Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Ivana GALUŠKOVÁ
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Author-Name: Luboš BORŮVKA
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Author-Name: Ondřej DRÁBEK
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Title: Urban soil contamination by potentially risk elements
Abstract: A high displacement of inhabitants into large towns, presence of industry, and constantly growing traffic have a high impact on the environment and considerable exposure of human health to environmental risks. Therefore, putting emphasis on the best environmental quality is necessary. In this work, the pollution level of urban parks was studied, the influence of the type of pollution source was analysed, and the effect of shading by trees was studied. The analyses were carried out on soil samples taken from thirteen parks in two towns of the Czech Republic, in Prague, a town considered to be mainly residential, and Ostrava, a predominantly industrial town (steel working plant). The sampling points were selected to cover the whole towns equally. In each park, two sampling points were chosen, the first one under trees, the second one in the open area. The sampling was done in the summer of 2006 in the depths of 0-10 and 10-20 cm. In addition to basic soil analyses performed by routine methods, potentially risk elements (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, and As) in cold 2M HNO3 extract were determined. Differences between the sampling points shaded and not shaded by trees were evidenced, with higher concentrations of risk elements under trees. The element contents differed between both towns as well. Significantly higher values of lead (mean 86 mg/kg) and copper (mean 28 mg/kg) were found in Prague, as a traffic consequence, compared to Ostrava, where lead reached the mean of 41 mg/kg and copper of 18 mg/kg. Maximum permissible limits were exceeded in Ostrava parks especially with Cd, in Prague with Pb.
Keywords: contamination, risk elements, soil, urban park
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 55-60
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/55/2010-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/55/2010-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:55-2010-SWR

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Mahmoud Atef Sayed
Author-Workplace-Name: Water Requirements Deptartment, SWERI, ARC, Giza, Egypt
Author-Name: M. A. Naguib Bedaiwy
Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Title: Effect of controlled sprinkler chemigation on wheat crop in a sandy soil
Abstract: A two-year experiment was conducted in the desert west of the Nile Delta to study the effect of applying fertilizers and other agronomic chemicals through sprinkler irrigation water (a technique referred to as chemigation) on wheat grain yield. Experiment included three levels of irrigation inputs, namely: I1 = potential evapotranspiration rate (ETp), I2 = 0.8 ETp and I3 = 0.6 ETp, and included two application method of fertilizers and herbicide (chemication and traditional). Applying chemigation resulted in significant increase in grain yield, ranging between 9.9% and 50.0% with averages of 43.2% and 14.5% over the first and second seasons, respectively. Irrigation treatment I1 produced higher grain yield than the other two irrigation treatments both under traditional and chemigation methods as a result of better fertilizer distribution in the root zone. Grain yield associated with combined I1 and chemigation was highest of all treatments and was greater than Egypt's national average by 14% and 9% for seasons 1 and 2, respectively. Chemigation resulted in more uniform distribution of nitrate-nitrogen throughout the root zone with nitrate levels falling within safe limits. Concentrations under traditional application resulted in lower levels in upper soil and greater levels at deeper soil of the root zone exceeding safe limits and subjecting the soil and groundwater to contamination hazards. For both N and K fertilizers, fertilizer use efficiency was greater under chemigation than under traditional application. Efficiencies increased with increasing irrigation water, apparently due to better fertilizer distribution. Applying herbicides with sprinkler irrigation water reduced weed infestation from 48% to 6.5%. As a result of improved yield under chemigation, an increase in revenue per hectare of 112.6% was achieved.
Keywords: chemigation, fertigation, nitrate, pollution, sprinkler fertilizing, sprinkler irrigation
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 61-72
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/10/2010-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/10/2010-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:10-2010-SWR

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Sunday E. Obalum
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Author-Name: John C. Nwite
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production Technology, Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Nigeria
Author-Name: James Oppong
Author-Workplace-Name: CSIR, Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana
Author-Name: Charles A. Igwe
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Author-Name: Toshiyuki Wakatsuki
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Agriculture, Kinki University, Nara, Japan$2
Title: Variations in selected soil physical properties with landforms and slope within an inland valley ecosystem in Ashanti region of Ghana
Abstract: One peculiar feature of the inland valleys abundant in West Africa is their site-specific hydrology, underlain mainly by the prevailing landforms and topography. Development and management of these land resources under the increasingly popular sawah (a system of bunded, puddled and levelled rice field with facilities for irrigation and drainage) technology is a promising opportunity for enhancing rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in the region. Information on the variations in selected soil physical properties as influenced by the prevailing landforms may serve as a useful guide in site selection. This is of practical importance since majority of the inland valleys are potentially unsuitable for sawah development and most farmers in the region are of low technical level. Three landforms (river levee, elevated area and depressed area) were identified within a sawah field located in an inland valley at Ahafo Ano South District of Ghana. Each of these landforms was topsoil-sampled along on identified gradient (top, mid and bottom slope positions). Parameters determined included particle size distribution, bulk density, total porosity and field moisture content. The soil is predominantly clayey. There were no variations in the particle size distribution among the slope positions in the river levee. Overall, the river levee had lower silt content than the elevated and the depressed landforms. The bulk density, total porosity, and gravimetric moisture content indicated relative improvements only in the depressed area in the order, bottom > mid > top slope. Irrespective of slope position, the three landforms differed in these parameters in the order, depressed > river levee > elevated. The sand fraction impacted negatively on the silt fraction and bulk density of the soil, both of which controlled the soil moisture status. Despite the fairly low silt content of the soil, the silt fraction strongly influenced the gravimetric moisture content (R2 = 0.80). So too did the soil bulk density on the gravimetric moisture content (R2 = 0.90). It is concluded that: (1) since the landforms more prominently influenced the measured parameters than the slope positions, the former should take pre-eminence over the latter in soil suitability judgment; (2) with respect to moisture retention, variations in silt fraction and bulk density of this and other clayey inland-valley soils should be used as guide in site selection for sawah development.
Keywords: bulk density, landscape position, moisture content, particle size distribution, sawah rice field, total porosity
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 73-82
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/17/2010-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/17/2010-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:17-2010-SWR

