The Influence of Inherent Soil Factors And Agricultural Management On Soil Organic Matter

The accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM) is vital to the agronomic and environmental functioning of agroecosystems, yet the relative influence of inherent soil properties and agricultural management practices on SOM dynamics are not often addressed in individual studies. Using a network of 218 operating farm fields across Wisconsin and southern Minnesota, USA, this research employs single variable analysis (ANOVA and regression) and regression tree analysis to assess the effects of soil properties (texture, drainage class, pH) and management variables related to crop rotation, tillage, cover cropping, and manure application on SOM, as well as total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in the upper 15 cm. Single variable analysis revealed that greater SOM, TOC, and TN were associated with poorly drained soil, tile drained fields, high-clay content soil, and high biomass crop rotations. Soil organic matter (SOM) and TOC were strongly related (R2=0.71), but different regression trees were produced; SOM was most influenced by clay content, while TOC was most influenced by drainage class. Future benchmarking of SOM should be conducted with drainage and texture class categories. The rapid building of data sets thorough unstructured sampling, including an abundance of meta-data, should be a research priority in agricultural science.

Delineation of soil drainage class by electromagnetically measurements of soil magnetic susceptibility

<p>Soil has the most important role in agriculture. For instance, it prevents run off and also through its capacity for storing water, it acts as a water reservoir and provide water resources for plant roots. Water retention characteristics, nutrient holding capacities and solute transport of soil can affect its productivity. So, the plant growth is directly associated with the type of soil drainage. The prediction of soil drainage classes is one of the major steps in developing crop modelling. Among different physical and chemical soil health indicators, soil magnetic susceptibility (MS) is a promising factor for soil surveying because it is strongly affected by soil drainage class. The extremely reducing conditions, present in hydric soils, significantly enhance dissolution of soil ferrimagnetic minerals such as magnetite and maghemite. Since the MS of soils is mainly controlled by magnetite and maghemite concentrations, therefore MS values are typically very low in hydric, i.e. poorly drained or gleyed, soils.</p><p>The common method for measuring soil MS is utilizing handheld or laboratory MS meters (e.g. Bartington MS2 sensors). Such MS meters are required soil specimen to be available to directly measure MS of that specimen. So, their application is limited to surface soils, soil exposures and sampled soils. Other types of instruments for quickly measuring soil properties are electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments. Although the EMI instruments were primarily invented to measure electrical conductivity (EC) of the topsoil for assessment of soil salinity, they can also be utilized to measure absolute value of the volume MS of the topsoil. These volume MS values can be further processed and inverted to reveal MS variations of soil layers.</p><p>In this study, 1-D inversion of volume MS data, measured by Geonics EM38 instrument in both vertical and horizontal magnetic dipole configurations, was done to calculate MS of selected soil profiles in order to delineate soil drainage classes. Besides, laboratory measurements of volume and mass-specific MS of soil core samples, collected in the same soil profiles, were done using Bartington MS2B and MS2C sensors. Results show a strong and positive relationship between MS values measured in the laboratory and volume MS recovered from inversion technique. Furthermore, the results reveal that MS in a well drained profile is higher than that of a poorly drained profile. Since EMI measurements of soil MS are done quickly in the field, then using surface MS measurements facilitates hydric soil delineation in a faster and more precise way.</p>

Patterns and predictors of soil organic carbon storage across a continental-scale network

The rarity of rapid campaigns to characterize soils across scales limits opportunities to investigate variation in soil carbon stocks (SOC) storage simultaneously at large and small scales, with and without site-level replication. We used data from two complementary campaigns at 40 sites in the United States across the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), in which one campaign sampled profiles from closely co-located intensive plots and physically composited similar horizons, and the other sampled dozens of pedons across the landscape at each site. We demonstrate some consistencies between these distinct designs, while also revealing that within-site replication reveals patterns and predictors of SOC stocks not detectable with non-replicated designs. Both designs demonstrate that SOC stocks of whole soil profiles vary across continental-scale climate gradients. However, broad climate patterns may mask the importance of localized variation in soil physicochemical properties, as captured by within-site sampling, especially for SOC stocks of discrete genetic horizons. Within-site replication also reveals examples in which expectations based on readily explained continental-scale patterns do not hold. For example, even wide-ranging drainage class sequences within landscapes do not duplicate the clear differences in profile SOC stocks across drainage classes at the continental scale, and physicochemical factors associated with increasing B horizon SOC stocks at continental scales frequently do not follow the same patterns within landscapes. Because inferences from SOC studies are a product of their context (where, when, how), this study provides context—in terms of SOC stocks and the factors that influence them—for others assessing soils and the C cycle at NEON sites.

