Assessment of the Soil Buffer Capacity in the Sea of Azov Basin Under Heavy Metal Pollution

Heavy metals (HM) are among the most hazardous soil pollutants. The intensity of accumulation and distribution of HM in soils directly depends on the ecological conditions of pedogenesis and its buffering properties. At the same time, a significant accumulation of HM in the soil as a result of anthropogenic impacts reduces the buffering capacity of the soil and its resistance to pollution. The purpose of this work was to assess the buffering capacity of soils to HM pollution in the Don River delta and the coast of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov undergoing the great anthropogenic impact. The buffer capacity of experimental soils was carried out using the Il’in’s method (1995), based on the calculation of the inactivation ability of soils: organic matter, clay fraction (particle size < 0.01 mm), carbonates, sesquioxides, and pH. The content of HM was compared with soil Clarke and the maximum permissible concentration of HM in soils accepted in the Russian Federation. It was found that the experimental soils could be ordered by buffer capacity value as following (in decreasing order): haplic chernozem ≥ alluvial-meadow light loamy ≥ solonchak > alluvial-meadow sandy and sandy loamy > sandy primitive soil ≥ stratified alluvial soil. Keywords: trace elements, contamination, impact territories

Cyclic behavior of late quaternary alluvial soil along Indo-Gangetic Plain: Northern India

The A.D. 1803 and 1934 Bihar-Nepal border earthquake affected Indo-Gangetic Plain with evidences of liquefaction in cities like Patna, Varanasi, Agra, and Delhi in historical past. Recent strong shaking all along the Indo-Gangetic Plains and seismic induced damage to the buildings in Bihar during Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake raises the concern for site specific liquefaction potential estimation of alluvial soils. Cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on soil samples from Kanpur, Allahabad, Patna city to know the cyclic behavior, estimate the dynamic soil properties and the effect of relative density, confining pressure and frequency of loading on the cyclic behavior of the soil tested. The test results indicate the cyclic strength of Allahabad soil is less than Patna and Kanpur soil. The Allahabad soil with 80% sand, 10% silt and clay each is more prone to liquefaction than Kanpur soil (82% silt, 16% clay and 2% sand) and Patna soil (10% Kankar, 95% sand, 5% silt). This study indicates soils having sand with silt percentage are more liquefiable than clean sand or silty soil. It can be concluded that the soil of Allahabad and Patna city is more prone to liquefaction than Kanpur soil.

The Importance of Proper Dam Maintenance Due to the Increase of Torrential Floods in the Face of Climate Change

In this chapter, the author discusses the importance of mitigation and adaptation actions needed to be taken from an environmental and engineering standpoint in regards to dams, reservoirs they form, the river basins they serve, and how this can benefit these systems in the future. One of the main problems identified for the mid-21st century will be the availability of fresh water. Currently, appx. 20% of the world's freshwater is stored in manmade reservoirs. However, these reservoirs sediment over time. This “sediment phenomena'' adversely affects the water volume in reservoirs and their sustainable maintenance, potentially jeopardizing water supply and lives. To answer the “sediment phenomena,'' this chapter will explore a new approach to a no less devastating problem of land degradation, developed at the Technical University of Vienna. In the Balkan region, sediments are mostly composed of alluvial soil, decomposing organic matter, and sands, making them indeed a perfect soil amendment for degraded lands and barren topsoil terrains destroyed during torrential floods and landslides.

Design and Build a Soil Nutrient Measurement Tool for Citrus Plants Using NPK Soil Sensors Based on the Internet of Things

A suitable planting medium is a medium of good quality soil that can support plant growth quickly. Fertile soil is the primary need for plants. The quality of the planting medium dramatically affects plant growth. The types of soil needed for plant growth vary, namely sandy soil, red soil, alluvial soil, and humus soil. Using an NPK sensor that functions to detect nutrients in the soil and can work if the tip of the sensor is plugged into the soil they want to detect, the results detected by the sensor will be sent in the form of analog signal data to nodemcu, which will be processed and displayed on the screen. Thingspeak. This tool is controlled by nodemcu with an NPK sensor to detect nutrients in the soil with output to thingspeak. The function of the NPK sensor tool will measure the nutrients in the soil for citrus seedlings, and the results read by the Npk sensor will be sent to the Thingspeak web, making it easier for farmers to seed citrus seeds. The data read by the sensor will be sent to thingspeak, making it easier to monitor nutrients in the soil. From the results of the tests carried out, it is found that the nutrient content in wet soil is higher than in dry soil; from the tests carried out, the NPK sensor accuracy rate is 90%.

COPING THE ARSENIC TOXICITY IN RICE PLANT WITH MAGNESIUM ADDENDUM FOR ALLUVIAL SOIL OF INDO-GANGETIC BENGAL, INDIA

Arsenic (As3+) is a toxic metalloid found in the earth’s crust, its elevated concentration is a concern for human health because rice is the staple grain in eastern part of India and the waterlogged rice field environment provides opportunity for more As3+ uptake. Magnesium (Mg2+) is an important plant nutrient. Present work is a search for reducing As3+ toxicity in plants through Mg2+ application. The findings are quite impressive, the root to shoot biomass ratio showed more than 1.5 times increase compared to the control. Total protein content increased 2 folds. Carbohydrate and chlorophyll content increased two to three times compared to control. On the other hand, Malondialdehyde content showed a decline with the application of increased Mg2+ dose. The in-silico study shows a better interaction with As3+ in presence of Mg2+ but interestingly without stress symptoms. These findings from the research indicate that Mg2+ application can be effective in reducing As3+ induced stress in plants.

