Soil organic matter (SOM) provides many beneficial soil ecosystem services for sustainable soil management, but it is unclear how results from different methods of measuring SOM should be compared when making soil management decisions. To compare different methods, we used 84 soil samples from long-term agronomic trials in the coastal plain, piedmont, and mountain regions of North Carolina. Coastal plain and mountain trials included combinations of tillage and management (conventional vs. organic), whereas piedmont trials were configured to evaluate tillage intensity. The methods used to measure SOM were Walkley-Black (WB), mass loss on ignition (LOI), automated dry combustion (ADC), and humic matter (HM) colorimetry. Correlations among LOI, WB, and ADC were significant (p < 0.0001) for SOM measured from the total population of soils, but variability due to location implied that HM had no correlation to other methods. For measures of soil organic carbon compared to SOM, the WB results were biased high compared to ADC, and ADC was more strongly correlated to LOI than WB. When using the methods to evaluate the effects of agronomic management on SOM, results varied for different methods and locations. Conservation management did not consistently accumulate more SOM than other soil management practices, and no method consistently differentiated soils based on management. Variation in the composition of SOM measured using conventional methods may be causing discrepancies in reported changes in SOM content over time. To avoid confusion about how agronomic management affects SOM, assessments should limit comparisons to methodologies with similar measurement protocols.

The goal of this study is to determine how much ammonia/nitrogen is being deposited to the Maryland Eastern Shore land and the Chesapeake Bay from poultry operations on Maryland's Eastern Shore. We simulated the fate of ammonia/nitrogen emitted (using emission factors from the U.S. EPA in conjunction with Carnegie-Mellon University) from 603 poultry facilities using the air quality model, AERMOD. The model domain was approximately 134 km by 230 km (and covers the full land area of Maryland's Eastern Shore), with a horizontal resolution of 2 km by 2 km. Ammonia concentration observations were made at 23 sites across Maryland's Eastern Shore during two periods (September and October 2017) in order to calibrate the model. An ammonia deposition velocity of 2.4 cm/sec was selected based on the sensitivity analysis of results for the simulation of a large poultry facility, and this value fell within the range of measurements reported in the scientific literature downwind of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The ammonia deposition velocity of 2.4 cm/s leads to an estimated total annual ammonia deposition of 11,100 Megagrams/year (10,600 Mg/yr deposition to land, and 508 Mg/yr deposition to water (1 Mg = 1,000,000 g = 1.1023 US Tons)). In addition, model simulations indicate that similar to 72.4% of ammonia emissions from poultry animal feeding operations would be deposited within the modeling domain. However, this deposited ammonia/nitrogen may be transported through waterways from the land mass and ground water to the Chesapeake Bay. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the assumed ammonia deposition velocity (ranging from 0.15 to 3.0 cm/s) on estimated ammonia annual deposition is provided. Using the lower limit of an ammonia deposition velocity of 0.15 cm/s gives much smaller estimated total annual ammonia deposition of 2,040 Mg/yr (1,880 Mg/yr deposition to land and 163 Mg/yr deposition to water). (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Minerals are found in almost all soils, and the precipitation and dissolution reactions of minerals are an integral component of the biogeochemical cycles in soils. A mineral is considered a naturally occurring substance, inorganic in composition, with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement. Minerals in soils are divided into two broad categories: primary and secondary minerals.