Land Suitability of Agricultural Crops for Supporting Peat Restoration In South Kalimantan, Indonesia

<p>Following the release of Presidential Regulation No 1/2016, a peat restoration pilot project has been carried out in Banjarbaru District, South Kalimantan in addition to other two pilot projects in other provinces of Indonesia. The pilot project has been designed to implement the three aspects of peat restoration, namely rewetting, revegetation and revitalization of society. Implementation of revegetation is mainly through applying agroforestry by growing agricultural crops in spaces between trees. The objective of present study was to elucidate the suitability of agricultural crops in area of restoration of degraded peatland in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The suitability of agricultural crops was studied by collecting rainfall and air temperature data from the climatic station of Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarbaru, while the nutrient retentions values were determined in the laboratory. Peat depth and drainage class were determined by direct field observations, while peat decomposition level was classified by quantitative method in the field. All collected data were then used to assess the land suitability class for dry land paddy (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Oriza</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">sativa</span></em> L), long bean (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vigna</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">sinensis</span></em> ENDL), cucumber (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cucumis</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">sativus</span></em> LINN), mustard (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Brassica</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">rugose</span></em> FRAIN), orange (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Citrus</span></em> sp), <em>stink bean</em> (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Parkia</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">speciose</span></em> HASSK), rubber (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hevea</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">brassialiansis</span></em> M.A), and coconut (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cocus</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">nocifera</span></em> L). The productivity data of long bean, cucumber and mustard were obtained by farmer interview. The results showed that most of the agricultural crops were classified as marginally suitable (Class S3).The main limiting factors of agricultural development in this area are low soil pH, low base saturation and peat ripening. Peat depth limits the development of some crops. The above mentioned limiting factors ought to contribute to the low crop productivities in the area. The limiting factors were less severe for pineapple and stink bean, indicating that these crops have potential to be grown along with trees for restoration efforts in the area.</p>

PEMANFAATAN LAHAN BEKAS PENGGALIAN TANAH PEMBUATAN BATU BATA UNTUK PERSAWAHAN DI DESA GENTUNGANG KECAMATAN BAJENG BARAT KABUPATEN GOWA

ABSTRACTThis study aims to: to determine the physical properties of soil and the chemical properties of soil after extracting bricks to be made into rice fields. The variables used in this study are soil texture, Ph tanh, soil drainage class, effective soil depth, soil CEC, air temperature, rainfall and slope. Sampling in this study using Matching techniques. The results showed that the Gentungang Village can be divided into five (5) land units. Based on these land units, the land suitability for paddy fields is obtained according to the marginal class. Land suitability class for paddy fields in Gentungang Village especially in the sampling area is obtained by two land suitability classes namely S3-nr4 and S3-rc2nr4. Each land suitability class can be repaired according to the heaviest limiting factor, phosphate content, except soil texture cannot be done repair. Soil characteristics in the Gentungang Village are divided into two (2) namely physical and chemical properties. The physical properties include the drainage class is rather slow, the soil texture is moderate to slightly smooth, and the soil depth is> 50 cm. Meanwhile, chemical properties include CEC (> 16 and ≤ 16), pH H2O (6-7), Nitrogen content (low-medium) and Phosphate content (low-very low).

