Cyclamens are deemed an essential cold season crop for supplementing the income of commercial growers during winter. However, cyclamens have the reputation of being a demanding commercial crop mainly due to difficulty in successful crop cultivation, lengthy production time and production costs. The economic and environmental landscape in South Africa dictates that careful consideration be given to reducing production time and costs, but still improving the quality of the commercial crop for market readiness. Growth medium are considered an important factor contributing significantly to the quality of commercially grown container cyclamens in a controlled environment. The focus of this study was on establishing the most suitable growth medium for commercially grown cyclamens in a South African environment in order to improve the quality of the commercial crop. Only one F1 variety of cyclamen was used as the sample population with a sample size of five plants per growth medium mixture planted according to a randomised block design in a specified area within a greenhouse. Seven commercially available growth medium mixtures, five locally available and two imported, were subjected to a typical production cycle of commercial cyclamens in a controlled greenhouse. The growth medium mixtures for comparison were Cyclamen Mix; 45 Mix; 50% Cyclamen Mix - 50% 45 Mix; 49 Mix; 7 Mix; coarse coir; Klasmann base 4 Substrate mix . The measuring instrument used in the study was adapted from existing instruments used in the comparison of cyclamens and growth medium. It included various measurements and observations: Plant height, plant diameter, plant weight, number of leaves, leaf width, foliage fresh weight, number of flowers, diameter of tuber and root fresh weight. The results obtained in the comparison determine the most suitable growth medium for container cyclamens for South African circumstances. The physical properties of peat retain water for a longer time which is beneficial for the production of container cyclamen. The results of this study therefore indicate that growth mediums containing peat performed better than mediums containing no peat. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M.Sc. (Ornamental Horticulture)

Changes in the hydrological cycle are one of the expected impacts of climate change. Until recently, Central European mountain ranges have not been considered to be affected by water scarcity. Nevertheless, recent years have suggested an increasing risk of drought occurrence also in these regions, which have a major impact on the water supply to rivers that drain them. The master thesis deals with the evaluation of hydrological drought in the headwater areas of three catchments in the Ore Mountains for the period from 1967 to 2018. The main aim is to compare the of hydrological drought characteristics in the catchment areas of upper Svatava River, upper Rolava River and Načetínský brook based on available hydrological and climatic data. In connection with this, the work aims to detect the long-term trends of drought occurrence in selected basins. Furthermore, the emphasis is given on the evaluation of natural conditions, especially the historical and current land cover changes in the study catchments. The results point to a significant change in the seasonality of the occurrence of hydrological drought in the second half of the studied period, when the streamflow deficits concentrate between August and October. Furthermore, increasing trends in deficit volumes were found in the catchment areas of...

A recuperação ambiental de áreas exploradas pela mineração de areia na região do Vale do Paraíba, Estado de São Paulo, constitui anseio popular, obrigação constitucional e fator de diferenciação dentro da mais moderna visão empresarial. Este trabalho estuda a aplicação de turfa como um melhorador de solos na etapa final do processo de recuperação destas áreas: o restabelecimento da vegetação nativa. O interesse surgiu da experiência de trabalho do autor com pesquisa mineral e tecnológica desta substância, além da observação e acompanhamento de alguns projetos de revegetação nestas áreas, tidas como ambientalmente sensíveis e onde os solos apresentam-se, via de regra, improdutivos; sua utilização representou, nestes casos, a diferença entre o sucesso e a necessidade de replantio. Apresenta-se uma revisão bibliográfica sobre turfa e suas propriedades agronômicas, bem como acerca da utilização de matéria orgânica na revegetação de áreas degradadas. O estudo constituiu um comparativo entre resultados de ensaios efetuados em amostras de solo provenientes de área abandonada pela mineração de areia, homogeneizadas em laboratório em seu estado original (branco), de um lado, e com adição de turfa em diferentes proporções, de outro, visando aferir se alguma delas poderia adequar-se mais satisfatoriamente à melhoria das condições gerais do solo em questão. Foram analisadas variações em propriedades químicas e físicas como retenção de cátions, efeito tampão, densidade aparente, condutividade hidráulica e porosidade. Abre-se a possibilidade de os resultados deste projeto não se limitarem apenas à Indústria Mineral mas estenderem-se a outros setores onde haja a necessidade de recuperação de solos, fornecendo subsídios a eventuais modificações no manejo de solos agricultáveis, com perspectivas de geração de economia de recursos em irrigação, fertilizantes e defensivos agrícolas. / The environmental recuperation of areas explored by sand mining in the Vale do Paraíba region, in the State of São Paulo, is a popular aspiration, a constitutional obligation and constitutes a differentiating factor in the visions of modern enterprise. This work studies the utilization of peat as a soil conditioner in the final stage of the recuperation process for these areas: the revival of indigenous vegetation. This idea arose from the author's experience in technological and mineral research into peat, coupled with the observation and monitoring of these environmentally sensitive areas, whose soils were, from an agricultural stance, generally unproductive. The utilization of peat, in these cases, represented the difference between success and the necessity for a replantation process. This study presents a review of the agronomic properties of peat as well as the application of organic matter in the revegetation of damaged land. It is a comparative study between laboratory assay results from soil samples in their original state, and those where the soil has variable peat contents, seeking to ascertain which, if any, results in better general conditions for that particular soil. Both physical and chemical properties were analyzed, with an emphasis on cation exchange capacity, buffering, bulk density, hydraulic conductivity and porosity. There is a possibility that the results of this project can extended beyond the Mineral Industry to other sectors, where there are needs for soil recuperation, leading to cost savings for irrigation, fertilizers and agrotoxic compounds in food production areas.

