METALS IN AGRICULTURAL SOILS OF ONTARIO

1976 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. FRANK ◽  
K. ISHIDA ◽  
P. SUDA
Keyword(s):  
Trace Element ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Metal Metal ◽  
Orchard Soils

Farm fields (296) in all agricultural areas of Ontario were sampled to a depth of 15 cm and analyzed for 10 metals and one non-metal. Metal additions to soils in the form of pesticides, trace elements, fertilizers, feed additives and non-agricultural depositions were reviewed. Arsenic and lead levels were elevated in fruit orchard soils as a result of using lead and calcium arsenate over the past 65 yr. Apple orchard soils had higher As and Pb levels than cherry soils, and these were higher than peach soils, correlating with the length of usage and the annual rates of application. Arsenic levels were slightly increased in potato soils due to the use of sodium arsenite. Mercury content in apple orchard soils was slightly elevated by the use of phenyl mercuric acetate over a 20-year period. The treatment of seed grain with methyl mercurials over a 40-yr period was not reflected in the content of farm soils. Organic soils had higher levels of mercury than mineral soils. Copper levels in soils were highest in organic soils following several years' treatment with copper as both a trace element and a fungicide. Copper concentrations in orchard and vineyard soils were raised only slightly by the application of copper fungicides over an 80-yr period. Widespread application of manganese as a trace element and fungicide in the production of vegetables and bean crops was not detected in soils on which these crops were grown. A much smaller use of fungicide containing iron and zinc likewise was not evident in these soils where these fungicides were used in crop production. Cadmium, cobalt, chromium, iron, and nickel levies were not affected by agricultural practises, especially those involving the use of general fertilizers and barn yard manures; however, serious inputs were found on a small number of soils from industrial activities, especially near a nickel–cobalt smelter and the disposal of sludge. Mean natural background levels of metals in agricultural soils of Ontario in order of increasing magnitude were mercury, 0.08; cadmium, 0.56; cobalt, 4.4; arsenic, 6.3; lead, 14.1; chromium, 14.3; nickel, 15.9; copper, 25.4; zinc, 53.5; manganese, 530; and iron, 14.470 ppm. Most metals increased with increasing clay or organic matter content of the soil.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF CULTIVATION AND LAND USE ON SOIL QUALITY IN QUEBEC

1980 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.A. MARTEL ◽  
A.F. MACKENZIE
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Clay Loam Soil ◽  
Loam Soil

The purpose of this work is to assess the effects of different land-use practices on the quality of agricultural soils in Quebec. Studies done on three dairy farms, using the traditional rotation of 1 yr of cereals and 4 yr of hay, showed that the conversion of forest soils into agricultural soils caused a drop in nitrogen of 8% for a clay loam soil, but 21 and 31% for the sandy and silty loam soils, while the loss of organic matter was near 33% for the three soils. The decrease in water-stable aggregate was 84% on the clay loam soil and 50% on the two lighter soils. Work done on continuous meadows of 5 yr or longer showed significant increases in organic matter content and water-aggregate stability. Conversion from typical dairy-farm rotations to continuous corn and cereal rotations reduced structural stability and soil organic matter, as well as soil productivity, even when nutrient levels were improved by use of fertilizers. Other preliminary data indicate that soil compaction by heavy farm machinery, and drainage of organic soils may further reduce soil quality.

scholarly journals Adsorption of p-Arsanilic Acid on Iron (Hydr)oxides and Its Implications for Contamination in Soils

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Yifan Yang ◽  
Shiyong Tao ◽  
Zhichun Dong ◽  
Jing Xu ◽  
Xiang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Oxides ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Unit Surface Area ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Order Kinetic ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Arsanilic Acid ◽  
Organic Arsenic ◽  
Ph Conditions

