Changes of ground vegetation, soil chemical properties and microbiota following the surface fires in Scots pine forests

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of low severity surface fires on the ground vegetation, soil chemical changes and soil microbiota in Scots pine stands on sandy soils (Arenosols). The study was conducted in the eastern part of Lithuania (55° 35′N, 26° 07′E). The annual investigations in 1–4-year-old burned sites showed that low severity surface fires mostly affected the above-ground part of the ground vegetation. The influence of surface fire on soil chemical properties and soil microbiota was minor. Only slight increases in pH and in the content of total N in soil organic layer were detected. Concentrations of mobile K2O and heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe) slightly increased in the mineral topsoil. The actinobacteria abundance increased in the soil organic layer and the mineral topsoil of the burned sites. The abundance of micromycetes decreased in the mineral topsoil after the surface fires. First published online: 14 Dec 201

Relevance of interactive teaching material on the quality of biology and chemistry knowledge in distance learning environment

Lietuvoje bendrojo ugdymo mokyklų vis dar yra nemažai, tačiau, jų įvairovė pagal lavinimo funkcijas yra nedidelė. Manoma, kad tradicinėse mokyklose būtina į mokymosi procesą integruoti inovatyvius ir kūrybiško mokymo(si) metodus. Todėl, labai svarbu įvertinti, kaip alternatyvūs mokymo metodai veikia mokinių žinių kokybę. Tyrimo problema – atliekant pedagoginę praktiką mokykloje patirtis paskatino ieškoti būdų, kaip efektyvinti gamtamokslinio ugdymo procesą. Vykdytos papildomos veiklos ne pamokų skatino mokinius stebėti, domėtis ir noriai dalyvauja gamtamokslinio ugdymo interaktyvioje veikloje. Tokia aplinka gali būti sukurta mokymui(si) ir nuotolinio mokymosi laikotarpiu. Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti, kaip interaktyvi mokymo(si) medžiaga padeda mokiniams įsisavinti gamtamokslines žinias. Tyrimo uždaviniai: (1) atskleisti interaktyvaus mokymo ugdymo procese taikymo nuostatas; (2) nustatyti, kaip inovacija - interaktyvi mokymo(si) medžiaga – keitė mokinių biologijos ir chemijos žinių kokybę; (3) įvertinti interaktyvios mokymo(si) medžiagos naudą mokiniams. Apibūdinus interaktyvaus mokymo ugdymo procese taikymo nuostatas, buvo nustatyta, kad mokinių žinių kokybei užtikrinti, mokinių gebėjimų stiprinimui ir įgūdžių lavinimui, rekomenduojama taikyti alternatyvius aktyviojo mokymosi metodus. Mokinių mokymą(si), ypač, aktyvina interaktyvūs mokymosi metodai. Šie metodai leistų individualizuoti mokymo programas, siekiant užtikrinti mokinių žinių kokybę, atsižvelgiant į mokinių ugdymosi poreikius. Tyrimo rezultatai. Įvertinus interaktyvios mokymo(si) medžiagos naudą ir poveikį mokinių biologijos ir chemijos žinių kokybei nustatyta, kad analizuojant interaktyvią mokymo(si) medžiagą įvairiomis biologijos mokomojo dalyko temomis, kai kurie mokiniai žinias pakartojo, o kai kurie įgijo naujų žinių. Be to, mokiniai išmoko sisteminti medžiagą, kritiškai mąstyti ir vertinti savo įgūdžius bei patyrimą. Reikšmingiausiai mokiniai įvertino interaktyvios biologijos dalyko mokomosios medžiagos svarbą, bet chemijos dalyko mokomoji medžiaga buvo mažiau tikslinga. Nors medžiaga neskatina gilesnio mokinių mąstymo, tačiau, buvo reikalinga mokinių bendrųjų žinių pagilinimui, biologinių ir cheminių procesų specifikacijai patikslinti, asmeninių patyrimų puoselėjimui ir kritinio mąstymo ugdymui.There are many general education schools in Lithuania with low implementation of diverse functional education programs. However, there is a considerable importance to integrate innovative and creative teaching methods into the education system of many traditional schools. For that, it is important to assess how the alternative teaching / learning methods could affect the quality of students’ knowledge. Research problem: experience in pedagogical practice in the school has led to the search for ways to streamline the process of the most effective educational method in natural science. The additional activities outside the lessons/classroom encouraged students to observe, take an interest in and willingly participate in interactive activities in natural science. The interactive teaching / learning environment can be created in the distance learning courses as well. In the attempt to investigate how much the teaching / learning method could affect the quality of students’ knowledge, the aim of this work was to determine how interactive teaching / learning material contribute to the quality of students’ knowledge in natural science. To implement the research aim, the following research objectives were formed: (1) to reveal the main approaches of the interactive teaching / learning method use in the educational process; (2) to determine the impact of the innovation - interactive teaching / learning material on the quality of students’ knowledge of biology and chemistry; (3) to evaluate the benefits of innovation - interactive teaching / learning material on pupil experience. Research results. After describing the main approaches of the interactive teaching method on the educational process, it was estimated that for the quality of students’ knowledge, abilities and skill development, it is recommended to apply the alternative active methods. These methods would allow the individualization of curricula for obtaining the improved knowledge and the relevance of students’ personal educational needs. However, while evaluating the impact of materials on students’ knowledge, it was determined that interactive teaching / learning materials had an impact, especially, on the quality of the biology knowledge. Students either have repeated the information or have obtained new one. Thus, students have learned to systematize material, to think critically and to evaluate their skills and experiences. Although the material was not encouraging students’ deeper thinking, it deepened students’ general knowledge, refined the specification of biological and chemical processes, fostered personal experiences and developed critical thinking.Švietimo akademij

