Successions of microbiotic communities of sandy soils in pine stands of different ages in the forest-steppe zone

Peculiarities of transformation processes in soils should be taken into account when developing strategies for their rational use and optimization of their functions. The purpose of the work is to study the successions of soil microbiotic coenosis of azonal Al-Fe-humus sandy soils in pine forest stands of different age in the cities of the Kursk region. Traditional and innovative methods of studying the microbiological activity of soils are used in the work. Al-Fe-humus sandy soils of the forest-steppe covered with 100-year-old stands of Scots pine emit 2.1-2.3 times more CO2 than Al-Fe-humus sandy soils under 25 - and 70-year-old stands of pine and 1.5 times more than similar soils under herbaceous phytocenoses. It has been established that stands of Scots pine during 100 years of vegetation lead to significant changes in the basic properties of soils, changes in response, increase in podzolic process, changes in hydrothermal conditions, as well as increase in the biomass of the main groups of soil microorganisms (up to 38.1 times). Keywords: MICROMYCETES, ACTINOMYCETES, SANDY PODZOLS, GRAY HUMUS (TURF) SOILS, CO2 EMISSION, MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SOILS

Monitoring of geodynamic processes in central part of Lviv

The results of earth surface deformations monitoring are brought from data of the high-fidelity leveling. Her settling takes place under influence of natural and technogenic factors. Among natural factors a leading role playing presence in the geological cut a powerful layer of technogenic accumulations, turfs and at turf soils. Technogenic influence appears through the static pressure from building and facilities, vibration-dynamic pressure of transport, and anthropogenic changes of underwaters levels. Maximum of deformations absolute value are fixed on the Kovzhun Street. Key words: monitoring, endogenous processes, exogenous processes, deformation, leveling, settling.

Effects of Wastewater Sludge Topdressing on Color, Quality, and Clipping Yield of a Turfgrass Mixture

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of the rate and timing of the application of sun-dried wastewater sludge from a food processing company's wastewater system on turfgrass growth and quality. The results were compared with those obtained with ammonium nitrate, and changes in the concentration of heavy metals and the presence of fecal coliform in turf soils after sun-dried wastewater sludge application were determined. The rate and the timing of sun-dried wastewater sludge and ammonium nitrate applications affected the turf color, quality, and clipping yield. Monthly fertilization resulted in a more uniform color and turf quality than infrequent spring and fall fertilization. Compared with the background values of base soils, heavy metals did not accumulate in sun-dried wastewater sludge-amended soils over the test period. Fecal coliform was not detected in sludge-amended soil samples, indicating that bacteria regrowth did not occur during the study period.

Population Dynamics of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Golf Course Greens Turf in Southern New England

The distribution, frequency, and population levels over time of plant-parasitic nematodes were surveyed on 114 greens from 38 different golf courses throughout southern New England. Sampling took place in the spring, summer, and fall of 2003 and 2004. The predominant genera of phytoparasitic nematodes recovered from soil samples were Tylenchorhynchus, Helicotylenchus, Criconemella, Hoplolaimus, and Heterodera. Tylenchorhynchus and Helicotylenchus spp. were the most common, found in all 38 golf courses sampled. Population levels were significantly higher (α = 0.05) in 2004 than in 2003 for Criconemella, Tylenchorhynchus, and Heterodera juveniles. There was a significant effect of season on population levels of Criconemella, Tylenchorhynchus, and Heterodera juveniles in the 2003 sampling year, and on Helicotylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus, and Heterodera juveniles in 2004. Population levels were highest in the fall for all genera except for Tylenchorhynchus, which were highest in the summer for both years. The results of this study suggest that parasitic nematodes are present in relatively high numbers in golf course turf soils in southern New England, and that there are variations in the dynamics of population levels among the different genera found in the area.

Vegetation and frost activity in an alpine fellfield on the summit of Plateau Mountain, Alberta

An ordination of alpine fellfield vegetation of the Highwood Range of Southwestern Alberta, Canada, revealed that it varies continuously in response to frost activity gradients of two scales: (1) annual or historic congeliturbation which has produced sorted patterned ground structures similar to those found in arctic tundra and some temperate zone alpine tundra regions, and (2) diurnal congeliturbation which produces frost boils within the larger sorted patterned ground structures.Long-term frost activity has produced a gradient of ground covered by rock which is associated with the major separation of stands. Along this gradient, vegetation changes gradually from stands dominated by epipetric lichens such as Alectoria minuscula to a Carex–Cetraria alpine turf.Microenvironments produced by the borders of patterned ground features result in a diurnal frost activity gradient associated with the Y-axis of the ordination. The vegetation responds to this gradient as a successional sequence. This sequence runs from denuded frost boils dominated by terricolous lichen species such as Lepraria neglecta and flowering plants such as Salix nivalis to a closed Carex–Cetraria alpine turf. Since reversion to a frost boil may occur at any point in the sequence, this succession seems to be partially a cyclical phenomenon.The degree of soil profile formation corresponds to the degree of vegetational development. Active frost boils contain shallow lithosols which develop into poorly developed Alpine Turf soils with progressive vegetation stability.