Although it is known that land cover affects soil water and thermal regimes, the influence of different land covers on soil water content and temperature in urban areas is rarely explored. Five soil surface treatments were selected in this study: bare soil, concrete paving, bark mulch, mown grass, and unmown grass. Soil water contents and temperatures were measured at five depths (5, 10, 25, 50, and 80 cm) over one year. The highest water contents were recorded under mulching. Under grass, water contents were lower and showed greater oscillations due to precipitation and evapotranspiration, while under mown grass, values were higher than under unmown grass. Similarly, near-surface bare soil water contents also fluctuated. The water content under the concrete remained almost constant. While the soil under concrete paving, bare surfaces and even mown grass warmed up considerably during the day because of the absorption of solar radiation and cooled down at night due to the emission of stored heat, the soil under bark mulch and unmown grass cover showed smaller temperature fluctuations, mainly due to the low thermal conductivity of the surface layer and surface shading. The effects revealed throughout the entire soil profiles decreased with depth.
Pesticides and their transformation products are increasingly detected in agricultural soils and surface waters, raising concerns about their persistence, mobility, and ecological impacts. Irrigation with river water contaminated by agricultural runoff represents a significant but understudied pathway contributing to soil pollution. In this study, we investigated pesticide occurrence across soils, irrigation water, and groundwater in three intensively cultivated river basins. Soil samples from vegetable-producing fields exhibited complex contamination profiles, with 12-40 co-occurring compounds and total residues frequently exceeding levels reported for European arable soils. Several pesticides, including pendimethalin, mandipropamid, and azoxystrobin, were found at notably high concentrations, with some soils surpassing 5 000 & micro;g/kg. Comparison of detection frequencies across matrices revealed diverse transport and retention behaviour: while certain legacy compounds (e.g., atrazine metabolites) were ubiquitous in both surface and groundwater, others showed strong soil accumulation with limited mobility. Irrigation water was identified as a non-negligible contamination source, particularly for persistent and mobile substances, although direct field applications remained the dominant contributor to peak soil concentrations. By integrating targeted and non-target screening, this study provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of pesticide burdens in riverirrigated agricultural soils and highlights the need for improved monitoring strategies in systems where soil and water pollution are tightly interconnected.
Wildfires can greatly impact the hydraulic properties of soil. This study aims to utilise laboratory experiments to simulate burned soil conditions under a range of slope angles and rainfall intensities to address the research question: How does the presence of ash after the first rainfall event impact the hydraulic properties of burned soil in complex terrain? Sandy loam soils for this study were sourced from a mixed conifer forested area in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, USA. Measurements of soil hydraulic properties in experimental microplots were taken (1) before burning, (2) after burning, and (3) 24 hours after a rainfall simulation. A total of 15 experimental microplots with ash applied were run through rainfall simulations at slope angles ranging from 10 degrees to 30 degrees. Results found ash eroded had no significant relation to slope angle, but there was a significant reduction in field saturated hydraulic conductivity of samples with ash after rainfall simulations. To build on the findings presented here, future research should conduct field-based studies across various ecosystems and soil types to observe post-fire soil changes over time.
Machine learning makes geochemical mapping highly adaptable, as its data-driven nature allows predictions to evolve with new information. In this study, topsoil nickel (Ni) data were compiled from various sources, each with different sampling times and analytical methods. To effectively use such imbalanced data into spatial modelling, it was necessary to test how the data uncertainty propagated through the final maps. A comprehensive benchmark of the quantile random forest algorithm was conducted to identify conditions under which the model performs optimally. Predictive maps of topsoil Ni at a 20-metre resolution were subsequently generated and compared using a multi-faceted evaluation strategy. This approach assessed how model adjustments-particularly those addressing the uncertainty introduced by the regression-based conversion of legacy measurements-affected the performance. Extensive benchmarking revealed that while out-of-sample validation showed only modest improvements (e.g., root mean square error (RMSE) reduced from 12.6 to 11.2 mg/kg) when modifying training data, covariates, or algorithm parameters, the resulting prediction grids differed substantially. The analysis also demonstrated that output variability across model scenarios occurred at different spatial scales: weighting approaches had localised effects, whereas high variability in the input data propagated more broadly across the region.
