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This study aimed to assess the levels of heavy metals (HM) in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivated on agricultural soils in the vicinity of a steel enterprise located in the western part of Galati town, Romania, and the pattern of their bioaccumulation from soil to plant compartments (leaves, seeds). The importance of the study originates from the necessity of understanding the HM pollution in soil-plant systems, especially in an agroecosystem impacted by the activity of ferrous metallurgical industry, and ...

In model laboratory studies, the effect of veterinary antibiotic tylosin (concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 1000 mg/kg of soil) on the ecological state of dark brown soil under conditions of contamination with antibiotics and the degree of change of microbiological and biochemical parameters was studied. To assess the ecological state, the following biological indicators were studied: from microbiological - the total number of bacteria, the abundances of bacteria of the genus Azotobacter, from biochemical - the activi...

Recent research shows that biochar has the potential to improve the chemical, physical and biological properties of soils, which is also reflected in the crops. Because biochar is not a homogeneous material and it often needs to be activated to see its positive effects, it is very important to pay attention to its properties and subsequently to thoroughly verify it in agricultural practice. For this reason, experiments were carried out on two texture different soils (1. Dolna Streda: sandy soil, 2. Velke Ulany: lo...

The waste resulted from tanning industry represent more than 55% from raw material (raw hide or skin), (Stefan D.S. et all, 2018). The new concept of European Union (EU) referring to ?circular economy? aims to maintain the value of products, materials and resources for as long as possible by returning them into the product cycle at the end of their use, while minimising the generation of waste. The circular model proposes closing the loop of products lifecycles by increasing recycling and reuse, the target for was...

The biomass of living microorganisms determined from the phospholipid content was studied in the exposed surface soils and soils of archaeological site in the dry-steppe zone of the Northern part of the Ergeninsky Upland (Russian Federation). The studied soils were represented by Kastanozems and Solonetzes. In the exposed surface soils living microbial biomass was in average 383±47 ?g C/g in the upper horizon and consistently decreased to 32% of this level down the profile. The proportion of living microbial bioma...

Potato is the world's fourth largest food crop, being cropped in 140 countries on an area of 19 million hectares, with a total annual production of 322 million tons and an average production of 40 tons per hectare. Perennial dicotyledonous weeds represent a real danger to potato culture because they cannot be controlled after the potato has emerged. Such weeds are: Canadian thistle (Cirsium arvense), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis ) and hoary cress (Cardaria draba). Herbicides that are applied upon the soil ...

Nowadays, it is important to pay attention to soil contamination with heavy metals, especially in agricultural soils, because heavy metals taken up by crop plants can affect human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of substrate contamination on cadmium and lead accumulation in field bean (Vicia faba L.) and to specify changes in root anatomical structures. The vegetation experiment was carried out under controlled conditions. Changes to the above mentioned parameters were investigated at 0...

The article examines the peat samples found in Tomsk Oblast. The peat samples were divided into two groups. The first group includes the samples of terrestrial, transition, and fen peat. The peat samples of the second group were thermally treated in order to alter their composition and properties. All peat samples were investigated by elemental, functional, and group analysis. The obtained data reveal the changes in such characteristics of samples as type and decomposition degree. According to the comparative anal...

The physicochemical properties and the state of the microbial communities of the buried soils of the loess strata of the Khasavyurt plain (Eastern Ciscaucasia, Russia) were studied. The thickness of loess deposits was about 50 m. An exposed surface dark chestnut soil (Kastanozem) had a thickness of about 0.5 m, the next 3-3.5 m were almost pure light yellow loess. Buried soils were observed in the upper part of the loess. Palaeosol 1 at a depth of 5-10 m and a thickness of about 2 m was morphologically similar to ...

An experiment of different application rates of biochar and biochar combined with nitrogen fertilizer was conducted at experimental field on a Haplic Luvisol located in Nitra region of Slovakia during the growing season of maize in 2015. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of biochar and biochar combined with nitrogen fertilization on the production of CO2 emissions from the soil. The treatments consisted of 0, 10 and 20 t ha of biochar applied in 2014 (B0, B10 and B20) and combined with 0, 160...

