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
Monica Yadira Dotor-Robayo, Jairo Arturo Guerrero-Dallos, Maria Jose Martinez-Cordon
Summary: This study investigated the competition between glyphosate and phosphate for adsorption sites in the soil. The results showed that the clay composition of the soil and the order of additions of glyphosate and phosphate have significant effects on the sorption-desorption of glyphosate.
Article
Soil Science
Juan C. Mendez, Elise Van Eynde, Tjisse Hiemstra, Rob N. J. Comans
Summary: Assessing the surface reactivity of metal (hydr)oxides in weathered tropical soils using a novel probe-ion methodology and surface complexation modelling showed that nanocrystalline ferrihydrite is a better proxy than well-crystallized goethite for describing the reactivity of natural metal (hydr)oxides. Nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 1.5-5.0 nm dominate the reactive fraction of metal (hydr)oxides in these tropical topsoils, with only a small reversibly adsorbed fraction of phosphate being available for sorption reactions determining the solid-solution partitioning of PO4.
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
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
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
He Shan, Chunfeng Li, Zhihui Chen, Wenjun Ying, Primoz Poredos, Zhanyu Ye, Quanwen Pan, Jiayun Wang, Ruzhu Wang
Summary: This study reports a portable and modular water harvester that uses a low-cost and lightweight LiCl-based hygroscopic composite as the sorbent, capable of achieving large-scale and reliable water production in semi-arid climates.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nina L. Bingham, Eric W. Slessarev, Peter M. Homyak, Oliver A. Chadwick
Summary: The study found that while there are distinct and traceable pools of nitrogen in soil and bedrock, slow chemical weathering and landscape denudation limit the influence of rock-derived nitrogen. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition and nitrogen fixation dominate nitrogen inputs to the grassland ecosystem, despite the relatively large nitrogen pools in the saprolite and bedrock.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Esio de Castro Paes, Gustavo Vieira Veloso, Manoel Nelson de Castro Filho, Saulo Henrique Barroso, Elpidio Inacio Fernandes-Filho, Mauricio Paulo Ferreira Fontes, Emanuelle Merce s Barros Soares
Summary: Physical and chemical remediation techniques used in contaminated areas are expensive and damaging to the soil structure. Biological alternatives, such as phytoremediation, are economical and applicable to large areas. This study evaluates the ability of plant species adapted to Brazilian semi-arid conditions to grow in soils contaminated with Pb, and concludes that P. juliflora, A. peregrina, and U. ruziziensis are more suitable for cultivation in soils containing high levels of Pb.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Khurshid Alam, Dipak Ranjan Biswas, Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Debarup Das, Archna Suman, Avijit Ghosh, Kingshuk Modak
Summary: Researchers investigated the use of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and silicon-rich agro-wastes as strategies to solubilize recalcitrant soil phosphorus in agriculture. The results showed that PSB and silicon doses significantly increased the levels of soluble silicon and phosphorus in the soil, indicating the potential of this combined application to supplement expensive phosphorus fertilizers.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
David Seddon, Japhet J. Kashaigili, Richard G. Taylor, Mark O. Cuthbert, Catherine Mwihumbo, Alan M. MacDonald
Summary: This study focuses on the replenishment of groundwater in a semi-arid region in Tanzania, showing that focused recharge from ephemeral stream discharges is critical. Groundwater level rises correspond better to pulses of stream discharge from intensive rainfall than from seasonal rainfall. Stable isotope ratios of O and H indicate similarities between groundwater and ephemeral streamflow, both linked to intensive daily rainfall.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Giorgia Novello, Elisa Bona, Omrane Toumatia, Francesco Vuolo, Noureddine Bouras, Houda Titouah, Abdelghani Zitouni, Susanna Gorrasi, Nadia Massa, Patrizia Cesaro, Valeria Todeschini, Guido Lingua, Elisa Gamalero
Summary: This study isolated and identified bacterial strains capable of tolerating salinity and drought, and evaluated their beneficial traits and potential for promoting plant growth. Three strains were found to have potential plant growth-promoting activity on tomato plants.
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)
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
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)