Wind erosion represents a locally significant soil degradation process in the Czech Republic, particularly in intensively farmed lowland regions. While areas susceptible to wind erosion have been previously identified, spatially explicit quantification of potential soil loss expressed in t/ha per year at the national scale has so far been lacking. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of potential wind-driven soil loss across the Czech Republic using the Wind Erosion Equation (WEQ). Special attention is given to the soil erodibility index (I), which was derived from extensive laboratory analyses of soil aggregates and evaluated using multiple statistical representations (Q25, median, mean, Q75, and Q90). The resulting variants were used to quantify the sensitivity of modelled soil loss to erodibility assumptions and to compare exceedance of national (9 t/ha per year) and European (2 t/ha per year) reference limits. Results show substantial spatial variability in index I and associated soil loss estimates. Using the recommended median-based variant, approximately 10% of agricultural land exceeds the European reference limit, while only 0.8% exceeds the national threshold. Higher quantile scenarios (Q75 and Q90) identify erosion hotspots in dry lowland regions and are suitable for preventive planning. The presented outputs provide the first spatially consistent national framework for assessing potential wind erosion losses in the Czech Republic.
Reliable indicators of early soil biological change remain limited in tropical agroecosystems, where soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks may respond more slowly than microbial processes. We evaluated whether seasonal vegetation dynamics derived from Sentinel-2 fractional vegetation cover (FVC) are associated with spatial variation in SOC stock and microbial indicators in Jembrana, Bali, Indonesia. We mapped seasonal FVC from 2019 to 2024 and derived site-level metrics of mean cover and temporal variability (standard deviation, anomaly, coefficient of variation, and a temporal stability index). In July 2023, we sampled topsoil (0-30 cm) at 12 sites representing contrasting land uses and topographic settings. We calculated SOC stock from organic carbon concentration, bulk density, and sampling depth, and measured basal respiration and culturable microbial density (colony-forming units, CFU). Vegetation cover peaked consistently during the wet season (December to February), and mean site FVC ranged from 0.31 to 0.99. Mean FVC showed positive but non-significant associations with culturable microbial density (Spearman's p = 0.48, P = 0.114) and basal respiration (p = 0.29, P = 0.361), whereas higher vegetation variability metrics tended to coincide with lower culturable microbial density (p =-0.43 to-0.51, P = 0.090 to 0.163). SOC stock showed near-zero coefficients and no statistical evidence of association with vegetation metrics (p = 0.09, P = 0.781) or microbial indicators (p = 0.01, P = 0.975). Principal component analysis of FVC traits explained 99.65% of the variance and separated sites along a gradient from stable, high cover to more variable, lower cover. Overall, FVC stability metrics captured spatial differences that were directionally consistent with microbial indicators, but associations were not statistically significant in this dataset (n = 12). Larger, replicated studies with repeated soil sampling are required to evaluate whether seasonal FVC metrics have robust predictive utility for SOC stock and soil biological indicators.
This study was conducted to find out the seasonal evapotranspiration (ETc) and crop coefficient (Kc) for walnut trees (ages one to nine) that were grown with drip irrigation in Tiirkiye's semi-arid climate. Three different irrigation levels were applied at five-day intervals based on cumulative Class A pan evaporation using irrigation treatment coefficients (Kt = 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25) during the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 growing seasons. The amount of irrigation water applied to the treatments varied from year to year according to the measured Class A pan evaporation amounts. The total amount of irrigation water applied to the treatment subjects varied between 371.7 mm and 619.6 mm as an average of eight years. Total ETc of walnut trees varied over the years depending on the applied irrigation water and measured rainfall. The total evapotranspiration estimated from the I2 treatment, representing the irrigation regime in which 100% of Class A pan evaporation was applied, fluctuated between 676.5 and 585.9 mm over the study years. The daily reference evapotranspiration (ET0) values are calculated as between 1.85 and 7.07 mm/day. The Kc values for walnut trees were calculated as 0.55 for April, 0.71 for May, 1.02 for June, 1.07 for July, 1.01 for August, and 0.74 for September on average. The research revealed that seasonal evapotranspiration and plant coefficient values can assist in calculating the water requirements of walnut trees and improve water management in semi-arid regions.