Because of the diversification of industries in developing cities, the phenomenon of the simultaneous contamination of various kinds of pollutants is becoming common, and the environmental process of pollutants in multi-contaminated environmental mediums has attracted attention in recent years. In this study, p-arsanilic acid (ASA), a kind of organic arsenic feed additive that contains the arsenic group in a chemical structure, is used as a typical contaminant to investigate its adsorption on iron oxides and its implication for contaminated soils. The adsorption kinetics on all solids can be fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model well. At the same mass dosage conditions, the adsorption amount per unit surface area on iron oxides follows the order α-FeOOH > γ-Fe2O3 > α-Fe2O3, which is significantly higher than that for actual soil, because of the lower content of iron oxides in actual soil. Lower pH conditions favor ASA adsorption, while higher pH conditions inhibit its adsorption as a result of the electrostatic repulsion and weakened hydrophobic interaction. The presence of phosphate also inhibits ASA adsorption because of the competitive effect. Correlations between the amount of ASA adsorption in actual soil and the Fe2O3 content, total phosphorus content, arsenic content, and organic matter content of actual soil are also investigated in this work, and a moderate positive correlation (R2 = 0.630), strong negative correlation (R2 = 0.734), insignificant positive correlation (R2 = 0.099), and no correlation (R2 = 0.006) are found, respectively. These findings would help evaluate the potential hazard of the usage of organic arsenic feed additives, as well as further the understanding of the geochemical processes of contaminants in complicated mediums.

scholarly journals Describing Phosphorus Sorption Processes on Volcanic Soil in the Presence of Copper or Silver Engineered Nanoparticles

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Jonathan Suazo-Hernández ◽  
Erwin Klumpp ◽  
Nicolás Arancibia-Miranda ◽  
Patricia Poblete-Grant ◽  
Alejandra Jara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Engineered Nanoparticles ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Phosphorus Sorption

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) present in consumer products are being released into the agricultural systems. There is little information about the direct effect of ENPs on phosphorus (P) availability, which is an essential nutrient for crop growthnaturally occurring in agricultural soils. The present study examined the effect of 1, 3, and 5% doses of Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs stabilized with L-ascorbic acid (suspension pH 2–3) on P ad- and desorption in an agricultural Andisol with total organic matter (T-OM) and with partial removal of organic matter (R-OM) by performing batch experiments. Our results showed that the adsorption kinetics data of H2PO4− on T-OM and R-OM soil samples with and without ENPs were adequately described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) and Elovich models. The adsorption isotherm data of H2PO4− from T-OM and R-OM soil samples following ENPs addition were better fitted by the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model. When the Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs doses were increased, the pH value decreased and H2PO4− adsorption increased on T-OM and R-OM. The H2PO4− desorption (%) was lower with Cu0 ENPs than Ag0 ENPs. Overall, the incorporation of ENPs into Andisols generated an increase in P retention, which may affect agricultural crop production.

scholarly journals Retention of the Antibiotic Cefuroxime onto Agricultural and Forest Soils

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4663
Author(s):  
Raquel Cela-Dablanca ◽  
Carolina Nebot ◽  
Lucia Rodríguez López ◽  
David Ferández-Calviño ◽  
Manuel Arias-Estévez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soils ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Batch Type ◽  
Exchangeable Ca ◽  
Influence Of Ph ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Soil Colloids

Antibiotics in wastewater, sewage sludge, manures, and slurries constitute a risk for the environment when spread on soils. This work studies the adsorption and desorption of the antibiotic cefuroxime (CFX) in 23 agricultural and forest soils, using batch-type experiments. Our results show that the adsorption values were between 40.75 and 99.57% in the agricultural soils, while the range was lower (from 74.57 to 93.46%) in forest soils. Among the Freundlich, Langmuir, and Linear models, the Freundlich equation shows the best fit for the adsorption results. In addition, agricultural soils with higher pH are the ones that present the highest adsorption. Further confirmation of the influence of pH on adsorption is given by the fact that Freundlich’s KF parameter and the Linear model Kd parameter shows a positive correlation with pH and with the exchangeable Ca and Mg values, which are known to affect the charges of the soil colloids and the formation of cationic bridges between adsorbents and adsorbate. In addition, Freundlich’s n parameter shows a positive and significant correlation with the organic matter content, related to the high adsorption taking place on forest soils despite their pH < 5. Regarding desorption, in most cases, it is lower than 1%, which indicates that CFX is adsorbed in a rather irreversible way onto these soils. Overall, these results can be considered relevant regarding their potential impact on environmental quality and public health.