THE DISTRIBUTION OF Fe, Al, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Zn IN ALFISOLS DEVELOPED ON GABBROS FROM KlLKIS AREA

The distribution of Fe, Al, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Zn was examined in two soil profiles of cultivated Alfisols developed from gabbro in the area of Chamilo in Kilkis. The main features of the studied soils were the accumulation of clay in the argilic horizons, the low pH and organic matter content, the absence of CaC03, and the high sand content, with differences in the drainage class and the degree of development. The optical microscope observations have demonstrated the presence of residual pyroxenes, altered plagioclases and muscovite. X-ray diffraction data of the clay fraction show the same clay minerals for the two soil profiles with the presence of kaolinite, illite, vermiculite and interstratified minerals of montmorillonite-vermiculite. The distribution of elements for both soil profiles depends primary from the pedogenetic processes. The illuvial translocation of clay in the argilic horizon seems to play an important role in the behavior of these elements in the studied soils. The significant correlations between the clay fraction, the Fe - Al oxides and the studied elements support the previous hypothesis. The use of ratio of elements concentration between the A and C horizons (index to assess the relative mobility of elements in the soil profile) which have values < 0.90 confirms the influence of the clay fraction at the distribution of elements. The low pH, the particle size distribution, and the drainage class of the soils influence also the dynamics of the studied elements in the soil profiles while the organic matter content seems to have no effect.

Change in soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks eight years after conversion of sub-humid grassland to Pinus and Eucalyptus forestry

Scientific studies report decreases, increases, or negligible changes in soil organic carbon (C) stocks upon afforestation; however, these studies neglect the potential role of total nitrogen (N), tree species, and soil drainage class on these changes. This paper therefore aimed to quantify the change in soil organic C and total N stocks in the Weatherley catchment, eight years after conversion of grassland to forestry. Twenty-seven soil profile sites in this catchment, situated in the north-eastern corner of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, were sampled to determine the soil organic C and total N concentrations for the estimation of stocks. These sites represented different vegetation (Pinus elliottii, P. patula, Eucalyptus nitens, and grass) and soil drainage class (poorly, moderately, and freely drained soils) areas. Eighteen of the 27 sites studied had decreases, and nine sites had increases in organic C stocks in the 0–300 mm soil layer after eight years of afforestation. Total N decreased in 18 sites and increased at nine sites. Eight years of afforestation with P. elliottii and E. nitens significantly decreased stocks of soil organic C (from 47.6 to 38.8 Mg/ha) and total N (from 3.22 to 2.87 Mg/ha), whereas P. patula only slightly increased the corresponding stocks from 43.8 to 48.6 Mg C/ha and from 2.80 to 3.68 Mg N/ha. Both soil organic C and total N stocks decreased in all three soil drainage classes upon afforestation. It is proposed that these findings be corroborated after another 8–10 years of afforestation.

Karakterisasi, Kesesuaian Lahan dan Teknologi Kelapa Sawit Rakyat di Rawa Pasang Surut Kalimantan Tengah

Oil palm extensification in tide land. It’s a marginal land which sensitive to degradation. Otherwise, peat is low bearing capacity, subsidence, drying irreversible and close fire and then emission of green house gas. So other soil in the tide land is acid sulfate soils have a pyrite, while be can oxidation can produce of increased soil acidity and ferro and aluminum. Location of research include ine Ex Rice Mega Project ie. Kapuas Regency and Pulang Pisau Regency, and other is East Kotawaringin Regency. Limiting factor in soil mineral are effective dept of soil and drainage class (S3-d2.s2 dan s2-d2); and then in peatland are soil dept, decomposition factor and drainage class (S3-t2.d2, S3-s2d2 dan S3-d2). Agronomic action used farmer and plantation industry very variance, so characteristic and climate quality, land, agronomic, post harvest wil can level of agronomic compound of oil palm in tide land wich better for produce, efficiency, and green environment. Keywords: Oil palm, tidal swamp, Central Kalimantan

Investigation of the relationship between electrical conductivity (EC) of water and soil, and landform classes using fuzzy model and GIS

In this research, the relationship between classes of landform, and electrical conductivity (EC) of soil and water in the Shiraz Plain, Fars province Iran was investigated using a combination of geographical information system (GIS) and fuzzy model. The results of the fuzzy method for water EC showed that 36.6 % of the land to be moderately land suitable for agriculture; high, 31.69 %; and very high, 31.65 %. In comparison, the results of the fuzzy method for soil EC showed that 24.31 % of the land to be as not suitable for agriculture (low class); moderate, 11.78 %; high, 25.74 %; and very high, 38.16 %. In the total, the land suitable for agriculture with low EC is located in the north and northeast of the study area. The relationship between landform and EC shows that EC of water is high for the valley classes, while EC of soil is high in the upland drainage class. In addition, the lowest EC for soil and water are in the plain small class.