Suchergebnisse

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing rates of poultry litter biochar incubated in soil for different periods on soil fertility attributes and the development of the radish plant. An experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Campina Grande - UFCG. Treatments consisted of the combination of two factors: four incubation times (0, 30, 60, and 90 days) and four biochar rates (12.5, 25.0, 37.5, 50.0 t ha-1), in three replications, totalizing 48 experimental plots, in a completely randomized design. After the incubation period, soil samples were collected from each experimental unit and chemically characterized. Following this, radish was sown and cultivated for up to 30 days. The agronomic development of radish was evaluated based on the following variables: leaf area; leaf area ratio; specific leaf area; shoot biomass production index; transverse and longitudinal tuber diameters; and fresh and dry tuber biomasses. Under the present experimental conditions, biochar increases soil fertility levels and is able to supply nutrients to the plants in a short period, increasing plant variables.

In the oil palm agroforestry system on the Adja Plateau (West Africa), land titling plays an important role. Landowners argue that oil palm fallow (dekan) restores soil fertility, but in the long-term it is also an instrument in the struggle for control over land. A land-titling programme in the study area allowed an analysis of the relationship between titling and soil fertility management that showed two different institutional effects with socio-technical consequences. Titling increased land security for landowners and, although this security initially reduced access to land for tenants, a subsequent introduction of witnessed paper-based contracts enhanced tenants' access to land and improved their security of tenure. Improved titling and more secure tenure reduced conflicts over land and opened possibilities for agricultural intensification. This change was associated with a shift from long-term oil palm fallow to shorter-term land-management practices where tenants and landowners increasingly invested in land through rotations between maize and cowpea (rather than maize mono-cropping) and the use of mineral fertilizers, without increased use of household waste (organic amendment). The paper suggests that sustainable agricultural intensification in agroforestry systems requires institutional changes, based on a mixture of customary and formal rules, in both landownership and rental agreements to access land.

It has been highlighted that forest productivity is related both to species richness and to soil fertility; however, thus far it has not been investigated which of these agents is more important for the productivity. The goal of this study was to examine this problem with regard to Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in Central Europe. The study was conducted in 129 plots located in SW Poland. The productivity of even-aged pine stands was estimated based on site index. Plant species richness was investigated regarding the total richness as well as the richness referring to particular forest strata (overstorey, understorey, herb layer). Soil fertility was studied regarding the nutrients' stocks, the contents of fine-textural classes, pH, the TOC content and the values of Soil Trophic Index. The importance of the variables for the site index was examined using Spearman correlations and the stepwise regression. Productivity of the studied stands was predominantly correlated stronger to species richness than to soil properties being related to its fertility. The higher importance for the productivity of soil variables than of species richness was exclusively found for the poorest plots being represented by Podzols. This study highlights the high importance of species richness occurring in particular forest strata for the forest stand productivity, which could involve consequences for forest economy as well as for CO2 sequestration. Thus, the research delivers strong argument for the conversion of pine mono-stands occurring in Central Europe for mixed forests.

The reuse of treated wastewater, in particular for irrigation, is an increasingly common practice, encouraged by governments and official entities worldwide. Irrigation with wastewater may have implications at two different levels: alter the physicochemical and microbiological properties of the soil and/or introduce and contribute to the accumulation of chemical and biological contaminants in soil. The first may affect soil productivity and fertility; the second may pose serious risks to the human and environmental health. The sustainable wastewater reuse in agriculture should prevent both types of effects, requiring a holistic and integrated risk assessment. In this article we critically review possible effects of irrigation with treated wastewater, with special emphasis on soil microbiota. The maintenance of a rich and diversified autochthonous soil microbiota and the use of treated wastewater with minimal levels of potential soil contaminants are proposed as sine qua non conditions to achieve a sustainable wastewater reuse for irrigation. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Comparisons are reported of the small mammal fauna of three distinct rainforests of south-east
Queensland, with emphasis on the faunal response to indirect effects of low soil fertility and past logging
disturbance. Cooloola rainforest sites (on infertile podzol soils) supported significantly fewer small
mammals than did those at Mt Glorious (on fertile krasnozem soils). This was particularly evident
where past logging disturbance was high. However, small mammal species differed in their response to
site according to their degree of specialization. The relative abundance of species within Mt Glorious
rainforest was comparatively even. In contrast, the small mammal fauna of Cooloola rainforest showed
a high dominance-diversity relation with more opportunistic species predominant. Rodent movements
and possibly diurnal activity also increased within disturbed secondary Cooloola rainforest. It is
proposed that soil infertility, a strong plant commitment to chemical defence against herbivory, and a
history of early logging, combine to suppress the abundance and diversity of small mammals within
Cooloola rainforests.

This report presents the outputs from the first phase of a study commissioned as a resultof the UK Department for International Development's (DFID) interest in contributing to policy debate on soil fertility management in Sub Saharan Africa. This work originally envisaged consideration of appropriate engagement with global initiatives, specifically the Soil Fertility Initiative (SFI) for Sub Saharan Africa, launched in 1996 by the World Bank. Subsequent to the work being commissioned it became apparent that the SFI was in a state of evolution and while discussions were held with various organisations it is considered that it is no longer appropriate to include these within this report. The primary focus of the study has been on lower levels in the policy process within seven countries representing a range of ecological, economic and political conditions. This focus on specific countries recognises that while global initiatives have a contribution in terms of raising the profile of soil fertility as an issue that should concern governments and development agencies, solutions and options for addressing soil fertility in the context of poor people's livelihoods require a more location specific approach. A major challenge explored by the country studies is how best to foster a process whereby policy and thinking at higher levels is informed by and responsive to more local level knowledge, interests and capacity.

Metadata only record ; This paper discusses the results of a soil fertility management programme that was part of an integrated rural development project, and carried out as part of the pre-implementation phase of the soil fertility action plan (developed by the Burkina Faso government). It analyses the soil fertility management practices of a sample of 40 farming families that participated in project activities in 1998 and 1999.