The urban village Stepnoe has a size of 8 km2 and a population of about 12,340 inhabitants (according to data obtained in 2015). It was founded in 1767 and since 1967 it has been the administrative center of the Soviet district of Saratov region. We studied the distribution of mobile forms of heavy metals in the soils of the urban-type settlement Stepnoe, the territory of which can be attributed to a group of landscapes of small settlements, villages and localities. Soil sample points were distributed taking into ...

The dehumification of soils in the North Kazakhstan region is one of the most pressing problems due to the inadequate control of the cultivation technology of agricultural crops with the intensive occurrence of soil erosion. This paper considers the processes of dehumification of humus by the main types of soils in the North Kazakhstan region. The results of the research have demonstrated that humus in soil types has been decreased in 30 years from 1.78% to 30.2% since 1978 to 2018. The content of humus in 9 types...

Soil and its irreplaceable functions are dependent on the soil properties. Porosity is one of the fundamental physical soil properties. It expresses the ratio between the volume of pores in the soil and the total volume of the soil in its undisturbed state. The aim of the contribution was to determine soil porosity of soil samples with different soil texture (originating in western Slovakia). Prior to porosity calculation, specific weights of dry undisturbed soil samples and bulk densities were calculated. To dete...

Heavy metals as one of the group of contaminants have great ecological importance determined by their ecotoxicity and ability of accumulation. The aim of the study was the assessment of the contamination of agriculturally used soils by mobile forms of heavy metals in Madunice, this area is situated on the right side of river Vah in Slovak Republic. Our work deals with contamination of agricultural used soils by mobile forms of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu). 20 sampling sites were chosen and the analyse...

The analysis of the solid torrential flow in the Homoriciu river basin was done between the period 1970-2018 depending on the climatic data and the location of the studied area . The study of the morphohydrodynamic phenomena evolution in the studied area was also based on the comparative analysis This research work focuses on the complex phenomena of drainage liquid and solid production, the flow rates of rising and spreading of rain formation in the studied basin. of the longitudinal and transversal profiles of t...

Application of organic fertilizers greatly affects soil quality and consequently plant health. Short-term application of manure may increase soil reaction. The possible mechanism is microbial decarboxylation of calcium-organic matter complex leading to the release and subsequent hydrolysis of calcium ions. It also affects the intake of chemical substances. The effect may vary among different types and origin of manures and their composition. On the contrary, nitrification is the process with the opposite effect on...

A global climate change caused by anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) is one of the most important environmental problems in the latest human history. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agriculture reach approximately 70% of annual global N2O emissions and approximately 75% of all N2O emissions in Slovakia. Cultivated soils are the main source of N2O in terrestrial ecosystems and therefore its mitigation from agriculture is urgently required. The studies on the effect of biochar application ...

One of the most widespread acidophilic fruit crops in Latvia is highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The first commercial plantings were established at the beginning of 2000th, and in 2016 the blueberry orchards exceeded 290 ha. In general, blueberry is a highly specialized crop that has definite soil agrochemical prerequisites. In Latvia, highbush blueberries are cultivated in extracted raised bogs on peat soil, as well as on mineral soils with high organic matter content. Unlike most fruits, blueberries...

Assessment of the environmental impact of year-round waste in roads. During winter a combination of deicing agents that consist of salt mixtures designed to reduce the slipperiness of road surfaces are used. These agents are found in both a solid state (bulk), and in liquid form (solutions). Solid chemical reagents are widespread in Russia, that are based on reactions of salts and solutions with precipitation, as a result of which the freezing point of water becomes lower than the natural one. Solid chemical reage...

Detailed information on soil salinization according to different indicators was obtained for the first time for Western Transbaikalia. A comparative assessment of the area of salt-affected soils in this region was made with the use of two digitized maps developed in the same paradigm, but on different cartographic and analytical source materials. According to the newly created map, saline and solonetzic soils occupy 370 000 ha with a predominance (266 000) of slightly saline soils. The area of Solonetzes proper is...

