Effectiveness of biologization predecessors and methods in increasing grain crops productivity and field crop rotations productivity in Nizhneje Povolzhje region

Researches on the study of predecessors and biologization techniques in field crop rotations were carried out in 2018-2020 in the dry steppe zone of the chestnut subzone of light chestnut soils of the Nizhneje Povolzhje region. It is necessary to grow biennial melilot for green manure as a fallow-growing crop in a grain-steam five-field crop rotation in order to increase the organic matter input into the soil. A significant increase in yield was achieved in chickpeas for winter wheat, its straw was plowed into the soil. The highest increase in the spring barley yield was provided during the chickpeas and sorghum cultivation, which straw entered the soil. When growing spring barley on safflower, its straw was plowed into the soil, the yield was also higher than the control variant. The highest grain yield was achieved in the control grain-fallow four-field crop rotation with complete fallow, where the cultivated crops straw was removed from the field and grain-fallow-grass green manure seven-field crop rotation with seed fallow, where straw and melilot were plowed into the soil. Grain-fallow seven-field and grain-fallow-grass-cultivated green manure seven-field crop rotations, where oats and phacelia straw and green manure mass entered the soil, were inferior to the control.

Biomarker Characterization of Oil Seepages in Tomori Basin, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Tomori Basin is located close to the Banggai Basin which has several productive oil fields. Further investigation of the hydrocarbon potential in Tomori Basin is an important issue as potential hydrocarbon resources are indicated by the discovery of several oil seepages in the area. This study identified Tomori Basin oil seepage characteristics using a biomarker analysis approach. The Wosu and Kolo Areas were the main objectives of this study. Oil seepage characteristics were determined using Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) methods to generate biomarker data which could be analysed to identify organic matter origin, oxic and anoxic conditions, source facies, or depositional environment. Based on the GC analysis of is oprenoids, the Pristane C19/Phytane C20 ratio (Pr/Ph) of Wosu Oil was 0.75, indicating anoxic conditions typical of a hypersaline environment. Kolo Oil had a Pr/Ph ratio of 3.37 indicative of terrestrial organic input under oxic conditions. A cross plot between Pristane/nC17 and Pr/Ph ratios indicates that Wosu Oil derives from a highly anoxic environment with algae/bacterial organic matter input whereas Kolo Oil derives from a suboxic-oxic environment dominated by terrestrial organic matter input. Trycyclic terpene analysis from C19 to C25 shows Wosu Oil seepages tend to originate from an environment of mixed terrestrial and marine organic matter (transitional environment). Overall, biomarker characteristics indicate that Wosu Oil originated from organic matter in a hypersaline and anoxic environment, whereas Kolo Oil originated from terrestrial matter in a suboxic – oxic environment.

The origins of paraffinic oils collected from oilfields in the western Siberian Basin, Russia: implications from geochemical and physical characteristics

Four oil samples were collected from oilfields in the western Siberian Basin, and analyzed using conventional geochemical and physical methods. The results of this study were used to evaluate the oil samples, focusing on the characteristics of their source rocks, including the origin of organic matter input; redox depositional conditions and degree of thermal maturity of their probable source rock were studied. The obtained SARA results show that the examined oils are paraffinic oils owing to their high saturated hydrocarbon fraction values of greater than 70% volume. The observed API gravity values (23.55° to 32.57°) and low sulfur content of less than 0.25% wt indicate that the examined oils are sweet oils and were generated from source rock containing Type-II, with low sulfur content. The low sulfur content combined with the vanadium (V) and nickel (Ni) ratios indicates that the examined oils were scoured from a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial organic matter, depositing under generally suboxic environmental conditions. The n-alkane and isoprenoid distributions, with their ratios and parameters further suggest that the examined oil samples were generated from source rock containing a mixed organic matter input and deposited under suboxic to relatively oxic environmental conditions. Bulk compositions and distributions of n-alkane and isoprenoid indicate that the oil samples were generated from mature source rock.

Functional role of earthworms to control the hydraulic conductivity of constructed wetlands

<p>Wetlands are known for their natural service of water quality regulation. The hyporheic zones of the rivers filter and purify the surface water from the stream and infiltrated waters in soil nearby through the riparian zone. This purification service occurs because of a synergy between the substrate and its biodiversity (including plants, bacteria and other invertebrates). Our study deals with constructed wetlands (CW) as a nature-based solution mimicking wetlands water purification process, to purify wastewaters. The REUSE technology of CW is based on the use of specific layers of gravels and sands inside a close concrete structure, planted with specific sub-aquatic plants, where wastewaters or runoff of stormwaters are introduced to be filtered. The technology of Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands (VFCW) reproduces the water flux observed in the riparian zone with a gravity flow of water. It is composed of reeds planted on a sandy layer (Ø 0-4 mm) and succession of gravel layers. This substrate can be saturated or unsaturated to reproduce the functioning of the hyporheic zone or the riparian zone respectively. By the time, the substrate is colonized by a community of bacteria producing biofilms which capture the residual organic matter from wastewaters to mineralize them. However, the VFCW substrates tend to clog over time due to the accumulation of organic matter and biofilms. Many studies consider earthworms as one of the solutions to alleviate this clogging, thanks to their burrows recreating macropores and preferential channels which help to improve the dispersion of water into the deep soil. The main goal of this study is to assess the impact of earthworm activities on the hydraulic conductivity of columns composed with the same substrate used in the VFCW. Different densities of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were introduced (0, 100, 500, 1000 g of earthworms/m²) in these columns to be monitored for 37 days. The hydraulic conductivity was measured every 7 days, aside from day 23 with the addition of 40 g of peat bedding on column surfaces to simulate a high organic matter input. Columns with earthworm density superior to 500 g/m² shows an amelioration of their hydraulic conductivity after 21 days. These densities are also able to restore the hydraulic conductivity of the column in less than 7 days after the setting of clogged condition due to the organic matter input (peat bedding) at the sediment surface. This study showed that the burrowing activity of E. fetida improves the hydraulic flux of a sandy substrate and this impact is dependent on the earthworm density introduced. So, the addition of earthworms in the VFCW could serve as a prevention against clogging.</p>