Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study is aimed at investigating the feasibility of using the radiometric technique as an alternative to traditional methods for determining soil physico-chemical parameters which are important for terroir characterization. In-situ and ex-situ radiometric analyses of soil from three vineyard blocks of Simonsig Wine Estate in the Stellenbosch district (Western Cape, South Africa) were studied. A mobile MEDUSA gamma-ray detection system comprising a CsI(Na) crystal (length 15 cm, diameter 7 cm) and associated electronics mounted on a portable trolley were used for partial terroir characterisation. Thereafter activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th series and 238U series in soil (top ~30 cm) from the measured MEDUSA spectra (0 - 3 MeV) were extracted by means of the full-spectrum analysis (FSA) method. A lead-shielded HPGe detector was used for analyzing collected soil samples while soil physico-chemical parameters were analysed using standard methods at research and commercial laboratories. / South Africa

La compréhension de la répartition spatiale des sols et leur cartographie est un enjeu important tant les services écosystémiques rendus par les sols ont un rôle fondamental dans les enjeux agro-environnementaux actuels. A l’échelle nationale, les données pédologiques sont fournies via des cartographies au 1 :250 000 des types de sols (Référentiel Régional Pédologique, RRP) dont la résolution est devenue insuffisante pour répondre à ces enjeux. Placés dans un contexte de cartographie numérique des propriétés des sols à l’échelle régionale (Languedoc-Roussillon) caractérisé par une grande étendue (27 236 km²) et une faible densité de données sur les sols ( 1 observation/13.5 km2), les travaux de thèse ont eu pour objectif de réaliser une nouvelle infrastructure de données pédologiques régionale satisfaisant les spécifications édictées dans le projet international GlobalSoilMap et répondant aux besoins des utilisateurs de la région.Dans un premier temps, plusieurs approches connues de cartographie numérique des sols utilisant les diverses données pédologiques issues du RRP ont été appliquées et comparées entre elles. Les meilleurs résultats ont été obtenus par des approches de régression krigeage utilisant les profils avec analyses de sol existant dans le RRP. Pour le pH, le carbone organique et les variables de texture (argile, limon, sable) les performances de prédiction se sont avérés modérées mais suffisantes pour permettre la production de cartes informatives (R2 entre 0.2 et 0.7). En revanche les propriétés de sol avec une trop faible densité de profils et/ou variant sur des distances trop courtes (Eléments grossier, Profondeur, CEC) n’ont pu être prédites .Dans un deuxième temps, des méthodologies ont été proposées et testées pour mieux estimer les incertitudes de prédictions de propriétés de sol. Concernant les incertitudes locales, des progrès par rapport à l’utilisation de la régression krigeage ont été obtenus avec l’utilisation d’arbres de régression quantile. Ces incertitudes locales ont pu d’autre part être propagées dans les calculs d’indicateurs de sol caractérisant des entités géographiques de la région (exemple : commune). Enfin une troisième étape a été consacrée à la mise en production effective de la nouvelle infrastructure de données pédologique régionale permettant une diffusion des cartes obtenues dans cette thèse vers les utilisateurs.Les résultats de la thèse permettent de démontrer la faisabilité d’une approche de cartographie numérique des propriétés de sols à l’échelle régionale qui pourra être généralisée sur le territoire français. Bien que certains verrous méthodologiques restent à lever (ex : modèles de prédiction pour données censurées, covariable « lithologie »), la faible densité des observations pédologiques stockées actuellement en bases de données représente le facteur limitant majeur qui devra être levé dans l’avenir pour obtenir des cartes numériques de propriétés de sol à des précisions acceptables et incertitudes connues. / Depicting and mapping the soil variability is an important issue since the ecosystem services provided by soils play an important role in solving the current agro-environmental challenges. At the French national scale, the pedological data are currently provided by regional soil databases (« Référentiel Régionaux Pédologiques », RRP) at 1:250,000. However they provide soil information at a spatial resolution that is too coarse for addressing these challenges. This thesis undertakes a Digital Soil Mapping approach at the regional scale in a region (Languedoc-Roussillon) characterized by a great extent (27 236 km ²) and a low density of soil observations (1 observation/13.5 km2). The goal is to produce a new regional infrastructure of pedological data that could satisfy the specifications enacted in the international project GlobalSoilMap and that meets the needs of the local end-users. In a first step, several known approaches of digital soil mapping using the various pedological data available in the RRP were applied and compared. The best results were obtained by a regression-kriging approach using the legacy measured soil profiles of the RRP. For the pH, organic carbon and the variables of texture (clay, silt, sand) the performances of prediction were of moderate quality but sufficient to allow the production of informative maps (R2 between 0.2 and 0.7). Conversely the soil properties with a too low density of profiles and/or that varied within too short distances (coarse fragment, soil Depth, CEC) could not be predicted. In a second step, methodologies were proposed and tested for better estimating uncertainties of predictions of soil properties. Concerning local uncertainties, a progress compared to the use of Regression Kriging was obtained with the use of Quantile Regression Tree. These local uncertainties could in addition be propagated in calculations of soil indicators characterizing the geographical entities of the area (example: districts). Finally a third stage was devoted to the setting in effective production of the new regional infrastructure of pedological data, which allowed the diffusion of the maps obtained in this thesis towards the users. The results of the thesis demonstrate the feasibility of a digital soil mapping approach at the regional scale that could be generalized over the French territory. Although some methodological obstacles have to be addressed (ex: models of prediction for censored data, soil covariate “lithology”), the low density of the pedological observations currently stored in regional databases represents the major limiting factor, which will have to be addressed in the future to obtain digital maps of soil properties with acceptable and known precision.

