Soil Ecosystems ◽

Occurrence Characteristics ◽

Film Mulching

Microplastics pollution has been threatening the global environmental security, in which agricultural activities are considered as a main source of microplastics occurrence in soils. However, little is known about the occurrence characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils with long-term plastic film mulching. Therefore, the abundance, distribution, and composition of microplastics were investigated by analyzing 225 soil samples collected from typical maize (Zea mays L.) planting zones with and without long-term (>20 years) plastic film mulching in northern China. Microplastics abundance in mulched soils (754 ± 477 items kg–1) was significantly higher than that in non-mulched soils (376 ± 149 items kg–1), which indicated that plastic film mulching contributed half of microplastics in soils. Moreover, microplastics abundance was significantly positively related to the length of time with film mulching applied. The percentage of microplastics <0.5 mm in mulched soils (50.9%) was significantly lower than that in non-mulched soils (62.2%). Microplastics abundance and size in mulched and non-mulched soils decreased with increased soil depth. Most microplastics were fragments of polypropylene, films of polyethylene, and fibers of polyester. The proportion of films in mulched soils was significantly higher than in non-mulched soils, whereas that of fibers was significantly higher in non-mulched soils. This study confirmed that long-term plastic film mulching increases microplastics pollution in agricultural soils, warranting further evaluation of the associated ecological risks of microplastics in soil ecosystems.

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Soil carbon dynamics under different cropping and pasture management in temperate Australia: Results of three long-term experiments

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr10185 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 320 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

K. Y. Chan ◽

M. K. Conyers ◽

G. D. Li ◽

K. R. Helyar ◽

G. Poile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Steady State ◽

Management Practices ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Wagga Wagga ◽

Continuous Cropping ◽

Pasture Management ◽

The Impact

In addition to its important influence on soil quality and therefore crop productivity, soil organic carbon (SOC) has also been identified as a possible C sink for sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide. Limited data are available on the impact of management practices on the rate of SOC change in agricultural soils in Australia. In this paper, results of three long-term trials (13–25 years) located near Wagga Wagga in temperate Australia were used to assess C dynamics under different tillage and stubble management practices, and under cropping intensities in pasture/crop rotations. Experimental results confirm the importance of management practices and pasture in determining first the steady-state SOC concentrations that are characteristic of given rotations and crop management systems, and second the rates of change of SOC concentrations as they approach steady-state concentrations in agricultural soils of this agro-ecological zone. A long-term crop/pasture experiment at a site with initial high SOC showed that the rate of SOC change in different treatments ranged from –278 to +257 kg C/ha.year over 0–0.3 m soil depth. Under continuous cropping, even under conservation agriculture practices of no-tillage, stubble retention, and crop rotation, the high initial SOC stock (0–0.3 m) present after a long-term pasture phase was, at best, maintained but tended to decrease with increased tillage or stubble burning practices. The effect of tillage was greater than that of stubble management. Increases in SOC were observed only in rotations incorporating a pasture phase. Our results suggest that improved soil nutrient and grazing management of permanent pasture can lead to an increase of 500–700 kg C/ha.year where the initial SOC concentrations are well below steady-state concentrations that could be expected after long periods of improved management. No difference was found between perennial pasture and annual pasture to the depth measured (0–0.3 m). Our results suggest that pasture holds the key to maintaining, and even increasing, SOC under crop/pasture in this environment.

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The Effects of Soil Depth on the Structure of Microbial Communities in Agricultural Soils in Iowa, USA

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.02673-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jingjie Hao ◽

Yen Ning Chai ◽

Lucas Dantas Lopes ◽

Raziel A. Ordóñez ◽

Emily E. Wright ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Community ◽

Microbial Communities ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Microbial Community Composition ◽

