Multiple soil element and pH interactions constrain plant performance on tropical soils with a long history of fire

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 335
Author(s):  
Stan J. Rance ◽  
David M. Cameron ◽  
Carl R. Gosper ◽  
Emlyn R. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Pinus Caribaea ◽  
History Of ◽  
Savanna Soils

Agriculture and forestry in savanna soils worldwide are often constrained by multiple soil limitations. We measured the effect of fertilisation on growth of Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis in order to improve savanna soil productivity in the Northern Territory, Australia. Growth responses to nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and a combined trace element treatment (abbreviated to N × K × S × T) with basal phosphorus (P) application on three soils, and N × P × K × S × T on another three soils, were examined in glasshouse factorial experiments. Without P, there was little response to N, S or T. Growth was usually greatest on N + P + S treatments. The P applications increased soil pH and growth, while N and S applications decreased pH. Growth was consistently poor at soil pH < ~5.2; a pH where exchangeable cations can be leached from the soil and aluminium can become more mobile. Responses to P, N, S and K, and likely also to zinc, were consistent with savanna soils with a long history of nutrient losses due to fire and weathering. Establishing productive plantations or agriculture will require detailed knowledge of soil properties, careful attention to soil pH and balanced fertiliser applications so as not to produce perverse outcomes. Long-term protection from fires could improve soil conditions, to be balanced against the risks of crop loss through unplanned fire.

scholarly journals Biochar Particle Size and Post-Pyrolysis Mechanical Processing Affect Soil pH, Water Retention Capacity, and Plant Performance

Soil Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenxi Liao ◽  
Sean Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Small Particle ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Sand Culture ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Test Species

It has become common practice in soil applications of biochar to use ground and/or sieved material to reduce particle size and so enhance mixing and surface contact between soils and char particles. Smaller particle sizes of biochars have been suggested to enhance liming effects and nutrient exchange, and potentially to increase water storage capacity; however, data remains scarce and effects on plant growth responses have not been examined. We manipulated biochar particle size by sieving or grinding to generate particles in two size ranges (0.06–0.5 mm and 2–4 mm), and examined effects on soil pH, soil water retention, and plant physiological and growth performance of two test species (ryegrass: Lolium multiflorum, and velvetleaf: Abutilon theophrasti) grown in a granitic sand culture. The small particle sieved biochar had the largest liming effect, increasing substrate pH values by an additional ~0.3 pH units compared to other biochars. Small particle size biochar showed enhanced water retention capacity, and sieved biochars showed 91%–258% larger water retention capacity than ground biochars of similar particle size, likely because sieved particles were more elongated than ground particles, and thus increased soil interpore volume. The two plant species tested showed distinct patterns of response to biochar treatments: ryegrass showed a better growth response to large biochar particles, while velvetleaf showed the highest response to the small, sieved biochar treatment. We show for the first time that post-processing of biochars by sieving and grinding has distinct effects on biochar chemical and physical properties, and that resulting differences in properties have large but strongly species-specific effects on plant performance in biochar-amended substrates.

VIDEC After One Year—Installation and Operation

1975 ◽  
Vol 12 (04) ◽  
pp. 390-404
Author(s):  
William L. McCarthy ◽  
Richard P. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Performance Monitoring ◽  
Concept Development ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
System Description ◽  
Methods Of Evaluation ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
Pertinent Data ◽  
History Of ◽  
One Year ◽  
Plant Simulation

The Vibration Analysis and Deviation Concept (VIDEC), a computerized steam propulsion plant performance monitoring and failure prediction system, is presently operating on a new containership. This interim report is an attempt to document the history of this system from the concept development phase through fabrication, software design, in-plant simulation, shipyard installation, and initial shipboard operation. A brief system description including system concepts is presented. The paper concentrates on the system implementation, installation, and initial operation. A discussion is presented of types of data and concepts being evaluated and the methods of evaluation being used. Illustrations and tables of pertinent data are also included. The paper closes with a discussion of the VIDEC system and concept as they relate to other possible shipboard automation systems and programs. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are presented.

scholarly journals Influence of soil pH on inorganic phosphorus sorption and desorption in a humid brazilian Ultisol

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinjiro Sato ◽  
Nicholas Brian Comerford
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Inorganic Phosphorus ◽  
Phosphorus Sorption ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
P Sorption ◽  
Phosphorus Desorption ◽  
P Desorption ◽  
P Bioavailability

Liming is a common practice to raise soil pH and increase phosphorus (P) bioavailability in tropical regions. However, reports on the effect of liming on P sorption and bioavailability are controversial. The process of phosphorus desorption is more important than P sorption for defining P bioavailability. However few studies on the relationship between soil pH and P desorption are available, and even fewer in the tropical soils. The effects of soil pH on P sorption and desorption in an Ultisol from Bahia, Brazil, were investigated in this study. Phosphorus sorption decreased by up to 21 and 34 % with pH increases from 4.7 to 5.9 and 7.0, respectively. Decreasing Langmuir K parameter and decreasing partition coefficients (Kd) with increasing pH supported this trend. Phosphorus desorption was positively affected by increased soil pH by both the total amount of P desorbed and the ratio of desorbed P to initially sorbed P. A decreased K parameter and increased Kd value, particularly at the highest pH value and highest P-addition level, endorsed this phenomenon. Liming the soil had the double effect of reducing P sorption (up to 4.5 kg ha-1 of remaining P in solution) and enhancing P desorption (up to 2.7 kg ha-1 of additionally released P into solution).