Resumo: Substâncias Húmicas (SH), extraídas de turfa sob diferentes condições foram caracterizadas com o objetivo de se desenvolver nova metodologia de extração com elevado rendimento, baixo teor de cinzas e sem grandes alterações estruturais. Parâmetros como: tempo, temperatura, atmosfera de extração, razão solo/extrator, granulometria do solo, extrator e sua concentração foram avaliados e mostraram ter grande influência no processo. Pelos estudos feitos e resultados obtidos pode-se concluir para a amostra estudada que: 1 - a extração alcalina das substâncias húmicas utilizando-se hidróxido de potássio aumenta o rendimento e diminui o teor de contaminantes inorgânicos co-extraídos em relação ao procedimento utilizando hidróxido de sódio; 2 - a concentração do extrator influencia muito no rendimento, teor de cinzas, razão E4/E6, razão AH/AF e composição elementar das substâncias húmicas extraídas; 3 - 4 horas de extração são suficientes para extrair praticamente toda matéria orgânica presente na amostra; 4 - a razão solo/extrator não exerce influência no teor de matéria orgânica extraída, entretanto, a diminuição dessa razão eleva o teor de contaminantes inorgânicos no extrato húmico; 5 - espectros na região do infravermelho e visível mostraram que o aumento da temperatura de extração causa mudanças estruturais nos ácidos húmico e fúlvico...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Humic Substances (HS), extracted from the peat under different conditions were characterised with the aim of developing a methodology of extraction with high yields, low contents of ashes and without big structural alterations. Parameters such as: time, temperature, extraction atmosphere, soil/extractor ratios, soil granulemetry, extractor and its concentration were evaluated and showed to have great influence on the process. By the studies done and results obtained we can conclude to the studied sample that: 1. the alkaline extraction from the humic substances using potassium hydroxide increase the yields and reduce the contents of inorganic contaminator co-extracted in relation to the procedure that uses sodium hydroxide; 2. the concentration of the extractor influences very much on the yields, contents of ashes, E4/E6 ratios, AH/AF ratios and elementary composition of the extracted humic substances; 3. four hours of extraction are enough to extract almost all the organic material present in the sample; 4. the soil/extractor ratios does not exert any influence on the contents of the extracted organic material, however, the decrease of this ratio increases the contents of inorganic contaminator in the humic extract; 5. spectres in the region of the infrared and visible showed that the increase of temperature of extraction provokes structural changes in the humic and fulvic acids. It was also verified that the reduction of the contents of humic acid and elevation of the fulvic acid extracted with the increase of temperature; 6. the nitrogen atmosphere minimises the oxidation of the humic and fulvic acids during the extraction. The increase in time of extraction of the humic substances in the absence of nitrogen favours the oxidative processes; ...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Orientador: Julio Cesar Rocha / Coorientador: Maysa Furlan / Banca: Clóvis Augusto Ribeiro / Banca: Antonio Salvio Mangrich / Mestre

