scholarly journals Soil Quality in the Poganis, Ramnei and Doclin Hills Measures of improvment

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 2463-2470
Author(s):  
Lucian Nita ◽  
Dorin Tarau ◽  
Simona Nita ◽  
Alina Heghes ◽  
Radu Bertici ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Basic Information ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Soil Resources ◽  
Genetic Types ◽  
Improvement Measures ◽  
Formation And Evolution

The purpose of current research is part of the current scientific work and practice regarding the accumulation of knowledge on the structure and characteristics of the edaphic envelope and its quality in order to establish measures for its improvement. The researched issue covers an area of 113940 ha (of which 77039 ha, 67.61% are agricultural land), located in the Poganis, Ramnei and Doclin hills, namely Barzavei Plain. The paper provides basic information and methodological elements regarding the classification and evaluation of soil resources, thus integrating itself in the broader field of complex studies of natural resources and their valorisation thus assuring the environmental protection. This research takes place at a time when there is a high demand of education in soil-related issues from its perspective as a basis for the existence of human communities, component and support of terrestrial ecosystems. From this perspective, the physico-geographic conditions of soil formation and evolution are briefly, but succinctly presented, mentioning the way in which the particularities of the area within the space taken into consideration, of only 113940 ha as a stretch, determine a great diversity of ecological conditions. They are generated by the variability of the factors (cosmic-atmospheric and telluric-edaphic), for which the main processes of formation and evolution have achieved a different development and intensity, the result of which are different genetic types of soils (related or totally different) in constant evolution and demanding specific improvement measures.

scholarly journals The Role of Selected Ecosystem Services in Different Farming Systems in Poland Regarding the Differentiation of Agricultural Land Structure

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6673
Author(s):  
Lidia Luty ◽  
Kamila Musiał ◽  
Monika Zioło
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Organic System ◽  
Supporting Soil ◽  
Management Method ◽  
The Impact

The functioning of various agroecosystems is nowadays shaped by different farming systems, which may impair their functions, as well as being beneficial to them. The benefits include ecosystem services, defined as economic and noneconomic values gained by humans from ecosystems, through supporting soil formation and nutrient circulation, and the impact of agriculture on climate and biodiversity. Their mutual flow and various disturbances depend on the agroecosystem’s management method, which is associated with the type of management of agricultural land (AL) in individual farms. This paper raises a problem of transformation in the structure of three main farming systems in Poland, in 2004–2018, in relation to the implementation of 16 selected ecosystem services and their scale. Special attention was given to organic farming, as the most environmentally friendly and sustainable. The analysis demonstrates the increase in ALs in that type of production during the analyzed period of time. Disparities of transformation associated with the type of agricultural system were noticeable at the regional level, which were presented in 16 Polish voivodeships. The results of the analysis confirm that the organic system, which is an important carrier of various ecosystem services, gained a stable position. Moreover, areas with integrated farming still do not exceed 0.5% of total agricultural lands in such voivodeships. The analysis of factors influencing the deterioration or disappearance of selected environmental services characterizing agricultural systems indicates the need to depart from an intensive conventional management system.

scholarly journals Soil Pollution vs. Soil Collembola as a Bioindicator: A review

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Atreyee Sahana
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Natural Health ◽  
Arthropod Fauna ◽  
Mineral Components ◽  
Inorganic Mineral

Soil is the foundation of all life activities in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil micro arthropod groups (less than 2 mm in size) like Acari and Collembola comprise more than 90% of arthropod fauna in most soil types. They majorly help in soil formation by breaking up the organic matter and mixing it up with inorganic mineral components. Among them, various species of Collembola have been proved to be effective bioindicator tool to measure soil health either it is polluted or not by its several characteristics in temperate countries. Therefore, in today’s world where pollution in soil by various agents is a baffling issue like other environmental pollutions, these natural soil inhabitants can make a hope to measure the natural health of soil.

scholarly journals Quantification of carbon stock under different land use regimes of Chitwan district, Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
A. Poudel ◽  
H. L. Shrestha ◽  
R. M. Bajracharya
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Combustion Method ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Soc Density ◽  
Carbon Stock Density ◽  
Global Carbon

Carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems is gaining a global attention, including Nepal, to address the issues of climate change. Since, the quantification of carbon stock under different land use systems with focus on both biomass and soil profile is lacking, objective of this paper is to quantify carbon stock in biomass and in soil profile under different land use regimes, namely community forest, leasehold forest and agricultural land of Chitwan district. The carbon stock in biomass was calculated using the standard allometric equations, and Dry Combustion Method was used to determine the Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). The carbon content in above ground tree biomass (AGTB) was found to be higher (81.25 t/ha) in community forest than in leasehold forest (80.09 t/ha). The carbon stock in above ground sapling biomass (AGSB) was calculated only for the community forest, and was found to be 3. 67 t/ha. Similarly, the density of leaf litter, herbs and grasses (LHG) was also found to be higher (9. 25 t/ha) in the community forest in comparison to leasehold forest (6.45 t/ha). Further, the root carbon stock density was also higher (16.25 t/ha) in the community forest than in the leasehold forest (16.02 t/ha). However, the SOC density was highest in the agricultural land (73.42t/ha) followed by the community forest (66.38 t/ha)and the leasehold forest (52. 62 t/ha). Overall, the carbon stock was highest in the community forest (176.8 t/ha) then in leasehold forest (155.18 t/ha) followed by the agricultural land (73.42 t/ha). Hence, this study shows that well managed community forest can contribute significantly in offsetting global carbon emission.

scholarly journals Trace Elements in Soils of a Typical Industrial District in Ningxia, Northwest China: Pollution, Source, and Risk Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songlin Zhang ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Yujing Yang ◽  
Xilu Ni ◽  
Muhammad Arif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Pollution Source ◽  
National Standard ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The North ◽  
Anthropogenic Inputs

Intense industrial activities could result in massive accumulations of trace elements in the soil and risk the terrestrial ecosystems and human health. A total of 119 topsoil samples from a typical industrial area, Huinong District, Ningxia, Northwest China, were collected, and the contents of six trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) were determined. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn were lower than the national standard values of class II, while As and Cd were 2.77 and 3.92 times the corresponding threshold values. Multivariate analyses revealed six metals can be categorized into three principal components (PC). PC1 was As, Cd, and Pb, which originated from anthropogenic inputs. PC2 consisted of Cr and Cu, which originated from the natural geological background. PC3 only included Zn and was mainly due to agricultural impacts. The spatial distribution of six metals greatly varied from local anthropic inputs. For As and Cd, the most heavily polluted area was located in the north and southwest parts of the study area, whereas most Zn was enriched in the southern part, which was mainly agricultural land. The topsoil in this area displayed a moderate environmental risk with the metal pollution order of Cd > As > Zn ≈ Cr ≈ Pb ≈ Cu. Moreover, the contents of trace elements in the industrial land and water were relatively higher than those in other land-use types, indicating a considerable risk of metal migration and accumulation to rivers and the groundwater. It is suggested that effective remediation measures for Cd and As, in particular, should be properly employed for the sustainable development of the soil and groundwater, while reducing the risk of elements to the local residents in Huinong District.

scholarly journals THE IMPACTS OF SETTLEMENT EXTENSION ON SOIL RESOURCES: A CASE STUDY IN DRENICA RIVER BASIN (KOSOVO)

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Valbon Xh. BYTYQI
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Land Capability ◽  
Soil Resources ◽  
Sustainable Urbanization ◽  
Process Of Urbanization ◽  
Made In

Rapid extension of settlements in Kosovo has made major changes in land use and land cover. Migration of population towards plains has reduced the number of inhabitants in hilly-mountainous areas where low fertile soils are found. Significant part of agricultural land are changed from primary destination, and agricultural potentials are reduced. Urbanization in many cases is made in unplanned way, and in our study area in Drenica River basin are observed land degradation forms and other environmental transformations where in some cases the risk of flooding increased and floods appeared. This study about Drenica River basin will discuss aspects of the influence of morphology, water flows, and the land capability in the distribution of population, and will be a contribution to sustainable urbanization of settlements and agricultural land preservation. In order to accomplish the research are used satellite images, maps of different years, and the census data for the purpose of better coverage that has influence in the process of urbanization on soil resources in Drenica River basin (Kosovo).