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Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Pasture Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Savanna rangelands are ecosystems which are characterized by the co-existence of scattered trees and shrubs with a continuous grass layer. However, the grass and tree balance has been highly altered as a result of disturbances caused by bush encroachment. Encroaching woody species have been shown to decrease species richness and abundance of the seed bank and ground‐layer diversity. So far little is known on the effect of bush encroachment and soil depth on the soil seed bank diversity in savanna rangelands. The objectives of this mini-dissertation were to (1) determine the influence of soil depth on soil seed bank diversity in bush encroached savanna rangelands, and (2) determine the relationships between soil seed bank herbaceous vegetation and physicochemical properties in encroached rangeland. In order to address these objectives, a savanna rangeland was demarcated into two encroachment gradients spanning from open to encroached rangeland. Within each encroachment gradient, six plots of 10 m x 10 m were randomly selected, whereby soil sampling and herbaceous vegetation were carried out and determined. In each replicate plot per encroachment level, five soil samples were randomly collected at 0-10 and 10-20 cm depths. The number of seedlings of different species emerging from the soil samples was used as a measure of the number of viable seeds in the soil and the composition of the seed bank using the seedling emergence method. The total seed densities showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the 0-10 cm depth layer in the open rangeland and encroached rangeland. Bush encroachment significantly (P<0.05) decreased the seed density of perennial grasses, specifically in 0-10 cm depth layer. Further, species diversity increased with bush encroachment in the 10-20 cm depth layer. Menhinick’s richness index showed no significant difference in the open and encroached rangeland, while species evenness decreased in the 0-10 cm depth layer and increased at 10-20 cm depth.The study also revealed negative correlations between organic carbon, calcium, clay, silt and forbs while mean weight diameter (MWD), a measure of soil aggregate stability was positively correlated with forbs. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that pH, phosphorus, potassium and calcium were positively correlated to Eragrostis curvula and magnesium was negatively correlated to Panicum maximum. In open rangeland, CCA revealed that clay content was negatively correlated with species evenness while xii magnesium was negatively correlated to the Shannon Weiner index. Further, silt content was positively correlated with species richness and evenness. In the encroached rangeland, the CCA showed a negative correlation between magnesium and the Shannon Weiner index. The Sørensen’s index between soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation was low with index values of 0.22 and 0.24 in open and encroached rangeland, respectively. / AgriSeta

Accelerated soil erosion is one of the major threats to agricultural production in Ethiopia and the Harerge region is not exceptional. It is estimated that about 1.5 billion tones of soil is being eroded every year in Ethiopia. In the extreme cases, especially for the highlands, the rate of soil loss is estimated to reach up to 300 t ha-1yr-1 with an average of about 70 t ha -1yr-1 which is beyond any tolerable level. The government have made different attempts to avert the situation since 1975 through initiation of a massive program of soil conservation and rehabilitation of severely degraded lands. Despite considerable efforts, the achievements were far bellow expectations. This study was aimed at assessing the effect of some soil properties, rainfall intensity and slope gradients on surface sealing, soil erodibility, runoff and soil loss from selected sites in the Harerge region, eastern Ethiopia, using simulated rainfall. Soil loss was also estimated for the sites using Soil Loss Estimation Model for Southern Africa (SLEMSA) and the Universal soil Loss Equation (USLE). Moreover, the effectiveness of various rates and patterns of wheat residue mulching in controlling soil loss was also evaluated for one of the study sites, (i.e. Regosol of Alemaya University), under both rainfall simulation and field natural rainfall conditions. For most of the erosion parameters, the interaction among soil texture, slope gradient and rainfall intensity was significant. In general however, high rainfall intensity induced high runoff, sediment yield and splash. The effect of slope gradients on most of the erosion parameters was not significant as the slope length was too small to bring about a concentrated flow. The effect of soils dominated by any one of the three soil separates on the erosion parameters was largely dependent on rainfall intensity and slope gradient. The soils form the 15 different sites in Harerge showed different degrees of vulnerability to surface sealing, runoff and sediment yield. These differences were associated with various soil properties. Correlation of soil properties to the erosion parameters revealed that aggregate stability was the main factor that determined the susceptibility of soils to sealing, runoff and soil loss. This was in turn affected by organic carbon