Soil Microbial Communities ◽

Deep Soil ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Deep Soils

This study investigated the differences in microbial community abundance, composition and diversity throughout the depth profiles in soils collected from corn and soybean fields in lowa, USA using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The results revealed decreased richness and diversity in microbial communities at increasing soil depth. Soil microbial community composition differed due to crop type only in the top 60 cm and due to location only in the top 90 cm. While the relative abundance of most phyla decreased in deep soils, the relative abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria increased and dominated agricultural soils below the depth of 90 cm. Although soil depth was the most important factor shaping microbial communities, edaphic factors including soil organic matter, soil bulk density and the length of time that deep soils were saturated with water were all significant factors explaining the variation in soil microbial community composition. Soil organic matter showed the highest correlation with the exponential decrease in bacterial abundance with depth. A greater understanding of how soil depth influences the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities is vital for guiding sampling approaches in agricultural soils where plant roots extend beyond the upper soil profile. In the long term a greater knowledge of the influence of depth on microbial communities should contribute to new strategies that enhance the sustainability of soil which is a precious resource for food security. IMPORTANCE Determining how microbial properties change across different soils and within the soil depth profile, will be potentially beneficial to understanding the long-term processes that are involved in the health of agricultural ecosystems. Most literature on soil microbes has been restricted to the easily accessible surface soils. However, deep soils are important in soil formation, carbon sequestration, and in providing nutrients and water for plants. In the most productive agricultural systems in the USA where soybean and corn are grown, crop plant roots extend into the deeper regions of soils (> 100 cm), but little is known about the taxonomic diversity or the factors that shape deep soil microbial communities. The findings reported here highlight the importance of soil depth in shaping microbial communities, provide new information about edaphic factors that influence the deep soil communities and reveal more detailed information on taxa that exist in deep agricultural soils.

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Potential Dermal Exposure Assessment of Farmers to Herbicide Imazapic in an Agriculture Area

Asian Journal of Quality of Life ◽

10.21834/ajqol.v3i11.127 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (11) ◽

pp. 113

Author(s):

Anis Zakiah Mazlan ◽

Hazilia Hussain ◽

Mohamed Azwan Mohamed Zawawi

Keyword(s):

Exposure Assessment ◽

Publishing House ◽

Hazard Index ◽

Dermal Exposure ◽

Agricultural System ◽

International Publishing ◽

Pesticide Usage ◽

Open Access Article

For decades, the percentage of pesticide usage has steadily increased in order to meet the demands of food production. The aim of this study is to estimate the risk posed towards farmers through exposure to surface water containing imazapic herbicide using dermal exposure assessment (DEA). For this purpose, hazard index (HI) value was calculated to estimate the risk posed towards the farmers. Although calculated HI showed a minimum level of risk, there are concerns toward the danger of long-term exposure to the farmers of an agricultural system that could affect their quality of life.Keywords: Dermal exposure assessment; farmers; imazapic; hazard indexeISSN 2398-4279 © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. https://doi.org/10.21834/ajqol.v3i11.127

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Thinking Beyond Language: Intervention for Severe Aphasia

Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders ◽

10.1044/nnsld19.1.15 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 15-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nina Simmons-Mackie

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Communication Training ◽

Language Intervention ◽

Specific Training ◽

Environmental Support ◽

Total Communication ◽

Communication Partners

Abstract Purpose: This article addresses several intervention approaches that aim to improve life for individuals with severe aphasia. Because severe aphasia significantly compromises language, often for the long term, recommended approaches focus on additional domains that affect quality of life. Treatments are discussed that involve increasing participation in personally relevant life situations, enhancing environmental support for communication and participation, and improving communicative confidence. Methods: Interventions that have been suggested in the aphasia literature as particularly appropriate for people with severe aphasia include training in total communication, training of communication partners, and activity specific training. Conclusion: Several intervention approaches can be implemented to enhance life with severe aphasia.

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Communication Disordered: Program Implementation in Long-Term Care

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp1.sig15.64 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (15) ◽

pp. 64-67

Author(s):

George Barnes ◽

Joseph Salemi

Keyword(s):

Program Implementation ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Family Satisfaction ◽

Regulatory Compliance ◽

Care Staff ◽

Term Care ◽

Staff Members ◽

Change Policy

The organizational structure of long-term care (LTC) facilities often removes the rehab department from the interdisciplinary work culture, inhibiting the speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) communication with the facility administration and limiting the SLP's influence when implementing clinical programs. The SLP then is unable to change policy or monitor the actions of the care staff. When the SLP asks staff members to follow protocols not yet accepted by facility policy, staff may be unable to respond due to confusing or conflicting protocol. The SLP needs to involve members of the facility administration in the policy-making process in order to create successful clinical programs. The SLP must overcome communication barriers by understanding the needs of the administration to explain how staff compliance with clinical goals improves quality of care, regulatory compliance, and patient-family satisfaction, and has the potential to enhance revenue for the facility. By taking this approach, the SLP has a greater opportunity to increase safety, independence, and quality of life for patients who otherwise may not receive access to the appropriate services.

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