scholarly journals Conserving relics from ancient underground worlds: assessing the influence of cave and landscape features on obligate iron cave dwellers from the Eastern Amazon

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Jaffé ◽  
Xavier Prous ◽  
Allan Calux ◽  
Markus Gastauer ◽  
Gilberto Nicacio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Habitat Amount ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Main Factor

The degradation of subterranean habitats is believed to represent a serious threat for the conservation of obligate subterranean dwellers (troglobites), many of which are short-range endemics. However, while the factors influencing cave biodiversity remain largely unknown, the influence of the surrounding landscape and patterns of subterranean connectivity of terrestrial troglobitic communities have never been systematically assessed. Using spatial statistics to analyze the most comprehensive speleological database yet available for tropical caves, we first assess the influence of iron cave characteristics and the surrounding landscape on troglobitic communities from the Eastern Amazon. We then determine the spatial pattern of troglobitic community composition, species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and the occurrence of frequent troglobitic species, and finally quantify how different landscape features influence the connectivity between caves. Our results reveal the key importance of habitat amount, guano, water, lithology, geomorphology, and elevation in shaping iron cave troglobitic communities. While mining within 250 m from the caves influenced species composition, increasing agricultural land cover within 50 m from the caves reduced species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Troglobitic species composition, species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and the occurrence of frequent troglobites showed spatial autocorrelation for up to 40 km. Finally, our results suggest that the conservation of cave clusters should be prioritized, as geographic distance was the main factor determining connectivity between troglobitic communities. Overall, our work sheds important light onto one of the most overlooked terrestrial ecosystems, and highlights the need to shift conservation efforts from individual caves to subterranean habitats as a whole.

scholarly journals LEGAL BASIS FOR THE RATIONAL USE AND PROTECTION OF SOILS: CURRENT SITUATION AND PROPOSED REGULATORY MEASURES

2020 ◽  
pp. 127-141
Author(s):  
D.M. Khomyakov ◽  
V.M. Тarbaeva
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Soil Cover ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
The State ◽  
Land Policy ◽  
Hierarchical Level ◽  
Soil Resources ◽  
Rational Use

The UN General Assembly declared 2021–2030 the “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration to Achieve the SDGs,” which means the need to unleash, strengthen and maintain the potential of soils not only for food production, but also for the conservation of water resources, biodiversity and the biosphere as a whole, reducing carbon emissions, increasing resilience in the face of climate change. Soil enters into the composition of all terrestrial ecosystems of a certain hierarchical level as a mandatory and irreplaceable subsystem or component. Russia has the largest soil cover area of approximately 14.5 million km2 – one sixth of the planet. The global importance of the country’s unique soil resources is increasing due to global processes of soil degradation and loss, as well as the impossibility of the soil cover of the world to carry out biospheric functions in the same volume. The authors have analyzed the legal framework for the implementation of sustainable development goals, taking into account the state of soils in Russia. There have been found no documents determining how much soil resources the country requires to conduct modern agricultural production and fulfill the SDGs. The lack of understandable, clear and long-term land policy leads to a lack of complete and objective information about the condition and fertility of soils used in agriculture. The monitoring being carried out at present does not provide monitoring of land plots and crop rotation fields as a production resource. It does not include a number of parameters characterizing soil fertility, which are essential for agricultural production. To implement the provisions of the concept of sustainable development, it is necessary, first of all, to introduce a full-fledged, scientifically based and legal (legally significant), general legal, accurate, unambiguous, definite, well-established, non-contextual definition of soil and its fertility as a fundamental unique property into the federal legislation. Soils, their condition and fertility should be among the mandatory criteria for the effectiveness of land policy and land management, which, in turn, should be defined as a set of measures for studying the state of soils, planning and organizing their rational use and protection. Ensuring national, environmental, economic and food security has interconnected goals. Sustainable development implies “climate neutral” agriculture, where reproduction of soil fertility is necessarily ensured, their degradation being completely excluded.

scholarly journals Land Use Conflicts and Rights to Farm in an Urbanizing Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39
Author(s):  
J.B. Oyedele ◽  
O. E. Alohan ◽  
O. Edionwe
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Urban Communities ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Distributed Data ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Land Use Conflicts ◽  
Residential Land Use