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Dušan Reininger
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Safety and Forestry, Division of Feeding Stuff and Soil Safety, Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture, Brno, Czech Republic
Author-Name: Přemysl Fiala
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Safety and Forestry, Division of Feeding Stuff and Soil Safety, Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture, Brno, Czech Republic
Author-Name: Tomáš Samek
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Safety and Forestry, Division of Feeding Stuff and Soil Safety, Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture, Brno, Czech Republic
Title: Acidification of forest soils in the Hrubý Jeseník region
Abstract: The Hrubý Jeseník Natural Forest Region (NFR) is a border mountain territory which belongs to the areas most heavily impacted by air pollution in the Czech Republic. This paper compares results for soil properties investigated in non-limed forest stands during the years 1994 to 2007. Differences between the 2007 and 2000/01 surveys concerning Al, Ca and Mg content and pH in particular soil horizons are depicted using kriged maps. This means of interpreting laboratory analysis results allowed us to highlight the most endangered NFR areas from an acidification standpoint. Evaluation of results for Al, Ca and Mg content, their available forms and pH values in the Hrubý Jeseník NFR in the 1994-2007 period revealed the presence of an ongoing acidification process. The southern (Praděd region) and northwestern areas (Králický Sněžník region) may be singled out as the most depleted.
Keywords: acidification, Hrubý Jeseník, kriged maps, soil properties survey, spatial distribution
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 83-90
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/31/2010-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/31/2010-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:31-2010-SWR

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Hamed EBRAHIMIAN
Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering., University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
Author-Name: Abdolmajid LIAGHAT
Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering., University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
Title: Field evaluation of various mathematical models for furrow and border irrigation systems
Abstract: In this study, three mathematical models in the SIRMOD package including the hydrodynamic (HD), zero inertia (ZI), and kinematic wave (KW) models were tested using the data from several field experiments for both border and furrow irrigation systems. Five data sets for borders and seven data sets for furrows were used in this assessment. The results indicated that the performance of all models was satisfactory for the prediction of the advance and recession times. There was no difference in the prediction of the advance and recession times and infiltrated and runoff volumes between the hydrodynamic and zero-inertia approaches of the SIRMOD software. The HD, ZI, and KW models predicted the recession times better than the advance times for both the experimental borders and furrows. The predicted advance and recession times were estimated by these models more accurately than the infiltrated and runoff volumes. Also the accuracy of these models for the prediction of the advance and recession times was better for the experimental furrows in comparison with the experimental borders.
Keywords: border irrigation, furrow irrigation, mathematical models, SIRMOD
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 91-101
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/34/2010-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/34/2010-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:34-2010-SWR

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Radka Kodešová
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic;
Author-Name: Vít Kodeš
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic;
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Water Quality, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
Author-Name: Arnošt Mráz
Author-Workplace-Name: Ekotechnika, Ltd., Černošice, Czech Republic$2
Title: Comparison of two sensors ECH2O EC-5 and SM200 for measuring soil water content
Abstract: The goal of this study was calibration of the ECH20 soil moisture sensor EC-5 and the sensor SM200 for selected soils of the Czech Republic. Based on the soil maps of the Czech Republic and various climatic conditions, five humic horizons of different soil types were selected: Stagnic Chernozem Siltic, Haplic Chernozem, Chernozem Arenic, Haplic Luvisol, and Haplic Cambisol. Soil properties (pHKCl, pHH2O, exchangeable acidity, cation exchange capacity, hydrolytic acidity, basic cation saturation, sorption complex saturation, oxidable organic carbon content, CaCO3 content, salinity, sand, silt, and clay content, soil particle density, bulk density) were determined using the standard laboratory techniques. Six ECH20 EC-5 sensors permanently installed in six 606 cm3 repacked soil samples of each soil were calibrated. Four calibrated SM200 sensors were inserted into the same soil samples only when measuring sensor signal. Soil water contents were determined gravimetrically. Linear equation was used to find parameters of the calibration equations relating sensor signals or evaluated dielectric constants and soil water contents. The multiple linear analyses showed that the parameters of the calibration equations for the EC-5 depended on the bulk density, fraction of sand particles, and salinity. Parameters a and b of the SM200 depended on the initial soil salinity, sand fraction and CaCO3 content, and on the sand fraction, respectively. The impact of KBr solute (concentrations of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1M Br) on calibration equations was studied as well. It was found that ECH20 EC-5 sensor measurements were more influenced by KBr solution than SM200 measurements. In the case of the ECH20 EC-5 sensor, impact of KBr was lower in soils of higher initial salinity. SM200 measurements were noticeably influenced only when 0.1M Br solution was applied.
Keywords: bulk density, CaCO3, ECH20 soil moisture sensor EC-5, fraction of sand particles, SM200 sensor, soil and soil water salinity, soils of the Czech Republic, soil water content
Journal: Soil and Water Research
Pages: 102-110
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Year: 2011
DOI: 10.17221/6/2011-SWR
File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6/2011-SWR.html
File-Format: text/html
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Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:6:y:2011:i:2:id:6-2011-SWR