Nesta pesquisa foram estudadas morfologias e posições do relevo que apresentam solos e depósitos com regimes hídricos caracterizados pela saturação temporária ou permanente, tendo os seguintes objetivos: (i) caracterização dos solos e depósitos presentes no setor inferior de vertentes e em fundos de vale, incluindo planícies fluviais, com ênfase em suas propriedades hidromórficas; (ii) identificação de graus de hidromorfia nos solos e depósitos desses setores e morfologias, e representação de sua variabilidade espacial; (iii) elaboração de proposições a respeito do regime de saturação hídrica nos setores estudados e de sua relação com os graus de hidromorfia identificados; (iv) elaboração de proposições sobre tendências espaciais hidrodinâmicas associadas à inundação fluvial nas áreas de planície. Sob o aspecto metodológico, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida de acordo com os princípios da abordagem geossistêmica, apresentando uma análise integrada que buscou identificar as inter-relações entre as variáveis pesquisadas. Para tal estudo, foram selecionados dois perfis transversais na Alta Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Cotia, que abrangeram o setor inferior de vertentes e fundos de vale, um deles com planície fluvial. Ao longo desses perfis transversais foram realizados os seguintes levantamentos e procedimentos: (i) levantamento morfométrico e construção de gráficos dos perfis; (ii) descrição dos atributos morfológicos dos solos e depósitos; (iii) monitoramento dos níveis dágua do lençol freático ou lençol suspenso nos pontos de descrição. A caracterização e análise detalhadas das propriedades hidromórficas revelaram gradações de intensidade nas mesmas, e, a partir dessa base, desenvolveu-se uma proposta para classificação dos solos e depósitos segundo graus de hidromorfia. Foram construídas representações gráficas bidimensionais que ilustraram a sucessão vertical e lateral de horizontes pedogenéticos e camadas com diferentes graus de hidromorfia ao longo dos setores e morfologias estudadas. Desta maneira, foram identificadas tendências gerais no que se refere à distribuição espacial dos graus de hidromorfia e à relação desses graus com o regime de saturação hídrica. Um dos padrões identificados consistiu no aumento do grau de hidromorfia dos perfis verticais de solos e depósitos com o aumento da profundidade, que está associado a um maior tempo de duração das condições de saturação hídrica nos horizontes mais profundos. Também foram observadas diferenças significativas na intensidade das propriedades hidromórficas das vertentes, quando comparadas às áreas de fundos de vale, incluindo a planície fluvial. Neste sentido, foram identificados graus de hidromorfia mais baixos nos horizontes A e B dos pontos localizados nas vertentes, e graus mais elevados nos horizontes A e B dos pontos localizados nos fundos de vale. Essas diferenças na ocorrência dos graus de hidromorfia foram atribuídas a distintos regimes de saturação hídrica, sendo que, de maneira geral, os horizontes pedogenéticos e as camadas com graus de hidromorfia elevados estão sujeitos a condições de saturação hídrica de maior duração ou permanentes, quando comparados àqueles que possuem graus de hidromorfia mais baixos, nos quais os eventos de saturação hídrica tem menor duração e/ou ocorrem com menor frequência. Com relação às proposições referentes à inundação fluvial na planície estudada, foram identificadas morfologias que recebem preferencialmente os fluxos fluviais da inundação e apresentam taxas de deposição mais elevadas, e setores com taxas de deposição mais baixas nos quais a inundação é menos frequente e há predomínio da deposição de sedimentos finos. / In this research we studied morphologies and relief positions with soils and deposits with moisture regimes characterized by temporary or permanent water saturation, with the following objectives: (i) characterization of soils and deposits located in lower slope sectors and valley bottoms, with an emphasis on their hydromorphic properties; (ii) identification of degrees of hydromorphy in the soils and deposits of these sectors and morphologies, and representation of their spatial variability; (iii) development of propositions about the regime of water saturation in the studied areas and its relationship with the degrees of hydromorphy; (iv) development of propositions about the hydrodynamics of floods in the studied floodplain. Regarding the methodological aspect, the research was conducted according to the principles of the geosystemic approach, presenting an integrated analysis which considered the inter-relations among the studied variables. For this study, we selected two cross profiles in the Cotia Drainage Basin, comprising lower slope sectors and valley bottoms, including a floodplain. Along these cross profiles, the following surveys were conducted: (i) topographic survey and construction of cross section graphics; (ii) description of the morphological attributes of soils and deposits, including detailed description of their hydromorphic properties; (iii) monitoring the water levels of the water table and perched water tables in the sites of description. The detailed characterization and analysis of the hydromorphic properties revealed gradations of intensity in them, and, based primarily on this, we developed a proposal for classification the soils and deposits of the study area according to degrees of hydromorphy. We built two-dimensional graphical representations which illustrated vertical and lateral successions of pedogenetic horizons or layers with different degrees of hydromorphy. Thus, general trends were identified in respect to the spatial distribution of the degrees of hydromorphy and in respect to its relationship with the regime of water saturation. One of the patterns identified consisted in the increase of the degree of hydromorphy in the soil profiles with increasing depth, associated with a longer duration of water saturation conditions in the deeper horizons. It were also observed significant differences in the intensity of the hydromorphic properties of the slopes, when compared to the valley bottom areas, including the floodplain. In this regard, lower degrees of hydromorphy were identified in the A and B horizons in the slope sectors, and higher degrees in the A and B horizons in the valley bottom areas. Such differences in the degree of hydromorphy were ascribed to distinct regimes of water saturation, considering that, in general, the horizons and layers with higher degrees of hydromorphy are subject to water saturation conditions of longer duration, when compared to those classified according to lower degrees of hydromorphy, in which the water saturation events have shorter duration and/or have lower frequency. Concerning the propositions about the hydrodynamics of floods in the studied floodplain, we identified morphologies that preferentially receive the overflowing river flows and have higher deposition rates, and sectors with lower deposition rates, where flooding is less frequent and there is a predominance of fine sediments deposition.