This study examined agricultural land use conflicts and right to farm in an urbanizing environment. It also examined the implication of urbanization on farming activities. Three sub-urban communities currently undergoing urbanization were selected for the study. Primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and interviews. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed out of which 139 were retrieved and analysed. This represents 92.67% of the total questionnaires distributed. Data collected were analysed using simple frequency distribution table and graphs. The results revealed that land use is gradually shifting from agriculture to residential land use, forcing the farmers to face increase in land value due to high demand for land, difficulty in accessing land for agriculture and land speculation.

scholarly journals Modelling soil and landscape evolution – the effect of rainfall and land use change on soil and landscape patterns

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Marijn van der Meij ◽  
Arnaud J. A. M. Temme ◽  
Jakob Wallinga ◽  
Michael Sommer
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Landscape Evolution ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Soil Landscape

Abstract. Humans have substantially altered soil and landscape patterns and properties due to agricultural use, with severe impacts on biodiversity, carbon sequestration and food security. These impacts are difficult to quantify, because we lack data on long-term changes in soils in natural and agricultural settings and available simulation methods are not suitable to reliably predict future development of soils under projected changes in climate and land management. To help overcome these challenges, we developed the HydroLorica soil-landscape evolution model, that simulates soil development by explicitly modelling the spatial water balance as driver of soil and landscape forming processes. We simulated 14500 years of soil – formation under natural conditions for three scenarios of different rainfall inputs. For each scenario we added a 500-year period of intensive agricultural land use, where we introduced tillage erosion and changed vegetation type. Our results show substantial differences between natural soil patterns under different rainfall input. With higher rainfall, soil patterns become more heterogeneous due to increased tree throw and water erosion. Agricultural patterns differ substantially from the natural patterns, with higher variation of soil properties over larger distances and larger correlations with terrain position. In the natural system, rainfall is the dominant factor influencing soil variation, while for agricultural soil patterns landform explains most of the variation simulated. The cultivation of soils thus changed the dominant factors and processes influencing soil formation, and thereby also increased predictability of soil patterns. Our study highlights the potential of soil-landscape evolution modelling for simulating past and future developments of soil and landscape patterns. Our results confirm that humans have become the dominant soil forming factor in agricultural landscapes.

Ukrainian Agronomic Soil Science: Textbook. In 2 parts; editor M.I. Polupan. Part 1: Historical stages of development. Soil formation factors. Regularities of soil formation on an ecological-genetic parametric systemic basis, their agronomic properties, and fertility

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Polupan ◽  
V. Velychko
Keyword(s):  
Soil Formation ◽  
Component Composition ◽  
Soil Science ◽  
Productive Capacity ◽  
Soil Resources ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Genetic Status ◽  
Systematic Development ◽  
Soil Formation Factors ◽  
Zonal Soil

The textbook is devoted to the soil resources of Ukraine, as an indispensable natural and economic potential for use in agricultural production to meet the needs of society with food products. Their great diversity is shown due to the component composition regarding the zonation of the ecological and genetic status of soils. The soil resources are shown to have a functionally systematic relationship between ecological conditions of formation, agronomic properties, and their productive capacity. Due to a large amount of information, the textbook is conventionally divided into two parts. The first part presents the historical stages of the formation of agro-soil science as fundamental science, parametric systematic development of zonal soil formation and formation of soil properties depending on their genetic nature, the quantitative functional relationship between modes and processes of soil formation, its types, fertility of soils as their anthropogenic biological property, factors of formation, its kinds, methods of determination and parameters of productive capacity of basic agricultural crops. The textbook "Ukrainian Agronomic Soil Science" presents basic information about soil resources of Ukraine in the aspect of agronomic orientation regarding their zonally determined ecological-genetic status of soils, their properties, productive capacity, protection, increase of fertility, and intelligent use. It is recommended for the preparation of bachelors in agronomic higher education institutions of II–IV levels of accreditation in the field of «Agronomy», as well as for biological, geographical and other higher educational establishments, graduate students and a wide range of specialists related to the land cadastre of Ukraine, fertility assessment rational use of soils.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document