Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adela Joanna Hamerníková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia Author-Name: Pavel Dlapa Author-Name: Silvia Ihnačáková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia Author-Name: Artemi Cerda Author-Workplace-Name: Soil Erosion and Degradation Research Group, Department of Geography, Valencia University, Valencia, Spain Author-Name: Róbert Kanka Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Landscape Ecology SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia Author-Name: Ľuboš Halada Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Landscape Ecology SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia Title: Soil-water characteristic curves and related properties of disturbed forest soils Abstract: Forest logging activities negatively affect various soil properties. In this study, we focus on the logging effects on soil water retention and associated pore size distribution. We measured the soil-water characteristic curves (SWCCs) on 21 undisturbed samples from three research plots: a reference area, a clear-cut area and a forest track. A total of 12 SWCC points between saturation and wilting point were determined for each sample with a sand box and pressure plate apparatus. The trimodal behaviour is highlighted by the dependence between soil moisture and suction. Therefore, we proposed a revised model by combining two exponential expressions with the van Genuchten model. The exponential terms describe the influence of macro-and-structural porosities, and the latter is used to calculate textural porosity. This new model with eight independent parameters was suitable to fit trimodal SWCCs in all samples. Results revealed that logging had the most destructive effect on large pores, and the soil on the forest track was the most affected. Both soil-air and available water capacity were reduced and the permanent wilting point increased as a result of damage to the soil structure and pore system. Observed increased organic carbon content in compacted soils can be attributed to slowed decomposition due to reduced air capacity and increased waterlogging susceptibility of damaged soils. Keywords: forest logging, LTER Báb, pore size distribution, soil compaction, soil water retention, trimodal SWCC Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 143-152 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/135/2024-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/135/2024-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:135-2024-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zengjiao Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Yin Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Deheng Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Shenghao Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Hongxiang Zhao Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Zhen Liu Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Geng Li Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Tangyuan Ning Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Title: Organic fertilizer and microbial agents increase soil quality and maize yield on coastal saline-alkali land Abstract: To evaluate the effects of organic fertilizer and microbial agents on soil water and salt distribution, microorganisms, and crop yield on coastal saline-alkaline land, eight treatments were established, i.e., two maize varieties (Dajing Jiu 26 (J) and Quchen Jiu (Q)) and four organic fertilizer and microbial agent application methods (no organic fertilizer or microbial agent application (O0M0), single organic fertilizer application (O1M0), single microbial agent application (O0M1), and combined organic fertilizer and microbial agent application (O1M1)). The soil water content in the 40-50 cm soil layer under JO1M1 was 3.35% greater than that under JO0M0 at the mature stage. The soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) in the 0-10 cm soil layer under JO1M1 were 16.69% and 21.37% greater, respectively, than those under JO0M0 at the jointing stage. The actinomycete content was 58.79% greater in QO1M1 than in QO0M0. The urease activity was greater in O1M0 than in the other management practices. Compared with that in JO0M0 and QO0M0, the alkaline phosphatase activity in JO1M1 and QO1M1 was 47.36% and 33.97% higher, respectively. Compared with those of JO0M0, the catalase activity and sucrase activity of JO1M1 were 57.62% and 22.78% higher, respectively. Compared with JO0M0 and QO0M0, JO1M1 and QO1M1 increased the grain yield by 20.69% and 16.42%, respectively, and increased the biomass by 23.36% and 26.45%, respectively. In summary, organic fertilizer and microbial agents provide a scientific model for the rational use of saline soils and the development of their potential. Keywords: organic material input, soil enzyme activities, soil organic carbon, water-salt dynamics Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 153-163 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/123/2024-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/123/2024-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:123-2024-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Weikang Chen Author-Workplace-Name: College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Carbon Zhonghe Future Technology Institute, Fuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Ling Xiong Author-Workplace-Name: College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Carbon Zhonghe Future Technology Institute, Fuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Qiqian Wu Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, P.R. China Author-Name: Petr