Role of Air Flow on Changing Soil Properties and Plant Nutrition in Egyptian Alluvial Soil

Study the effect of air flow on changing some soil properties and plant nutrition is highly important to increase crop quality and productivity. The pot experiment was carried out focusing on Agric faba bean C.V. Giza 2 in Egyptian alluvial soil (clay) during 2017-18 seasons. Two soil samples with three replicates were taken. The results revealed that hygroscopic water (HW), saturation percentage (SP) and real density (RD) have not affected by air flow, while organic matter (OM), hydraulic conductivity (HC) and bulk density (BD) have remarkable increase with air flow. The available macro and micronutrients concentrations in soil and plant are also discussed where different results have been obtained depending upon type of nutrient. The total count of bacteria (TCM) is found to be affected with air flow than without aeration techniques. The findings of this study reveal that aeration or air flow promotes healthy levels of soil gases and plays a critical role in plant growth.

Investigation of Groundwater Potential Using Remote Sensing and Hydro-geophysical Techniques: A Case Study of the Telidjene Basin (Eastern Algeria)

The present study aims to assess groundwater potential in the Telidjene Basin located in the semi-arid part of eastern Algeria, applying an innovative approach combining both remote sensing and hydrogeophysics methods. A re-interpretation of geophysical data and vertical electrical sounding (VES) measurements were applied and calibrated with the borehole data to map the deep structures that may control the presence of groundwater and identify the geological and hydrogeological setting. Morphometric factors affecting recharge were mapped using several types of remote sensing data (SRTM DEM, Landsat-8). Thematic maps were overlaid using the multicriteria method and GIS to detect potential recharge areas. The results show that the main factors influencing recharge are fracturing and drainage density. Four potential recharge areas were identified over a 547 km2 area of the basin. 20% of the area falls in the weakest class, 32% in the weak class, 3% in the moderate, and 16% in the strongest. Furthermore, the study reveals that an alluvial aquifer with a thickness of up to 60m, spreading over the surface, along the Wadi Telijene and the alluvial soil, is deposited unconformably on Cretaceous terrain containing aquifer horizons of varying thickness and different electrical resistivities (10–150 Ωm), drawing an anticlinal structure with lithostratigraphy interrupted by a series of faults and spurs of Aptian and Triassic age. The south-western part of the basin has a high to moderate recharge and storage capacity. Its alluvial cover is directly fed by precipitation and fractured limestones deposited in a syncline outcropping on the edges forming an alluvial and carbonate bilayer aquifer. This study concluded that an integrated approach, involving recent, efficient, and inexpensive technology, such as remote sensing and conventional geophysical method, can be successfully used to identify groundwater potential in the study area.

NEW PALEOLITHIC FINDS IN THE LOWER DON REGION

Изучение среднего и нижнего палеолита юга Восточно-Европейской равнины до сих пор во многом связано с редкими памятниками, расположенными в Северо-Восточном Приазовье (Герасимовка, Рожок I, Носово) и в нижнем течении р. Северский Донец (Хрящи, Михайловское), поэтому любые сведения о новых комплексах этих эпох представляют большой интерес. В статье впервые представлены материалы нового местонахождения каменного века Батай III, открытого более сорока лет назад, расположенного в дельте Дона в устье р. Койсуг. На строительной площадке в перемещенном грунте аллювиального генезиса (рис. 1: 2,3) была собрана коллекция кремневых изделий, состоящая в основном из артефактов среднепалеолитического облика. Основой для них послужил местный галечный кремень. Цвет сырья буро-коричневый (рис. 2: 1b). Патина варьирует от желто-коричневой до красновато-бурой. Коллекция включает нуклевидные изделия, пренуклеусы, небольшой плоско-выпуклый бифас миндалевидной формы (рис. 3: 1a, b), остроконечник (рис. 3: 4a), различные сколы. Наиболее близкие аналогии происходят из местонахождения палеолита у х. Михайловское - недалеко от впадения р. Северский Донец в Дон. So far the studies of the Middle and Lower Paleolithic in the South of the East European Plain have been linked to rare sites located in the northeastern of Azov Sea region (Gerasimovka, Rozhok I, and Nosovo) and the downstream of the Severskiy Donets river (Khryashchi, and Mikhaylovskoe); that is why, any information on new assemblages dating to these historical periods are of great interest. Materials from Batay III, which is a new Stone Age location discovered more than forty years ago, are described for the first time. This site is located in the Don estuary in the mouth of the Koysug river. An assemblage of flint items made up mostly of the Middle Paleolithic artifacts was collected in alluvial soil removed from the construction site (Fig. 1: 2, 3). Local pebbles were used as the main source material. The raw material is reddish-brown (Fig. 2: 1b). The patina varies from yellow-brown to reddish-black. The assemblage includes core-like items, pre-cores, a small almond-shaped plano-convex biface (Fig. 3: 1а, b), a point (Fig. 3: 4а), and various flakes. The closest analogies come from a Paleolithic location near the village of Mikhaylovskoe not far from the place where the Severskiy Donets joins the Don.