Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Madalina Iordache Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Sustainable Development and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I", Timisoara, Romania Author-Name: Iacob Borza Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences "Gheorghe Ionescu-Șișești", Bucharest, Romania Author-Name: Valentina Andriucă Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy and Environment, Faculty of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Technical University of Moldova, Kishinev, Republic of Moldova Title: Chemical relationships in earthworm casts of two urban green spaces indicate the earthworm contribution to urban nutrient cycles Abstract: Due to the earthworms' implications in nutrient cycles through their burrowing and casting activity, earthworms are worth considering when urban biogeochemical cycles are analysed. Several chemical parameters and their relationships were analysed in earthworm casts of two urban parks, namely the pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (Nt), plant available phosphorus (P), plant available potassium (K), and calcium water soluble (Ca). It was statistically significantly found that the TOC, Nt, P and K are reciprocally determined in the earthworm casts: 74.4% of the pH variability is co-determined by the N, P, K, TOC, and Ca contents; 95.9% of the Nt variability is co-determined by the pH, P, K, TOC, and Ca contents; 95.4% of the P variability is co-determined by the pH, N, K, TOC, and Ca contents; 94.5% of the K variability is co-determined by the pH, N, P, TOC, and Ca contents; 86.6% of the TOC variability is co-determined by the pH, N, P, K, and Ca contents. This study revealed the complexity of the chemical relationships inside earthworm casts, their reciprocal dependencies, and highlighted the complexity of the earthworms' contribution to biogeochemical cycles in urban areas. Our findings propose earthworms as indicators of the integrative conservation management of urban ecosystems. Keywords: biogeochemical, indicator, Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae, urban park, urban sustainability Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 219-226 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/26/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/26/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:26-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luboš Sedlák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Soham Basu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Lubica Pospíšilová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Alois Prax Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jiří Kulhavý Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jakub Prudil Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Hana Hornová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Hydrology, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš Vichta Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Changes in soil properties due to land reclamation and climate change in South Moravian floodplain forest Abstract: Land use changes together with riverbed regulations to avoid the annual floods affect the ecosystem of floodplain forests. Later subsequent revitalization measures, transboundary controlled river management, wetland restoration, and integrated planning were realized to reduce the negative effect of groundwater dropping and other environmental problems. This study aimed to follow the dynamic of groundwater level, soil properties and forest vitality as affected by climate change. The continuous dataset (2019-2022) of soil physical and hydrophysical parameters and tree radial growth parameters were obtained. Groundwater level was evaluated by z-score and the means, and standard deviation values were considered. The monthly assessment of soil and climatic conditions showed that the uneven distribution of rainfall and the increase in temperatures have significantly affected the soil hydrological regime and forest growth. Continual monitoring is necessary to prepare projection models, which can help better understand both the soil and tree growth parameters in the changing environment. Keywords: Alluvial soils, groundwater level, water regime Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 227-235 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/34/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/34/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:34-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Poláková Author-Name: Anna Maroušková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Josef Holec Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Michaela Kolářová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jaroslava Janků 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 Title: Changes in grassland area in lowlands and marginal uplands: Medium-term differences and potential for carbon farming Abstract: Grassland as a part of farmland is important for agrobiodiversity, soil protection and agricultural production (grazing, hay production). In the Czech Republic, grassland area increases with increasing altitude. In this study we evaluated the period 1966-2021 and the change in grassland area in different locations in South Bohemia region: fertile lowlands (Písek, České Budějovice, Tábor districts) and marginal uplands (Český Krumlov, Prachatice districts). Data on land use including the share of grassland were obtained from the Czech Cadastral and Surveying Office and Czech Statistical Office. In the upland districts, there is the largest share of grassland areas in the whole region. The prevalence of grasslands is probably due to the geographic and climatic conditions, which are challenging here. Our research shows the results of changes in grassland areas between 1967 and 2021, with regard to the assessed districts. The difference in the percent area of grassland in 2021 compared to 1967 is -0.04 to -1.77 for lowlands, and +1.45 to +5.99 for uplands. Despite this, uplands farmers practice relatively extensive farming methods and extensive grazing due to low ruminant numbers. Although farmers maintain relevant carbon sinks, it is unlikely to increase the carbon stocks per hectare of extensive grasslands on an annual basis, which would be a barrier to participation in a carbon farming system. Keywords: climate, extensive management, grasslands, medium-term changes Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 236-245 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/65/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/65/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:65-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tailin Li Author-Name: Massimiliano Schiavo Author-Workplace-Name: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy Author-Name: David Zumr Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Seasonal variations of vegetative indices and their correlation with