In order to remove soil tetracycline residue and identify the effect of tetracycline on soil nematode community, agricultural waste returning was applied in a maize monocropping field, northeast China. The results showed that plant parasites were the dominant genera in high concentration of soil tetracycline; however, bacterivores were the dominant genera in all organic matter amendments. Maturity index, structure index and enrichment index showed the highest values in biochar and compost mixed amendments and these treatments had the highest tetracycline removal rate and the highest concentration of macro-aggregates, total organic C and available N, followed by biochar seperate amendments. Overall, biochar and compost mixed amendments efficiently reduced the risk of soil tetracycline pollution below the threshold, with the characteristics of cheap, improving soil fertility and above all, environmentally friendly.
Sorption of organic contaminants in soils and sediments is a crucial factor affecting their mobility in the vadose zone environment. Freundlich sorption isotherms were evaluated for six micropollutants identified in areas irrigated with river-water and sixteen soils. The highest Freundlich sorption coefficients, KF, were obtained for 1,3-diphenyl-guanidine (11.6 +/- 5.0 cm3/nlig1-1/n/g) followed by triethyl citrate (4.57 +/- 4.91), 4-acetamidoantipyrine (1.43 +/- 0.24), 6 : 2 fluorinated telomer sulfonate (1.18 +/- 0.42), benzo(d)thiazole-2-sulfonic acid (1.12 +/- 0.33), and naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid (0.28 +/- 0.17). The KF values for the individual compounds were correlated with soil properties. Multiple linear regressions were used to derive equations for predicting the KF values using the soil properties. Sorption of cationic molecules was positively affected by cation exchange capacity or clay content, indicating strong sorption of cations on negatively charged sorption sites. Sorption of anionic molecules was positively correlated with organic carbon content and wettability index, suggesting hydrophobic interactions with soil organic matter. Anion sorption was also positively influenced by magnetic susceptibility, which could indicate sorption of anions on the positively charged sorption sites. Sorption of acids was in some cases also positively affected by cation exchange capacity, which could imply their sorption via cation bridges.
Alpine meadows, one of the most widespread and important vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, are facing severe degradation. This study examines how degradation affects soil medium and trace elements in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, along with their relationships with plant traits and soil properties. Results indicate that alpine meadow degradation significantly reduces vegetation coverage, height, biomass, soil water content (SWC), and the levels of soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), while increasing soil bulk density (BD), pH, and potassium (K) content. Soil Ca, Zn, and Mo decrease with degradation, whereas Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Co increase, with Ca, Fe, and Mn showing the strongest changes. Correlation and redundancy analyses indicate that aboveground biomass, SWC, SOC, N, and P positively correlate with Ca, Mo, and Zn, while pH, BD, and K associate with Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, and Cu. Therefore, alpine meadow degradation significantly influences the distribution of certain soil physicochemical properties and medium and trace elements in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Meanwhile, these medium and trace elements are also affected by specific soil physicochemical properties. Future grassland restoration should consider not only macronutrients and basic soil properties but also key elements like Ca, Fe, and Mn. This study provides foundational data for the ecological restoration of degraded alpine meadows.
In this study, we present a detailed geochemical characterisation and stable isotope systematics of silver (Ag) in a mining waste facility at the Namib Lead & Zinc mine in Namibia (Africa). We examined a series of flotation tailings and ore minerals to address two principal questions: (1) the distribution, chemical form and leachability of Ag, and (2) the local Ag isotopic signature(s) and its variability in relation to Ag speciation in the solid phase, as well as the fate of stable Ag isotopes. Our findings reveal a significant correlation between Ag and Pb concentrations, indicating that galena is the primary Ag carrier. Most importantly, all mild extractions mobilised only a minimal amount of Ag (<_ 1 wt.% of the total amount). This suggests that most Ag is associated with geochemically stable phases, specifically sulphides, which are not subjected to leaching and/or intensive weathering. Unlike other isotope studies, the present research demonstrates a homogeneous Ag isotopic signal in the tailings and individual ore samples with an average S109Ag value of-0%o (+/- 0.1, 2SD). Therefore, this study provides new knowledge and clearly supports the use of Ag isotopic data to track primary Ag sources globally, not only in Africa.
