Agroecological soil evaluation for monitoring water quality using microleis DSS

Soil degradation has both indirect and direct effects on the quality of surface and ground waters. In this sense, agriculture is one of the key activities causing water quality degradation in many parts of Mediterranean systems. In the European Union, the purpose of the Water Framework Directive (European Commission, 2000) is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface, transitional, coastal and ground waters too. A major source of surface and ground water pollution is the diffuse contamination caused by nitrates in agricultural lands. This specific water protection was regulated by the Nitrates Directive (ND, 1991/676/EC), which in Spain was developed by a Royal Decree (261/1996/BOE), and in Andalusia region by a Decree (36/2008/BOJA) for the designation of water quality vulnerability zones (22 zones) and an Order of the Regional Government of Andalusia (18.11.2008/BOJA) to establish the action programs (1 unique program) to be implemented by farmers. However, the Nitrates Directive considers that different action programs may be established for different vulnerable zones or parts of those areas. Also, these action programs must take into account scientific and technical information that are available on each particular soil and climatic conditions, such as rainfall erosivity, length of the growing season, slope, soil infiltration and soil denitrification capacity. Within this context, the agro-ecological decision support system MicroLEIS DSS (technology developed by CSIC-IRNAS and transferred to Evenor-Tech, www.evenor-tech.com) is considered a very appropriate tool to include the soil and climatic attributes for a better identification of vulnerable zones and formulation of action programs. In this paper, the MicroLEIS DSS modelling infrastructure to predict soil erosion and contamination risks (ImpelERO and Pantanal models, basically) is discussed, as a scientific approach to identify detailed vulnerable areas, and formulate site-specific management plans for sustainable water use and protection in Andalusia region. The high variability of the results from this agro-ecological land evaluation research in Water Quality Vulnerability Zones demonstrates the importance of using soil information in decision-making regarding the formulation of site-specific soil use and management strategies

Capability of the Invasive Tree Prosopis glandulosa Torr. to Remediate Soil Treated with Sewage Sludge

Sewage sludge improves agricultural soil and plant growth, but there are hazards associated with its use, including high metal(loid) contents. An experimental study was conducted under greenhouse conditions to examine the effects of sewage sludge on growth of the invasive tree Prosopis glandulosa, as well as to determine its phytoremediation capacity. Plants were established and grown for seven months along a gradient of sewage sludge content. Plant traits, soil properties, and plant and soil concentrations of N, P, K, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, As, and Fe were recorded. The addition of sewage sludge led to a significant decrease in soil pH, and Ni, Co, and As concentrations, as well as an increase in soil organic matter and the concentrations of N, P, Cu, Zn, and Cr. Increasing sewage sludge content in the growth medium raised the total uptake of most metals by P. glandulosa plants due to higher biomass accumulation (taller plants with more leaves) and higher metal concentrations in the plant tissues. P. glandulosa concentrated more Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe in its below-ground biomass (BGB) than in its above-ground biomass (AGB). P. glandulosa concentrated Ni, Co, and As in both BGB and AGB. P. glandulosa has potential as a biotool for the phytoremediation of sewage sludges and sewage-amended soils in arid and semi-arid environments, with a potential accumulation capability for As in plant leaves

Assessment of soil suitability for improvement of soil factors and agricultural management

The dramatic growth of the world's population is increasing the pressure on natural resources, particularly on soil systems. At the same time, inappropriate agricultural practices are causing widespread soil degradation. Improved management of soil resources and identification of the potential agricultural capability of soils is therefore needed to prevent further land degradation, particularly in dryland areas such as Egypt. Here, we present a case study in the El-Fayoum depression (Northern Egypt) to model and map soil suitability for 12 typical Mediterranean crops. Two management scenarios were analyzed: the current situation (CS) and an optimal scenario (OS) of soil variables. The Almagra model was applied to estimate soil suitability under CS and OS. Management options based on the CS assessment were proposed to reduce some limiting factors: a fixed value of 2 dSm-1 for soil salinity and 5% for sodium saturation; these defined the OS. Under optimal management, the OS scenario showed potential, where a notable increase of the area covered by a high suitability class (around 80%) for annual and semi-annual crops was observed. There was also a marked increase (about 70% for CS and 50% for OS) for perennial crops shifting from the marginal to moderate soil suitability class. The results reveal the importance of proper management to massively alter soil suitability into better states in order to achieve sustainable land use in this fertile agro-ecosystem.China Science and Technology Exchange Center P150I3315Independent Innovation Fund of Agricultural Science and Technology CX (17)100

Evaluation of soil degradation and land capability in Mediterranean areas under climate and management change scenarios (Andalusia region, Spain and El-Fayoum province, Egypt)

