scholarly journals Evaluation of Non-Conventional Biological and Molecular Parameters as Potential Indicators of Quality and Functionality of Urban Biosolids Used as Organic Amendments of Agricultural Soils

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam del Rocío Medina-Herrera ◽  
María de la Luz Xochilt Negrete-Rodríguez ◽  
José Luis Álvarez-Trejo ◽  
Midory Samaniego-Hernández ◽  
Leopoldo González-Cruz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
C And N ◽  
Two Indices ◽  
Enzymatic Machinery

Biosolids are waste from wastewater treatment and have a high content of organic matter and nutrients. In this study, not conventional physicochemical and biological properties of biosolids produced during different seasons of the year were evaluated. These properties are not considered in environmental regulations; however, they are of agronomic interest as indicators of quality and functionality in soils. Also, molecular analysis by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) was conducted, enzymatic analysis using the APIZYM® system was performed and two indices of functional and microbial diversity were established. The results showed that the biosolids had a high content of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, P, and K. FTIR analyses showed that chemical composition of biosolids was similar during all year. The C and N of microbial biomass demonstrated presence of active microorganisms, as well as a uniformity in its richness and abundance of species that could present a positive synergy with soil microorganisms. The enzymatic activities showed that the biosolids contained an enzymatic machinery available to promote the mineralisation of the organic matter of biosolids and could even transcend into the soil. Finally, biological properties can be used as indicators of quality and functionality of biosolids before being used as an organic amendment, especially in agricultural soils.

Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation of Fe (hydr)oxides in particle-size soil organic matter fractions from amended agricultural soils

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Giannetta ◽  
Ramona Balint ◽  
Daniel Said-Pullicino ◽  
César Plaza ◽  
Maria Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Amended Soils ◽  
Mineral Transformations

<p>Redox-driven changes in Fe crystallinity and speciation may affect soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization and carbon (C) turnover, with consequent influence on global terrestrial soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling.<span> </span>Under reducing conditions, increasing concentrations of Fe(II) released in solution from the reductive dissolution of Fe (hydr)oxides may accelerate ferrihydrite transformation, although our understanding of the influence of SOM on these transformations is still lacking.<span> </span></p><p>Here, we evaluated abiotic Fe(II)-catalyzed mineralogical changes in Fe (hydr)oxides in bulk soils and size-fractionated SOM pools (for comparison, fine silt plus clay, FSi+Cl, and fine sand, FSa) of an agricultural soil, unamended or amended with biochar, municipal solid waste compost, and a combination of both.<span> </span></p><p>FSa fractions showed the most significant Fe(II)-catalyzed ferrihydrite transformations with the consequent production of well-ordered Fe oxides irrespective of soil amendment, with the only exception being the compost-amended soils. In contrast, poorly crystalline ferrihydrite still constituted <em>ca. </em>45% of the FSi+Cl fractions of amended soils, confirming the that the higher SOM content in this fraction inhibits atom exchange between aqueous Fe(II) and the solid phase. Building on our knowledge of Fe(II)-catalyzed mineralogical changes in simple systems, our results evidenced that the mechanisms of abiotic Fe mineral transformations in bulk soils depend on Fe mineralogy, organic C content and quality, and organo-mineral associations that exist across particle-size SOM pools. Our results underline that in the fine fractions the increase in SOM due to organic amendments can contribute to limiting abiotic Fe(II)-catalyzed ferrihydrite transformation, while coarser particle-size fractions represent an understudied pool of SOM subjected to Fe mineral transformations.<span> </span></p>

scholarly journals Do different organic amendments effectively improve the soil biochemical activity of very poor arid soils from Tunisia?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houda Ouriemmi ◽  
Petra S Kidd ◽  
Ángeles Prieto-Fernández ◽  
Beatriz Rodriguez-Garrido ◽  
Mohamed Moussa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Enzyme Activities ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Organic Wastes ◽  
Arid Soils ◽  
Organic Residues ◽  
Semi Arid