The article analyzes the currently existing methods for determining of soil erosion degree. Using the example of the main automorphic soils of the forest-steppe zone in eastern European Russia, the possibility of using hydrophysical and spectroradiometric parameters to assess the degree of their erodibility is shown. The study used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with Tetracam Micro-MCA 4 and Tetracam ADC-micro cameras with a spectral range from 400 to 1150 nm and a HandHeld2 spectroradiometer with a similar spectru...

The goal of work was the determination of heavy metals content (Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb and Cd) in samples of legumes /bean/ from the chosen cultivation fields of south-western Slovakia and also to review soil hygiene of the monitored localities. Common bean varieties were collected from cultivation fields from locality Hurbanovo and villages Dolne Saliby, Risnovce and Teplicky. To exceed limits of heavy metals in the soil of all localities, established by Law No. 220/2004 and by threshold values proposed by Europe...

Using crop dusters at the current time constitutes an important and effective means to perform agricultural and forestry works, especially when is not possible to use terrestrial equipments, or when their use not ensure an increased productivity for optimum application of the works. So, in the case in which the excess moisture content in the soil makes it impossible to use terrestrial equipments, the use of crop dusters represents the only possibility of intervention, in order to ensure an effective fight against ...

Soil provides many ecosystem services, therefore sustainable soil management, soil protection and ability to deliver ecosystem services are major concern worldwide. The growing demand for food and fiber, increases pressure on delivery of other ecosystem services provided by soil, namely water purification and regulation, carbon sequestration and regulation, nutrient cycling and provision of habitat for biodiversity. In this context, Functional Land Management framework was developed to optimise rather than maximiz...

C:N ratio in after-harvest residues (including straw) decides on speed and intensity of decomposition. In one-year field small-plot experiment, there were included these variants: (1) monoculture of winter wheat fertilized with 140 kg N/ha; (2) monoculture of winter pea not fertilized with nitrogen; (3) mixed culture of both these crops in 1:1 ratio fertilized with 112 kg N/ha; (4) mixed culture of the crops in 1:1 ratio fertilized with 70 kg N/ha; (5) mixed culture of both crops in 1:1 ratio not fertilized with n...

Approaching the issue of fertilizers with organic substances of the bio stimulants class is a difficult task as the concept is far from complete elucidation. As concerned the use in agriculture of these products, legislation, research, and experimental activities are still incipient. Any substance or microorganism applied to plants with the purpose to enhance nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress, and/or crops quality features regardless of their nutrient content can be generally defined as a product with bio stimu...

The area of calcareous soils is about 1/3 of all agricultural land. The availability of iron for plants on them is decreased which leads to a decrease in yield due to chlorosis. Synthetic agents are used to eliminate iron deficiency, many of which are expensive and resistant to biodegradation. Lignosulfonates are a unique type of technical lignins which are formed during sulfite pulping. Lignosulfonates form complexes with various metals and the presence of sulfo groups gives them solubility in an aqueous medium a...

The article discusses the morphological, micromorphological, and chemical properties of gazha (gypsiferous) soils in the subboreal zone of Russia. The concept of gazha is explained, and the factors and conditions of its formation are analyzed. The analysis of the microfabrics of the gazha horizons indicates that they are mainly composed of small gypsum crystals of pseudorhombohedral shape with possible participation of few gypsum druses. The organization of gypsum crystals in the form of whirl-shaped clusters indi...

The paper aims at inventorying soil resources in Secas Commune, Timis County, Romania, using modern means, namely the GIS method, but also to make a cartographic representation of these soil units using modern methods and means. [18,19] The main objectives envisaged are the development of knowledge on the natural environment, the creation of a ?spatial? pedological database, the spatial representation of soils, the qualitative representation of soils by GIS, the inventory of soils and the identification of their s...

Soil pollution with heavy metals is one of the most important environmental problems. Territories where significant mineral resources of Russia are concentrated belong to the regions of the Far North. At the same time, northern ecosystems have low resistance to various forms of anthropogenic impact. This work is aimed at studying the content and distribution of trace elements in the cryozems of Western Yakutia. The study area is located in the North-East of Russia, in the zone of the North-Taiga landscapes of West...

