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Mulching is one of the appropriate approaches which directly and indirectly enhances the growth and yield-related aspects and available nutrient status of the crop and soil by improvising soil health and altering the environmental conditions. The present investigation is based on a creative approach to growing crops in a controlled environment along with the different biological waste. The present work was carried out in the Department of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, CSKHPKV, Palampur, HP. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications to know the effects of five mulch materials including clover, rye, compost, paddy straw, sawdust, and control was employed to check efficacy on garden pea cv. GS-10. The effect of various mulching materials registered a positively significant response for all the evaluated horticultural, quality traits, and soil properties. For better production and increased yield of pods and grains in the pea, mulching can be recommended under protected conditions. Whereas, most of the yielding attributes such as days to 1st flowering and pod formation, no. of seed pod-1, seed weight, pod yield per plant, pod yield per plot, total yield, and TSS were recorded best with the application of compost mulch at the rate of 2 t ha-1. Besides, these various mulching treatments had also been showing a positive influence of it on soil nutrient status. Meanwhile, the number of nodules, effective nodules/plant and available nitrogen were found highest with the treatment of clover, whereas the nutrient status of the soil concerning available phosphorus and potassium was recorded with compost mulch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 90-day soil incubation study was performed to investigate impacts of four types (PE, PP, PVC and PET) of microplastics (MPs) on the physicochemical properties, nutrient contents, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure and diversity of agricultural soils. Effects of the four microplastic types and addition ratios on the microbiology of the agricultural soils were significant. With the addition of MPs, there was a positive correlation between physicochemical properties, nutrients (AN, AP, AK) and enzyme activities (CAT, Urease, ACP, SUC), which were all decreased to some extent. Overall PE and PVC surfaces were the roughest and had the greatest impact on soil physicochemical properties, nutrients and enzyme activities. The changes in soil microbial α-diversity were not significant (P > 0.05), but, PP and PVC led to an increase in community diversity and abundance. Clearly, the four types of the MPs reduced the physicochemical properties, nutrient content, enzyme activity and microbial community, and thus significantly affected the microbiology of the farmland soils. [Display omitted] • The effects of MPs on soil vary depending on the type and dose. • MPs affected soil physicochemical properties and nutrient effectiveness negatively. • Soil enzyme activities were significantly inhibited by MPs. • MPs decreased soil microbial richness and diversity, and altered community structure. • PE and PVC, which had the roughest surface, had the greatest negative effect on the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of the study was to assess the biological activity of arable soils located in the rural community of Tereszpol. Thirty cultivated fields (research plots) located on soils of various valuation classes were selected for the study. Selection of the plots was based on the percentage of soils of particular valuation classes, an area of about 0.2 ha, a cereal forecrop, similar mineral fertilization, and cultivation of the same plant – potato. The research was carried out twice, in spring and in summer. Total antioxidant capacity and organic carbon content were determined in soil extracts. The research showed that the soils of valuation classes IIIb-VI on which potato crops were grown in the Tereszpol community had slightly higher humus content than the average for their valuation class. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) values were higher for high quality soils and were positively correlated with organic carbon content. In this study, a new parameter, the TAC value calculated per gram of carbon in the sample, was introduced to assess the quality of soils in relation to organic carbon content, which facilitates the interpretation of soil TAC not only in terms of the chemical properties of soil organic matter, but also for assessment of the level of agrotechnical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the variation in soil bacterial community diversity brought by the invasion of Phyllostachys edulis into Pinus massoniana forest, we collected mixed soil samples from three types of forests, including a pure Ph. edulis forest, a mixed Ph. edulis and conifers (P. massoniana) forest, and a mixed forest of evergreen broadleaves and conifers. Samples were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing for measuring the soil bacterial community diversity and structure. The results showed that the bacterial communities comprised of 511 genera, 160 families, 134 orders, 88 classes, and 39 phyla. The proportion of Acidobateria in the pure Ph. edulis forest was significantly lower and the proportions of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, TM7, and Chlamydiae were significantly higher than that in other forests. Meanwhile, various genera showed significant differences in proportions in both the mixed forests when compared with their corresponding proportions in the pure Ph. edulis forest. There were 130 non-dominant genera presented alone in each of the two mixed forests, at proportions