<p>Soils from arid and semi-arid ecosystems are generally very low in organic matter content, poor in nutrients and typically with sandy texture.  The application of different organic amendments has been proposed as an adequate approach to improve the quality of these soils for their use in agriculture. The use of organic wastes of different origins (agricultural, industrial, urban, etc.) as soil amendments has a dual goal: i) improving soil fertility and quality, ii) reducing the environmental problem that poses the disposal of these residues. However, despite of the beneficial effects of these residues, undesirable changes may also occur in agricultural soils after their addition. For example, the presence of various pollutants of anthropogenic origin in organic wastes may cause adverse effects on soil microbiota.  Generally, the arid and semi-arid soils of Tunisia are well characterised. However, the use of organic amendments to improve the quality of these soils has been scarcely investigated. Soil biochemical properties, and specifically soil enzyme activities, have been often used to investigate the impact of different amendments on soil quality, because they are highly sensitive to human or environmental perturbations.</p><p>In this work, the results of a field trial established for investigating the effectiveness of three organic residues (composted municipal solid waste, composted sewage sludge and farmyard manure) to improve the quality of one agricultural soil from Tunisia are reported. The soil had a sandy texture, alkaline pH (pH 8.3) and was very poor in organic matter (0.21 and 0.03% of total C and N, respectively). Each of the organic residues was applied in triplicate at three different doses in nine sub-plots randomly distributed; three untreated sub-plots were also established for comparison. One, 6 and 18 months after the soil amendments, surface (0-20 cm) soil samples were collected from all the treated and untreated subplots. The soil samples were analysed for the enzyme activities of four hydrolases involved in the C, N, P and S cycles and for an oxidoreductase (dehydrogenase) reflecting soil microbial activity. All the soil samples were also characterised for their main physicochemical properties.</p><p>Addition of the three organic amendments induced slight increases of the total organic carbon and nutrients content; however, the improvements observed were generally not related with the amount of applied residue. The activity of the enzymes increased after the application of the three residues, but these increments were not correlated with the dose of residue and did not consistently varied with the time elapsed after residue application. Generally, the highest increases in absolute values were observed for manure-amended soils, but when the activities were considered in relation to the total organic C of the soils, the sludge amended soils appeared to be the most favoured. The results are discussed with regards to their implications for improving very poor agricultural soils.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgements:</strong> This research was financially supported by the Xunta de Galicia (IN607A 2017/6), UE Interreg-Sudoe program (SOE1/P5/E0189) and the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. H. Oueriemmi thanks founding support of Erasmus plus program for her stay at the IIAG-CSIC.</p>

scholarly journals Comparison of microbial community structures in soils with woody organic amendments and soils with traditional local organic amendments in Ningxia of Northern China

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhigang Li ◽  
Kaiyang Qiu ◽  
Rebecca L. Schneider ◽  
Stephen J. Morreale ◽  
Yingzhong Xie
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Organic Materials ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Soil Microbial Community Structure

Background Addition of organic amendments has been commonly adopted as a means to restore degraded soils globally. More recently, the use of woody organic amendments has been recognized as a viable method of capturing and retaining water and restoring degraded and desertified soil, especially in semi-arid regions. However, the impacts of woody amendments on soil microbial community structure, versus other traditional organic supplements is less understood. Methods Three locally available natural organic materials of different qualities, i.e., cow manure (CM), corn straw (CS), and chipped poplar branches (PB) were selected as treatments in Ningxia, Northern China and compared with control soils. Four microcosms served as replicates for each treatment. All treatments contained desertified soil; treatments with amendments were mixed with 3% (w/w) of one of the above organic materials. After 7 and 15 months from the start of the experiment, soil samples were analyzed for chemical and physical properties, along with biological properties, which included microbial α-diversity, community structure, and relative abundance of microbial phyla. Results Both bacterial and fungal α-diversity indices were weakly affected by amendments throughout the experimental period. All amendments yielded different microbial community compositions than the Control soils. The microbial community composition in the CS and PB treatments also were different from the CM treatment. After 15 months of the experiment, CS and PB exhibited similar microbial community composition, which was consistent with their similar soil physical and chemical properties. Moreover, CS and PB also appeared to exert similar effects on the abundance of some microbial taxa, and both of these treatments yield different abundances of microbial taxa than the CM treatment. Conclusion New local organic amendment with PB tended to affect the microbial community in a similar way to the traditional local organic amendment with CS, but different from the most traditional local organic amendment with CM in Ningxia, Northern China. Moreover, the high C/N-sensitive, and lignin and cellulose decompose-related microbial phyla increased in CS and PB have benefits in decomposing those incorporated organic materials and improving soil properties. Therefore, we recommend that PB should also be considered as a viable soil organic amendment for future not in Ningxia, but also in other places.

