Article
Environmental Sciences
Mahrooz Rezaei, Sajjad Abbasi, Haniye Pourmahmood, Patryk Oleszczuk, Coen Ritsema, Andrew Turner
Summary: This study investigates the presence and distribution of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils in Iran. The results show that MPs are heterogeneously distributed in both surface and subsurface soils, with fibres being the most common shape. The study also reveals high erosion rates of MPs in agricultural soils, suggesting that these soils act as both a temporary sink and a dynamic secondary source of MPs.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaojuan Li, Tinghui Yang, Lettice C. Hicks, Bin Hu, Xin Liu, Dandan Wei, Zilong Wang, Weikai Bao
Summary: The variation of organic matter fractions in arid and semi-arid regions along latitudinal gradients is influenced by climate and soil physicochemical factors.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
P. Kalinin, I. Yu Kudrevatykh, V. V. Malyshev, L. S. Pilguy, A. Buhonov, G. Mitenko, A. O. Alekseev
Summary: The study found that semi-arid soils in the Russian plain are characterized by a low intensity of current chemical weathering, which is mainly determined by the geochemical environment of the soil formation rather than the climate.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiefei Mao, Yaoming Li, Junfeng Zhang, Kun Zhang, Xuexi Ma, Guangyu Wang, Lianlian Fan
Summary: Soil water repellency has a significant impact on water use of plants in arid regions. This study found that soil organic carbon and silt content are critical factors affecting the occurrence and persistence of soil water repellency.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. E. Clarke, M. L. Francis, B. J. Sakala, M. Hattingh, J. A. Miller
Summary: The mounds of Microhodotermes viator in the South African west coast region have the potential to store a substantial amount of organic and inorganic carbon, and they play an important role in the carbon cycle.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Luis Lassaletta, Alfredo Rodriguez, Eduardo Aguilera, Pablo Pinero, Marta Moro, Josette Garnier, Gilles Billen, Rasmus Einarsson, Zhaohai Bai, Lin Ma, Ivanka Puigdueta, Margarita Ruiz-Ramos, Antonio Vallejo, Mohammad Zaman, Juan Infante-Amate, Benjamin S. Gimeno
Summary: The EU has set targets to reduce agricultural nitrogen (N) losses through innovative fertilizing approaches such as incorporating fertilizer into soils, using urease inhibitors, and adjusting N inputs to crop needs. A case study in the Murcia region of Spain assessed the impact of 8 N-fertilizing alternatives on crop yields and environmental N losses. The most effective option was removing synthetic N fertilizers, leading to a 75% reduction in N surpluses but with associated yield penalties. The most feasible alternative was removing urea, resulting in a 19% reduction in N inputs and negligible yield losses.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Salvadora Navarro-Torre, Pedro Garcia-Caparros, Amaia Nogales, Maria Manuela Abreu, Erika Santos, Ana Lucia Cortinhas, Ana Delaunay Caperta
Summary: Soil salinization is a global issue with harmful consequences in agriculture and ecosystems. This article reviews sustainable strategies adopted for soil reclamation in Mediterranean climates, including phytoremediation and the use of beneficial microorganisms. The role of halophyte crops and halophilic microorganisms in promoting recovery and providing food is discussed. The combined use of plant, soil- and microbial-based technologies is recommended for relieving saline stress and improving crop growth in saline conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Natalia Rodriguez-Berbel, Rocio Soria, Ana B. B. Villafuerte, Raul Ortega, Isabel Miralles
Summary: The study evaluated the restoration of unproductive abandoned agricultural soils under a semi-arid climate in southeastern Spain. Four organic amendments from different composted wastes were applied, and significant changes in soil properties, nutrient content, and bacterial composition were observed. The results indicated that composted greenhouse crop remains could be an optimal treatment for the short-term recovery of degraded soils in semi-arid areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kate M. Buckeridge, Kelly E. Mason, Nick Ostle, Niall P. McNamara, Helen K. Grant, Jeanette Whitaker
Summary: Microbial necromass is an important component of soil organic matter and plays a significant role in carbon sequestration. The persistence of carbon in necromass is lower than that of nitrogen, and agricultural management intensity has an impact on carbon sequestration.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yaniv Freiberg, Pinchas Fine, Michael Borisover, Irit Levkovitch, Shahar Baram
Summary: The study showed that amending Mediterranean-type soils with stable biosolid compost and long-term oxidative co-stabilization can increase the soil's orthophosphate binding capacity and bioavailability. Mixing biosolid compost with soils significantly increased the soil's adsorption capacity for IP.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chukwuebuka C. Okolo, Ezekiel Bore, Girmay Gebresamuel, Amanuel Zenebe, Mitiku Haile, James N. Nwite, Michaela A. Dippold
Summary: The input of organic carbon (C) to the soil stimulates soil microbial activity and leads to changes in soil organic matter turnover, known as the priming effect. However, the contribution of different management forms, the role of land use conversion, and the effects of soil depth on altered priming effects are still unclear in tropical drylands. This study quantified respiration and priming effects in semi-arid soils of northern Ethiopia, finding that different land use types and soil depths have varying impacts on priming effects in these regions.