scholarly journals High biogeographic and latitudinal variability in gastropod drilling predation on molluscs along the eastern Indian coast: Implications on the history of fossil record of drillholes

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256685
Author(s):  
Subhronil Mondal ◽  
Hindolita Chakraborty ◽  
Sandip Saha ◽  
Sahana Dey ◽  
Deepjay Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Biogeographic Pattern ◽  
Drilling Predation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Latitudinal Patterns ◽  
Consecutive Time

Studies on the large-scale latitudinal patterns of gastropod drilling predation reveal that predation pressure may decrease or increase with increasing latitude, or even show no trend, questioning the generality of any large-scale latitudinal or biogeographic pattern. Here, we analyze the nature of spatio-environmental and latitudinal variation in gastropod drilling along the Indian eastern coast by using 76 samples collected from 39 locations, covering ~2500 km, incorporating several ecoregions, and ~15° latitudinal extents. We find no environmental or latitudinal gradient. In fact, drilling intensity varies highly within the same latitudinal bin, or oceanic sub-basins, or even the same ecoregions. Moreover, different ecoregions with their distinctive biotic and abiotic environmental variables show similar predation intensities. However, one pattern is prevalent: some small infaunal prey taxa, living in the sandy-muddy substrate—which are preferred by the naticid gastropods—are always attacked more frequently over others, indicating taxon and size selectivity by the predators. The result suggests that the biotic and abiotic factors, known to influence drilling predation, determine only the local predation pattern. In the present case, the nature of substrate and prey composition determines the local predation intensity: soft substrate habitats host dominantly small, infaunal prey. Since the degree of spatial variability in drilling intensity within any time bin can be extremely high, sometimes greater than the variability across consecutive time bins, temporal patterns in drilling predation can never be interpreted without having detailed knowledge of the nature of this spatial variability within a time bin.

scholarly journals The plant circadian clock influences rhizosphere community structure and function

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charley J. Hubbard ◽  
Marcus T. Brock ◽  
Linda T.A. van Diepen ◽  
Loïs Maignien ◽  
Brent E. Ewers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Circadian Clock ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Night Time ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Function ◽  
Rhizosphere Community

AbstractPlants alter chemical and physical properties of soil, and thereby influence rhizosphere microbial community structure. The structure of microbial communities may in turn affect plant performance. Yet, outside of simple systems with pairwise interacting partners, the plant genetic pathways that influence microbial community structure remain largely unknown, as are the performance feedbacks of microbial communities selected by the host plant genotype. We investigated the role of the plant circadian clock in shaping rhizosphere community structure and function. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize rhizosphere bacterial communities of Arabidopsis thaliana between day and night time points, and tested for differences in community structure between wild-type (Ws) vs. clock mutant (toc1-21, ztl-30) genotypes. We then characterized microbial community function, by growing wild-type plants in soils with an overstory history of Ws, toc1-21 or ztl-30 and measuring plant performance. We observed that rhizosphere community structure varied between day and night time points, and clock misfunction significantly altered rhizosphere communities. Finally, wild-type plants germinated earlier and were larger when inoculated with soils having an overstory history of wild-type in comparison to clock mutant genotypes. Our findings suggest the circadian clock of the plant host influences rhizosphere community structure and function.

scholarly journals A Study of Soil Factors in Relation to Erosion and Land Use on a Nigeria Soil.

2019 ◽  
pp. 17-20
Author(s):  
Ufinomue O.E ◽  
Ehis-Iyoha E.
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Soil Factors ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Virgin Forest ◽  
State Aggregation ◽  
Mean Weight Diameter ◽  
History Of ◽  
Forest Soil Organic Matter

An assessment of the effects of erosion on the soil productivity of Agbor area of Delta State, Southern Nigeria was evaluated. The investigation involved three (3) soils (Virgin forest, Arable cropping and Traffic soils) with history of erosion. The aggregate stability, mean weight diameter (MWD) and state aggregation of soil of the area was studied, since these soils properties have direct relationship with soil erodibility. The results reveals that the soil texture was loamy sand. mean weight diameter values ranged from 0.56 mm (Traffic), 0.74 mm (arable cropping) and 1.25 mm (virgin forest). State of aggregation ranged from 12.00 mm (arable cropping), 23.00 mm (traffic) and 43.3 mm (virgin forest). Mean porosity 65.4 mm (traffic soils), 72.1 mm (arable cropping) and 77.0 mm (virgin forest). Mean aggregate stability ranged from 74.4 mm (traffic soils), 25.8 mm (arable cropping) and 48.00 mm (virgin forest). Soil organic matter mean values ranged from 0.08 g/ kg (traffic soils), 1.90 g/ kg (arable cropping) and 2.72 g/ kg (virgin forest), respectively. The results recorded for virgin forest relative to arable cropping and traffic soils in most of the soil properties evaluated is an indi- cation that current land use practices in Agbor area contribute immensely to the accelerated soil degradation observed in the area.