<p>Förorenat dagvatten från Stena Gotthards metallåtervinningsanläggning i Eskilstuna har filtrerats genom kolonner innehållande två olika adsorbenter, torv och furubarksflis. Torv är en organisk jordart som främst används som bränsle och furubarksflis är en biprodukt från skogsindustrin. Båda filtermaterialen är relativt billiga och finns i stora kvantiteter i Sverige. Filtermaterialen har visat sig ha varierande kapacitet att adsorbera metaller i vatten på grund av själva materialet samt vattnets sammansättning. Resultatet från den här studien visar att av de två undersökta filtermaterialen så har furubarksflis störst kapacitet att reducera bly, koppar och zink från det specifika dag vattnet.</p> / <p>Polluted storm water from a metal recycling industry has been filtrated through columns that contained two different adsorbents, peat and pine bark. Peat is an organic soil, mainly used for energy production, and pine bark, a by-product from the forest industry. In Sweden, there are a lot of resources of peat as well as pine bark. Used as filter materials, they are relatively cheep and, like other kinds of filtermaterial used as adsorbents, they have varied capacity to adsorb metals in water. The capacity for the filter materials to adsorb metals depends on the physical structure and chemical contents of the peat and pine bark as well as the water metal composition. Results from this study show that pine bark had the highest adsorption capacity to reduce copper, lead and zinc from the specific storm water.</p>

No description available.

名古屋大学年代測定総合研究センターシンポジウム報告

Förorenat dagvatten från Stena Gotthards metallåtervinningsanläggning i Eskilstuna har filtrerats genom kolonner innehållande två olika adsorbenter, torv och furubarksflis. Torv är en organisk jordart som främst används som bränsle och furubarksflis är en biprodukt från skogsindustrin. Båda filtermaterialen är relativt billiga och finns i stora kvantiteter i Sverige. Filtermaterialen har visat sig ha varierande kapacitet att adsorbera metaller i vatten på grund av själva materialet samt vattnets sammansättning. Resultatet från den här studien visar att av de två undersökta filtermaterialen så har furubarksflis störst kapacitet att reducera bly, koppar och zink från det specifika dag vattnet. / Polluted storm water from a metal recycling industry has been filtrated through columns that contained two different adsorbents, peat and pine bark. Peat is an organic soil, mainly used for energy production, and pine bark, a by-product from the forest industry. In Sweden, there are a lot of resources of peat as well as pine bark. Used as filter materials, they are relatively cheep and, like other kinds of filtermaterial used as adsorbents, they have varied capacity to adsorb metals in water. The capacity for the filter materials to adsorb metals depends on the physical structure and chemical contents of the peat and pine bark as well as the water metal composition. Results from this study show that pine bark had the highest adsorption capacity to reduce copper, lead and zinc from the specific storm water.