Bacteria in agricultural soils: Diversity, role and future perspectives

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 303-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Topp
Keyword(s):  
Soil Bacteria ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Functional Biodiversity ◽  
Microbial Biodiversity ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Pesticide Biodegradation ◽  
Important Object ◽  
Bacterial Biodiversity

Bacteria in soil are very diverse, very numerous, and functionally important, and have historically been an important object of research by Canadian microbiologists. Only a small fraction of bacteria in soils are amenable to culturing in the laboratory, limiting the ability to study these organisms. Canadian scientists have contributed to the development and implementation of both nucleic acidbased and chemical biomarker-based methods now widely used for assessing soil microbial biodiversity without the need for isolation and cultivation. Pesticide degradation, and the cycling of nitrogen in soils are used here to illustrate the significance of bacterial biodiversity to soil functions relevant to human and environmental health, and crop production . There remains much to be discovered about the genetic and functional biodiversity of soil bacteria, and much to be gained from this knowledge. A number of recommendations are made for future research in soil bacteriology. Key words: Soil quality, bacteria, microbial biodiversity, pesticide biodegradation, nitrogen cycling.

GHG mitigation potential of agricultural management practises on mineral and organic soils

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saara Lind ◽  
Marja Maljanen ◽  
Merja Myllys ◽  
Mari Räty ◽  
Sanna Kykkänen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Grassland Management ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Exchange ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
Nutrient Quality ◽  
Effect On Yield

&lt;p&gt;Agricultural soils are a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To study these emissions, we are currently building three research platforms that consist of full eddy covariance instrumentation for determination of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange and fluxes of methane and nitrous oxide. These platforms will be completed with supporting weather, plant and soil data collection. Two of our platforms are sites on organic soils with a thick peat layer (&gt;60 cm) and the third one is on a mineral soil (silt loam). To study the role of the grassland management practises at these sites, we have initiated ORMINURMI-project. Here, we will characterise the effects of ground water table (high vs. low), crop renewal methods (autumn vs. summer) and plant species (tall fescue vs. red glover grass) on greenhouse gas budgets of grass production. Also effect on yield amount and nutrient quality will be determined. In this presentation, we will present the preliminary data collected at these research platforms and our plans for the use of these data in the coming years.&lt;/p&gt;

CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF CARBON FARMING DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-13
Author(s):  
Radik Safin ◽  
Ayrat Valiev ◽  
Valeriya Kolesar
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
The Republic

Global climatic changes have a negative impact on the development of all sectors of the economy, including agriculture. However, the very production of agricultural products is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. Taking into account the need to reduce the “carbon footprint” in food production, a special place is occupied by the analysis of the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of measures for their sequestration in agriculture. One of the main directions for reducing emissions and immobilizing greenhouse gases is the development of special techniques for their sequestration in the soil, including those used in agriculture. Adaptation of existing farming systems for this task will significantly reduce the “carbon footprint” from agricultural production, including animal husbandry. The development of carbon farming allows not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to significantly increase the level of soil fertility, primarily by increasing the content of organic matter in them. As a result, it becomes possible, along with the production of crop production, to produce “carbon units” that are sold on local and international markets. The paper analyzes possible greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and the potential for their sequestration in agricultural soils. The role of various elements of the farming system in solving the problem of reducing the “carbon footprint” is considered and ways of developing carbon farming in the Republic of Tatarstan are proposed

scholarly journals A fertile peatland forest does not constitute a major greenhouse gas sink