Falta palabras claveLa población mundial actual es de unos siete mil millones y superará los nueve mil millones en 2050. Se espera que esto conduzca a un aumento de la demanda de alimentos. El área total de la superficie terrestre incluye tierras marginales o no aptas para el cultivo, tales como desiertos, montañas escarpadas, pantanos, al igual que zonas anteriormente cultivadas que han sido degradadas como consecuencia de un manejo inapropiado. El presente estudio se centra en el análisis de la degradación del suelo y el potencial agrícola en dos zonas del Mediterráneo: Andalucía (suroeste de España) y El-Fayoum (norte de Egipto). Estas áreas zonas fueron escogidas para estudiar los procesos de contaminación, erosión del suelo y su capacidad para diferentes usos, y, finalmente, llevar a cabo recomendaciones orientadas a la conservación de la tierra cultivable como un recurso no renovable. Andalucía representa el 17.3% de la superficie total de España, mientras que la provincia de El-Fayoum comprende sólo el 0.6% de Egipto. Esta provincia incluye la mayoría de los principales tipos de suelos del delta y el valle del Nilo, mientras que Andalucía incluye los principales tipos de suelos que se encuentran en la zona mediterránea. La agricultura andaluza depende en gran parte de la lluvia para su abastecimiento de agua, con un 90% de la superficie ocupada por cultivos de secano. Ante el contexto actual de cambio global, en este trabajo se ha realizado el estudio de la degradación (contaminación y erosión) y aptitud agrícola del suelo bajo diferentes escenarios de cambio climático (actual, 2040, 2070 y 2100) y de cambio de manejo. Por otro lado, la producción agrícola en El-Fayoum, una zona extremadamente árida, depende principalmente del suministro de agua del Nilo, por lo que la capacidad y la degradación del suelo se han considerado principalmente bajo escenarios hipotéticos de cambio de manejo, mediante el control de las entradas de agua, fertilizantes y pesticidas para minimizar el riesgo de la degradación del suelo. Para la evaluación biofísica del suelo se ha utilizado el sistema agro-ecológico de ayuda a la decisión MicroLEIS DSS. Este sistema incluye tres bases de datos (clima, suelo y manejo agrícola) y doce modelos de evaluación relacionados con la productividad del suelo y la degradación de la tierra: a) Las bases de datos MicroLEIS fueron utilizadas de la siguiente forma: [i] la base de datos de suelos SDBm-Andalucía con datos físicos, químicos y morfológicos de 62 perfiles de suelos representativos de Andalucía, y la SDBm-El-Fayoum con datos de 46 perfiles de suelos; [ii] la base de datos climáticos CDBm-Andalucía (temperatura media mensual, precipitación mensual máxima y mínima y el número de días de lluvia, registrados durante un período de 30 años) y CDBm-el-Fayoum (con los datos registrados durante un período de 44 años), [iii] la base de datos del manejo agricultura MDBm-Andalucía y el-Fayoum, conteniendo información sobre el uso y manejo agrícola de los principales cultivos cultivos en ambas zonas. b) Cinco modelos MicroLEIS fueron utilizados bajo escenarios de cambio de clima y de manejo: el modelo Pantanal (vulnerabilidad del suelo a la contaminación por fósforo, nitrógeno, metales pesados y pesticidas), el modelo Raizal (riesgo de erosión del suelo por agua y viento), el modelo Terraza (deficiencia bioclimática), el modelo Cervatana (capacidad de uso agrícola de las tierras), y el modelo Almagra (aptitud relativa para cultivos mediterráneos anuales, semianuales y perennes). Como escenarios de cambio climático se han utilizado los promedios de datos de 17 modelos climáticos globales para 2040-A1B, 2070-A1B and 2100-A1B, calculados por la Agencia Española de Meteorología (AEMET, 2011)

Estimation of surface runoff using NRCS curve number in some areas in northwest coast, Egypt

The sustainable agricultural development in the northwest coast of Egypt suffers constantly from the effects of surface runoff. Moreover, there is an urgent need by decision makers to know the effects of runoff. So the aim of this work is to integrate remote sensing and field data and the natural resource conservation service curve number model (NRCS-CN).using geographic information systems (GIS) for spatial evaluation of surface runoff .CN approach to assessment the effect of patio-temporal variations of different soil types as well as potential climate change impact on surface runoff. DEM was used to describe the effects of slope variables on water retention and surface runoff volumes. In addition the results reflects that the magnitude of surface runoff is associated with CN values using NRCS-CN model . The average of water retention ranging between 2.5 to 3.9m the results illustrated that the highest value of runoff is distinguished around the urban area and its surrounding where it ranged between 138 - 199 mm. The results show an increase in the amount of surface runoff to 199 mm when rainfall increases 200 mm / year. The north of the area may be exposed to erosion hazards more than the south and a change in the soil quality may occur in addition to the environmental imbalance in the region