scholarly journals Repeated short-term organic amendments effects on physical and biological properties of a San Antón soil

1969 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-140
Author(s):  
Ian C. Pagán-Roig ◽  
Joaquín A. Chong ◽  
José A. Dumas ◽  
Consuelo Estévez de Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Humic Acid ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Biomass N

The objective of this work was to measure the effects of repeated short-term organic amendments that we termed soil treatment management cycles (STMC) on physical and biological properties of a San Antón series soil. Each STMC lasted 60 days and consisted of incorporating 5% organic matter from coffee pulp compost; the planting, growth and incorporation of an intercrop of four green manure species; and the application of mycorrhizae and compost tea. The treatments were labeled: CL0, CL1, CL2 and CL3; where CL0 was the control, CL1 received one STMC, CL2 and CL3 received two and three STMC, respectively. The STMC intended to mimic the overall effect of a sustainable agricultural system, not to measure the individual effects of the practices. All treatments (CL1, CL2, CL3) showed an increase in soil organic matter (p≤0.05). When compared to the CL0 control, saturated hydraulic conductivity increased and bulk density decreased in all soils. Soil macroporosity was significantly increased by CL2 and CL3. Soil aggregate stability increased in CL1, CL2 and CL3 plots. Microbial biomass C increased in treatment CL3, and microbial biomass N increased in CL2 and CL3. The production of stable aggregates was correlated to humic acid content and positively influenced all other physical parameters assessed in this study. The STMC had a positive impact on soil properties by increasing the soil organic matter as well as the humic acid fraction. Soil macroporosity, defined as porosity with radius > 38 µm, was significantly increased by treatments CL2 and CL3. All of the organic matter fractions, including total organic matter, humic acid content, microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N were significantly increased by one or more STMC.

scholarly journals Quantitative and Qualitative Responses of Soil Water-Extractable Organic Matter to Carbon and Nitrogen Management Practices in Loess Soil

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2025
Author(s):  
Qin Chen ◽  
Zheng-Kui Ge ◽  
Rong Chai ◽  
Yuan Li ◽  
Yu-Long Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Loess Soil ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
C And N ◽  
N Management ◽  
Extractable Organic Matter ◽  
Water Extractable

Soil-dissolved organic matter (DOM) drives the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles in agroecosystems. Despite many studies on DOM dynamics, hardly any attention has been directed toward DOM quality, particularly DOM composition. The aim of this study was to elucidate how C and N management practices alter soil water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) in a loess soil agroecosystem. Field experiments were conducted with a winter wheat monoculture. Three N fertilization rates (0, 120, and 240 kg ha−1 year−1) were applied for 17 years (2002–2019), combined with five C practices (zero, low, and high rates of sheep manure or wheat straw) for three years (2016–2019). The results reveal that soil organic carbon (SOC) and water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) concentrations in the topsoil (0–20 cm) were increased by organic amendments considerably but were not affected by N fertilization. The fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectra (EEM) of WEOM were resolved to two humic-like components (C1 and C2) and two soluble microbial byproduct-like components (C3 and C4). The proportions of C1 and C2 were increased, while the proportion of C3 was decreased by both C and N management practices. In conclusion, organic amendments increased both WEOM quality and its proportion of humic-like components, whereas N fertilization increased the proportion of humic-like components without variations of WEOM quality in the topsoil of loess soil.