between 0.005% and 0.1%. The pure Ph. edulis forest had the lowest a diversity, while that of the mixed Ph. edulis and evergreen broadleaf forest was intermediate, and that of the mixed evergreen broadleaf and coniferous forest was the highest. The index of a diversity followed evergreen coniferous mixed forest > bamboo needle mixed forest > pure bamboo forest, and the difference between the mixed Ph. edulis and evergreen broadleaf forest and the mixed evergreen broad-leaf and coniferous forest was insignificant. The PCoA results revealed that the invasion of Ph. edulis affected the population diversity and community structure of soil bacteria. There was a significant correlation between the percentage of non-dominant bacterial phyla in the soil (less than 0.1% of the proportion) and the soil environmental gradient such as water-soluble organic nitrogen and nitrate. Water-soluble organic nitrogen and nitrate had strong effects on the non-dominant bacterial population in the soil following the invasion of Ph. edulis into the P. massoniana forest. These findings would serve as important references for further related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of sewage irrigation on the growth of rice seedlings and soil environment under wheat straw returning were examined with a pot experiment. Root morphology, root activity, tiller number, plant height, dry matter accumulation of rice seedling, soil ferrous ions content, organic acid content and enzyme activity were measured. The results showed that sewage irrigation significantly increased the number of tillers and root activity at 41 days after transplanting under no N fertilizer application. Under the same N input level, sewage irrigation combined with N fertilizer promoted the growth of rice seedlings and root, and increased the root length, root surface area, root volume, root activity, tiller number and dry matter accumulation. Sewage irrigation significantly reduced the contents of soil ferrous ions and organic acid, while significantly increased the activities of soil urease and catalase. These results indicated that the combination of sewage irrigation and N fertilizer could effectively reduce the negative effect of straw returning on rice seedling and thus enhance soil fertility and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Terrestrial ice-free areas constitute approximately 0.18% of Antarctica, but represent the most biologically active, historically rich, and environmentally sensitive sites. Antarctic soils are easily disturbed and environmental legacies of human activities are scattered across the continent; many are remnants of the 1950s-1980s when environmental protection was less comprehensive than today. Adoption of the Environmental Protocol in 1991 represented an important and proactive shift in Antarctic governance, securing environmental protection as a fundamental tenet of the Treaty System. Twenty five years on standards of environmental management have greatly improved, yet environmental pressures are compounding. Shortcomings in the implementation of the Environmental Protocol exist due to disparities in cultural values, operational realities, and inconsistent environmental impact assessments among governments and National Antarctic Programs. Non-native species management remains underdeveloped; and there is inadequate representation of all biogeographic regions within the Protected Area system; therefore jeopardizing conservation of Antarctic biodiversity and the integrity of the soil environment. Fundamental improvements are required to address the current shortcomings and ensure effective environmental protection for the next 25 years, including: (1) increased multinational and multidisciplinary collaboration to answer targeted research questions addressing contemporary management challenges, (2) effective communication of science to policy makers and environmental managers to inform decision- making, and (3) making the mandate of long-term monitoring of the terrestrial environment a high priority for all governments signatory to the Antarctic Treaty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of nanotechnology has aroused considerable attentions toward understanding the effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) on the propagation of antibiotic resistance. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) is an extensively used ENM and poses potential risks associated with environmental exposure; nevertheless, the role of MoS 2 toward antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer remains largely unknown. Herein, it was discovered that MoS 2 nanosheets accelerated the horizontal transfer of RP4 plasmid across Escherichia coli in a dose-dependent manner (0.5–10 mg/L), with the maximum transfer frequency 2.07-fold higher than that of the control. Integration of physiological, transcriptomics, and metabolomics analyses demonstrated that SOS response in bacteria was activated by MoS 2 due to the elevation of oxidative damage, accompanied by cell membrane permeabilization. MoS 2 promoted bacterial adhesion and intercellular contact via stimulating the secretion of extracellular polysaccharides. The ATP levels were maximally increased by 305.7 % upon exposure to MoS 2 , and the expression of plasmid transfer genes was up-regulated, contributing to the accelerated plasmid conjugation and increased ARG abundance in soil. Our findings highlight the roles of emerging ENMs (e.g., MoS 2) in ARGs dissemination, which is significant for the safe applications and risk management of ENMs under the development scenarios of nanotechnology. • MoS 2 nanosheets at 0.5–10 mg/L accelerated the horizontal transfer of ARGs in soil. • Bacterial SOS response and membrane permeabilization