Badland soils-which have high silt and clay contents, bulk density, and soil electric conductivity- cover a large area of Southern Taiwan. This study evaluated the amelioration of these poor soils by thorny bamboo, one of the few plant species that grows in badland soils. Soil physiochemical and biological parameters were measured from three thorny bamboo plantations and nearby bare lands. Resu...

Field studies in Amazonia have found a relationship at continental scales between soil fertility and broad trends in forest structure and function. Little is known at regional scales, however, about how discrete patterns in forest structure or functional attributes map onto underlying edaphic or geological patterns. We collected airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and VSWIR (Visib...

The effects of soil compaction on soil physical properties may alter soil microbial activities and processes, including carbon (C) cycling, and possibly affect agricultural production and environmental degradation. This study investigated the effects of surface soil compaction on soil C mineralization in a claypan soil amended with poultry litter (i.e. turkey excrement mixed with pine shavings ...

The study was conducted to evaluate hydraulic conductivity functions in relation to some soil chemical properties in an oxisols of the tropics. Field and laboratory studies were carried out and data collected, subjected to statistical analytical procedure for computing coefficient of variability and correlation among soil properties. Results of the study showed that hydraulic conductivity funct...

In permanent agricultural systems, soil fertility is maintained through applications of manure, other organic materials, inorganic fertilizers, lime, the inclusion of legumes in the cropping systems, or a combination of these. In many parts of the world the availability, use, and profitability of inorganic fertilizers have been low whereas there has been an intensification of land-use and an ex...

This study contributes to a better understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem dynamics in Southern Africa in response to climatic variability. First, we identified the areas where NDVI is covarying with precipitation, and where rainfall anomalies are correlated with NDVI anomalies. The results suggest that these correlations are related to quasi-periodicities in rainfall pa...

wind erosion is a significant problem on 20 million ha of iran, especially in central plains and coastal areas. winderosion samplers, meteorological equipments and measurement procedure have been developed over the last twocenturies to measure the particles moving across the field in modes of creep, saltation and suspension. in recentresearch as the first technical measurement in iran, wind ero...

Soil management has great potential to affect soil respiration. In this study, we investigated the effects of organic versus conventional soil management on soil respiration.  We measured the main soil physical-chemical properties from conventional and organic managed soil in Ecuador. Soil respiration was determined using alkaline absorption according to Witkamp.  Soil properties such as organi...

Re-vegetation is an important practice for eco-environmental rebuilding of degraded environments. Accordingly, re-vegetation has been widely used to reduce erosion and protect soils against degradation in the Loess Plateau. However, little research has been conducted to study the effects of long-term re-vegetation on soil properties, which is essential to reveal corresponding changes in soil qu...

The Arctic environment is very vulnerable and sensitive to hydrocarbon pollutants. Soil bioremediation is attracting interest as a promising and cost-effective clean-up and soil decontamination technology in the Arctic regions. However, remoteness, lack of appropriate infrastructure, the harsh climatic conditions in the Arctic and some physical and chemical properties of Arctic soils may reduce...