This study reports layered double hydroxides (LDHs) modified wheat straw biochar (W-B), denoted as (LDH/W-B), as an efficient adsorbent material for removal of lead (Pb2+) ions from aqueous solution. This study also juxtaposes the adsorptive performance of LDH/W-B with W-B for Pb2+ removal. W-B was prepared via pyrolysis of wheat straw in a muffle furnace, using a controlled heating rate of 5 degrees C per min to reach 600 degrees C over a duration of three hours. Subsequently, LDH/W-B was synthesised using the co-precipitation method. Both resulting adsorbents were characterised for surface morphology and functional groups by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The influence of key adsorption parameters on the adsorption efficiency of W-B and LDH/W-B was systematically evaluated. At 60 min, the maximum Pb2+ removal efficiency was observed to be 78.21% for W-B and 92.4% for LDH/W-B. An increase in adsorbent dosage from 0.05 to 0.7 g and at a contact time of 1 h further enhanced Pb2+ removal, achieving efficiencies of 97% for W-B and 99% for LDH/W-B. The optimal conditions for maximum Pb2+ removal were determined to be 0.3 g of adsorbent (W-B and LDH/W-B), an initial heavy metal concentration of 10 mg/L, and a contact time of 1 h. Pb2+ removal data of W-B and LDH/W-B best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model, which confirmed the dominance of chemisorption of Pb2+ ions. Additionally, the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity for Pb2+ is close to the experimentally obtained values, suggesting that the adsorption of Pb2+ primarily occurs through monolayer formation on the surface of both adsorbents. Overall, this study demonstrates that LDH/W-B is a highly promising adsorbent for Pb2+ removal in wastewater treatment applications.
This study systematically investigated the synergistic improvement of expansive soil using organic fertiliser (OF), slow-release fertiliser (SRF), and rice straw (RS) through Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Key findings include: the quadratic models demonstrated high statistical significance (root density: R-2 = 0.765, F = 25.84; shear strength: R-2 = 0.885, F = 18.65; swelling rate: R-2 = 0.20, F = 15.23; all P < 0.001) with low prediction errors (root content: +/- 0.08 mg/cm3; shear strength: +/- 0.58 kPa; swelling rate: +/- 0.38%); The combination of 12.30% OF + 0.7 kg/m3 SRF + 0.4% RS achieved 58% improvement in shear strength, 32% improvement in root content, 42.7% reduction in swelling rate; OF exhibited negative linear effects on root density (beta = - 0.18, P = 0.002) with >10% dosage reducing root growth by 9.0%; SRF showed positive linear impacts on shear strength (beta = +0.25, P = 0.001) and root density (beta = + 0.12, P = 0.023); RS enhanced shear strength below 0.5% (beta = + 0.08, P = 0.042) but impaired root density due to pore clogging (beta = - 0.15, P = 0.008). The optimised formulation, validated by triplicate centre-point tests (coefficient of variation <= 2.1%), is recommended for slope stabilisation while limiting OF to <= 10% to prevent performance degradation. This data-driven approach provides actionable insights for balancing agricultural waste utilisation and geotechnical performance in expansive soil improvement.
Rainfall is a major contributor to water erosion of sloping cropland in Northeast China. Identifying how rainfall and slope gradient (S) influence runoff depth (RD) and sediment yield (SY) is crucial for preventing water erosion. Field measurements from runoff plots were collected from 2023 to 2024, and K-means clustering was applied to clarify the rainfall patterns. Response of RD and SY to the rainfall pattern and S were analysed. Key factors impacting RD and SY were explored. The results showed that three rainfall patterns were identified for 34 erosive rainfall events: A (41.2%, medium duration, medium rainfall intensity, and medium rainfall amount (RA)). B (50.0%, short duration, high rainfall intensity, and low RA) and C (5.4%, long duration, low rainfall intensity, high RA). Furthermore, the cumulative RD and SY increased with S for the same rainfall pattern. The cumulative RD and SY responded similarly to rainfall patterns for the same S. The contribution of the rainfall pattern to the cumulative RD and SY decreased in the order of C, A, and B. In addition, rainfall duration (D) and maximum 30-minute rainfall intensity were the key factors affecting RD and SY for rainfall pattern A, respectively. Rainfall erosivity (R) was the key factor affecting RD and SY for rainfall pattern B and C. R and RD were the dominant factors influencing the RD and SY for all rainfall events, respectively.