RATIONALE:Stable isotope (δ(13) C, δ(15) N, δ(34) S values) analysis has become increasingly important for tracing contaminant sources in environments. Pretreatment of environmental samples allows accurate analysis of stable isotope ratios. The pretreatment of a sample and its subsequent preservation could either contaminate or create experimental artifacts affecting the validity of the resulting C/N ratios and the elemental isotopic contents of a sample.METHODS:The effects of acid pretreatment (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 13 M HCl) and exposure period (2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h) on the stable isotopic ratios of marine sediment (MS), river sediment (RS) and terrestrial soil (TS) samples were evaluated. The effects of storage temperatures (-80, -20 and 2°C), storage duration (1 week, 1 to 12 months) and washing steps (1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 12 times) on the stable isotopic ratios were also considered. The %C, %N and %S, as well as the δ(13) C, δ(15) N, and δ(34) S values, of each sample were measured using continuous flow Elemental Analyzer/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA/IRMS).RESULTS:The HCl treatment was applicable for δ(13) C analysis. However, the acid concentration and duration of exposure that brought about total removal of carbonate for the three sample types varied; e.g. the TS sample required stronger acid and a shorter exposure time. Storage time also had an effect: the δ(13) C values were lower and the δ(15) N and δ(34) S values higher after storage for 300 days.CONCLUSIONS:HCl pretreatment effectively eliminates carbonates and thereby helps δ(13) C analysis of the organic fraction. HCl pretreatment is not recommended for δ(15) N and δ(34) S analysis. Freeze-drying of samples is recommended rather than oven drying. A temperature-dependent change in the isotopic ratios of long-term stored samples was observed during this study; therefore, relatively short-term storage (-80°C) of freeze-dried samples is preferable. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lawn management practices that produce aesthetically appealing landscapes may also create environmental conditions that stimulate soil nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the effects of lawn management practices on N2O fluxes from three non-replicated distinctly different residential landscapes: a high maintenance fescue (Festuca arundinacea) lawn (HMFL), a low maintenance fescue lawn (LMFL), and a mixed hardwood forested residential landscape (FRL) located in Cary, North Carolina. The specific objectives are (1) to measure the N2O fluxes from three residential landscapes within a fixed 24-h period following natural rainfall events; and (2) to determine the effect of lawn maintenance, season, water filled pore space (WFPS%), temperature, and days after fertilization on N2O flux. The mean N2O fluxes for HMFL (14.3 ± 2.28 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1), LMFL (3.14 ± 0.68 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1) and FRL (0.43 ± 0.08 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1) indicate that residential lawns receiving the recommended amount of fertilizer and frequent irrigation exhibit higher N2O fluxes than non-irrigated fertilized lawns or forested landscapes. Patterns of N2O fluxes from the HMFL and LMFL were associated with timing of fertilizer applications, presence or absence of irrigation, and seasonal fescue growth patterns. For the FRL, lower N inputs and the presence of a decomposing litter layer potentially limited N2O production. Our findings suggest that lawn management practices (i.e., fertilizer applications and irrigation) can create differences in the N2O flux following natural rainfall events.

The changes in employment opportunities and the shift away from the traditional agricultural production roots have placed new demands on soil chemistry educators. People must structure their curricula so that their graduate students have the maximal opportunity for employment in jobs that will use the skills they have helped them develop. New developments in computer-based computational and communications technology have the potential to help soil chemists make changes in their teaching to meet these changing demands. The first part of this chapter is concerned with changing employment options awaiting the graduates and the changes needed in the curricula to ensure that M.S, and Ph.D. graduates qualify for these positions. Because more data are available concerning employment of Ph.D.s the first part of the chapter primarily focuses on Ph.D. curricula. The second part focuses on new developments in soil chemistry instruction that can be employed to better prepare the students for competing in today's job market.

Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) exposure is ubiquitous and has been associated with higher risk of growth restriction and cardiometabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, cost-efficient strategies to identify at-risk populations and potential sources of exposure to inform mitigation efforts are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the spatial distribution and identify factors associated with Cd, Pb, Hg, and As concentrations in peripheral blood of pregnant women.

A semi-empirical bi-directional flux modeling approach is used to estimate NH3 air concentrations and dry deposition fluxes to a portion of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (PLNWR) downwind of a large poultry facility. Meteorological patterns at PLNWR are such that some portion of the refuge is downwind of the poultry facility 52%, 66%, 57%, and 50% of time during winter, spring, summer, and fall, respectively. Air concentrations and dry deposition rates are highest in the northeasterly direction from the facility, consistent with prevailing wind patterns. Dry deposition rates along the axis of highest concentrations are 10.1 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) at the refuge boundary closest to the facility, decreasing to 5.4 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) 1.5 km further downwind and continuing to decrease non-linearly to a deposition rate of 1.4 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) 8-10 km downwind. Approximately 10% of the refuge model domain receives >= 3.0 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) as dry NH3 deposition. Depending on the definition of the background air concentration, annual nitrogen loading to the refuge from background NH3 dry deposition and NH3 dry deposition associated with elevated concentrations downwind of the facility is between 41% and 79% higher than background dry NH3 deposition alone. Relative to the total N deposition budget for the refuge, which includes all nitrogen compounds, total background N deposition plus NH3 dry deposition associated with elevated concentrations downwind of the facility is, correspondingly, 6-10% greater than background total N deposition alone. From a process standpoint, predicted fluxes are most sensitive to uncertainty in the parameterization of the cuticular resistance. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Recent incorporation of coupled soil biogeochemical and bi-directional NH 3 air–surface exchange algorithms into regional air quality models holds promise for further reducing uncertainty in estimates of NH 3 emissions from fertilized soils. While this represents a significant advancement over previous approaches, the evaluation and improvement of such modeling systems for fertilized crops requires process-level field measurements over extended periods of time that capture the range of soil, vegetation, and atmospheric conditions that drive short-term (i.e., post-fertilization) and total growing season NH 3 fluxes. This study examines the processes of NH 3 air–surface exchange in a fertilized corn ( Zea mays ) canopy over the majority of a growing season to characterize soil emissions after fertilization and investigate soil–canopy interactions. Micrometeorological flux measurements above the canopy, measurements of soil, leaf apoplast and dew/guttation chemistry, and a combination of in-canopy measurements, inverse source/sink, and resistance modeling were employed. Over a period of approximately 10 weeks following fertilization, daily mean and median net canopy-scale fluxes yielded cumulative total N losses of 8.4% and 6.1%, respectively, of the 134 kg N ha −1 surface applied to the soil as urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). During the first month after fertilization, daily mean emission fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature and soil volumetric water. Diurnally, maximum hourly average fluxes of ≈ 700 ng N m −2 s −1 occurred near mid-day, coincident with the daily maximum in friction velocity. Net emission was still observed 5 to 10 weeks after fertilization, although mid-day peak fluxes had declined to ≈ 125 ng N m −2 s −1 . A key finding of the surface chemistry measurements was the observation of high pH (7.0–8.5) in leaf dew/guttation, which reduced the ability of the canopy to recapture soil emissions during wet periods. In-canopy measurements near peak leaf area index (LAI) indicated that the concentration of NH 3 just above the soil surface was highly positively correlated with soil volumetric water, which likely reflects the influence of soil moisture on resistance to gaseous diffusion through the soil profile and hydrolysis of remaining urea. Inverse source/sink and resistance modeling indicated that the canopy recaptured ≈ 76% of soil emissions near peak LAI. Stomatal uptake may account for 12–34% of total uptake by foliage during the day compared to 66–88% deposited to the cuticle. Future process-level NH 3 studies in fertilized cropping systems should focus on the temporal dynamics of net emission to the atmosphere from fertilization to peak LAI and improvement of soil and cuticular resistance parameterizations.