scholarly journals Plant Performance History of an Innovative Gate Valve in Critical Service Applications

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Kalsi ◽  
Patricio Alvarez ◽  
Thomas White ◽  
Micheal Green
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Gate Valve ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Flow Loop ◽  
Performance History ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Maintenance Costs ◽  
History Of ◽  
Water Reactors

A previous paper [1] describes the key features of an innovative gate valve design that was developed to overcome seat leakage problems, high maintenance costs as well as issues identified in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Generic Letters 89-10, 95-07 and 96-05 with conventional gate valves [2,3,4]. The earlier paper was published within a year after the new design valves were installed at the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant — the plant that took the initiative to form a teaming arrangement as described in [1] which facilitated this innovative development. The current paper documents the successful performance history of 22 years at the Pilgrim plant, as well as performance history at several other nuclear power plants where these valves have been installed for many years in containment isolation service that requires operation under pipe rupture conditions and require tight shut-off in both Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs). The performance history of the new valve has shown to provide significant performance advantage by eliminating the chronic leakage problems and high maintenance costs in these critical service applications. This paper includes a summary of the design, analysis and separate effects testing described in detail in the earlier paper. Flow loop testing was performed on these valves under normal plant operation, various thermal binding and pressure locking scenarios, and accident/pipe rupture conditions. The valve was designed, analyzed and tested to satisfy the requirements of ANSI B16.41 [9]; it also satisfies the requirements of ASME QME 1-2012 [10]. The results of the long-term performance history including any degradation observed and its root cause are summarized in the paper. Paper published with permission.

scholarly journals Rewiring of auxin signaling under persistent shade

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (21) ◽  
pp. 5612-5617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ornella Pucciariello ◽  
Martina Legris ◽  
Cecilia Costigliolo Rojas ◽  
María José Iglesias ◽  
Carlos Esteban Hernando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Role ◽  
System Level ◽  
Early Event ◽  
Auxin Signaling ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Shade Avoidance ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
Elevated Expression

Light cues from neighboring vegetation rapidly initiate plant shade-avoidance responses. Despite our detailed knowledge of the early steps of this response, the molecular events under prolonged shade are largely unclear. Here we show that persistent neighbor cues reinforce growth responses in addition to promoting auxin-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis and soybean. However, while the elevation of auxin levels is well established as an early event, in Arabidopsis, the response to prolonged shade occurs when auxin levels have declined to the prestimulation values. Remarkably, the sustained low activity of phytochrome B under prolonged shade led to (i) decreased levels of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) in the cotyledons (the organs that supply auxin) along with increased levels in the vascular tissues of the stem, (ii) elevated expression of the PIF4 targets INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID 19 (IAA19) and IAA29, which in turn reduced the expression of the growth-repressive IAA17 regulator, (iii) reduced abundance of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 6, (iv) reduced expression of MIR393 and increased abundance of its targets, the auxin receptors, and (v) elevated auxin signaling as indicated by molecular markers. Mathematical and genetic analyses support the physiological role of this system-level rearrangement. We propose that prolonged shade rewires the connectivity between light and auxin signaling to sustain shade avoidance without enhanced auxin levels.

scholarly journals Differences in growth-economics of fast vs. slow growing grass species in response to temperature and nitrogen limitation individually, and in combination

BMC Ecology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Colesie ◽  
Zsofia Reka Stangl ◽  
Vaughan Hurry
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Availability ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Environment Temperature ◽  
Slow Growing

Abstract Background Fast growing invasive alien species are highly efficient with little investment in their tissues. They often outcompete slower growing species with severe consequences for diversity and community composition. The plant economics trait-based approach provides a theoretical framework, allowing the classification of plants with different performance characteristics. However, in multifaceted background, this approach needs testing. The evaluation and prediction of plant performance outcomes in ecologically relevant settings is among the most pressing topics to understand and predict ecosystem functioning, especially in a quickly changing environment. Temperature and nutrient availability are major components of the global environmental change and this study examines the response of growth economic traits, photosynthesis and respiration to such changes for an invasive fast-growing (Bromus hordaceus) and a slow-growing perennial (Bromus erectus) grass species. Results The fully controlled growth chamber experiment simulated temperature—and changes in nitrogen availability individually and in combination. We therefore provide maximum control and monitoring of growth responses allowing general growth trait response patterns to be tested. Under optimal nitrogen availability the slow growing B. erectus was better able to handle the lower temperatures (7 °C) whilst both species had problems at higher temperatures (30 °C). Stresses produced by a combination of heat and nutrient availability were identified to be less limiting for the slow growing species but the combination of chilling with low nutrient availability was most detrimental to both species. Conclusions For the fast-growing invader B. hordeaceus a reduction of nitrogen availability in combination with a temperature increase, leads to limited growth performance in comparison to the slow-growing perennial species B.erectus and this may explain why nutrient-rich habitats often experience more invasion than resource-poor habitats.

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