Multivariate Analysis for Assessing Irrigation Water Quality: A Case Study of the Bahr Mouise Canal, Eastern Nile Delta

Water scarcity and suitable irrigation water management in arid regions represent tangible challenges for sustainable agriculture. The current study aimed to apply multivariate analysis and to develop a simplified water quality assessment using principal component analysis (PCA) and the agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) technique to assess the water quality of the Bahr Mouise canal in El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The proposed methods depended on the monitored water chemical composition (e.g., pH, water electrical conductivity (ECiw), Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, Cl−, and SO42−) during 2019. Based on the supervised classification of satellite images (Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)), the distinguished land use/land cover types around the Bahr Mouise canal were agriculture, urban, and water bodies, while the dominating land use was agriculture. The water quality of the Bahr Mouise canal was classified into two classes based on the application of the irrigation water quality index (IWQI), while the water quality was classified into three classes using the PCA and AHC methods. Temporal variations in water quality were investigated, where the water qualities in winter, autumn, and spring (January, February, March, April, November, and December) were classified as class I (no restrictions) based on IWQI application, and the water salinity, sodicity, and/or alkalinity did not represent limiting factors for irrigation water quality. On the other hand, in the summer season (May, June, July, August, and October), the irrigation water was classified as class II (low restrictions); therefore, irrigation processes during summer may lead to an increase in the alkalinity hazard. The PCA classifications were compared with the IWQI results; the PCA classifications had similar assessment results during the year, except in September, while the water quality was assigned to class II using the PCA method and class I by applying the IWQI. Furthermore, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) around the Bahr Mouise canal over eight months and climatic data assisted in explaining the fluctuations in water quality during 2019 as a result of changing the crop season and agriculture management. Assessments of water quality help to conserve soil, reduce degradation risk, and support decision makers in order to obtain sustainable agriculture, especially under water irrigation scarcity and the limited agricultural land in such an arid region

Impacted Application of Water-Hyacinth-Derived Biochar and Organic Manures on Soil Properties and Barley Growth

The biochar application can improve the physiochemical properties of both sandy and clayey loam soils and is considered a potential adaptation tool toward climate change. Therefore, the current study is novel in combining water-hyacinth-derived biochar with organic manures as a suggested effective way of treating the soil with biochar under arid and semiarid conditions. Water hyacinth weeds were slow pyrolyzed at a temperature of 300 °C, which resulted in nonalkaline biochar with a pH value of 6.31, which is suitable for alkaline soils. A pot experiment was established to study the impact of the solo application of nonalkaline water-hyacinth-derived biochar (WHB) and its combined application with farmyard (WHB/FM) and poultry manure (WHB/PM) at a rate of 1.5 and 3%, respectively, on some chemical and physical properties of sandy and clay loam soils and some barley’s growth parameters. WHB, WHB/FM, and WHB/PM significantly affected the soil pH at different application rates (1.5 and 3%) in sandy soil. A considerable alteration in water-stable aggregates (WSA), dispersion ratio (DR), available water content (AWC), and cation ratio of soil structural stability (CROSS) index resulted from combining manures (FM and PM) with biochar better than the solo application of biochar. WHB/PM treatments had a superior effect in improving barley’s growth. Relative increases were by 37.3 and 11.0% in plant height and by 61.6 and 28.5% in the dry matter in sandy and clayey loam soils, respectively. Under the conditions of this study, we can conclude that treating the soil with WHB/PM at a rate of 1.5 and 3% is the most effective application. The current study may have a vital role in Egyptian agriculture sustainability by enhancing the soil characteristics of the old agricultural and the newly reclaimed lands

Impacted Application of Water-Hyacinth-Derived Biochar and Organic Manures on Soil Properties and Barley Growth

