Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 126-136).

Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2010. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on June 10, 2010. Major professor: Lynn E. Moody, Ph.D. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Agriculture, with a Specialization in: Soil Science." "April 2010." Includes bibliographical references (p. 48-51).

No description available.

Geostatistical methods were investigated in order to find efficient and accurate means for estimating a regionalized random variable in space based on limited sampling. The random variables investigated were (1) the bare soil temperature (BST) and crop canopy temperature (CCT) which were collected from a field located at the University of Arizona's Maricopa Agricultural Center, (2) the bare soil temperature and gravimetric moisture content (GMC) collected from a field located at the Campus Agricultural Center and (3) the electrical conductivity (EC) data collected by Al-Sanabani (1982). The BST was found to exhibit strong spatial auto-correlation (typically greater than 0.65 at 0⁺ lagged distance). The CCT generally showed a weaker spatial correlation (values varied from 0.15 to 0.84) which may be due to the length of time required to obtain an "instantaneous" sample as well as wet soil conditions. The GMC was found to be strongly spatially dependent and at least 71 samples were necessary in order to obtain reasonably well behaved covariance functions. Two linear estimators, the ordinary kriging and cokriging estimators, were investigated and compared in terms of the average kriging variance and the sum of squares error between the actual and estimated values. The estimate was obtained using the jackknifing technique. The results indicate that a significant improvement in the average kriging variance and the sum of squares could be expected by using cokriging for GMC and including 119 BST values in the analysis. A nonlinear estimator in one variable, the disjunctive kriging estimator, was also investigated and was found to offer improvements over the ordinary kriging estimator in terms of the average kriging variance and the sum of squares error. It was found that additional information at the estimation site is a more important consideration than whether the estimator is linear or nonlinear. Disjunctive kriging produces an estimator of the conditional probability that the value at an unsampled location is greater than an arbitrary cutoff level. This latter feature of disjunctive kriging is explored and has implications in aiding management decisions.

Three studies were completed to investigate the influence of mineral assemblage on soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling and pedogenesis in forest soils. Two studies utilized a lithosequence of four parent materials (rhyolite, granite, basalt, limestone/volcanic cinders) under Pinus ponderosa, to explicitly quantify the contribution of parent material mineral assemblage to the character of the resulting soil. The first study explored variation in pedogenesis and elemental mass loss as a product of parent material through a combination of quantitative X-ray diffraction and elemental mass balance. Results indicated significant differences in degree of soil development, profile characteristics, and mass flux according to parent material.The second study utilized the same lithosequence of soils, but focused on organic C cycling. This study explored variation in SOC content among soils of differing mineralogy and correlations among soil physiochemical variables, SOC content, soil microbial community composition and respiration rates. Metal-humus complex and Fe-oxyhydroxide content emerged as important predictors of SOC dynamics across all parent materials, showing significant correlation with both SOC content and bacterial community composition. Results indicated that within a specific ecosystem, SOC dynamics and microbial community vary predictably with soil physicochemical variables directly related to mineralogical differences among soil parent materials.The third study focused specifically on the influence of goethite and gibbsite on dissolved organic matter characteristics and microbial communities which utilize DOM as a growth substrate. Iron and aluminum oxides were selected for this study due to their wide spread occurrence in soils and their abundance of reactive surface area, qualities which enable them to have a significant effect on SOC transported through forest soils. Results indicated that exposure to goethite and gibbsite surfaces induces significant differences in DOM quality, including changes in thermal properties, molecular structure, and concentrations of P and N. Investigation of the decomposer communities indicated that exposure to goethite and gibbsite surfaces caused significant differences in microbial community structure.These investigations emphasize the important role of mineral assemblage in shaping soil characteristics and regulating the cycling of C in soils, from the molecular scale to the pedon scale.

