Physical Properties of an Alfisol Under Biofuel Crops in Ohio

There is an increasing need to develop renewable energy sources from biofuel crops to replace fossil fuels.  Biofuel crops may also enhance ecosystem functions such as soil quality, water availability, and nutrient reserves.  Therefore, the effects of four biofuel crops (corn (Zea mays), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and willow (Salix spp.)) were evaluated on soil quality at three sites in Ohio to assess the effects of crop species on soil bulk density (ρb), soil moisture characteristics (SMC), water stable aggregate distribution (WSA), and aggregate tensile strength (TS) to 40 cm depth.  Overall, results were site-specific, with most differences occurring for the clayey soil at the Northwest site.  At the Jackson site, soil in the 0-10 cm layer under switchgrass had a higher moisture content (θ¸) between 0 and 100 kPa than that under indiangrass.  At the Western site, θ under corn at 1500 kPa was higher at 30-40 cm depth.  At the Northwest site, soils under corn in the 0-10 cm depth tended to have the lowest θ¸ at 0 and 3 kPa, while soils under switchgrass and willow had 50% more large macroaggregates and fewer small microaggregates than that under corn.  Soil TS in the 0-10 cm depth under corn was nearly 160%  more than that under other perennial crops.  These results suggest that management of perennial biofuel crops can improve soil physical quality.  Changes over seven years occur first in the surface soil layers, but further differences may evolve in subsoil layers with increase in time

Nanoenhanced Materials for Reclamation of Mine Lands and Other Degraded Soils: A Review

Successful mine soil reclamation facilitates ecosystem recovery, minimizes adverse environmental impacts, creates additional lands for agricultural or forestry uses, and enhances the carbon (C) sequestration. Nanoparticles with extremely high reactivity and deliverability can be applied as amendments to improve soil quality, mitigate soil contaminations, ensure safe land–application of the conventional amendment materials (e.g., manures and biosolids), and enhance soil erosion control. However, there is no report on using nanoenhanced materials for mine soil reclamation. Through reviewing the up-to-date research results on using environment-friendly nanoparticles for agricultural soil quality improvement and for contaminated soil remediation, this paper synthesizes that these nanomaterials with high potentials for mine soil reclamation include zeolites, zero-valent iron nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, phosphate-based nanoparticles, iron sulfide nanoparticles and C nanotubes. Transport of these particles in the environment and their possible ecotoxicological effects are also discussed. Additionally, this article proposes a practical and economical approach to applying nanotechnology for mine soil reclamation: adding small amounts of nanoparticles to the conventional soil amendment materials and then applying the mixtures for soil quality improvements. Hence the cost of using nanoparticles is reduced and the benefits of both nanoparticles and the conventional amendment materials are harnessed

A chronosequence approach to estimate the regional soil organic carbon stock on moraines of two glacial fore-fields in SE-Iceland

Post-print (lokagerð höfundar)SOC has received increased attention over the last decades because of its role as an option to mitigate the effects of increased anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In Iceland, the loss of vegetation and soil due to land-use and natural processes has left large areas as barren deserts. Land restoration actions have the primary goals to prevent land degradation and restore lost ecosystems but the ancillary benefits of SOC accumulation with regard to COP 21 are obvious. Natural vegetation succession is active in areas being exposed by glacial recession since the end of the Little Ice Age in ∼1890. Here, we attempt to estimate the current regional SOC stock on undisturbed moraines in front of two glaciers in SE-Iceland, using surface age, soil properties and vegetation cover data. RapidEye images were used to estimate the surface area of two vegetation classes with 50% cover. Regional SOC stock was calculated using soil data and the sum of the area of each cover class for each time-zone. The rates of SOC accretion reached the maximum values of 0.004−0.009 kg C m−2 yr−1. The regional SOC stock for the two glacier fore-fields was estimated at 1605 Mg C (0−10 cm) for Skaftafellsjökull (396 ha) and 1106 Mg C (0−5 cm) for Breiðamerkurjökull (632 ha). The current annual increase in the moraine SOC stocks was estimated at 20.7 Mg C yr−1 for Skaftafellsjökull and 19.7 Mg C yr−1 for Breiðamerkurjökull.This research was supported by the University of Iceland Trust Fund, The University of Iceland Research Fund, the Icelandic Research Fund, Rannís, Grant of Excellence No. 152266-052 (Project EMMIRS), the Landvirkjun Energy Research Fund No. 04-2010, the Vinir Vatnajökuls Fund No. 11 and the Icelandic Research Fund [No. 1201211021].Peer Reviewe

Morpho-physiological plant quality when biochar and vermicompost are used as growing media replacement in urban horticulture

Peat moss is the most used soilless substrate in the production of container plants in floriculture. Nevertheless, the drainage of peat bogs due to the peat extraction has increased the necessity of seeking products that could replace the peat that is used in plant production. Therefore, a comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a biochar (B) - vermicompost (V) mixture, as a partial substitute for peat-based substrates, on the morpho-physiological characteristics of ornamental plants. Different blends containing B and V were compared to a baseline peat-based substrate (S) as control in the cultivation of two ornamental bedding plant species that are widely used in urban areas: geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) and petunia (Petunia hybrida). Plant growth and physiological parameters were assessed. Results showed that it is possible to grow container plants of these two species with commercial quality, using a peat-based substrate mixed with biochar and/or vermicompost (up to 30% V and 12% B). Plants in these substrates showed a similar or enhanced physiological response to those grown in the control using commercial peat-based substrate.This work was partially supported by the projects CTQ2013-46804-C2-1-R and CGL2016-76498-R of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). The authors wish to thank the Horticultural Department and Carbon Sequestration and Management Center of Ohio State University for providing materials and facilities for this investigation. Similarly, the authors are deeply grateful to the following people: Mrs. Loewe and Dr. J. Altland from Application Technology Research Unit at Wooster OSU campus for their laboratory assistance in determining the physical properties substrate mixtures. Miss S. Stieve and Dr P. Jourdan from the Ornamental Germoplam Center at Columbus OSU campus are also thanked for their laboratory assistance in the accurate and precise weighing of leaves