The paper is focused on the effect of biochar amendment on the soil water content. Biochar used for the field experiment was produced from paper fiber sludge and grain husks (1:1 w/w) by pyrolysis at 550°C for 30 minutes. The field study was conducted at the experimental site in Nitra region Slovakia (lat. 48°19?00??, lon. 18°09?00??). The biochar was incorporated into the soil (0-10 cm) in spring 2014. The plots (4m x 6m) were organized in randomized block design. The experiment consisted of 5 levels of biochar a...

Recent investigations are focused on the characterization of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles obtained via addition or substitution processes with different cations or molecules. These nanoparticles can be used for developing fertilizers that can be applied in sustainable agriculture. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has multiple uses in agriculture: as a source of phosphorus, to obtain slow-release fertilizers as well as for removing and / or immobilizing heavy metals. Synthesised hydroxyapatite (HAE) gives the advantage of using...

In the case of anthropogenic transformation of landscapes, the most sensitive component is the soil, which ensures the stability and biodiversity of the ecosystem. The greater the degree of landscape anthropogenesis, the greater the changes in soil factors: mechanical composition, humus content, physical, biotic and chemical properties. The main negative effect of urbanized and industrial areas is technogenic soil salinization. The presence of salts in the soil has an important effect on the mobility of many subst...

In model laboratory studies of dynamics (3, 30, and 90 days), the effect of veterinary antibiotic tylosin on the biochemical properties of brown forest soil was studied at concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 1000 mg/kg of soil. To study the biochemical properties of the soil, the following indicators were selected: the activity of enzymes of the class of oxidoreductases (catalase, dehydrogenases), hydrolases (invertase, phosphatase), and acidity of the soil (pH). It has been established that contamination of brown fores...

Forest fires damage biogeocenoses. Forest fires affect trees, vegetation and soils. This influence can be both positive and negative. The thermal effect of a forest fire on the soil layer is important. It is necessary to develop mathematical models for understanding the processes of thermal effects of a forest fire on the surface soil layer. Earlier, a simple mathematical model was developed which takes into account the given characteristics of a forest fire and heat transfer in the soil layer by conduction. The p...

Among various pollutants, heavy metals with persistence, non-biodegradation, toxicity and bioavailability pose a major threat to all components of the environment. In soil of vineyard area near Nitra (Slovakia) were analysed four heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in order to assess soil contamination. Contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (DC) and pollution load index (PLI) were used in order to determine the level of environmental contamination of the study area. The average values of CF in soils decr...

Methanotrophic bacteria are unique group of microorganisms structurally and functionally adapted to use methane as a source of carbon, which is of great interest due to their ability to oxidize atmospheric methane. Methanotrophs are known to associate with mosses, which provide bacteria by habitat and protection. Methanotrophic bacteria provide mosses with carbon dioxide resulting of methane oxidation, whose content in moss tissues can reach 32%. We studied mosses and lichens sampled in Eastern Siberia permafrost ...

Soil science literature divided the soil biodiversity into ?three broad functional groups called chemical engineers, biological regulators and ecosystem engineers.? The paper pointed out (by the aim of the microscopic tools) the main ecosystem services provided by the biodiversity of (micro) organisms living into the soil at the organic-inorganic interface, where they built a favorable environment for themselves, the crop roots, and the entire ecosystem. The studied sites are located into different pedolandscapes ...

The research was carried out in Tata Valley watershed, Dambovita region, Romania, which is a tributary of the Ialomita river. The objectives of this study were to estimate the annual soil loss by applying remote sensing data and the main data for the Tata Valley watershed and obtain a spatial representation of the results using GIS techniques. The method used to determine the soil erosivity and total eroded soil quantity in Tata Valley watershed, is the RUSLE + GIS technique, adapted to the specific conditions of ...

The paper deals with the monitoring of selected indicators of soil health and quality in order to assess the impact of farm using conventional farming on arable land. The main objective of the work was to find suitable indicators of the state of the soil environment, and to set the monitoring of these indicators to obtain information usable for the agronomics of the monitored enterprises when deciding on interventions on land. Every responsible farmer tries to care best for his land because only good and healthy l...