Die Hochmoore des Erzgebirges sind auf Grund ihrer jahrhunderte langen Nutzung und der ökosystemaren Wandelprozesse der vergangenen 10 - 15 Jahre unterschiedlich stark degradiert. Gleichzeitig sind sie durch den Austrag vergleichsweise hoher Austräge von DOC (Dissoloved Organic Carbon) gekennzeichnet. Um den Zusammenhang zwischen dem Zustand der Hochmoore, als Ergebnis in erster Linie der unterschiedlich nutzungsbedingten Degradation und den Stoffausträgen speziell den DOC-Austrägen zu erfassen, wurden mittels landschaftsökologischer Methoden Hochmoortestflächen verschiedener Zustände vergleichend untersucht. Die Ergebnisse lieferten erste Hinweise, dass in Flächen mit natürlicher Regeneration oder anthropogener Wiedervernässung vergleichsweise hohe DOC-Konzentrationen und – Austräge zu beobachten waren. Demgegenüber standen stärker degradierte Flächen mit zum Teil aktueller forstlicher Nutzung (geräumte Entwässerungsgräben), die durch geringere DOC-Konzentrationen und – Austräge charakterisiert waren. Da die gefundenen Zusammenhänge nicht endgültig belegt werden konnten, besteht insbesondere Forschungsbedarf hinsichtlich landschaftshaushaltlicher Untersuchungen unterschiedlich degradierter Hochmoore im Erzgebirge. / Natural peat bogs are known as a sinks especially for carbon because of theire special matter and water balance. The use of peat bogs requiers their drainage, but consequently the peat will decompose unreversible and peatlands turn to a source esspecially for carbon. The peat bogs in the “Erzgebirge Mountains” were used over several centuries. Thats why the peatlands existing nowadays have different states dependent on the duratian of their use. Beside the use peatlands were mostly negativly effected by processes of ecological change in the “Erzgebirge Maountains” in the last 10 to 15 years. As one result of ecological change the increased output of DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon) into surface waters can be seen. The main source for DOC are peatlands. By the way it seems to exist a connection between the output of DOC and other dissolved substances and the state of the peatlands especially of their ditches. To research this hypothesis four test areas of different state were chosen. Their state and the output of DOC and other dissolved substances were investigated with methods from landscape ecology from 2001-2003. It was the first time, that peatlands in the “Erzgebirge Mountains” were investigated in such a way. The badest state had the test area where the ditches were cleaned in 2000/ 2001 (“Weiße Mulde”, Western “Erzgebirge Mountains”). This test area showed the lowest but constant DOC-concentrations and DOC-output during the investigation period. The test areas “Carlsfeld” and “Löffelsbach” (Western “Erzgebirge Mountains”) had the best state. The state of “Carlsfeld” is related to the narueal closed ditches, which cause the processes of self regeneration. Due to such processes the DOCconcentrations were distinctly higher but very variable in dependence on weather and runoff. The same was supposed to DOC-output. The same valuation got the test area “Löffelsbach”, because of rewetting by technical closed ditches in 2001. During the investigation period the highest DOC-concentrations of all test areas were measured there. Similar to “Carlsfeld” DOC-concentrations and –output were highly variable in dependence on weather and runoff. The state of the test area “Salzflüßchen” (Eastern “Erzgebirge Mountains”) is also related to processes of self regeneration but was valuated bader than “Carlsfeld”, because the effect of former drainage was stronger in this area. In 2005 the rewetting of the test area is planed by “Naturpark Erzgebirge/ Vogtland”. In the consequence the DOC-concentrations and –output will increase similar to “Löffelsbach”. The results of the investigations indicate that a connection exists between state of peatlands and output of dissolved substances esspecially DOC. The results are supported by national and international literature. It will be clear, that more research is necessary especially on the field of comparative investigations of peatlands with different states in the “Erzgebirge Mountains”.