Žmogus gali kontroliuoti ir sausrą, ir liūtis [pasisakymas]

Išsp. str.: Kažemėkaitytė J. Žmogus gali kontroliuoti ir sausrą, ir liūtis, ir atskirtįVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Dirvožemis pasaulyje dykumėja. Ar Lietuva to išvengs? [pasisakymas]

Išsp. str.: Žemaitienė L. Dirvožemis pasaulyje dykumėja. Ar Lietuva to išvengs?Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Adaptation of model of prognostication of organic carbon sequestration processes to Lithuanian forest ecosystems

Aplinkotyros katedraLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro filialas Miškų institutasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Pools of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in long-term experiment on gleyic Luvisols

Soil fertility is highly dependent on soil organic matter accumulation. However, due to human activity the content of organic matter in soil can change rapidly. Nowadays the priority in agriculture is given to the soil tillage system what influence in reduction of organic matter decomposition. For that, research was aimed to estimate the influence of different fertilization on the properties of loamy Gleyic Luvisols. The longterm experiment was annually examined in the period from 2006 till 2008, physical and chemical properties and, especially, changes in pools of organic carbon and nitrogen were estimated under the organic, organic-mineral and mineral fertilization systems. As it was observed, that under the Norfolk crop rotation while growing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L), mangel or sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L), barley (Hordeum vulgare L) with perennial grasses, perennial grasses (timothy-grass (Phleum pretense L) 80 perc. and red clover (Trifolium pretense L) 20 perc.) organic fertilisation (once per rotation 50 and 100 t ha-1 of manure applied) have mainly influenced the changes in soil physical properties. The soil density was significantly decreasing, thus the soil porosity and the content of water stable aggregates was increasing. However, the manure application along with combined application of mineral fertilizers (N31P38K75 and N79P65K90) in spring before planting or vegetation starts) have influenced the significant accumulation of organic carbon in Luvisols. On the other hand, humus in soil has significantly increased only in plots where organic fertilizers were applied. It is important to notice, that if to compare with control Luvisols in organic or mineral fertilization system have been significantly intensively accumulating nitrogenVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Žmogaus ūkinės veiklos poveikis išplautžemių ir smėlžemių savybėms bei našumui

Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Svetimkraščių augalų medynų įtaka dirvožemio cheminėms ir biologinėms savybėms

Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro filialas Miškų institutasLietuvos miškų instituta

Ekologinio tvarumo vertinimas po įvairaus intensyvumo kalkinimo rugštėjančiuose dirvožemiuose

Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro filialas Žemdirbystės instituto Vėžaičių filiala

Plant root morphology and soil biological indicators under primary development of various swards

Plant nutrition conditions are limited in naturally acidic soil due to harmful hydrogen and aluminium ions. More favourable conditions for plant nutrition (soil liming) will affect root qualitative and quantitative parameters and influence ecosystem stability. Four legume–grass swards were cultivated. The swards were a combination of one species of legume and two species of grasses: Trifolium pratense L., Trifolium repens L., Trifolium hybridum L., Medicago sativa L. (each of 50%) with Phleum pratense L. (35%) and Poa pratensis L. (15%). The aim of this study is to evaluate the root morphological and soil biological indicators of legume–grass swards under the first two years of development in soils with different pH levels. Sward ecosystem development depends on the pH of the soil, sward species composition and soil biota. During the first year of sward development, soil pH had a significant influence on the morphology of root system. Sward‘s root mass and total root length was 2.4 and 2.2 times bigger in naturally acidic soil. This resulted in a change of biological parameters. In the second year of sward development, soil pH had no significant influence on sward‘s root mass. However, under the impact of different soil pH, various sward‘s root systems were formed and the root C:N ratio had changed. It is observed that, regardless of the sward species composition and the year of development, at higher root C:N ratio soil microbial biomass was higher and CO2 emissions were lower in swards in naturally acidic soils. Regardless of soil pH, different types of clover–grass swards promoted organic carbon immobilization in microbial biomass and, at the same time, stabilized the sward ecosystem in the top soil layer (soil respiration in 0–10 and 10–20 cm layers was lower) more effectively than the alfalfa–grass sward