content, percent clay and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). Soils with relatively high ESP such as those at Babile (13.85) and Gelemso (7.18) were among the lowest in their aggregate stability (percent water stable aggregates of 0.25 –2.0mm diameter); and have highest runoff and sediment yield as compared to other soils in the study. Similarly, most of those soils with relatively low ESP, high organic carbon content (OC%) and high water stable aggregates such as Hamaressa, AU (Alemaya University) vertisol and AU regosol were among the least susceptible to sealing and interrill erosion. Nevertheless, some exceptions include soils like those of Hirna where high runoff was recorded whilst having relatively high OC%, low ESP and high water stable aggregates. Both the SLEMSA and USLE models were able to identify the erosion hazards for the study sites. Despite the differences in the procedures of the two models, significant correlation (r = 0.87) was observed between the values estimated by the two methods. Both models estimated higher soil loss for Gelemso, Babile, Karamara and Hamaressa. Soil loss was lower for Diredawa, AU-vertisol and AU-Alluvial all of which occur on a relatively low slope gradients. The high soil loss for Babile and Gelemso conforms with the relative soil erodibility values obtained under rainfall simulation suggesting that soil erodibility, among others, is the main factor contributing to high soil loss for these soils. The difference in the estimated soil losses for the different sites was a function of the interaction of the various factors involved. Though the laboratory soil erodibility values were low to medium for Hamaressa and Karamara, the estimated soil loss was higher owing to the field topographic situations such as high slope gradient. SLEMSA and USLE showed different degrees of sensitivities to their input variables for the conditions of the study sites. SLEMSA was highly sensitive to changes in rainfall kinetic energy (E) and soil erodibility (F) and less sensitive to the cover and slope length factors. The sensitivity of SLEMSA to changes in the cover factor was higher for areas having initially smaller percentage rainfall interception values. On the other hand, USLE was highly sensitive to slope gradient and less so to slope length as compared to the other input factors. The study on the various rates and application patterns of wheat residue on runoff and soil loss both in the laboratory rainfall simulation and under field natural rainfall conditions revealed that surface application of crop residue is more effective in reducing soil loss and runoff than incorporating the same amount of the residue into the soil. Likewise, for a particular residue application method, runoff and soil loss decreased with increasing application rate of the mulch. However, the difference was not significant between 4 Mg ha-1 and 8 Mg ha-1 wheat straw rates suggesting that the former can effectively control soil loss and can be used in areas where there is limitation of crop residues provided that other conditions are similar to that of the study site (AU Regosols). The effectiveness of lower rates of straw (i.e. less than 4 Mg ha-1 ) should also be studied. It should however be noted that the effectiveness of mulching in controlling soils loss and runoff could be different under various slope gradients, rainfall characteristics and cover types that were not covered in this study. Integrated soil and water conservation research is required to develop a comprehensive database for modelling various soil erosion parameters. Further research is therefore required on the effect of soil properties (with special emphasis to aggregate stability, clay mineralogy, exchangeable cations, soil texture and organic matter), types and rates of crop residues, cropping and tillage systems, mechanical and biological soil conservation measures on soil erosion and its conservation for a better estimation of the actual soil loss in the study sites. Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Bobe, BW 2004, Evaluation of soil erosion in the Harerge region of Ethiopia using soil loss models, rainfall simulation and field trials, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08022004-141533 / > / Thesis (PhD (Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Soil samples from different locations with varied soybean cultivation histories were taken from arable fields in 2018 in East Germany and Poland (Lower Silesia) to evaluate the specific microsymbionts of the soybean, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, one to seven years after inoculation. Soybeans were grown in the selected farms between 2011 and 2017. The aim of the experiment was to investigate whether there is a difference in rhizobia contents in soils in which soybeans have been recultivated after one to seven years break, and whether this could lead to differences in soybean plant growth. The obtained soil samples were directly transferred into containers, then sterilized soybean seeds were sown into pots in the greenhouse. After 94 days of growth, the plants were harvested and various parameters such as the nodular mass, number of nodules, and dry matter in the individual plant parts were determined. In addition, the relative abundances of Bradyrhizobium sp. in soil samples were identified by sequencing. No major decline in Bradyrhizobium sp. concentration could be observed due to a longer interruption of soybean cultivation. Soil properties such as pH, P, and Mg contents did not show a significant influence on the nodule mass or number, but seem to have an influence on the relative abundance of Bradyrhizobium sp. The investigations have shown that Bradyrhizobium japonicum persists in arable soils even under Central European site conditions and enters into an effective symbiosis with soybeans for up to seven years.:Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion Supplementary Materials Author Contributions Funding Acknowledgments Conflicts of Interest References