Heděnec Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, University Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia Author-Name: Yan Peng Author-Workplace-Name: Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Sanming, P.R. China Author-Name: Zemin Zhao Author-Workplace-Name: College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Carbon Zhonghe Future Technology Institute, Fuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Chaoxiang Yuan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Carbon Zhonghe Future Technology Institute, Fuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Ji Yuan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Carbon Zhonghe Future Technology Institute, Fuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Xiangyin Ni Author-Workplace-Name: Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Sanming, P.R. China Author-Name: Fuzhong Wu Author-Workplace-Name: Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Sanming, P.R. China Author-Name: Kai Yue Author-Workplace-Name: Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Sanming, P.R. China Title: Annual dynamics of plant litter calcium and magnesium stocks in a subtropical forest headwater stream Abstract: Forest headwater streams serve as critical interfaces between terrestrial forests and downstream aquatic ecosystems, playing essential roles in the storage and movement of carbon (C) and nutrients. However, despite their importance, our understanding of the dynamics of plant litter calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) stocks within these streams remains limited. In this study, we conducted a quantitative analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of plant litter Ca and Mg concentrations and stocks in a subtropical forest headwater stream from March 2021 to February 2022. We found that: (1) the average concentrations of litter Ca and Mg were 9.9 and 0.7 mg/g, respectively, with mean stocks of 8 792.3 and 620.8 mg/m2, respectively; (2) significant variations in litter Ca and Mg concentrations were observed among non-woody debris (13.1 and 0.9 mg/g), fine woody debris (9.0 and 0.5 mg/g), and coarse woody debris (6.1 and 0.4 mg/g), though plant litter type did not significantly affect the stocks of Ca and Mg; and (3) the stocks of Ca and Mg were positively correlated with factors such as rainfall amount, rainfall frequency, water temperature, flow velocity, water depth, electrical conductivity, and discharge, while negatively correlated with stream water alkalinity and dissolved oxygen levels. These findings highlight the critical role of plant litter in headwater streams as a component of forest nutrient stocks and provide empirical support for incorporating headwater streams into the assessment of nutrient stocks and fluxes in forest ecosystems. Keywords: environmental drivers, litter decomposition, nutrient stoichiometry, riparian nutrient input, seasonal nutrient dynamics, stream ecosystem function Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 164-177 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/7/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:7-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jitendra Kumar Author-Name: Homehswar Kalita Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Nagaland Centre, Nagaland, India Author-Name: Rajesh A. Alone Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, AP Centre Basar, India Author-Name: Nishant K. Sinha Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR - Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India Author-Name: Alka Rani Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR - Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India Author-Name: Dhiraj Kumar Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR - Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India Author-Name: N. K. Lenka Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR - Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India Author-Name: Rajan Bhatt Author-Workplace-Name: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Punjab Agricultural University, Amritsar, Punjab, India Author-Name: Mohamed A. Yassin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biosystems Engineering, Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Agricultural Research in Arid Regions, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt Author-Name: Mohamed A. Mattar Author-Name: Fülöp Attila Author-Workplace-Name: Structural Diagnostics and Analysis Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary Author-Name: Ali Salem Author-Workplace-Name: Structural Diagnostics and Analysis Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary Author-Workplace-Name: Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, Minia, Egypt Author-Name: Zoltan Orban Author-Workplace-Name: Structural Diagnostics and Analysis Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary Title: Multivariate assessment of soil quality across different land use types in the hilly terrain of the subtropics of India Abstract: The unsustainable conversion of forest areas into agricultural land poses a serious danger to the soil eminence of Arunachal Pradesh's environmentally delicate hilly topography. Understanding the impacts of this land-use change is crucial for preventing further degradation. This study aimed to develop soil quality indices (SQIs) for different land use types: natural forest (NF), current jhum cultivation (JC), fallow jhum land (FJC), and pineapple cultivation (PA). Samples of soil were taken at a depth of 0 to 15 cm and examined for 22 potential soil quality indicators, with 19 showing significant (P < 0.05) influence from land use, constituting the total dataset (TDS). Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed on TDS to identify the minimum data set (MDS), comprising dehydrogenase activity, diethylenetriaminpentahacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable iron, and bulk density, contributing 73%, 19%, and 8% to the overall SQI, respectively. Subsequently, different SQIs were estimated using linear/nonlinear and additive/weighted scoring functions. The results revealed substantial alterations in SQIs among the land use types, through NF exhibiting the highest soil quality. Notably, the nonlinear SQIs exhibited greater sensitivity to land use conversion compared to their linear counterparts, indicating their potential as a more robust tool for assessing soil quality changes. This study concludes that the transformation of land use in the hilly regions of subtropics of Arunachal Pradesh has led to the deterioration of soil quality. The proposed indexing framework, leveraging the sensitivity and clarity of nonlinear SQIs, can effectively evaluate and compare soil quality across different land use scenarios, thereby informing sustainable land management strategies. Keywords: Arunachal Pradesh, fallow land, jhum cultivation, multivariate analysis, natural forest, soil quality index Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 178-194 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/6/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:6-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mei Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology), Xuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Chengdong Duan Author-Workplace-Name: Xu Hai College of China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Xinfu Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Jiangsu Design Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources (Testing Center of China National Administration of Coal Geology), Xuzhou, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Coal Measures and Mineral Resources, China Coal Geology Bureau, Xuzhou, P.R. China Title: Comparison of the cadmium and lead removal from three soils by electrokinetic remediation Abstract: This study investigated, for the first time, the efficacy of citric acid (CA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as electrolytes in electrokinetic remediation (EKR) for removing lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) from three distinct soils (Anthrosols soil, AT; Acrisols soil, AC; and Chernozems soil, CH). Under a voltage gradient of 2 V/cm and a remediation duration of 4 days, EDTA proved most effective for Anthrosols, achieving removal rates of 17.8% for Cd and 12.8% for Pb-lower than those observed for Acrisols and Chernozems, likely due to AT's high pH background. These results suggest that combining EKR with other remediation techniques could enhance efficiency for such soils. For Acrisols soil, extending the remediation time to 10 days significantly improved metal removal: Cd removal reached 91.1% with CA, while Pb removal attained 62.7% with EDTA. Chernozems soil exhibited higher sensitivity to EKR, with pronounced focusing phenomena. In CH1, Cd removal in anode-proximal (S1) zone reached 99%, but accumulation in the cathode-adjacent (S4 and S5) reduced the average removal rate to 22%, indicating the potential for improvement through cathodic control. Similarly, in CH2, Pb removal in S5 achieved 84.8%, while focusing in S1 suggested the need for anodic optimisation. These findings highlight the influence of soil properties and operational parameters on EKR efficiency, providing insights for tailored remediation strategies. Keywords: electrokinetic remediation, lead-cadmium, three soils Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 195-205 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/140/2024-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/140/2024-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:140-2024-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Vopravil Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Land Use and Improvement, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Pavel Formánek Author-Name: Ondřej Holubík Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Pavel Svoboda Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Agrifood Research Center, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš Khel Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Effects of variable rate fertiliser application on selected macronutrients leaching from the ploughed layer Abstract: In this study, the effects of standard fertilisation versus variable fertilisation with mineral and organomineral fertilisers on N, P, K, Ca and Mg leaching from the ploughed layer and yields of winter wheat and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were studied. The losses of calcium were the highest, and phosphorus from phosphates was the lowest of all studied nutrients when simulated rainfall and lysimeters were used after the crops were harvested. The use of variable rate fertilisation reduced nitrates leaching in all the studied plots. Nevertheless, leaching of calcium, which is present in higher concentrations in soils (and also magnesium leaching), seems to be more dependent on the used fertilisers (or their combinations) and doses. As found in different studies, we proved that variable rate fertilisation may not increase grain yields. Keywords: ammonium nitrogen, chemical soil properties, Chernozem, precision farming, texture Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 206-217 Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/28/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/28/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202503-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:3:id:28-2025-SWR