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 7739-7758 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Meyer ◽  
L. Tarvainen ◽  
A. Nousratpour ◽  
R. G. Björk ◽  
M. Ernfors ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Indirect Approach ◽  
Short Period ◽  
N2o Fluxes ◽  
C Assimilation

Abstract. Afforestation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the often high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural soils with high organic matter content. However, the carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes after afforestation can be considerable, depending predominantly on site drainage and nutrient availability. Studies on the full GHG budget of afforested organic soils are scarce and hampered by the uncertainties associated with methodology. In this study we determined the GHG budget of a spruce-dominated forest on a drained organic soil with an agricultural history. Two different approaches for determining the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were applied, for the year 2008, one direct (eddy covariance) and the other indirect (analyzing the different components of the GHG budget), so that uncertainties in each method could be evaluated. The annual tree production in 2008 was 8.3 ± 3.9 t C ha−1 yr−1 due to the high levels of soil nutrients, the favorable climatic conditions and the fact that the forest was probably in its phase of maximum C assimilation or shortly past it. The N2O fluxes were determined by the closed-chamber technique and amounted to 0.9 ± 0.8 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. According to the direct measurements from the eddy covariance technique, the site acts as a minor GHG sink of −1.2 ± 0.8 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. This contrasts with the NEE estimate derived from the indirect approach which suggests that the site is a net GHG emitter of 0.6 ± 4.5 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. Irrespective of the approach applied, the soil CO2 effluxes counter large amounts of the C sequestration by trees. Due to accumulated uncertainties involved in the indirect approach, the direct approach is considered the more reliable tool. As the rate of C sequestration will likely decrease with forest age, the site will probably become a GHG source once again as the trees do not compensate for the soil C and N losses. Also forests in younger age stages have been shown to have lower C assimilation rates; thus, the overall GHG sink potential of this afforested nutrient-rich organic soil is probably limited to the short period of maximum C assimilation.

scholarly journals A fertile peatland forest does not constitute a major greenhouse gas sink

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 5107-5148 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Meyer ◽  
L. Tarvainen ◽  
A. Nousratpour ◽  
R. G. Björk ◽  
M. Ernfors ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Optimum Growth ◽  
Indirect Approach ◽  
Short Period ◽  
N2o Fluxes

Abstract. Afforestation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the often high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural soils with a high organic matter content. However, the carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes after afforestation can be considerable, depending predominantly on site drainage and nutrient availability. Studies on the full GHG budget of afforested organic soils are scarce and hampered by the uncertainties associated with methodology. In this study we determined the GHG budget of a spruce-dominated forest on a drained organic soil with an agricultural history. Two different approaches for determining the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were applied: for the year 2008, direct (eddy covariance) and an indirect (analyzing the different components of the GHG budget), so that uncertainties in each method could be evaluated. The annual tree production in 2008 was 8.2 (± 1.7)t C ha–1yr–1 due to the high levels of soil nutrients, the favorable climatic conditions and the fact that the forest was in its optimum growth phase. N2O fluxes were determined by the closed chamber technique and amounted to 3.3 (± 2.4) t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. According to the direct measurements from the eddy covariance technique, the site acts as a minor GHG sink of −4.1 (± 2.6) t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. This contrasts with the NEE estimate derived from the indirect approach which suggests that the site is a net GHG emitter of 3.3 (± 10.1)t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. Irrespective of the approach applied, the soil CO2 effluxes counter large amounts of the C sequestration by trees. Due to major uncertainties involved in the indirect approach, the direct approach is considered the more reliable tool. As the site was in its optimum growth stage, i.e. the rate of C sequestration was at its maximum and will decrease with forest age, it will probably become a GHG source once again as the trees mature. Since forests in their younger stages are usually GHG sources or have no effect on GHGs, the overall sink potential of this afforested nutrient-rich organic soil is probably limited to only a short period.

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