No description available.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal avaliar as relações entre a composição mineralógica de solos representativos do Estado de São Paulo e alguns de seus atributos eletroquímicos como o ponto de efeito salino nulo (PESN) e a capacidade de troca aniônica (CTA). Especial atenção foi dada também à quantificação de cargas negativas de caráter permanente e à contrastação dos resultados com a composição mineralógica da fração argila, a qual foi avaliada de forma qualitativa e semiquantitativa. Além dos atributos eletroquímicos supracitados, a adsorção e a dessorção de sulfato, principal forma inorgânica de enxofre presente nos solos sob condições aeróbicas, foram estudadas visando-se à determinação de índices representativos desses fenômenos e à associação dos mesmos com atributos mineralógicos, químicos e eletroquímicos dos solos. Em uma primeira etapa, amostras coletadas em camadas subsuperficiais de quinze solos localizados em diferentes regiões do Estado de São Paulo foram submetidas à uma intensa caracterização mineralógica, química e eletroquímica. Além dessas avaliações, as amostras foram utilizadas como adsorvedores em estudos de adsorção e dessorção de sulfato. Em um momento posterior e por meio do tratamento estatístico dos dados, procurou-se analisar as relações individuais dos diversos atributos avaliados com o ponto de efeito salino nulo, capacidade de troca aniônica, adsorção e dessorção de sulfato. Os resultados experimentais obtidos durante a avaliação do ponto de efeito salino nulo das amostras permitiram o desenvolvimento de um programa computacional para o tratamento matemático dos referidos dados visando-se à determinação analítica do valor desse atributo eletroquímico. Testes realizados com dados obtidos por outros autores demonstraram a adequação do programa para a determinação rápida e não-subjetiva do PESN. Em relação às cargas elétricas negativas de superfície, pôde-se verificar uma significativa presença de cargas de caráter permanente, fato que apresentou razoável concordância com a composição mineralógica das amostras. Contudo, faz-se necessária a contrastação de resultados obtidos com o método da adsorção de césio com quantidades de cargas permanentes determinadas por meio do uso de outros procedimentos metodológicos. Ao avaliar-se a capacidade de troca catiônica (CTC) das amostras, utilizando-se diferentes métodos, pôde-se observar que os solos com caráter ácrico estiveram dentre aqueles em que as maiores discrepâncias foram verificadas, fato que sugere a necessidade da reavaliação dos métodos empregados para a determinação da CTC efetiva nesses solos. Os procedimentos adotados permitiram verificar que os óxidos de alumínio mal cristalizados, pres entes na fração argila, são os componentes mais diretamente associados ao ponto de efeito salino nulo e à capacidade de troca aniônica das amostras estudadas. Em relação à adsorção de sulfato, novamente observou-se acentuada relação direta entre o teor dos óxidos de alumínio mal cristalizados e a capacidade adsortiva das amostras bem como com a afinidade apresentada pela fase sólida em relação ao referido ânion. A gibbsita e os óxidos de alumínio mal cristalizados são os constituintes inorgânicos da fase sólida mais diretamente associados à restrição à dessorção de sulfato nas amostras avaliadas, ao passo que a liberação do sulfato retido apresentou relação direta com o teor de caulinita. Esses dados indicam que as aplicações de gesso agrícola devem ser feitas com maior cautela em solos cauliníticos. Em relação aos atributos de fácil e rápida determinação, o pH das amostras medido em solução de fluoreto de sódio (pH NaF) apresentou estreita relação com a presença de óxidos de alumínio nas amostras estudadas e, por essa razão, mostrou-se como um índice bastante promissor para a avaliação indireta da capacidade de retenção aniônica de amostras de camadas subsuperficiais de solos das regiões tropicais. Finalmente, um grande número de correlações não significativas obsevadas entre os teores de óxidos de ferro cristalinos (hematita e goethita) tanto para com atributos eletroquímicos quanto para com a adsorção e dessorção de sulfato parece indicar a existência de acentuada variabilidade comportamental para esses minerais nas amostras estudadas. Desse modo, novos estudos devem ser realizados com os referidos óxidos de ferro visando-se analisar a influência da morfologia, tamanho de cristais e grau de cristalinidade sobre os atributos eletroquímicos e propriedades adsortivas desses minerais. Igualmente, o desenvolvimento de trabalhos de pesquisa de natureza similar envolvendo a gibbsita são também necessários, haja vista a completa ausência de informações relacionadas à variabilidade comportamental desse óxido de alumínio. / The present research aimed at studying the relationships between the mineralogical composition of representative soils from São Paulo State and some of their electrochemical properties, particularly the point of zero salt effect (PZSE) and the anion exchange capacity (AEC). Additionally, it was given special attention to the presence of permanent negative charges in those soils, whose magnitudes were also associated with the mineralogical composition of their clay fractions, which was evaluated by using qualitative and semiquantitative approaches. Besides the above mentioned electrochemical properties, the adsorption and desorption of sulfate, the main inorganic form of sulfur found in soils under aerobic conditions, were studied in order to associate the representative indexes of these phenomena with mineralogical, chemical and electrochemical soil properties. Initially, samples collected in subsurface layers of fifteen soils situated in different regions of São Paulo State were highly characterized as for their mineralogical, chemical and electrochemical properties Besides these evaluations, the soil samples were used as adsorbents in studies of sulfate adsorption and desorption reactions. After this, and through the statistical analyses of data, it was aimed at verifying the individual relationships of the evaluated properties with the PZSE, AEC, sulfate adsorption and desorption indexes. The experimental results obtained during the evaluation of the PZSE values of samples, gave us the possibility of the development of one software for mathematical manipulation of them in order to allow the analytical determination of the above mentioned electrochemical property. The software was evaluated through the analyses of potentiometric titration data from experiments of other authors. The results showed very good agreement between PZSE values calculated by the software and those determined by the authors. By this reason, this approach can be considered very useful for this determination. In relation to surface charges, it was possible to verify reasonable amounts of permanent negative charges in evaluated soil samples and good correspondence of them with soil mineralogical properties. However, more studies are necessary in order to compare the results of cesium adsorption method, employed for this determination in the present research, with ones from other methodologies. The determination of cation exchange capacity (CEC) values through different approaches have shown that the soil samples with acric character were among the ones that present the biggest discrepancies. These results suggest the necessity of reevaluation for the usual methods employed to measurements of CEC values in soils with acric character. The methods used in this research allowed us to verify that the contents of amorphous aluminum oxides in the clay fraction present direct associations with PZSE and AEC values determined in soil samples. In relation to sulfate adsorption, it was also observed the positive effect of amorphous aluminum oxides on the sulfate adsorptive capacities of the studied soils. In the same way, the content of above mentioned oxides present significative and direct correlation with the affinity of surfaces by sulfate ions. The gibbsite and amorphous aluminum oxides are the clay fraction constituents associated with the restriction to sulfate desorption in evaluated soil samples; on the other hand, the transference of sulfate ions from solid surfaces to soil solutions was favored by the high kaolinite contents. These data suggest that the use of gypsum in kaolinitic soils with low contents of oxides must be done with more criteria.Considering the soil properties whose determinations are not time consuming, the pH values evaluated in suspensions of soil-NaF 1 mol L -1 solution (pH NaF) presented very good associations with the aluminum oxides contents of soil samples and, by this reason, it showed also significative correlations with soil sulfate adsorption capacity. These founds indicate that the pH NaF is a very promising index for the indirect evaluation of the anion retention capacity of samples from subsurface layers of tropical soils. Finally, the great number of non-significative correlations verified in this research between crystalline iron oxides (hematite and goethite) contents and electrochemical properties or sulfate adsorption/desorption indexes suggest the existence of non-systematic variations in their intrinsic properties. So, it is very important the establishment of new researches with the objective of acquiring more information about the influence of morphology and crystals size and crystallinity of these adsorbents on their electrochemical properties and adsorptive capacities. These considerations are also applied to gibbsite, since there is no information about this topic associated to this mineral.

