Rapid Response Indicators for Predicting Changes in Soil Properties Due to Solarization or Biosolarization on an Intensive Horticultural Crop in Semiarid Regions

Agriculture practices developed since the middle of the last century have led to the degradation of different resources and made it necessary to promote agricultural models that are less aggressive towards nature. Sustainable agricultural growth requires a more efficient use of land. An experimental model was designed with four treatments in the Campo de Cartagena area (SE Spain): biosolarization with manure (BSM), biosolarization with brassicas (BB), solarization (S), and a pilot test (PT). The general objective was to determine by means of rapid response indicators the changes occurring in soil properties as a consequence of the implementation of these solarization or biosolarization practices and their influence on the quality and yield of a lettuce crop. The results show that there was no significant response in the physical and biological properties of the soil. Physicochemical properties such as pHw, and electrical conductivity (ECe), as well as chemicals such as total nitrogen (TN) and the content of some macro and micronutrients, can be considered as rapid response indicators. The highest yields (Yc) and highest commercial quality (Mc) of lettuce were obtained in the BB and BSM treatments (Yc > 23,000 kg ha−1; Mc > 413 g). These treatments resulted in biological NO3− sequestration and, in the case of BB, salt immobilization (ECe: 6 dS m−1). According to these results, BSM and BB can be recommended for sustainable agriculture and even as valid methods for the recovery of soils affected by salts and NO3−. Our results should increase the feasibility of these techniques in semiarid areas.

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Changes in soil properties due to the application of activators in conditions of very heavy soils

Research in Agricultural Engineering ◽

10.17221/39/2017-rae ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 63 (Special Issue) ◽

pp. S40-S45

Author(s):

Šařec Petr ◽

Novák Petr

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Water Retention ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Soil Infiltration ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Decomposition Of Organic Matter ◽

Biological Transformation ◽

Changes In Soil Properties ◽

Properties Of Soil

This paper deals with verification of the effect of fermented manure (with and without Z'fix activators) and soil activators (PRP Sol) on a soil properties change. Their application should lead to a change in physical, physical-chemical and biological properties of soil, along with ecological material fixation, improved water retention and infiltration, reduction of soil susceptibility to water erosion and decreased soil tillage energy requirements. Field trial was established in Sloveč in Central Bohemia in the year 2014. The experiment was divided into several variants and was designed as multiannual. Z›fix activator was used as a biological transformation activator of manure. PRP Sol was used as a soil activator. In order to verify the effect, soil infiltration, cone index, bulk density and draft of tillage implement were measured. Measurements have shown a beneficial effect of the activators with regard to the decomposition of organic matter. Consequently, changes in soil properties and a reduction of draft at tillage operations developed. Finally, the effect should evolve gradually with a prolonged activator treatment.

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Infiltration as a tool for detecting soil changes due to cropping, tillage, and grazing livestock

American Journal of Alternative Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0889189300005385 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 164-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

J.K. Radke ◽

E.C. Berry

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Management Systems ◽

Infiltration Rates ◽

No Till ◽

Stocking Rates ◽

Changes In Soil Properties

AbstractSoil physical and biological properties often change when different cropping, tillage, or management systems are imposed. Changes occasionally occur quickly, but usually become evident only after months or years. Infiltration rates are affected by several soil properties and may provide the most sensitive indication of changes in soil properties. To evaluate the use of infiltration measurements for detecting changes in soil properties, we conducted infiltration tests on a cropping systems experiment, a tillage experiment, and two beef cattle grazing experiments. In Pennsylvania, significant changes in infiltration rates did not occur until more than four years after converting from a conventional to a low-input cropping system. Infiltration rates were higher on 14th-year no-till plots compared with moldboard plow and chisel treatments in an Iowa tillage study. Earthworm populations and activity were highest in the no-till treatment. Infiltration rates correlated negatively with increased stocking rates in a long-term beef grazing study in Oklahoma. The number of earthworms did not correlate positively with infiltration in this study, suggesting a complex interaction. A short-term study of overwinter beef corn-stalk grazing in Iowa did not show consistent patterns in infiltration rate or other soil properties with different stocking rates. Infiltration appears to be a good indicator of soil structural changes associated with cropping, tillage, and management systems.