contributed to conjugation. • Nano-MoS 2 stimulated EPS secretion and cell adhesion, promoting plasmid transfer. • MoS 2 assisted ARGs propagation by up-regulating plasmid transfer genes and ATP. • The modulation effect of MoS 2 on the ARGs transfer in soil was firstly proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Reclaimed wastewater is increasingly being used for agricultural irrigation to address water scarcity, particularly in arid and semiarid areas. In this study, the occurrence and removal of 24 antibiotics were investigated in two wastewater treatment systems (WWTSs) and their irrigation areas located in the arid northwestern region of China. The different WWTSs included absorption–biodegradation (AB) + anaerobic–anoxic–oxic (AAO) and AAO + AAO + membrane bioreactor (MBR). Nineteen antibiotics were detected, with concentrations ranging from low to 60.8 μg/L. The dominant antibiotic classes were quinolones (QNs) and macrolides (MLs) in winter, and MLs and sulfonamides (SAs) in summer. The AAO + AAO + MBR system exhibited better removal efficiencies for most antibiotics, improving their adsorption and biodegradation. Except for ofloxacin (OFC) and norfloxacin (NFC), the concentrations of the detected antibiotics were higher in summer than in winter. However, the antibiotic removal efficiency increased by 2–141% in summer compared to winter due to the increase in microbial activity with temperature. Even though reclaimed treatment water plants contributed to the removal of antibiotics, residual antibiotics still affected the soil environment after green irrigation. In irrigated soil, QNs were predominantly detected, with a maximum concentration of 150.9 ng/kg for NFC. An ecological risk assessment showed that OFC, NFC, enrofloxacin, and lomefloxacin presented low or medium ecological risks in at least two irrigated sites. Thus, more attention should be given to the reuse of reclaimed wastewater, as it may pose toxicity risks to organisms in the soil environment. [Display omitted] • The AAO + AAO + MBR system showed more effectiveness in removing antibiotics. • The reclaimed water treatment plants were the key factors to removing antibiotics but still had residual antibiotics. • The concentration of antibiotics in the wastewater treatment system was higher in summer than in winter. • Some individual antibiotic could present a low to medium ecological risk in soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fauna has close relations with various environmental factors in soil ecosystem. To explore the interrelationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors is of vital importance to deep understand the dynamics of soil ecosystem and to assess the functioning of the ecosystem. The environmental factors affecting soil fauna can be classified as soil properties and soil external environment. The former contains soil basic physical and chemical properties, soil moisture, and soil pollution. The latter includes vegetation, land use type, landform, and climate, etc. From these aspects, this paper summarized the published literatures in China on the interrelationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors. It was considered that several problems were existed in related studies, e.g., fewer researches were made in integrating soil fauna's bio-indicator function, research methods were needed to be improved, and the studies on the multi-environmental factors and their large scale spatial-temporal variability were in deficiency. Corresponding suggestions were proposed, i.e.,more work should be done according to the practical needs, advanced experiences from abroad should be referenced, and comprehensive studies on multi-environmental factors and long-term monitoring should be conducted on large scale areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine root dynamics (diameter < 1 mm) in mature Fagus sylvatica, with the canopies exposed to ambient or twice-ambient ozone concentrations, were investigated throughout 2004. The focus was on the seasonal timing and extent of fine root dynamics (growth, mortality) in relation to the soil environment (water content, temperature). Under ambient ozone concentrations, a significant relationship was found between fine root turnover and soil environmental changes indicating accelerated fine root turnover under favourable soil conditions. In contrast, under elevated ozone, this relationship vanished as the result of an altered temporal pattern of fine root growth. Fine root survival and turnover rate did not differ significantly between the different ozone regimes, although a delay in current-year fine root shedding was found under the elevated ozone concentrations. The data indicate that increasing tropospheric ozone levels can alter the timing of fine root turnover in mature F. sylvatica but do not affect the turnover rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Biocides are used in building materials to protect the building against microbial colonization and biodeterioration. However, these biocides are introduced by gradual leaching into soils in proximity of the buildings. This review discusses the aspects and characteristics of biocides from building materials in terms of (i) in-situ leaching and simulation thereof in-vitro and in-field tests, (ii) persistence, as well as photolytic and biodegradation, and its influence on toxicological evaluation, and (iii) evaluation of terrestrial toxicity by conventional ecotoxicological tests and novel holistic testing approaches. These aspects are influenced by multiple parameters, out of which water availability, physicochemical properties of microhabitats, combination of biocidal building materials, soil parameters, and composition of the soil microbiome