evapotranspiration and soil water storage in a small agricultural catchment Abstract: A precise measurement of evapotranspiration (ET) and soil water storage (SWS) is necessary for crop management and understanding hydrological processes in agricultural catchments. In this study, we extracted the vegetative indices (VIs, including normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and enhanced vegetation index (EVI)) from satellite images of the Nučice catchment. We found a consistent seasonal pattern of VIs across the catchment with higher values and variation ranges during spring and summer and lower values and variation ranges during autumn and winter. Spatial variation of VIs also followed a seasonal trend, decreasing during crop growth and increasing after crop harvesting. Seasonal correlations were observed between monthly average ET and SWS with VIs throughout one crop season, which can be expressed mathematically as exponential functions. We propose that VIs can be used as a surrogate measure for ET and SWS in catchments with poor monitoring capabilities. Further studies are required to investigate the spatial distribution of ET and SWS throughout the watershed and their relationship with VIs. Furthermore, our research emphasises the importance of subsurface recharge in the water balance of the investigated fields. It suggests that subsurface flow may be influenced by potential gradients of the water table, driving its seasonal behaviour in response to bedrock morphology. Keywords: catchment hydrology, remote sensing, soil moisture, water balance Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 246-268 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/60/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/60/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:60-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Cansu Almaz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Water Resources, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Recep Serdar Kara Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Water Resources, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Markéta Miháliková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Water Resources, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Svatopluk Matula Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Water Resources, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Implications of surfactant application on soil hydrology, macronutrients, and organic carbon fractions: An integrative field study Abstract: This study investigates the effects of repeated applications of the non-ionic soil surfactant H2Flo (ICL-SF Inc., Israel) on the soil water content, hydraulic conductivity, nutrient distribution, and organic carbon fractions (OCFs) in non-hydrophobic loamy sand soils under subsurface drip irrigation. Our results indicate that H2Flo treatment reduces both saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity while promoting the uniform irrigation distribution, consistent with previous findings on surfactants' effects on sandy soils. An increase in soil pH levels, organic carbon content, and extractable magnesium, calcium, and potassium was observed in treated soils, with elevated levels of potassium permanganate oxidizable organic carbon (POXC) implying accelerated decomposition rates. Notably, a positive linear relationship was found between POXC and the increased NO3--N content of treated soils, suggesting induced conditions of nitrification. However, the carbon fractions water-soluble organic carbon (Cws) and hot water-soluble organic carbon (Chws) remained quantitatively unchanged, even though they exhibited a positive linear relationship with the soil's hydraulic conductivity. The study highlights the crucial role of monitoring changes in OCFs and nutrient dynamics after surfactant application to optimize soil organic matter utilization and chemical fertilizer management. Keywords: extractable nutrients, nitrogen sources, hot water-soluble organic carbon, hydraulic conductivity, water-soluble organic carbon Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 269-280 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/88/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/88/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:88-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lenka Pavlů Author-Name: Jiří Balík Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Simona Procházková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Petra Vokurková 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: 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, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Ondřej Sedlář Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Soil organic matter quality of variously managed agricultural soil in the Czech Republic evaluated using DRIFT spectroscopy Abstract: This study focuses on the effect of agricultural soil management on soil organic matter (SOM) composition. The addition of manure and crop residues was tested under different pedoclimatic conditions. The quality of SOM was assessed using diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The following parameters were calculated from the spectra:   sum of aliphatic bands (ΣAL), aromatic bands at wave numbers 1 620 and 1 520 cm-1 (AR1620 and AR1520), potential wettability (PWI), organic matter quality (OMQ), and decomposability (DI) indexes. The addition of manure or crop residues may not cause fundamental changes in the qualitative composition of SOM. Rather, pedoclimatic conditions determine which components are fixed in the soil on a long-term scale. A dominant effect of soil type was found in the distribution of all spectral parameters studied using main effect ANOVA. The main differences between the soil types concern the aromatic, oxygen and nitrogen groups contained in the SOM. Chernozems are soils with higher OMQ and DI, whereas Cambisols are soils with low OMQ and DI and the highest PWI. The stabilisation of SOM in soils can thus be based on the biochemical persistence of organic molecules, their specific affinity for minerals and the formation of aggregates that protect enclosed SOM. Keywords: farmyard manure, fertilizing, infrared spectra, plant residues, soil types Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 281-291 Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 DOI: 10.17221/89/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/89/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202304-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:89-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Editorial Department Title: Index of Volume 18_Authors Index Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: I-IV Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Year: 2023 File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/swr-202304-0007_index-of-volume-18-authors-index.php File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:18:y:2023:i:4:id:swr-202304-0007