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Moore in Südafrika sind wichtige, aber bedrohte Ökosysteme. Etwa 20.200 ha, zwei Drittel der südafrikanischen Moore, befinden sich auf der Maputaland Coastal Plain. Eukalyptusplantagen und gängige Anbaumethoden, die Dränung beinhalten, bedrohen die Existenz der Moore. Ein besseres Verständnis von Prozessen und Eigenschaften der Moore Maputalands ist dringend erforderlich, um effektive Schutzstrategien zu entwickeln. Diese Dissertation untersucht die Moorbildung in Maputaland aus einer bodenkundlichen Perspektive, um Voraussetzungen für effektive Schutzmaßnahmen und Renaturierungsmaßnahmen abzuleiten sowie Ratschläge für nachhaltigere Anbaumethoden auszuarbeiten. Per Großrestanalyse wurden Moor- und Torfbildungsprozesse untersucht. Auf Grundlage von 141 in Feldarbeit untersuchten Bodenprofilen wurden 15 unterschiedliche Moorsubstrate beschrieben und in genetische Substratgruppen sowie botanische Torftypen kategorisiert. Für diese Substrate wurden die folgenden physikalischen und chemischen Bodeneigenschaften bestimmt: Kohlenstoffgehalt, C/N Verhältnis, elektrische Leitfähigkeit, pH-Wert, Trockenrohdichte, Porenverteilung, gesättigte und ungesättigte hydraulische Leitfähigkeit sowie maximaler kapillarer Aufstieg. Zudem wurden die Auswirkungen von Degradierung auf die physischen und chemischen Eigenschaften der Moore untersucht. Hierfür wurden die eben benannten Kenngrößen für Substrate in verschiedenen Degradierungsstufen gemessen. Auf Grundlage der Veränderungen der Bodeneigenschaften werden die Verluste von Ökosystemfunktionen durch Degradierung diskutiert. Anhand der Häufigkeit der Substrattypen in den unterschiedlichen hydrogeomorphologischen Moortypen werden angepasste Empfehlungen für Schutz, Renaturierung und nachhaltigere landwirtschaftliche Nutzung der Moore erarbeitet, basierend auf den ermittelten Substrateigenschaften. Darüber hinaus werden auf Grundlage aktueller Klimaprognosen zukünftige Stresssituationen für die Moore durch den Klimawandel analysiert. / Peatlands in South Africa are important and threatened ecosystems. They are of great socio-ecological significance, as sources of freshwater, fertile land, material for construction, medicinal plants, habitat for specialised plants and animals, and as an attraction for ecotourists. Some 20.200 ha, about two thirds of South Africa’s peatlands, are located at the Maputaland Coastal Plain. Eucalyptus plantations and common cultivation practices which include drainage are threatening the existence of the peatlands. This dissertation investigates peatland formation in Maputaland from a soil-related point of view, in order to identify the requirements for effective conservation and restoration measures, as well as more sustainable cultivation practices. Insights into peat formation processes were obtained through a macrofossil analysis. Based on the field examination of 141 soil profiles, 15 different peatland substrates were described and categorised into genetic substrate groups, and botanical peat types. Mean values for the following physical and chemical properties were determined for each substrate: Carbon content, C/N ratio, electrical conductivity, pH-value, bulk density, pore size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and maximum capillary rise. Moreover, the effect of degradation on the physical and chemical properties of South African peatlands was explored. Therefore, the aforementioned properties were measured for substrates at different degrees of degradation. Based on the changes in the soil properties thus established, the loss of ecosystem functions through degradation is discussed. By considering the frequency of occurrence of the substrate types in different hydrogeomorphic peatland types, adapted implications for conservation, restoration and cultivation are derived. In addition, based on the actual projections of climate change, estimations about future stress on the peatlands were derived.

From the Proceedings of the 1975 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 11-12, 1975, Tempe, Arizona / Water can be supplied to many arid areas by harvesting the precipitation that falls on artificially prepared water-repellent soil catchments. The failure, in 1973, of wax-treated water harvesting catchment led to this study which indicates that the failure was due to swelling and shrinking of the treated soil which caused complete structural breakdown and loss of repellency. The laboratory freeze-thaw studies demonstrated that the smoother the plot, the less chance of freeze-thaw damage. Generally, coarser-textured soil can withstand freeze-thaw cycles better than finer-textured soils. Soil properties, other than texture, may also affect resistance to damage by freeze-thaw cycles. Increasing the repellent application rate may improve resistance to breakdown.