Assessing drivers of plantation forest productivity on eroded and non-eroded soils in hilly land, eastern North Island, New Zealand

Methods: The impact of soil erosion by mass movement on forest productivity was investigated in a paired plot trial in a planted forest in a mainly hilly to steepland catchment (Pakuratahi) near Napier, eastern North Island, New Zealand. Tree growth and form were measured and soil properties analysed to compare productivity and productivity drivers in adjacent non-eroded and eroded plots. Background: The effect of soil erosion on New Zealand production forestry is not well known and there has been no research prior to our study into the relationship between soil nutrient status and planted forests growing in eroded soils in steeplands. Results: Regression analysis showed that the decreased soil total nitrogen, total carbon, total phosphorus, and soil organic matter content in eroded plots had a negative impact on tree volume, resulting in a 10% decrease in measured tree volume. Based on an assessment of log quality, trees in the eroded plots were forecast to produce 16% less volume from high-quality pruned logs (with associated reduction in revenue of around $4000 per hectare), than trees in non-eroded plots. The total recoverable volume (TRV), estimated (for a 25-year rotation) from the measured Pinus radiata D. Don trees growing on the eroded sites, was valued at$68,500, about 9% less than the estimated TRV from trees measured on non-eroded plots ($76,000). Tree form and mean tree height in eroded and non-eroded plots were not significantly different. Conclusions: Soil erosion impacts production in planted forests. Afforestation of erodible land provides a valuable ecosystem service through land and soil stabilisation but this service is currently not reflected in the market prices for timber in New Zealand. Maintaining the productive capacity of erodible soils through practices such as fertilisation or continuous-cover forestry can add further costs to production forestry. To ensure that sustainable forest practices are carried out to protect the productivity of soils, financial incentives may be justified

Animal carcass- and wood-derived biochars improved nutrient bioavailability, enzyme activity, and plant growth in metal-phthalic acid ester co-contaminated soils: A trial for reclamation and improvement of degraded soils

Reclamation of degraded soils such as those with low organic carbon content and soils co-contaminated with toxic elements and phthalic acid esters (PAEs) is of great concern. Little is known about the efficiency of plantand animal-derived biochars for improving plant growth and physicochemical and biological properties of co-contaminated soils, particularly under low content of organic matter. Hence, a pot trial was carried out by growing pak choi (Brassica chinensis L.) to assess the influence of different doses (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4%) of animal (pig carcass) and wood (Platanus orientalis) derived biochars on soil properties, nutrient availabilities, plant growth, and soil enzyme activities in two soils containing low (LOC) and high (HOC) organic carbon contents and co-contaminated with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalic acid (DEHP) and cadmium (Cd). Biochar applications improved pH, salinity, carbon content, and cation exchange capacity of both soils. Addition of biochars significantly increased the bioavailability and uptake of phosphorus and potassium in the plants in both soils with greater effects from pig biochar than wood biochar. Biochar additions also significantly enhanced urease, sucrase, and catalase activities, but suppressed acid phosphatase activity in both soils. The impact of pig biochar was stronger on urease and acid phosphatase, while the wood biochar was more effective with sucrase and catalase activities. The biomass yield of pak choi was significantly increased after biochar addition to both soils, especially in 2% pig biochar treatment in the LOC soil. The positive response of soil enzymes activities and plant growth for biochar addition to the Cd and DEHP co-contaminated soils indicate that both biochars, particularly the pig biochar can mitigate the risk of these pollutants and prove to be eco-friendly and low-cost amendments for reclaiming these degraded soils

Проблемы увеличения продуктивности АПК в Украине и пути повышения его потенциала

Целью статьи является изучение причин снижения показателей продуктивности в агропромышленном комплексе и путей повышения продуктивности сельскохозяйственных культур