Thin-layer models are commonly used to estimate NH3 emissions from liquid waste. However, such models differ in their ability to accurately reproduce observed emissions, which may be partly due to an incomplete mechanistic understanding of NH3 volatilization. In this study, NH3 release from pure solutions of (NH4)(2)SO4 (AS), swine pit liquid (PL), swine lagoon liquid (LL), dairy lagoon liquid (DLL), and dairy manure liquid (DML) were evaluated under controlled conditions (pH 7.6 and temperature 20 degrees C). Relationships between the NH3 release and pH, temperature, and total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) were established. Under similar TAN conditions, the NH3 release was higher for PL, LL, DLL, and DML than for AS. Pure solutions of AS that were spiked with NaHCO3 showed NH3 emissions rates that were comparable to DML, DLL, LL and PL The enhanced NH3 emissions of PL, LL, DLL and DML were therefore explained by linkages between TAN and HCO3-. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spence, Porchè L., Deanna L. Osmond, Wesley Childres, Joshua L. Heitman, and Wayne P. Robarge, 2012. Effects of Lawn Maintenance on Nutrient Losses Via Overland Flow During Natural Rainfall Events. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(5): 909‐924. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00658.xAbstract: A sampling system was used to evaluate the effect of residential lawn management on nutrient losses via overland flow generated during natural rainfall events from three residential landscapes: a high maintenance fescue lawn (HMFL), a low maintenance fescue lawn (LMFL), and a mixed forested residential landscape (FRL). A sampling system was located in designated areas within each landscape such that 100% of the runoff follows natural flow paths to the outlet ports and collects in sterile Nalgene® B3 media bags (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Rochester, NY). A rainfall event was defined as producing ≥2.54 mm of water. A total of 87 rainfall events occurred during a 20‐month monitoring period. The total runoff volume collected from the LMFL was higher than from the HMFL and FRL, but on average <1% of the total rainfall was collected from the three landscapes. Mean nitrate concentrations from each lawn did not exceed 0.6 mg N/l. Nutrient unit area losses from the HMFL, LMFL, and FRL were 1,000 times less than fertilizer and throughfall inputs, which were due to the presence of well‐structured soils (low bulk densities) with high infiltration rates. This study demonstrated that the frequency of runoff, total runoff volumes, and nutrient losses during natural rainfall events are lower from highly maintained (i.e., irrigation, fertilizer application, and reseeding) densely uniform manicured lawns than low maintenance lawns and forested residential landscapes.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are regulated aerial pollutants that have environmental and health concerns. Swine operations produce and emit a complex mixture of VOCs with a wide range of molecular weights and a variety of physicochemical properties. Significant progress has been made in this area since the first experiment on VOCs at a swine facility in the early 1960s. A total of 47 research institutions in 15 North American, European, and Asian countries contributed to an increasing number of scientific publications. Nearly half of the research papers were published by U.S. institutions. Investigated major VOC sources included air inside swine barns, in headspaces of manure storages and composts, in open atmosphere above swine wastewater, and surrounding swine farms. They also included liquid swine manure and wastewater, and dusts inside and outside swine barns. Most of the sample analyses have been focusing on identification of VOC compounds and their relationship with odors. More than 500 VOCs have been identified. About 60% and 10% of the studies contributed to the quantification of VOC concentrations and emissions, respectively. The largest numbers of VOC compounds with reported concentrations in a single experimental study were 82 in air, 36 in manure, and 34 in dust samples. The relatively abundant VOC compounds that were quantified in at least two independent studies included acetic acid, butanoic acid (butyric acid), dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfide, iso-valeric, p-cresol, propionic acid, skatole, trimethyl amine, and valeric acid in air. They included acetic acid, p-cresol, iso-butyric acid, butyric acid, indole, phenol, propionic acid, iso-valeric acid, and skatole in manure. In dust samples, they were acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, p-cresol, hexanal, and decanal. Swine facility VOCs were preferentially bound to smaller-size dusts. Identification and quantification of VOCs were restricted by using instruments based on gas Chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) with different detectors most of which require time-consuming procedures to obtain results. Various methodologies and technologies in sampling, sample preparation, and sample analysis have been used. Only four publications reported using GC based analyzers and PTR-MS (proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry) that allowed continuous VOC measurement. Because of this, the majority of experimental studies were only performed on limited numbers of air, manure, or dust samples. Many aerial VOCs had concentrations that were too low to be identified by the GC peaks. Although VOCs emitted from swine facilities have environmental concerns, only a few studies investigated VOC emission rates, which ranged from 3.0 to 176.5 mg d−1 kg−1 pig at swine finishing barns and from 2.3 to 45.2 g d−1 m−2 at manure storages. Similar to the other pollutants, spatial and temporal variations of aerial VOC concentrations and emissions existed and were significantly affected by manure management systems, barn structural designs, and ventilation rates. Scientific research in this area has been mainly driven by odor nuisance, instead of environment or health concerns. Compared with other aerial pollutants in animal agriculture, the current scientific knowledge about VOCs at swine facilities is still very limited and far from sufficient to develop reliable emission factors.