are of utmost relevance. Deeper understanding of this multiparametric system and development of comprehensive characterization methodologies remains crucial, as to facilitate realistic assessment of the environmental impact of biocides used in construction materials and the corresponding degradation byproducts. [Display omitted] • Leached biocides are environmental threats Biocides are accumulated and transformed in soil. • Soil microbe's response to biocides affects ecosystem service. • Mechanisms and assessment of toxicological effects with conventional and systems biological approaches are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In Pannonia, Chernozem soil type is ideal for Tuber aestivum ascocarp production. • High SOM, biological activity and soluble N strongly support truffle production. • Higher amounts of clay and small-sized aggregates decrease truffle production. • High summer truffle production in plantations can be maintained by soil amendments. Truffles are ectomycorrhizal fungi of which several species can be commercially produced in man-made plantations using trees inoculated with their mycelia. The production in tree plantations is meant to increase the availability of economically valued ascocarps on the market and, in the same time preserve natural habitats from an excessive pressure of truffle hunters, as well as limit the damage that they may face due to the inadequate management of truffle-producing regions. Even though plantations of summer truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) are the most ubiquitous in France and Italy, the Jászság region in Hungary has been recently recognized as one of the most productive areas in Europe. Forestry practice in this region often assumes the renovation of autochthonous tree stands by massive sowing of the tree seeds. One of these plantations of oaks (Quercus robur and Q. cerris), spontaneously colonized without artificial inoculation, appeared to produce the highest officially reported amounts of summer truffles in Europe. Therefore, the managing forestry company decided to apply practice that aimed at maintenance of high truffle production. Assuming that climatic and vegetation factors have no impact on ascocarp production within the stand, the plantation provided perfect experimental setup for investigating the influence of very localised soil properties and terrain morphology on truffle abundance. Therefore, in this contribution selected soil properties have been investigated in the entire plantation using specifically designed protocols to characterize the site and find out if the spatial variation in the truffle production can be explained by short-distance differences in soil properties. In the Chernozem soil type that dominated the entire forest stand, soil organic matter (SOM), soluble nitrogen (TN) and properties influenced by SOM and biological activity were positively correlated with high ascocarp production, whereas increased soil aggregate size and clay content was negatively correlated with productivity. The spatial distribution of these parameters appeared strongly related to ascocarp abundance distribution. Chernozem seems to be an ideal type of soil for Tuber aestivum ascocarp production, but terrain morphology and soil properties spatial pattern, which may have been historically influenced by fluvial and aeolian processes, can significantly influence the rate of production. In the case of non-wood products such as truffles, forest management will necessarily have to consider the conditions of the soil environment that, influencing the presence of the truffle species, can make their production interesting in terms of income for the forest owner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of fertilizers and aluminum toxicity are major limiting factors for crop development in red soil (acidic soil) of China. Biochar is a promising material for improving soil quality, alleviating aluminum and acidic toxicity. The present study was conducted on maize to evaluate the effects of biochar on NUE and soil quality under different applications of nitrogen fertilizer. Biochar was used in the following five levels in each pot; C0 (0 g), C1 (7.5 g), C2 (15 g), C3 (30 g), C4 (45 g), in combination with δ15N at two N levels: N0 (0 g kg−1) and N1 (0.2 g kg−1). The biochar increased soil nutrients, exchangeable cation, and SOM. Compared with C0, the K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were increased by 31.58%, 95.87%, and 463.75% while total Al3+ content of C4 treatment was decreased by 91.98%–93.30% in soil, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) showed that Al 2 SiO 5 was adsorbed on the surface of biochar in the soil due to the special physical structure of biochar. Besides, the results showed that root and shoot biomass increased by 44.5% and 89.6%, respectively under biochar treatment. The nitrogen utilization rate of the plant was increased by 11.08% after the amendment of biochar to soil. The δ15N content was increased from 11.97 to 21.32 for root and from 50.84 to 82.33 mg kg−1 for the shoot. The use of biochar with N fertilizer showed a more positive effect on improving NUE of maize and facilitating soil quality. Our results suggest that biochar could be used to improve soil available nutrients, alleviate aluminum toxicity and acidic toxicity. Therefore, biochar could also increase the NUE of maize by adjusting soil quality. Image 1 • Biochar improved soil properties and decreased available Al in the soil. • Al3+ ions were adsorbed on the biochar surface in the soil. • The combination of biochar and N fertilizer promoted N accumulation of maize. • Biochar could improve the efficiency of N fertilizer utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]