Degradation of Tetracyclines in Pig Manure by Composting with Rice Straw

A holistic approach was followed for utilizing tetracyclines (TCs)-contaminated pig manure, by composting this with rice straw in a greenhouse for CO2 fertilization and composted residue application. After composting, the composted residues can be applied to cropland as a supplemental source of synthetic fertilizers. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pig manure-rice straw composting on the degradation of TCs in pig manure. The results showed that greenhouse composting significantly accelerated the degradation of TCs. Contents (150 mg·kg−1) of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) in the composting feedstock could be completely removed within 42 days for OTC and TC, and 14 days for CTC. However, in the control samples incubated at 25 °C in the dark, concentrations of OTC, TC and CTC only decreased 64.7%, 66.7% and 73.3%, respectively, after 49 days. The degradation rates of TCs in the composting feedstock were in the order of CTC > TC > OTC. During the composting process, CTC dissipated rapidly with the time required for 50% degradation (DT50) and 90% degradation (DT90) of 2.4 and 7.9 days, but OTC was more persistent with DT50 and DT90 values of 5.5 and 18.4 days. On the basis of the results obtained in this study, it could be concluded that pig manure-rice straw composting in a greenhouse can help to accelerate the degradation of TCs in pig manure and make composted residues safer for field application. This technology could be an acceptable practice for greenhouse farmers to utilize TCs-contaminated pig manure

Contamination and remediation of phthalic acid esters in agricultural soils in China: a review

International audiencePhthalic acid esters have been used as plasticizers in numerous products and classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds. As China is one of the largest consumers of phthalic acid esters, some human activities may lead to the accumulation of phthalic acid esters in soil and result in contamination. Therefore, it is necessary for us to understand the current contamination status and to identify appropriate remediation technologies. Here, we reviewed the potential sources, distribution, and contamination status of phthalic acid esters in soil. We then described the ecological effect and human risk of phthalic acid esters and finally provided technologies to remediate phthalic acid esters. We found that (1) the application of plastic agricultural films, municipal biosolids, agricultural chemicals, and wastewater irrigation have been identified as the main sources for phthalic acid ester contamination in agricultural soil; (2) the distribution of phthalic acid esters in soils is determined by factors such as anthropogenic behaviors, soil type, properties of phthalic acid esters, seasonal variation, etc.; (3) the concentrations of phthalic acid esters in soil in most regions of China are exceeding the recommended values of soil cleanup guidelines used by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), causing phthalic acid ester in soils to contaminate vegetables; (4) phthalic acid esters are toxic to soil microbes and enzymes; and (5) phthalic acid ester-contaminated soil can be remedied by degradation, phytoremediation, and adsorption

Factors impacting on pharmaceutical leaching following sewage application to land

abstract: Sewage effluent application to land is a treatment technology that requires appropriate consideration of various design factors. Soil type, level of sewage pre-treatment and irrigation rate were assessed for their influence on the success of soil treatment in removing pharmaceuticals remaining after conventional sewage treatment. A large scale experimental site was built to assess treatment performance in a realistic environment. Of the factors investigated, soil type had the biggest impact on treatment performance. In particular, carbamazepine was very efficiently removed (>99%) when irrigated onto a volcanic sandy loam soil. This was in contrast to irrigation onto a sandy soil where no carbamazepine removal occurred after irrigation. Differences were likely caused by the presence of allophane in the volcanic soil which is able to accumulate a high level of organic matter. Carbamazepine apparent adsorption distribution coefficients (Kd) for both soils when irrigated with treated sewage effluent were determined as 25 L kg−1 for the volcanic soil and 0.08 L kg−1 for the sandy soil. Overall, a volcanic soil was reasonably efficient in removing carbamazepine while soil type was not a major factor for caffeine removal. Removal of caffeine, however, was more efficient when a partially treated rather than fully treated effluent was applied. Based on the investigated pharmaceuticals and given an appropriate design, effluent irrigation onto land, in conjunction with conventional sewage treatment may be considered a beneficial treatment for pharmaceutical removal

Additional file 1: of Development of Pinus radiata suspension cultures from xylogenic callus

Details of three-way ANOVA of factorial design experiment for effect of cell line and growth environment

Co-Selection of Bacterial Metal and Antibiotic Resistance in Soil Laboratory Microcosms

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural soil following the application of superphosphate fertilisers seems to induce resistance of soil bacteria to HMs and appears to co-select for resistance to antibiotics (Ab). This study aimed to investigate the selection of co-resistance of soil bacteria to HMs and Ab in uncontaminated soil incubated for 6 weeks at 25 °C in laboratory microcosms spiked with ranges of concentrations of cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and mercury (Hg). Co-selection of HM and Ab resistance was assessed using plate culture on media with a range of HM and Ab concentrations, and pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) assays. Bacterial diversity was profiled via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) assay and 16S rDNA sequencing of genomic DNA isolated from selected microcosms. Based on sequence data, the microbial communities exposed to HMs were found to differ significantly compared to control microcosms with no added HM across a range of taxonomic levels