Heavy metal concentration in selected soils and sediments of Livingston Island, Deception Island, King George Island, James Ross Island (Antarctica)

This paper evaluated the heavy metal concentration in fine earth and skeleton fraction of the Antarctic soil and sediments in the Admiralty Bay (King George Island); Livingston Island; Whaler´s Bay (Deception Island); James Ross Island and the Trinity peninsula (Antarctica). Total concentrations of eight elements (arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, strontium, vanadium, and zinc) were determined in sixteen sediments/soils samples and skeleton fraction. For the analyses, eight samples were taken from James Ross Island, four samples from Deception Island, two samples from Trinity peninsula, one sample from Livingston Island, and one sample from King George Island. The contents the elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Most affected by human activity was the sample collected near permanent station General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme - Chile on Trinity peninsula. On this site, the highest concentration of copper in fine-earth (201 ppm), zinc in skeleton (163 ppm) and fine-earth (771 ppm) and strontium in skeleton (733 ppm) and fine-earth (1297 ppm) were found. This location was also exceptional by the residues of penguins’ eggs shells and excrements. Samples of skeleton had significantly higher maximum values of analyzed elements compare to the available literature data. Results from all sampled localities are summarized in the text

Effect of Biochar Application Rate on Physical and Hydro-physical Properties of A Dystric Cambisol

The field trial evaluating the effect of biochar on physical and hydro-physical properties of a Dystric Cambisol was carried out at the Research Grassland Station Vatín. The observed variants of the biochar experiment were as follows: 1) the control without biochar, 2) the biochar rate of 15 t/ha applied to the topsoil, 3) the biochar rate of 30 t/ha applied to the topsoil and 4) the biochar rate of 45 t/ha applied to the topsoil. It was found out that even the highest rate of biochar 45 t/ha did not affect saturated hydraulic conductivity of the topsoil at the depth of 0.05-0.20 m. When monitoring bulk density, it was confirmed that the biochar rate of 45 t/ha significantly reduced bulk density from 1218 kg/m3 to 1169 kg/m3. In the crop rotation without manure and clover growing the application of biochar at the rate of 45 t/ha resulted in the relevant decline in the average value of bulk density from 1197 kg/m3 to 1138 kg/m3. In the Norfolk crop rotation there were the inconclusive differences in bulk density. The rate of 45 t/ha had a highly noticeable impact on porosity. It increased from 53.75% (0 t/ha) to 55.60%. The biochar doses did not affect the value of field capacity. The application of biochar at the rate of 45 t/ha caused the significant increase in the average value of aeration from 31.90% to 34.45%.O

Potential effect of wetting agents added to agricultural sprays on the stability of soil aggregates

A potential effect of adjuvants/wetting agents added to the spray mixture on the water stability of soil aggregates (WSA) in agricultural soil was studied. Nine sites were chosen in the Czech Republic. Each site was mapped using representative soil pits (depth min. 1.3 m). A total of 54 mixed samples were collected from topsoil horizons on the selected sites. The samples were exposed to the action of four different types of wetting agents (organosilicone wetting agent; methyl ester of rapeseed oil; mixture of methyl ester palmitic and oleic acids; isodecyl alcohol ethoxylate), which are the most common wetting agents used in agriculture in the Czech Republic. WSA was determined before and after the addition of wetting agents (WA). Initial WSA values were at the same level in a majority of sampling points. Two sites were an exception, on which Haplic Luvisols and Relictistagnic Fluvisols occurred. These soil types featured the lowest WSA values. After the addition of WA across the sampling points, average WSA values exhibited a demonstrable trend: WSA of control sample (without the WA application) was at all times higher than in samples with the addition of WA. If the measured WSA values are compared in terms of overall means, it is evident that the control variant always exhibited the highest WSA value (on average 44.04 %) and the variants with the application of WA showed always WSA values lower by min 16 %. The worst effect on WSA was that of wetting agents whose basic component was methyl ester of rapeseed. These wetting agents caused a decrease in WSA by more than 50 %. All soil samples were also analysed for basic soil parameters (glomalin, oxidizable carbon - C-ox, pH, Na, P, Ca, K, Mg) in order to determine their potential influence on aggregate stability and to possibly eliminate the negative impact of WA. In this respect, only a significant influence of C-ox content on WSA was recorded, which positively correlated with the stability of soil aggregates.O

Carbon Dynamic after Conversion of Permanent Grassland into Arable Soil

Carbon input and balance in soils is regarded as the main criterion of agricultural sustainability. Generally, carbon dynamic depends not only on the carbon input and its decomposition rate, but it is also influenced by various agronomic practices. Therefore, changes in organic carbon stock and humic substances quality were evaluated in two different agricultural management systems (permanent grassland and intensive crop sequences). Haplic Cambisol (Czech-Moravian Highland, locality Vatín, Czech Republic) was sampled twice a year (spring and autumn) in the depth 0-20 cm during the period 2010-2016. Soil was sandy-loam textured, with middle organic carbon content and very low humic substances quality. Results showed that crop management practices directly influenced soil cumulative potential, quality of humic substances, soil reaction and amount of nutrients. Statistically significant differences were found

Evaluation of Records from Driving Dynamics Testing on Training Polygons

The paper briefly informs about the content, procedures and objectives of the student grant competition project (ID No. SP2021/58) entitled “Verification of driving characteristics of water tender type firefighting vehicles” (Šudrychová et al., 2022). It summarizes the results of one of the two main project objectives, namely the evaluation of records from driving dynamics testing on training polygons under emergency braking when driving in a straight line and in a circle at a speed approaching the vehicle rollover safe limit. These two tasks are essential driving skills and must be reliably mastered by firefighting vehicle drivers in critical situations on the road

Verification of Appropriateness of Selected Pedotransfer Functions for the Basic Use in Agriculture of the Czech Republic

Soil is a huge reservoir of water used by plants in periods without precipitation and significantly affects the hydrological balance of any territory. To evaluate the hydrological balance of any piece of the land given, it is therefore necessary to carry out the analysis of the hydro-physical conditions. To speed up and simplify the determination of basic hydro-physical properties of soil man developed and began to use the so-called pedotransfer functions (PTF). Comparison of domestic and foreign works, however, faces problems such as the definition of available water supplies in different countries. In the research project “Specification of the available supplies of nitrogen and water in the soil profile and determining the effective depth of crops’ roots” we have dealt with the selection of suitable pedotransfer functions necessary for basic agricultural production with the requirement of minimal amount of input data. For our research we chose several PTFs developed and used in the Czech Republic for a long time, with a minimum of input data, and several new PTFs from foreign authors with greater correlation, but also a greater need of input data, and we compared each other. The best correlation between values and the pedotransfer function for the field water capacity and for the wilting point seems to be the PTF according to Tomasella and PTF according to Batjes. Pedotransfer function according to Váša, in terms of volume of input data, appears better