This research focuses on the effects of large-scale clearcuts resulting from salvage logging after spruce (Picea abies) forest dieback caused by an extreme bark beetle infestation, and on the effect of logging residues management (chopping vs. clearing) on the distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil. Pseudo-total contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in soil samples collected separately from the organic (F+H) and mineral (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm depths) soil layers. The distribution of elements was influenced mainly by sampling locality and position in the soil profile. In general, the contents of Cd, Ni and Cr were higher in the mineral layers, whereas Pb was more concentrated in the FH layer. A significant effect of logging residues management on the distribution of PTEs was observed only for Pb and Zn. We expect that the relative decrease of Pb and increase of Zn contents in the "chopped" treatment was mostly due to the higher input of mineral soil and wood residues to the FH layer. Since the stand was harvested relatively recently, the effects of soil preparation have probably outweighed those of spreading or removing logging residues.
In this study, the evaluation of soil quality was realised using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and the obtained values were integrated with Evaluated Soil Ecological Units (BPEJs). Different maps of the Czech Republic were elaborated with BPEJs classified into five soil protection classes based on the obtained model values (with or without the values for production potential), the ratio of 80% (production potential values) to 20% (model values) or 60% (production potential values) to 40% (model values) and 40% (production potential values) to 60% (model values). The evaluation of BPEJs based on the mentioned criteria showed differences in their classification into individual soil protection classes and possibilities of their use or withdrawal from the agricultural land fund. Compared with the existing categorization of BPEJs into soil protection classes (according to Decree No. 48/2011 Coll.), the use of presented model (plus production potential) values, the ratio of 80 : 20%, 60 : 40% or 40 : 60% (production potential: model) caused the numbers of BPEJs increased in those soil protection classes where the withdrawal of soils from the agricultural land fund is possible only exceptionally or it is possible to use the soils for building purposes only under certain conditions.
Measuring the reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is difficult and costly. Some regions can have variable microclimates and these can often be quite far from climate stations. Therefore, it is optimal to use local measurements rather than a regionally calculated ET0. In this respect, one piece of equipment that provides cheap and reliable measurement results is ETGauge equipment. In this study, ET0 values measured with ETGauge equipment were compared with daily and monthly ET0 values calculated by five different commonly used empirical methods (ThornthwaiteAdj, Blaney-Criddle, Penman-Monteith = PM, Jensen-Haise and ASCE standardised Penman-Monteith = ASCE SZ PM). During the measurement period, daily ET0 values measured with ETGauge varied between 0-10 mm/day and the average was determined as 4.5 +/- 2.7 mm/day in the study area. In the calculations made with the empirical models, the change in ThornthwaiteAdj is 1.3-6.6 mm/day with an average of 3.8 +/- 1.6 mm/day, the change in Blaney-Criddle is 1.8-7.2 mm per day with an average of 5.1 +/- 1.4, the change in PM is 1.2-10.5 mm/day with an average of 5.8 +/- 2.7 mm/day, the change in Jensen-Haise was 5.8 +/- 2.7 mm/day with an average of 5.5 +/- 2.7 mm/day, and the change in ASCE SZ PM was calculated as 1.0-10.1 mm/day with an average of 5.4 +/- 2.5 mm/day. Considering the obtained results, the ETGauge equipment can be used safely in creating irrigation programmes.
Strip tillage is a very popular form of conservation tillage that is used in places with a higher risk of soil erosion. It is commonly accepted that strip tillage reduces the effects of water erosion; however, the exact way this effect is produced is very hard to quantify. This study focuses on the way strip tillage influences soil moisture and the way it changes with different intensities of rainfall, in comparison with conventional tillage. This study was conducted near Petrovice, Stiedocesk & yacute; kraj, Czechia, over the course of four years (2021-2024). The conditions of all four test sites were comparable, both in terms of slope and soil type present. The soil moisture of strip tillage in a depth of 15 cm was changing differently in comparison with conventional tillage. During lower intensity rainfall events, the soil moisture of the strip tilled plot changed significantly less in comparison with conventional tillage. On the contrary, when more intense precipitation occurred, the soil moisture in the strip-tilled plot responded with significantly higher changes in comparison with conventional tillage. Soil drying after precipitation was also studied, with the speed of drying of strip tillage being higher than that of conventional tillage. These findings help better understand the changes strip tillage introduces into the soil and to the crops it is used with.
