82 research outputs found
Formaciones edĂĄficas sobre materiales carbonatados en clima MediterrĂĄneo de la provincia de CastellĂłn de la Plana
Tesis doctoral inĂ©dita leĂda en la Universidad AutĂłnoma de Madrid. Facultad de Ciencias. Departamento de QuĂmica AgrĂcola. Fecha de lectura: 11-1-197
Current status of las tablas de daimiel national park wetland and actions required for conservation
Wetlands are complex ecosystems that play multiple roles. âLas Tablas de Daimiel National Parkâ (TDNP) undoubtedly plays a role in several ecosystem services and provides a connection between nature, farmers, scientists, residents, and other stakeholders. The state of degradation and/or vulnerability of this ecosystem (with a series of socio-economic implications) have led the publication of numerous articles. The work reported here provides a description of the growing importance of this wetland within the rural landscapes of La Mancha and emphasizes its state of degradation, mainly since pedological point of view. In this way, particular attention is required to assure the conservation of the Tablas of Daimiel Wetland; thus, several measures are proposed to improve the conservation of this area as to control and prohibit any dumping of any type of waste in the park or in its vicinityThis Research was funded by Organismo Autonomo Parques Nacionales (Autonomous Organism National Parks) of Spain (OAPN
Evaluation of the copper and zinc contents of soils in the vineyards of La Rioja (Spain)
The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Cu and Zn in soils in the vineyards of La Rioja and to calculate reference values for the two elements. Samples were taken from the surface horizon (0â20 cm) and the subsurface horizon (40â60 cm) in 106 locations. Some physico-chemical properties were analyzed along with the total and bioavailable contents of these elements. Various statistical parameters were calculated, and distribution maps were then created using the ordinary-Kriging method. The Cu content was in the range of 2.46â121.52 mg kgâ1, and the Zn content was 9.05â125.67 mg kgâ1. These values fell within the normal ranges in comparison with other areas of Spain and the rest of Europe. The concentrations in the surface and in the subsurface were compared; in the case of Cu, the concentration was higher at the surface, whereas significant differences in the vertical distribution of Zn were not observed. Both metals had a heterogeneous distribution across the entire area of study. In the case of Zn, the similarity of the maps between surface and depth was verified, while the case of Cu was different. The main source of these metals was the parent material from which the soil had been formed, but in the case of Cu, maps showed increased Cu at the surface, which was especially marked at certain points and seemed to indicate the presence of an exogenous contribution at these locations. That means that the copper concentrations in the topsoil resulted from the yearlong grapevine protection with copper-based agents. Reference values were calculated to be 85.28 and 48.88 mg kgâ1 of Cu and 83.69 and 72.05 mg kgâ1 for Zn at the surface and at depth, respectivelyThis Research was funded by Regional Government of La Rioja (Gobierno de La Rioja, Spain
Arenas eĂłlicas y sus suelos del humedal reserva de la biosfera: Las tablas de daimiel
Three soil profiles were characterized from a sandy area situated in a transitional zone in the âTablas de Daimielâ UNESCO wetland biosphere reserve (TDNP) in the Mancha Plain (Central Spain). The original thickness of the soil layer in this area was as much as 100 cm, but the combined effect of unbalanced cultivation (including irrigation) and an increasingly dry climate has partially eroded their natural properties, almost leading to a desertification process. The main properties of these soils, classified as Xeropsamments (Soil Survey Staff 2006) or Arenosols (IUSS Working Group WRB 2006), are the dominance of sand in the soil matrix, its basic character, and low soil organic matter and carbonate contents. Scanning electron microscopy of the quartz grain surfaces indicated that the superficial textures were commonly well preserved and characteristic of specific conditions of Aeolian formation. Exoscopy revealed a mixture of sub-angular and rounded quartz morphotypes with wellpreserved mechanical impacts on the grain surfaces. These percussion effects are characteristic of aeolian processes and confirmed that mechanical actions were more significant than chemical processes in their pedogenesis. This micromorphological study of the textural sands in the transitional zone of the TDNP revealed that the (red) sands were transported to this area by wind, probably from material of degraded red soils, and deposited on soil horizons previously developed over marls and limestones. The relict character of these materials and specially their susceptibility to degradation should be considered as a priority argument to preserve this area and introduce management measurements to avoid soil erosio
Recognizing the importance of an urban soil in an open-air city museum: An opportunity in the city of Madrid, Spain
This article examines the presence of urban soil buried under anthropogenic debris in an air-museum park in the Madrid city center (Spain), and highlights the particularities of this singular urbanized setting to indicate ecological evaluation options for soils. The study of a soil profile (with a thickness of about 2.30 m), classified as Urbic Technosols, allowed us to devise that it is formed by a series of filled-in amounts of artifacts (construction debris and other anthropogenic waste) of about 10â30%, plus organic and mineral materials. These soilsâ composition and morphology depend on the natural conditions of the territory and also on anthropogenic activities. The soil properties (analyzed by conventional techniques) are moderate in acidity reaction and have relatively higher organic matter content. The Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations in anthropogenic horizons do not exceed the approximate permissible concentrations by 1.5â10-fold. Over the course of time, the soil profile has been transformed as a result of the impact of pedogenetic processes developing under the Mediterranean climate and manâs hand. Although urban environments present a certain complexity, at least the role of soil should be recognized regarding flood mitigation, recycling of wastes and toxins, filtering of nutrients or carbon storage and GHG regulation. The analysis of our results concludes the need to better perceive this soil profile and its green space to improve the urban ecosystem and to ensure better citizen well-bein