Soil organic amendments for restoring degraded drylands: strategies, recommendations and challenges for large-scale application

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paloma Hueso-Gonzalez ◽  
Miriam Muñoz-Rojas
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Soil Restoration ◽  
Application Rates

<p>Soil is an essential and non-renewable resource in natural and agricultural ecosystems with extremely slow formation and regeneration potential. In dryland areas, many ecosystems are being seriously affected by degradation processes because of an excessive use of agro-chemicals, deep tillage and intensive irrigation, among many other factors. The decline in soil organic matter is also becoming a major cause of soil degradation, particularly in dryland regions where low soil fertility cannot always maintain a sustainable production. The use of organic amendments in ecosystem restoration programs can be an effective technique for promoting soil restoration processes in degraded drylands and several studies have shown their benefits for improving soil physical, chemical and biological properties. This recovery is a result of the rapid increment of organic matter and clay contents in the soil in the short term. In the long-term, soil structure becomes more stable and water holding capacity, permeability and infiltration are improved, whereas surface runoff and erosion are reduced. Nevertheless, there are many research gaps in the knowledge of the effects of climatic conditions on their application, as well as the adequate types of amendment and doses and decomposition rates. In this presentation, we evaluate the role of organic amendments as an effective strategy in dryland restoration, highlighting the effects of different amendment types, doses and application rates. We will specifically address: (1) type of amendments and benefits arising from their use, (2) application methods and more appropriate doses and, (3) potential risk derivates for their application. We also showcase some recent case studies using organic amendments in degraded dryland areas from Spain and Australia.</p>

scholarly journals Organic Amendment vs. Mineral Fertilization under Minimum Tillage: Changes in Soil Nutrients, Soil Organic Matter, Biological Properties and Yield after 10 Years

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 700
Author(s):  
Diana Martín-Lammerding ◽  
José L. Gabriel ◽  
Encarnación Zambrana ◽  
Inés Santín-Montanyá ◽  
José L. Tenorio
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Soil Nutrients ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Mineral Fertilization ◽  
Minimum Tillage

Conservation tillage is recognized as a sustainable management practice, however its combination with organic residues application still constitutes a challenge in some areas. A field trial was established in a semiarid agro-ecosystem to study the effects of different crop nutrient sources under minimum tillage (MT). Application of organic amendments at the beginning of a five-year crop rotation (ORG treatment) was evaluated and compared to the control plot where wheat was continuously grown with traditional mineral fertilization (MIN treatment). In addition to wheat yield and biomass, several soil properties were measured (pH, soil nutrients (i.e., Olsen P, exchangeable K, and mineral N), soil organic matter (i.e., C, N, C/N ratio), potentially mineralizable nitrogen, total microbial activity and heavy metals) throughout the 10-year study. The wheat yield was significantly higher under the ORG treatment than under the MIN, although climatic conditions (e.g., rainfall) exerted a great influence too. The organic amendments increased soil nutrients content mainly right after their application but the levels were adequate for the whole crop rotation. Plots under organic amendment application did not accumulate significantly more soil organic matter than those mineral-fertilized, probably due to the low protective capacity of coarse-textured soils. The application of organic amendments under MT resulted in a promising management agro-ecosystem compared to the mineral fertilized because crop nutrients came from organic wastes, no herbicides were applied while the yields were higher.

scholarly journals Characterization of Soil Organic Matter Individual Fractions (Fulvic Acids, Humic Acids, and Humins) by Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Techniques in Agricultural Soils

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1067
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Ukalska-Jaruga ◽  
Romualda Bejger ◽  
Guillaume Debaene ◽  
Bożena Smreczak
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Humic Substances ◽  
Humic Acids ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Fulvic Acids ◽  
Sorption Properties ◽  
Aliphatic Chains

