Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Renata Duffková Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Evaluation of management-dependent changes in the water regime of extensive grasslands Abstract: The origin of the differences in the water regime components of 0-0.6 m soil profile was identified in extensively managed permanent grasslands (PG, variants: once cut - 1C, twice cut - 2C, nocut - NC, mulched June - MVI, mulched July - MVII) using the method of the soil water balance (drainage lysimeters). The differences in the water regime of the experimental variants manifested themselves depending on adequate soil water storage in the period when the amounts of transpiring biomass in individual variants differed markedly: (i) at the beginning of the vegetation period, when the surface litter in the NC and 1C variants reduced the actual evapotranspiration (ETA), (ii) at the time of mowing and mulching (M), when these treatments (mainly M) increased the soil water supply by ca 10-20 mm per month and decreased the ETA values by 1-2.5 mm per day for about 2-4 weeks as compared to non-mown variants on the given date, and (iii) as a result of the presence of different agrobotanical groups with distinct transpiration intensity (leguminous plants with a higher transpiration intensity in the 2C variant compared to grasses). The post-M reduction in evaporation was compensated by a higher total transpiration resulting from an increase in the aboveground phytomass. The lowest water consumption with the highest supply to the groundwater resources was recorded in the NC and 1C variants. The 2C variant containing leguminous plants with high water requirements had the highest consumption of water for evaporation and the lowest amount of water runoff from the soil profile. The identification of the water regime differences in individual variants helped determine the appropriate PG management with the aim to increase the underground water levels in the protection zones of water resources. The 1C variant of management is recommended mainly in the source areas of groundwater with lower productivity soils. In the accumulation areas of water resources (floodplain areas) with a deep soil profile and highly productive grassland, the 2C variant is required; mulching, which would largely support the yielding capacity of grassland, should be avoided. Mulching may occasionally be used as a relatively suitable method for the sites with a low yielding capacity in the source area. Keywords: grasslands, extensive management, mulching, water regime, actual evapotranspiration, protection of water resources, lysimeters Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 1-11 Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2094-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2094-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-200801-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:3:y:2008:i:1:id:2094-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gabriela Mühlbachová Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague-Ruzyně, Czech Republic Title: Potential of the soil microbial biomass C to tolerate and degrade persistent organic pollutants Abstract: A 12-day incubation experiment with the addition of glucose to soils contaminated with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was carried out in order to estimate the potential microbial activities and the potential of the soil microbial biomass C to degrade 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The microbial activities were affected in different ways depending on the type of pollutant. The soil organic matter also played an important role. The microbial activities were affected particularly by high concentrations of PAHs in the soils. Soil microorganisms in the PAHs contaminated soil used the added glucose to a lesser extent than in the non-contaminated soil, which in the contaminated soil resulted in a higher microbial biomass content during the first day of incubation. DDT, DDD and DDE, and PCB affected the soil microbial activities differently and, in comparison with control soils, decreased the microbial biomass C during the incubation. The increased microbial activities led to a significant decrease of PAH up to 44.6% in the soil long-term contaminated with PAHs, and up to 14% in the control soil after 12 days of incubation. No decrease of PAHs concentrations was observed in the soil which was previously amended with sewage sludges containing PAHs and had more organic matter from the sewage sludges. DDT and its derivates DDD and DDE decreased by about 10%, whereas the PCB contents were not affected at all by microbial activities. Studies on the microbial degradation of POPs could be useful for the development of methods focused on the remediation of the contaminated sites. An increase of soil microbial activities caused by addition of organic substrates can contribute to the degradation of pollutants in some soils. However, in situ biodegradation may be limited because of a complex set of environmental conditions, particularly of the soil organic matter. The degradability and availability of POPs for the soil microorganisms has to be estimated individually for each contaminated site. Keywords: soil, microbial biomass C, respiratory activity, metabolic quotient (qCO2), glucose, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), degradation Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 12-20 Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2096-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2096-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-200801-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:3:y:2008:i:1:id:2096-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joanna Cieslewicz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland Author-Name: Slawomir S. Gonet Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Author-Name: Wlodzimierz Marszelewski Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland Title: Differences in the properties of the bottom sediments in the system of Wdzydze Lakes (Northern Poland) Abstract: The influence was determined of the anthropo-pressure on the changes in the properties of the bottom sediments, with particular consideration given to the properties of humic acids formed in the sediments. The system of the Wdzydze Lakes consists of four separate basins, the northern basins being under the anthropo-pressure related to the impact of the local tourism. This study tested the bottom sediments of the Wdzydze Lake system, especially properties of humic acids extracted from the bottom sediments. The analysis of the properties of the bottom sediments showed small differences in the parameters determined. This proves the impact of local tourism on the ecosystem to be rather small so far. The results of this research suggest that a complex of positive environmental factors in a lake ecosystem can usefully outweigh the negative results of the anthropo-pressure. Keywords: humic acids, lake, bottom sediments Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 21-30 Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2095-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2095-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-200801-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:3:y:2008:i:1:id:2095-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Levent Basayigit Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey Author-Name: Suat Senol Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey Title: Comparison of soil maps with different scales and details belonging to the same area Abstract: Two different soil maps prepared by different institutes at scales of 1:200 000 and 1:25 000 covering identical areas were compared to determine the accuracy of reconnaissance. These soil maps are widely used in land resources assessment studies in Turkey. For this purpose, the soil maps were digitised and performed a data set. Then the map layers were compared by using GIS technology in order to assess the soil properties and land characteristics. The reconnaissance soil map at the scale of 1:200 000 has the highest accuracy for the slope due to the fact that topographic maps have been used as basic maps for the field studies. The accuracy of other properties in descending order is as follows; slope > depth > salinity > texture > drainage > top soil texture. In addition, physiographic and topographic patterns of soils also affect the accuracy of maps. The reconnaissance soil map was found to be less accurate in flood plains where the slope does not affect other soil properties. Keywords: detailed soil map, reconnaissance soil map, geographic information system Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 31-39 Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2097-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2097-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-200801-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:3:y:2008:i:1:id:2097-SWR