Primary producers and anthropic signs related to the flood plain soils of the Tablas de Daimiel Wetland
In the Tablas de Daimiel National Park (TDNP) wetlands, a semi-arid wetland system in Spain that is of international importance, it is believed that pollutants from a variety of sources accumulate. In the study reported here, we evaluated soils from the flooded part of this wetland in an effort to establish relationships between the abundance/structure of microbial communities (mainly cyanobacteria) and certain soil properties (redox potential, dissolved oxygen, organic matter, soil reaction, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate, total nitrogen, soluble phosphorus and total phosphorus). This objective was achieved by establishing one transect from the entrance to exit of the flood plain, including sampling from potentially polluted sites. Substantial variations between sampling sites were found in soil in terms of salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), organic matter (OM), total phosphorus (TP) and nitrogen (TN). The presence of primary producers was more evident in contaminated samples. In addition to calcium, high levels of oxidizable organic matter, traces of dissolved oxygen, and considerable amounts of nitrate and phosphates probably stimulated the growth of cyanobacteria, these latter characteristics can be explained as being due to the influence of wastewaters from urban, industrial and agricultural activities that run off directly into this unique wetland. In the future it will be necessary to understand the synergic effects of other soil properties.The authors are grateful to the Autonomous Organism Parques Naturales of Spain (OAPN) for providing financial assistanc
Agroecological analysis of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) crops in orchards in a Mediterranean environment
If adaptability is defined as the ability of a crop (or variety) to respond positively to changes in agricultural conditions, the purpose of this study was to explore the adaptability and relative influence of environmental factors on Cucumber Sativus L. to a specific Mediterranean environmental and agroecological site: Huete (Cuenca, Central Spain). Cucumber requires high temperatures and soil moisture for a satisfactory yield and maintaining an optimum level of humidity is very favorable, which is easy to achieve for farmers in Huete. Abundant sunshine is needed and this is another reason to cultivate during the summer period; it is estimated that there were between 2700 and 2800 hours of sunshine in the Huete area. The study described here revealed that the soils are poorly developed and evolved, with a simple Ap-C or Ap-Bw-C morphology. The soils are friable, slightly adherent and somewhat dry and hard. A significant feature is the presence of good drainage and appreciable effective depth. Like other crops, cucumber plants are preferably grown on loose, well-drained soils, such as the soils studied here. Huete cucumber seems able to tolerate certain levels of soil salinity when compared to other species. The cucumbers are irrigated with water with moderate electrical conductivity without an appreciable decrease in yield. Small doses of salinity may be one of the factors that leads to the characteristics associated with Huete cucumber, an aspect that would need to be investigated more deeply. Substrate nutrients and moisture management are two major concerns regarding Cucumber Sativus L. crops in Huete. Elemental chemical analysis revealed that strontium abounds and this is attributed to the presence of this element in the gypsums. The results of this study open a new horizon in the study of the aptitude of the land and represent a useful step towards the specific site and, consequently, the sustainable management of land under cucumber cultivation. Further research into a wider range of soils, fertilizer compositions and release rates is require
Contents and Spatial Distribution of Arsenic in Vineyard Soils in Mediterranean Environment
This study presents the contents and
spatial distribution of arsenic (As) in vineyard soils
from the Valdepeñas Protected Designation Origin
(PDO) in central Spain. As content varies within the
108.40â0.03 mg·kgâ1 range in surface horizons, and
within 151.00â0.03 mg·kgâ1 in subsurface horizons.
The mean value of both horizons is similar: 4.25 and
4.88 mg·kgâ1, respectively. Based on optimal spatial
interpolation, the spatial distribution of As in soils
was mapped by the IDV method. A simple data and
map analysis suggests that pedogeogenic sources are
the main sources for As (the As distribution tends to
match the lithology and soil types), which indicates
minor anthropogenic sources, mainly by agricultural sector activities. Only a high As concentration
appears in the NE area, where sporadic moderate contamination is estimated based on Dutch criteria. The
data obtained from the study area provide a broader
view of the concentration, distribution, enrichment,
sources, and the potential environmental contamination by As in the vineyard soils of this large winegrowing zone. The assessment of the results indicates that As does not afect agriculture (vineyards) in the
study area because its concentrations are low in the
soil types used by agriculture. These data can be
employed as a guide to learn the range of values in
vineyard soils in the European Mediterranean Region
that are relatively unpolluted from industrial sources
to make comparisons to more polluted areasOpen Access funding provided thanks to the
CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This research
was supported by the Valdepeñas Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) âDenominaciĂłn de Origen Valdepeñas AsociaciĂłn
Interprofesionalâ (project number UCTR180065
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