The Middle Povazie region belongs to 10 regions of the Slovakia with the most disturbed environment. Important industrial enterprises such as rubber plant, cement company and glassworks are the determining sources of the environment contamination in this region. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of potential Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr and Co contamination of agricultural land in three localities near to emission sources. The samples of soil were collected from two dephts: 0 ? 0.10 m (A horizon) and 0.20 ?...

In the work, composite hydrogel materials based on potassium polyacrylate containing protein hydrolyzate as a filler were synthesized by the method of free-radical polymerization in an aqueous medium. The concentration of the filler (1-5 % wt.), and the concentration of the crosslinking agent (0.05-0.2 % wt.) varied during the synthesis. The obtained samples were studied by DSC, TGA, and optical microscopy methods. It was shown that the polymer sample with a protein hydrolyzate with a concentration of 5 % wt. and ...

This paper tackles a research concerning the restoration for agricultural purposes of different soils affected by landslide phenomena. Landslide is an erosion process which adversely affects the relief, and the damage caused to life and to the environment as a whole are considerable. Nevertheless, soils are the most seriously affected by landslide, as they lose a vital characteristic: their fertility. Research has been conducted on several experimental fields, set up on different types of non-evolved soil, in orde...

Research was carried out between 2016 and 2018 on eutricambosol-type soil with pH-5.65, low humus content of 1.37% and a rate of base saturation of 69.68%. Soil texture is medium-fine. In climate terms, according to Koppen, the climate falls under the formula c.f.b.x, characterized by a temperate climate with rainfall all year round, but with a deficit of water in the summer months. The average temperature of the year is 10.80C. The average annual precipitation volume is 631 mm. To correct the acidic reaction of t...

The garlic crop is made by planting bulbs and they can easily pass through many herbicides that are applied to the soil due to the vigor of the garlic emerging seedlings. However, some weeds, especially those with large seeds, can also pass through the superficial layer of herbicide so that they can cause great damage to the crop. These weed species, such as cocklebur (Xanthium sp.) or velvet leaf (Abutilon theophrasti) can be controlled in postemergence with Goal 4F herbicide. Other herbicides, as Lontrel (clopyr...

The results of laboratory studies concerning self-ignition in Central Europe are presented in this paper. There are known cases of self-ignition of peatlands in Indonesia and tropical regions of Africa, as well as in Southern Europe (for example in Italy and Spain). Therefore, there is a possibility that this phenomenon could also occur in Central Europe due to a climate warming. The laboratory studies, using adiabatic calorimeters, were carried out to assess the tendency of peat to self-ignition. The main aim of ...

The taiga zone of the West Siberian Plain is characterized as a zone with risky agriculture. First of all, this is due to the natural climatic conditions of the northern part of the area under study. The soil and ecological evaluation of grasslands proves the possibility of feed production for dual-purpose cattle due to the natural fertility of Ob and Vakh floodplains alluvial soils. The study of these soils for evaluation of their soil, agrophysical indicators is based on the methodological basis of the soil-ecol...

Soil contamination is one of the most serious environmental problems. The aim of this study was to assess the level of contamination of soil by hazardous metals in 5 regions of Slovakia. Overall 152 samples (soil + plant) were collected from 76 sampling sites in investigated regions. In all samples contents of Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd were determined. In soil samples the total contents of risky elements in extracts by aqua regia as well as contents of bioavailable forms in extracts by NH4NO3 (c=1 mol/L) were determin...

The Oltenia Mining Basin extends, intermittently from west to east, from the Danube to the Luncavat Stream, Valcea County. It is located as a fan shape at the contact area between the Getic Plateau and the Mehedinti Plateau, to the west of the Motru River and the Subcarpathian Depression of Oltenia, to the east of the Motru River, with the mention that most mining objectives are to the south of the contact area or in the immediate vicinity nearby.The surface mining operations in the Oltenia basin have affected lar...

Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality, decreases ecosystem goods and services, and is a major constraint for further agricultural, including food, production. In addition, soil degradation caused by human activities, especially agriculture, contributes to climate change. The need to ensure a sustainable use of soils is outlined by the European Union (EU) Soil Thematic Strategy, as well as related legislation. This requires the prevention to further soil degradation and the preservation of its funct...