The objective of this paper was to investigate the molecular characterization of soil organic matter fractions (humic substances (HS): fulvic acids-FAs, humic acids-HAs, and humins-HNs), which are the most reactive soil components. A wide spectrum of spectroscopic (UV–VIS and VIS–nearIR), as well as electrochemical (zeta potential, particle size diameter, and polydispersity index), methods were applied to find the relevant differences in the behavior, formation, composition, and sorption properties of HS fractions derived from various soils. Soil material (n = 30) used for the study were sampled from the surface layer (0–30 cm) of agricultural soils. FAs and HAs were isolated by sequential extraction in alkaline and acidic solutions, according to the International Humic Substances Society method, while HNs was determined in the soil residue (after FAs and HAs extraction) by mineral fraction digestion using a 0.1M HCL/0.3M HF mixture and DMSO. Our study showed that significant differences in the molecular structures of FAs, Has, and HNs occurred. Optical analysis confirmed the lower molecular weight of FAs with high amount of lignin-like compounds and the higher weighted aliphatic–aromatic structure of HAs. The HNs were characterized by a very pronounced and strong condensed structure associated with the highest molecular weight. HAs and HNs molecules exhibited an abundance of acidic, phenolic, and amine functional groups at the aromatic ring and aliphatic chains, while FAs mainly showed the presence of methyl, methylene, ethenyl, and carboxyl reactive groups. HS was characterized by high polydispersity related with their structure. FAs were characterized by ellipsoidal shape as being associated to the long aliphatic chains, while HAs and HNs revealed a smaller particle diameter and a more spherical shape caused by the higher intermolecular forcing between the particles. The observed trends directly indicate that individual HS fractions differ in behavior, formation, composition, and sorption properties, which reflects their binding potential to other molecules depending on soil properties resulting from their type. The determined properties of individual HS fractions are presented as averaged characteristics over the examined soils with different physico-chemical properties.

scholarly journals Describing Phosphorus Sorption Processes on Volcanic Soil in the Presence of Copper or Silver Engineered Nanoparticles

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Jonathan Suazo-Hernández ◽  
Erwin Klumpp ◽  
Nicolás Arancibia-Miranda ◽  
Patricia Poblete-Grant ◽  
Alejandra Jara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Engineered Nanoparticles ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Phosphorus Sorption

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) present in consumer products are being released into the agricultural systems. There is little information about the direct effect of ENPs on phosphorus (P) availability, which is an essential nutrient for crop growthnaturally occurring in agricultural soils. The present study examined the effect of 1, 3, and 5% doses of Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs stabilized with L-ascorbic acid (suspension pH 2–3) on P ad- and desorption in an agricultural Andisol with total organic matter (T-OM) and with partial removal of organic matter (R-OM) by performing batch experiments. Our results showed that the adsorption kinetics data of H2PO4− on T-OM and R-OM soil samples with and without ENPs were adequately described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) and Elovich models. The adsorption isotherm data of H2PO4− from T-OM and R-OM soil samples following ENPs addition were better fitted by the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model. When the Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs doses were increased, the pH value decreased and H2PO4− adsorption increased on T-OM and R-OM. The H2PO4− desorption (%) was lower with Cu0 ENPs than Ag0 ENPs. Overall, the incorporation of ENPs into Andisols generated an increase in P retention, which may affect agricultural crop production.

scholarly journals Impact of Organic Amendment with Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation on Rice Yield, Water Use Efficiency and Physicochemical Properties of Soil

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1529
Author(s):  
Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque ◽  
Md. Kamal Uddin ◽  
Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman ◽  
Adibah Mohd Amin ◽  
Mahmud Hossain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Organic Amendment ◽  
Rice Yield ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Irrigation Regime ◽  
Wetting And Drying ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Properties Of Soil

A pot experiment was executed to investigate the impact of biochar and compost with water-saving irrigation on the rice yield, water use efficiency, and physicochemical properties of soil. Two irrigation regimes—namely alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and continuous flooding (CF)—and four types of organic amendments (OA)—namely rice husk biochar (RHB), oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar (EFBB), compost and a control—were applied to evaluate their effects. Under the AWD irrigation regime, the maximum grain was produced by RHB (241.12 g), whereas under the same organic amendments, both AWD and CF produced a similar grain yield. Under the same organic amendment, a significantly higher water use efficiency (WUE) was observed from the AWD irrigation with RHB (6.30 g L−1) and EFBB (5.80 g L−1). Within the same irrigation regime, soil pH, cation exchange capacity, total carbon, total nitrogen and available phosphorus were enhanced due to the incorporation of biochar and compost, while higher soil exchangeable potassium was observed under CF irrigation for all treatments. RHB and EFBB significantly reduced the soil bulk density (up to 20.70%) and increased porosity (up to 16.70%) under both irrigation regimes. The results imply that the use of biochar with AWD irrigation could enhance the nutrient uptake and physicochemical properties of soil and allow rice to produce a greater yield with less water consumption.

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