The biochar application can improve the physiochemical properties of both sandy and clayey loam soils and is considered a potential adaptation tool toward climate change. Therefore, the current study is novel in combining water-hyacinth-derived biochar with organic manures as a suggested effective way of treating the soil with biochar under arid and semiarid conditions. Water hyacinth weeds were slow pyrolyzed at a temperature of 300 °C, which resulted in nonalkaline biochar with a pH value of 6.31, which is suitable for alkaline soils. A pot experiment was established to study the impact of the solo application of nonalkaline water-hyacinth-derived biochar (WHB) and its combined application with farmyard (WHB/FM) and poultry manure (WHB/PM) at a rate of 1.5 and 3%, respectively, on some chemical and physical properties of sandy and clay loam soils and some barley’s growth parameters. WHB, WHB/FM, and WHB/PM significantly affected the soil pH at different application rates (1.5 and 3%) in sandy soil. A considerable alteration in water-stable aggregates (WSA), dispersion ratio (DR), available water content (AWC), and cation ratio of soil structural stability (CROSS) index resulted from combining manures (FM and PM) with biochar better than the solo application of biochar. WHB/PM treatments had a superior effect in improving barley’s growth. Relative increases were by 37.3 and 11.0% in plant height and by 61.6 and 28.5% in the dry matter in sandy and clayey loam soils, respectively. Under the conditions of this study, we can conclude that treating the soil with WHB/PM at a rate of 1.5 and 3% is the most effective application. The current study may have a vital role in Egyptian agriculture sustainability by enhancing the soil characteristics of the old agricultural and the newly reclaimed lands

On the Use of Multivariate Analysis and Land Evaluation for Potential Agricultural Development of the Northwestern Coast of Egypt

The development of the agricultural sector is considered the backbone of sustainable development in Egypt. While the developing countries of the world face many challenges regarding food security due to rapid population growth and limited agricultural resources, this study aimed to assess the soils of Sidi Barrani and Salloum using multivariate analysis to determine the land capability and crop suitability for potential alternative crop uses, based on using principal component analysis (PCA), agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHC) and the Almagra model of MicroLEIS. In total, 24 soil profiles were dug, to represent the geomorphic units of the study area, and the soil physicochemical parameters were analyzed in laboratory. The land capability assessment was classified into five significant classes (C1 to C5) based on AHC and PCA analyses. The class C1 represents the highest capable class while C5 is assigned to lowest class. The results indicated that about 7% of the total area was classified as highly capable land (C1), which is area characterized by high concentrations of macronutrients (N, P, K) and low soil salinity value. However, about 52% of the total area was assigned to moderately high class (C2), and 29% was allocated in moderate class (C3), whilst the remaining area (12%) was classified as the low (C4) and not capable (C5) classes, due to soil limitations such as shallow soil depth, high salinity, and increased erosion susceptibility. Moreover, the results of the Almagra soil suitability model for ten crops were described into four suitability classes, while about 37% of the study area was allocated in the highly suitable class (S2) for wheat, olive, alfalfa, sugar beet and fig. Furthermore, 13% of the area was categorized as highly suitable soil (S2) for citrus and peach. On the other hand, about 50% of the total area was assigned to the marginal class (S4) for most of the selected crops. Hence, the use of multivariate analysis, mapping land capability and modeling the soil suitability for diverse crops help the decision makers with regard to potential agricultural development

Assessing Soil Organic Carbon Pool for Potential Climate-Change Mitigation in Agricultural Soils—A Case Study Fayoum Depression, Egypt

It is essential to assess the soil organic carbon pool (SOCP) in dry environments to apply appropriate management techniques that address sustainable development. A significant opportunity for sustaining agricultural output and reducing climate change is the storage of soil organic carbon in agricultural soil. The goal of this study was to measure the spatial variability of SOCP content, and determine the effects of soil texture, changes in land use, and land cover on SOCP in surface soil samples. The study additionally investigated the relationships between SOCP and other characteristics, including the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST), as well as the effects of increasing soil organic carbon on the amount of greenhouse gases. To accomplish this goal, 45 soil surface samples were collected to a depth of 30 cm at the Fayoum depression in Egypt, and analyzed. The soil samples were representative of various soil textures and land uses. The average SOCP concentration in cultivated regions is 32.1 and in bare soils it is 6.5 Mg ha−1, with areas of 157,112.94 and 16,073.27 ha, respectively. According to variances in soil textures, sandy soils have the lowest SOCP (1.8 Mg ha−1) and clay loam soils have the highest concentrations (49 Mg ha−1). Additionally, fruit-growing regions have the greatest SOCP values and may therefore be better suited for carbon sequestration. The overall average SOCP showed 32.12 Mg C ha−1 for cultivated areas. A rise in arable land was accompanied by a 112,870.09 Mg C rise in SOCP. With an increase in soil organic carbon, stored carbon dioxide emissions (greenhouse gases) would be reduced by 414,233.24 Mg CO2. We should consider improving fertilization, irrigation methods, the use of the multiple cropping index, decreasing desertion rates, appropriate crop rotation, and crop variety selection. The research highlights the significance of expanding cultivated areas towards sustainable carbon sequestration and the climate-change-mitigation potential