The fate of fertilizer N is of primary concern for both agricultural productivity and environmental quality. Concerns include denitrification, leaching losses, mineralization of organic N as plant available N. Denitrification is an important source of N$ sb2$O, a greenhouse gas but field measurements are difficult. Two methods of measuring denitrification are soil core (SC) incubation and closed chamber (CC) methods. These methods were assessed on soil under monoculture corn, monoculture soybean, and alfalfa in a corn soybean alfalfa rotation. Greater concentrations were found in the CC method than the SC method. Denitrification rates ranged from less than 15 g N ha$ sp{-1}$h$ sp{-1}$ to nearly 2000 g N ha$ sp{-1}$h$ sp{-1}$. The CC method was more sensitive to treatment effects. The denitrification rates were dependent on the soil type, being higher on soils with high clay content. The variables that had the highest degree of relationship with denitrification were water filled pore space, soil NH$ sb4$-N and NO$ sb3 $,-N concentrations. Higher rates of N increased denitrification. As to assessment of available soil N, this was accomplished N and C mineralization measurements. Potentially mineralizable N(N$ sb0$) ranged from 144 mg N kg$ sp{-1}$ to 30.3 mg N kg$ sp{-1}$. Higher rates of organic amendment resulted in higher measured values on Brandon soil while higher rates of inorganic N on Chicot and Ste. Rosalie soils caused no change in mineralizable N or respired C. Total N, organic C, water soluble organic C (WSOC) and microbial biomass C (MBC) increased with increasing amounts of organic or inorganic N amendment on Brandon soil. Higher rates of inorganic N resulted in lower WSOC and MBC on Chicot and Ste. Rosalie soils. Nitrogen mineralized, C respired, total N, organic C, WSOC and MBC were all related to soil texture. MBC and WSOC were found to have a strong positive relationship with potentially mineralizable N.

Abstract available on PDF file. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1978.