Article
Soil Science
Moritz Koza, Julia Poehlitz, Aleksey Prays, Klaus Kaiser, Robert Mikutta, Christopher Conrad, Cordula Vogel, Tobias Meinel, Kanat Akshalov, Gerd Schmidt
Summary: This study assessed the potential erodibility of grassland and cropland soils and found that cropland soils are more susceptible to water erosion while grassland soils are more susceptible to wind erosion. Considering the projected increase in precipitation in Kazakhstan, the risk of water erosion needs to be taken into account.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pengfei Tian, Naiyue Zhang, Jiayun Li, Xiaolu Fan, Xu Guan, Yuting Lu, Jinsen Shi, Yi Chang, Lei Zhang
Summary: Based on comprehensive observations, it was found that organic matter and mineral dust contribute significantly to aerosol absorption, especially in the ultraviolet wavelength. These findings reveal the complexity of the relationship between aerosol chemistry and optical properties, and have important implications for regional air pollution and climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Francis Henrique Tenorio Firmino, Danilo de Lima Camelo, Alexandre Ferreira do Nascimento, Jose Romualdo de Souza Lima, Valdomiro Souza Junior, Brivaldo Gomes de Almeida, Marcelo Metri Correa
Summary: The study investigated the origin and formation mechanisms of lamellae in autochthonous soils developed from metamorphic rocks in Northeast Brazil. The results showed that clay particles smaller than 0.2 μm are eluviated in a sandy soil matrix, infilling voids and coating quartz grains, forming densely packed layers of fine sand and impediment of clay translocation, indicating a petro-pedogenic origin of the lamellae. The genesis of the lamellae is associated with illuviated clay deposition occurring with a physical barrier due to the increase and organization of fine sand particles, indicating a geological control in the genesis of lamellae.
Article
Agronomy
Abdelali El Mekkaoui, Rachid Moussadek, Rachid Mrabet, Ahmed Douaik, Rachid El Haddadi, Outmane Bouhlal, Mariyam Elomari, Matike Ganoudi, Abdelmjid Zouahri, Said Chakiri
Summary: Climate change, drought, erosion, water contamination resources, desertification, and loss of soil quality are major environmental risks worldwide. Conservation agriculture, especially no-till (NT) system, improves the physical quality of soil in both medium and long terms, making it suitable for the climatic and edaphic constraints of semi-arid areas in Morocco as well as in other parts of the world.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Bing Gong, Hao Qiu, Ana Romero-Freire, Cornelis A. M. Van Gestel, Erkai He
Summary: Metals are often found as mixtures in the real world, and evaluating their mixture toxicity is a challenging task. Classic models like concentration addition and independent action have been widely used but become inapplicable when interactions occur in a mixture. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the interactive effects of mixture components is needed to predict mixture toxicity accurately.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marino Pedro Reyes-Martin, Irene Ortiz-Bernad, Antonio M. Lallena, Layla M. San-Emeterio, M. Lourdes Martinez-Cartas, Emilia Fernandez Ondono
Summary: A field experiment was conducted to study the time course of nutrient release into the soil after the addition of organic waste from subtropical orchard trees in Southern Spain. The results showed that the decomposition process of organic waste can be divided into three phases: fast initial release, intermediate stabilization, and final increase. Adding waste improved soil quality by increasing carbon and nitrogen contents as well as soil microbial activity.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Editorial Material
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ana Romero-Freire, Hao Qiu
Review
Environmental Sciences
Patricia Neira, Ana Romero-Freire, Maria Dolores Basallote, Hao Qiu, Antonio Cobelo-Garcia, Carlos Ruiz Canovas
Summary: This article reviews the concentrations of lanthanides in marine waters and biota. Lanthanides mainly enter aquatic ecosystems through continental contributions, and the highest concentrations are found near the coast. Heavy REEs tend to remain in solution in seawater, while light REEs are more likely to be assimilated by organisms, potentially affecting biological systems. The bioaccumulation of lanthanides in marine organisms follows a trophic dilution pattern.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. Pastor-Jauregui, M. Paniagua-Lopez, A. Aguilar-Garrido, F. J. Martinez-Garzon, A. Romero-Freire, M. Sierra-Aragon
Summary: This study evaluates the potential toxicity of soils in the Guadiamar Green Corridor affected by a major mining accident in Spain. The results show that even after 20 years, residual contamination and increasing bioavailability of certain contaminants still pose risks to soil and organisms. However, the overall human health risk is considered low based on hazard quotient evaluation.
JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xing Li, Hao Qiu, Peihua Zhang, Lan Song, Ana Romero-Freire, Erkai He
Summary: This study investigates the interaction between nanoplastics and algal cells using poly-styrene nanoparticles with different sizes and surface charges. The results show that large-sized nanoparticles cause toxicity due to heteroaggregation and shading effects, while the toxicity of small-sized nanoparticles is controlled by surface charge and concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xuchen Yan, Bin Yang, Erkai He, Willie J. G. M. Peijnenburg, Ling Zhao, Xiaoyun Xu, Xinde Cao, Ana Romero-Freire, Hao Qiu
Summary: Direct discharge of chromium-containing waste water and improper disposal of waste residues in industrial sites may lead to the vertical migration of metals into aquifers, posing serious threat to soil-groundwater system. The heterogeneity in soil profile further aggravates the complexity and unpredictability of this transport process. Regional and vertical differences in soil properties led to the specificity in Cr migration behaviors among these three sites. Soil pH and Fe content were found to be the major controlling factors for the migration and transformation of Cr(VI) in aquifers. The conclusions of this study can provide scientific theoretical guidance for heavy metal pollution prevention and control in industrial contaminated regions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Ana Romero-Freire, Manuel Sierra-Aragon, Hao Qiu, Erkai He
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mario Paniagua-Lopez, Antonio Aguilar-Garrido, Jose Contero-Hurtado, Inmaculada Garcia-Romera, Manuel Sierra-Aragon, Ana Romero-Freire
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of eight different soil remediation techniques using residual materials (gypsum, marble, vermicompost) on reducing the toxicity of metal(loid)s (Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cd) in a contaminated natural area. These remediation treatments were applied in field conditions and assessed after one year. Ecotoxicological tests using different organisms were conducted on the solid or aqueous fraction of the amended soils. Soil properties and metal fractions were analyzed to assess their influence on soil toxicity. The results showed that the choice of fraction (solid or aqueous) influenced the response of organisms to the treatments. The combination of metal availability and ecotoxicological response is crucial for selecting effective remediation techniques under natural conditions. Among the treatments tested, the addition of marble sludge with vermicompost was the most effective in reducing metal(loid)s toxicity.
Article
Soil Science
Eliane Guimaraes Pereira Melloni, Rogerio Melloni, Rocio Pastor-Jauregui, Antonio Aguilar-Garrido, Francisco Jose Martin-Peinado
Summary: This study evaluated soil quality contaminated by arsenic and heavy metals, and found that after 20 years, the concentrations of arsenic and lead in the soil exceeded regulatory levels, leading to changes in soil microbial biomass and functioning.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Aguilar-Garrido, Ana Romero-Freire, Mario Paniagua-Lopez, Francisco Javier Martinez-Garzon, Francisco Jose Martin-Peinado, Manuel Sierra-Aragon
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of six Technosols in remediating metal(loid)-polluted soils at the physicochemical, biological, and ecotoxicological levels. The Technosols improved soil conditions by neutralizing acidity, increasing organic carbon, reducing metal(loid) mobility, and stimulating soil enzymatic activities and plant growth. The type of organic waste used strongly influenced the changes observed in the polluted soils.
Review
Horticulture
Antonio Aguirre-Arcos, Minerva Garcia-Carmona, Marino Pedro Reyes-Martin, Layla M. San-Emeterio, Emilia Fernandez-Ondono, Irene Ortiz-Bernad
Summary: This study analyzed the nutrient content in avocados cultivated in Almunecar, Spain, after soil mulching with pruning debris. The results showed that the pulp had the highest concentration of nutrients, while the peel had high concentrations of manganese, potassium, and nitrogen, and the stone had the lowest concentrations of nutrients. The nutrient concentrations varied with different years and environmental factors.