AIM To evaluate the effect of long-term annual land applications of Class B biosolids on soil bacterial diversity at University of Arizona Marana Agricultural Field Center, Tucson, Arizona. METHODS AND RESULTS Following the final of 20 consecutive years of application of Class B biosolids in March 2005, followed by cotton growth from April to November 2005 surface soil samples (0-30 cm) were ...

One of the most crucial environmental problems affecting developing countries in arid and semi-arid regions is soil salinity. Its detection using radar imaging systems is one of promising domains of remote sensing research. Detection is based essentially on the relationship between the quantity of existing salts in the soil, the soil moisture content, and the dielectric properties of this mixtu...

The soil mantle in Namaqualand is immature in terms of weathering. Despite or even because of this, the diversity and spatial variability of soil physical and chemical properties is exceptionally high and could be fundamental in governing biodiversity and ecosystem function. In arid landscapes, the way the soil sheds, admits, stores, diverts and transmits water is crucially important. Namaquala...

packed gravel that overlies a thin (3–10 cm), fine-grained, gravel-poor, vesicular A (Av) soil horizon.1 Desert paveDesert pavements are prominent features in arid environments ments are prominent features in arid environments and and consist of a surface layer of closely packed gravel that overlies a thin, gravel-poor, vesicular A (Av) soil horizon. Well-developed Av can be found on a variety ...

Plant growth is limited in arid and/or contaminated sites due to the adverse conditions coming from heavy metal (HM) contamination and/or water stress. Moreover, soils from these areas are generally characterised by poor soil structure, low water-holding capacity, lack of organic matter and nutrient deficiency. In order to carry out a successful re-afforestation, it is necessary to improve soil...

The role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in adaptation of plants in extreme environments is not yet completely understood. For this study native bacteria were isolated from rhizospeheric arid soils and evaluated for both growth-promoting abilities and antagonistic potential against phytopathogenic fungi and nematodes. The phylogentic affiliation of these representative isolates w...

     Comparing the ability of ST and WRB systems to describe soils with clay-enriched horizons was the aim of the present research. In arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, two study sites were considered. Three pedons at each study site were selected, described and sampled. Soils were classified based on ST (2014) and WRB (2015) systems. The micro-morphological investigations were done to confir...