Submitted by (lucia.rodrigues@ufrpe.br) on 2016-08-09T14:44:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria da Conceicao de Almeida.pdf: 3112126 bytes, checksum: 59f226cf3890e03c87fc77e561e4b3c4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-09T14:44:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria da Conceicao de Almeida.pdf: 3112126 bytes, checksum: 59f226cf3890e03c87fc77e561e4b3c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The work has the objective to study the influence of the parent material in morphological, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of soils in the transition between the Mata Norte Region and the Agreste Region of Pernambuco State, Brazil. The counties of São Vicente Ferrer and Macaparana were choosen as the place of the study due to its great soil diversification, cultivated with banana, the main culture of the region. On these places were open four profiles, witch were morphologically characterized, and disturbed and undisturbed samples were collected from the horizons to proceed physical, chemical and mineralogical analysis. The level of available macronutrients (N,P, K, Ca and Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni) were measured. The soils were classified according to the Brazilian Soil Classification System. The results concluded that the soils of the region has different pedogenetic evolution, the CHERNOSOL (Mollisol) is the less developed soil and the LATOSOL (Oxisol) the more developed. According to the chemical analysis, the fertility of the soils follows the order Profile 1>Profile 2>Profile 3>Profile 4. The mineral assemblage indicates potential supply of nutrients to plants. Differences between iron oxide types maybe is related to environmental conditions, and the low pH at profile 4. The CHERNOSOL is rich in primary minerals, with great nutrition potential. The LATOSOL is a profile with low nutrition potential, low base saturation and low fertility, it has a low mineral reserve, but presents different trace elements that can work as nutrient supply. Mica, vermiculite and kaolinite are the main secondary minerals found in the soils. The profiles are distinct in their mineralogical composition, the CHERNOSOL has unusual anphiboles percentage, the YELLOW ARGISOL (Ultisol) presents minerals with low degree of weathering and clear presence of manganese oxides, the RED-YELLOW ARGISOL with its magnetic attraction and the LATOSOL, wicth is the one that presents more differenciated trace minerals. / O trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a influência do material de origem nas propriedades morfológicas, físicas, químicas e mineralógicas de solos da transição Mata Norte e Agreste de Pernambuco, visando à indicação de áreas mais apropriadas para agricultura orgânica. Os municípios de São Vicente Férrer e Macaparana, que se localizam numa região de geologia diversificada, entre a Zona da Mata e o Agreste do Estado de Pernambuco, foram selecionados como locais de estudo por possuírem diferentes tipos de solos sob cultivo de bananeira, principal cultura da região. Nessas áreas foram abertos 4 perfis, procedendo-se a caracterização morfológica, seguida de coleta de amostras deformadas e indeformadas dos horizontes pedogenéticos para realização de análises físicas, químicas, mineralógicas, com determinação dos teores disponíveis dos macronutrientes (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) e micronutrientes (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni). Os solos foram classificados segundo critérios estabelecidos pelo SiBCS. Os resultados permitiram concluir que os solos da região apresentam um gradiente de evolução pedogenética e são de boa estrutura; o CHERNOSSOLO foi o de menor grau de desenvolvimento e o LATOSSOLO o mais desenvolvido. A fertilidade natural dos solos segue a seguinte ordem decrescente: Perfil 1>Perfil 2>Perfil 3>Perfil 4. A assembléia mineralógica dos solos indica potencial de fornecimento de nutrientes para as plantas. O CHERNOSSOLO apresenta-se rico em minerais primários, estes com grande potencial nutricional, anfibólios, feldspatos diversos, micas e vermiculitas, mas precisaria ser manejado adequadamente para tornar os elementos disponíveis. O CHERNOSSOLO e os ARGISSOLOS apresentam potencial de fornecimento de Ni, Cu e Zn, com aumento desses nutrientes em profundidade. O ARGISSOLO AMARELO, apesar da morfologia indicar grau de desenvolvimento elevado, apresenta na mineralogia da fração grosseira minerais pouco alterados em todo o perfil, além de proporção considerável de mica na fração areia fina. O LATOSSOLO é um perfil com baixo potencial nutricional, tem baixa soma de bases, baixa saturação por bases e baixa fertilidade; além de ter uma baixa reserva mineral, mas apresenta diferentes elementos traços que podem ser fontes de nutrientes. Nos diferentes solos foi possível identificar os minerais secundários mica, vermiculita e caulinita. Os perfis são distintos na sua composição mineralógica, o CHERNOSSOLO apresenta percentuais pouco comuns de anfibólios, o ARGISSOLO AMARELO apresenta minerias com baixo grau de intemperismo e presença nítida de óxidos de manganês, o ARGISSOLO VERMELHO-AMARELO com sua atração magnética e o LATOSSOLO, que é o que mais apresenta minerais traços diferenciados.