Problems of Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation in Clayey Karst Soils

Even in karst areas, considerably thick soils can be found in accumulation zones. Here, the degree of groundwater vulnerability depends not only on the thickness, but also on the hydraulic conductivity and retention properties of the soil cover. The hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained karst soils from Slovakia, Croatia and Austria was studied within several international research projects, by the application of four different test methods. Results are discussed from different points of view. Triaxial tests yielded a very broad interval between the maximum and minimum hydraulic conductivity (from 5.83x10-7 m.s-1 to 3.50x10-11 m.s-1), therefore the mean value cannot be used in any calculations. The consolidometer method gave lower values in general, between 9.40x10-10 m.s-1 to 3.59x10-8 m.s-1. However, this method overestimates the soil “impermeability”. Estimates based on grain size are unsuitable, as fine-grained soils did not fulfil the random conditions of known formula. Finally, the “in situ” hydraulic conductivity was measured using a Guelph permeameter. As expected, “in situ” tests showed 100 to 1000-times higher kf than the laboratory tests. This method best reflects the real conditions. Therefore, only this type of data should be considered in any environmental modelling. In a soil profile, hydraulic conductivity depends on the mineral composition, depth, secondary compaction, etc. The degree and duration of saturation with water is very important for young soils containing smectite. Their hydraulic conductivity might be very low when saturated for long time, but also very high, when open desiccation cracks occur. A very slight trend was found, but only in Slovak soils, showing a decrease in the hydraulic conductivity with increasing content of the clay fraction <0.002 mm. These results should contribute to a better estimate of the protective role of soils in groundwater vulnerability maps

Long-term soil warming decreases microbial phosphorus utilization by increasing abiotic phosphorus sorption and phosphorus losses

Phosphorus (P) is an essential and often limiting element that could play a crucial role in terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate warming. However, it has yet remained unclear how different P cycling processes are affected by warming. Here we investigate the response of soil P pools and P cycling processes in a mountain forest after 14 years of soil warming (+4 °C). Long-term warming decreased soil total P pools, likely due to higher outputs of P from soils by increasing net plant P uptake and downward transportation of colloidal and particulate P. Warming increased the sorption strength to more recalcitrant soil P fractions (absorbed to iron oxyhydroxides and clays), thereby further reducing bioavailable P in soil solution. As a response, soil microbes enhanced the production of acid phosphatase, though this was not sufficient to avoid decreases of soil bioavailable P and microbial biomass P (and biotic phosphate immobilization). This study therefore highlights how long-term soil warming triggers changes in biotic and abiotic soil P pools and processes, which can potentially aggravate the P constraints of the trees and soil microbes and thereby negatively affect the C sequestration potential of these forests

Palaeoenvironmental interpretation of dinosaur- and mammal-bearing continental Maastrichtian deposits, Hateg basin, Romania

The Hateg basin, South Carpathians, Romania, contains a thick sequence of Maastrichtian continental deposits from which a rich dinosaur and mammal fauna is known. Field data as well as mineralogical and stable isotope analyses from three representative profiles were integrated in order to reconstruct environmental conditions during Maastrichtian time. Tustea quarry is characterized by the presence of well drained calcisols, with smectite (montmorillonite) as the main clay component. Along the profile, the δ18 O and δ13 C isotopic compositions of calcretes show a small variation, of up to 0.9‰. The profile along the Barbat Valley shows preponderantly calcisols, the main clay mineral being smectite, with subordinate illite and chlorite. The oxygen isotopic compositions of calcretes are ~0.5‰ lighter than those from Tustea. The soils are interpreted as having formed under more humid conditions and they are similar to those situated at the bottom of the sequence developed along Sibisel Valley. The abundant smectite from the Tustea and Barbat Valley depos its, as well the presence of good developed soils, reflects palaeoenvironmental conditions predominantly controlled by climate. Preliminary magnetostratigraphic data along the Sibisel Valley section indicate that sedimentation started at the end of chron C32n. All other palaeomagnetic sites distributed up stream, as far as the upper limit of this formation, have only reversed polarity and the corresponding time interval is probably chron C31r. Along this valley, the sequence shows a general coarsening upward trend. The palaeosol type changes from calcisol- to vertisol-dominated sequences. The soils are moderate to weakly developed. The mineralogical composition of the clay fraction also changes, from smectite- to illite and chlorite-dominated. These features points to wards unstable tectonic conditions and higher uplift rates of the surrounding area within chron C31r. To wards the top of the sequence, the oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of calcretes be come 1 and ~2‰ lighter, respectively. These changes indicate a transition from generally semi-arid to wards more humid and possible cooler conditions and correlate with the world wide trend for chron 31r

Study of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics under low dispersive ultrasonic energies with sedimentation and X-ray attenuation

It has been increasingly recognized that soil organic matter stabilization is strongly controlled by physical binding within soil aggregates. It is therefore essential to measure soil aggregate stability reliably over a wide range of disruptive energies and different aggregate sizes. To this end, we tested high-accuracy ultrasonic dispersion in combination with subsequent sedimentation and X-ray attenuation. Three arable topsoils (notillage) from Central Europe were subjected to ultrasound at four different specific energy levels: 0.5, 6.7, 100 and 500 J cm(−3), and the resulting suspensions were analyzed for aggregate size distribution by wet sieving (2 000-63 μm) and sedimentation/X-ray attenuation (63-2 μm). The combination of wet sieving and sedimentation technique allowed for a continuous analysis, at high resolution, of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics after defined energy inputs. Our results show that aggregate size distribution strongly varied with sonication energy input and soil type. The strongest effects were observed in the range of low specific energies (< 10 J cm(−3)), which previous studies have largely neglected. This shows that low ultrasonic energies are required to capture the full range of aggregate stability and release of soil organic matter upon aggregate breakdown

Assessment of factors governing biodegradability of PAHs in three soils aged under field conditions

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous contaminants of great environmental concern due to their toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. This study correlates soil characteristics (i.e. soil organic matter, particle- and pore-size distribution) with extractability and toxicity data (LUMIStox, Ostracod) to investigate factors that govern biodegradability of PAHs in three historically contaminated soils. Desorption of PAHs occurred most readily from soil TA1 (82%), followed by soil AS3.7 (69%) and soil WG2 (20%). This is in line with toxicity data, as the soil in which the greatest contaminant desorption (SFE) was observed exhibited the highest toxicity (TA1). Of the three soils, pronounced biodegradation of 2-4-ring, and slight biodegradation of 5-ring PAHs was observed only in AS3.7, while no decrease of PAHs was reported for soils WG2 and TA1 during the degradation experiment. Strong sorption reduced pollutant bioavailability in WG2 and hence hampered biodegradation. By contrast, pollutant sorption was weak in TA1 and microbial activity was most likely inhibited due to high toxicity in this soil. Based on our results we conclude that biodegradation of PAHs in soils is determined by a number of phenomena with complex interactions between them. Consideration of a single factor will be misleading and may result in false prediction of the biodegradation potential.Peer Reviewe