The need for ambient gaseous ammonia (NH(3)) measurements has increased in the last decade as reactive NH(3) concentrations and deposition fluxes show little change even with tightening standards on nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) emissions. Currently, there are several networks developing methods for adding NH(3) measurements in the U.S. Gaseous NH(3) measurements will provide scientists and policymakers data which can be used to estimate ecosystem inputs, validate air quality models including trends and regional variability, and evaluate changes to the environment based on additional emission reduction requirements and estimates of critical nitrogen load exceedances. The passive samplers described in this paper were deployed in duplicate or triplicate and collocated with annular denuders or continuous instruments to determine their accuracy. The samplers assessed included the Adapted Low-Cost Passive High Absorption (ALPHA), Radiello(®), and Ogawa passive samplers. The median relative percent differences (MRPD) between the reference method and passive samplers for the ALPHA, Radiello(®) and Ogawa were -2.4%, -37% and -44%, respectively. The precision between duplicate samplers for the ALPHA and Ogawa samplers, was 7% and 6%, respectively. Triplicate Radiello(®) precision was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV). The CV for the Radiello(®) samplers was 10%. This article discusses the statistical results from these studies.

Quantifying N transformation processes in soil aggregates is relevant since microbial communities central to the N cycle may differ among aggregate size fractions. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that variations in microbial community composition of aggregate size fractions influence N transformation rates of soil from three long‐term (22‐yr) tillage systems (no‐till, chisel plow, and moldboard plow). Aggregate size fractions (2–4, 0.5–1, and <0.25 mm) were obtained by dry sieving. Nitrogen transformation rates were estimated by analysis of 15N pool dilution data with the FLUAZ model, and microbial community composition by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. Aggregate size fraction and tillage system had significant (P < 0.01) effects on total and microbial biomass C and N, gross N mineralization rate (GNMR), gross nitrification rate (GNR), and gross N immobilization rate (GIR). No‐till soils and the 0.5‐ to 1.0‐mm aggregate size fraction had the highest N transformation rates. Net N mineralization rates were greater for no‐till than for tilled soils. Multiple response permutation analysis of PLFA data revealed that microbial community composition did not differ with aggregate size fraction. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that microbial community composition (nonmetric multidimensional scaling Axis 1) accounted for 89% of the variation in GIR, soil C and N concentrations accounted for 88% of the variation in GNMR, and microbial biomass C concentration accounted for 81% of the variation in GNR. These results indicate that greater N transformation rates in no‐till than tilled soil were due primarily to increased microbial biomass (i.e., microbial population size) rather than altered microbial community composition.