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Changes in soil properties and salt tolerance of safflower in response to biochar-based metal oxide nanocomposites of magnesium and manganese

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety ◽

10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.111904 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 211 ◽

pp. 111904

Author(s):

Salar Farhangi-Abriz ◽

Kazem Ghassemi-Golezani

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Changes In Soil Properties

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Changes in soil properties and plant biodiversity after 12 years of rehabilitating livestock farms in the Hyrcanian Forests

Agroforestry Systems ◽

10.1007/s10457-021-00658-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Seyed Mohammad Hojjati ◽

Asieh Darzi ◽

Hamed Asadi ◽

Mahya Tafazoli

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Plant Biodiversity ◽

Hyrcanian Forests ◽

Livestock Farms ◽

Changes In Soil Properties

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Earthworms as an Ecological Indicator of Soil Recovery after Mechanized Logging Operations in Mixed Beech Forests

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12010018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 18

Author(s):

Hadi Sohrabi ◽

Meghdad Jourgholami ◽

Mohammad Jafari ◽

Farzam Tavankar ◽

Rachele Venanzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Ecological Indicator ◽

Traffic Intensity ◽

Soil Biological Properties ◽

Density And Biomass ◽

Soil Recovery ◽

The Impact

Soil damage caused by logging operations conducted to obtain and maximize economic benefits has been established as having long-term effects on forest soil quality and productivity. However, a comprehensive study of the impact of logging operations on earthworms as a criterion for soil recovery has never been conducted in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in soil biological properties (earthworm density and biomass) and its recovery process under the influence of traffic intensity, slope and soil depth in various intervals according to age after logging operations. Soil properties were compared among abandoned skid trails with different ages (i.e., 3, 10, 20, and 25 years) and an undisturbed area. The results showed that earthworm density and biomass in the high traffic intensity and slope class of 20–30% at the 10–20 cm depth of the soil had the lowest value compared to the other treatments. Twenty-five years after the logging operations, the earthworm density at soil depth of 0–10 and 10–20 cm was 28.4% (0.48 ind. m−2) and 38.6% (0.35 ind. m−2), which were less than those of the undisturbed area, respectively. Meanwhile, the earthworm biomass at a soil depth of 0–10 and 10–20 cm was 30.5% (2.05 mg m−2) and 40.5% (1.54 mg m−2) less than the values of the undisturbed area, respectively. The earthworm density and biomass were positively correlated with total porosity, organic carbon and nitrogen content, while negatively correlated with soil bulk density and C/N ratio. According to the results, 25 years after logging operations, the earthworm density and biomass on the skid trails were recovered, but they were significantly different with the undisturbed area. Therefore, full recovery of soil biological properties (i.e., earthworm density and biomass) takes more than 25 years. The conclusions of our study reveal that the effects of logging operations on soil properties are of great significance, and our understanding of the mechanism of soil change and recovery demand that harvesting operations be extensively and properly implemented.

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Evaluation of Leaf Litter Mulching and Incorporation on Skid Trails for the Recovery of Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties of Mixed Broadleaved Forests

Land ◽

10.3390/land10060625 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 625

Author(s):

Meghdad Jourgholami ◽

Azadeh Khoramizadeh ◽

Angela Lo Monaco ◽

Rachele Venanzi ◽

Francesco Latterini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Soil Compaction ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Soil Protection ◽

Natural Soil ◽

Compacted Soils ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Physico Chemical ◽

Forest Logging ◽

Soil Recovery

Engineering applications can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of soil compaction and amend compacted soils. Previous literature has highlighted the beneficial effects of interventions such as litter mulching and incorporation on skid trails. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these alternatives in restoring forest soil quality after forest logging. The objective of this study was to properly elucidate the effects of the above mentioned soil protection methods, litter incorporation before skidding (LI) and litter mulching after skidding (LM), on the recovery of compacted soil’s physico-chemical and biological properties on skid trails over a 2-year period in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran to identify the best option for restoration intervention. The litter used in both methods consisted of dried leaves of the hornbeam and maple tree in three intensities of 3, 6, and 9 Mg ha−1. The results showed that the application of both methods (LI and LM) significantly improved the soil properties when compared to the untreated skid trail. Results showed that the recovery values of soil properties in the LI treatments were significantly higher than those of the LM. The recovery values of soil properties by 6 and 9 Mg ha−1 were significantly higher than those of 3 Mg ha−1, while the differences were not significant between 6 and 9 Mg ha−1. Our findings showed that soil properties were partially recovered (70–80%) over a 2-year period from treatment, compared to untreated, but the full recovery of soil properties required more time to return to the pre-harvest value. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that the application of soil protection methods accelerates the process of recovering soil properties much faster than natural soil recovery, which can take more than 20 years in these forests.

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