The feasibility of using pine bark and composted sewage sludge to produce alternative substrates was studied. The substrates tested were 1 and 2) pine bark fertilized with 1 and 4 g L À 1 of a slow-release NPK fertilizer (15 : 11 : 13) and 3) a substrate in which 15% (v=v) of the pine bark was replaced by composted sewage sludge. Treatments abbreviated as PB, PB þ N, and PB þ CSS in text. Pinus pinea and Cupressus arizonica plants were grown in these substrates for 2 years and plant and substrate characteristics were tested periodically along the experiment. Additionally, nitrate and heavy metal concentrations were determined in leachates collected from each substrate. The suitability of the prepared substrates was appropriate for the JOURNAL ORDER REPRINTS production of Pinus pinea and Cupressus arizonica in real production conditions. The root=shoot dry weight ratio of both plant species in PB þ N was significantly lower than in the other substrates. The highest nitrogen content in shoot corresponded to plants grown in the PB þ N substrate, even though PB þ CSS had higher nitrogen content than PB and PB þ N substrates. Concentration of nitrate and heavy metals in leachates was lower than the level allowed in the European Union regulation. 130GUERRERO, GASCÓ , AND HERNÁ NDEZ-APAOLAZA ORDER REPRINTS
SUMMARYProperties of a claim loam soil, collected in Aranjuez (Madrid) and enriched with organic matter and microorganisms, were evaluated under controlled temperature and moisture conditions, over a period of three months. The following treatments were carried out: soil (control); soil + 50 t ha -1 of animal manure (E50); soil + 50 t ha -1 of animal manure + 30 L ha -1 of effective microorganisms (E50EM); soil + 30 t ha -1 of the combination of various green crop residues and weeds (RC30) and soil + 30 t ha -1 of the combination of various green crop residues and weeds + 30 L ha -1 of effective microorganisms (RC30EM). Soil samples were taken before and after incubation and their physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters analyzed. Significant increase was observed in the production of exopolysaccharides and basic phosphatase and esterase enzyme activities in the treatments E50EM and RC30EM, in correlation with the humification of organic matter, water retention at field capacity, and the cationic exchange capacity (CEC) of the same treatments. The conclusion was drawn that the incorporation of a mixture of effective microorganisms (EM) intensified the biological soil activity and improved physical and chemical soil properties, contributing to a quick humification of fresh organic matter. These findings were illustrated by the microbiological activities of exopolysaccharides and by alkaline phosphatase and esterase enzymes, which can be used as early and integrated soil health indicators.Index terms: quality indicators, microorganisms, physical, chemical, and biochemical soil properties.(
Water supplies in the Ebro River Basin are increasingly stressed, especially during the summer season. The year-to-year fluctuations in rainfall over this area exert vital influence on the regional hydrology, agriculture and several related industries in the region. Repeated anomalous rainfall in recent decades has had a devastating impact on this region, both socially and economically. We characterised the change in the rainfall variability pattern in the Ebro River Basin using universal multifractal (UM) analysis, which estimates the concentration of the data around the precipitation average (C 1 , codimension average), the degree of multiscaling behaviour in time (α index) and the maximum probable singularity in the rainfall distribution (γ s ). Fourteen meteorological stations were selected based on the length of rainfall series and the climatic classification to obtain a representative untreated data set from the river basin. Daily rainfall series from 1957 to 2002 were obtained from each meteorological station and subdivided (1957-1980 and 1981-2002) to analyse the difference between the 2 periods. The general scenario observed in this study, through the UM parameters, can be summarised as follows: the range of variation of precipitation amounts was spatially more homogenous in 1980-2002 than in 1957-1979; at the same time, there is higher frequency of dry periods at different scales in 1980-2002; and in almost all of the stations, the range of precipitation over the years has been decreasing at a lower rate than the rainfall average. We then analysed the evolution of the UM parameters from 1957 to 2002. Continuous variations in C 1 and α were found for 2 of the stations, indicating that a precipitation regime change has begun in the last few decades and should be considered in the agricultural development of the region.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.