Download or read book Biolog a del suelo written by A. Burges and published by OMEGA. This book was released on 1971 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: El sistema del suelo; Bacterios del suelos; Hongos en el suelo; los actinomicetes; las algas del suelo; Protozoos; Neumatodos ;los enquitreidos; lumbricidos; acaros; moluscos; la importancia de los antibioticos y de las substancia inhibidoras; los microorganismos del suel y las raices; Artropodos; Acaros; Agua; Gravitacional; Subterranea; Algas; Ameba; Suelo; Solo; Biomasa; Enzima; Fauna; Nematoide; Nitrogeno; Nitrogenio; pH; Raices; Raiz; Pigmento; Taxonomia.

Download or read book The Architecture and Biology of Soils written by Karl Ritz and published by CABI. This book was released on 2011 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soil is a fundamental and critical, yet often overlooked, component of terrestrial ecosystems. It is an extremely complex environment, supporting levels of diversity far greater than any ecosystem above ground. This book explores how soil structure develops and the consequences this has for life underground. The effects of spatial arrangement, of soil's physical and biological components on their interaction and function are used to demonstrate their roles in ecosystem dynamics.

Download or read book Environmental Soil Biology written by M. Wood and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-07 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental considerations are playing an increasingly important role in determining management strategies for soil and land. Many important environmental issues involve aspects of the biology of soil, and these issues cannot be considered satisfactorily in isolation from a general understanding of soil biology as a whole. This is the second edition of a book first published in 1989 and now thoroughly rewritten to focus on soil ecology and environmental issues. The first part of the book provides an introduction to soils, its inhabitants, and their activities. The second part covers the influence of man on the natural cycles of soil. Topics such as acid rain and nitrogen fertilizers are considered alongside pesticides and genetically modified organisms. A new final chapter has been added which considers how, as we move towards the next millennium, we can apply the concept of sustainability to issues such as global climate change and farming systems. The book is directed at advanced undergraduate and immediate postgraduate students in environmental science and soil ecology, with students of physical geography and earth sciences as an important secondary market.

Download or read book Soil Biology and Agriculture in the Tropics written by Patrice Dion and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-02-04 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The relationships between soils, microbes and humans are of crucial relevance in the tropics, where plant stress and microbial activity are exacerbated. This volume of Soil Biology presents the living component of tropical soils, showing how it is shaped by environmental conditions and emphasizing its dramatic impact on human survival and well-being. Following an introduction to the specificities of tropical soils and of their microbial communities, the biological aspects of soil management are examined, dealing with land use change, conservation and slash-and-burn agriculture, the restoration of hot deserts, agroforestry and paddy rice cultivation. As they are of particular relevance for tropical agriculture, symbioses of plants and microbes are thoroughly covered, as are the biodegradation of pesticides and health risks associated with wastewater irrigation. Lastly, traditional soil knowledge is discussed as a key to our sustainable presence in this world.

Download or read book A Handbook of Tropical Soil Biology written by Fatima M. S. Moreira and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-05-04 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This practical handbook describes sampling and laboratory assessment methods for the biodiversity of a number of key functional groups of soil organisms, including insects, earthworms, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. The methods have been assembled and the protocols drafted by a number of scientists associated with the UNEP-GEF funded Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity Project, executed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) Institute of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The methods provide a standardized basis for characterizing soil biodiversity and current land uses in terrestrial natural, semi-natural and agroecosystems in tropical forests and at forest margins. The aim is to assess soil biodiversity against current and historic land use practices both at plot and landscape scales and, further, to identify opportunities for improved sustainable land management through the introduction, management or remediation of soil biota, thus reducing the need for external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. The book also contains extensive advice on the handling of specimens and the allocation of organisms to strain or functional group type. Published with TSBF-CIAT, CTA, UNEP and GEF

Download or read book Soil Biology written by Martin Wood and published by Springer. This book was released on 1989-10 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is currently great interest in the biology of soil, stimulated by an increased concern to conserve natural resources, not only in agriculture but also in natural ecosystems. Recent developments in molecular biology have increased the possibilities of manipulating soil organisms and the processes they carry out, to improve food production and the quality of the environment. But important environmental questions associated with the application ofthis new biotechnology to soils are still to be resolved. Issues such as the desirability of using genetically-engineered microorganisms in soil can be discussed sensibly only in the light of an understanding of naturally-occurring organisms in soil. Although on a global basis food production continues to increase, man's current relationship with the soil in many parts ofthe world is characterised by decreasing soil fertility and increasing population pressure. Soil Science has an important role to play in the future, helping to solve these problems. Although not all areas of this large and expanding subject are covered in this book, I hope that I have been able to present the principles of soil biology in such a way that will interest the reader.

Download or read book Soil Biology written by Wilhelm Kühnelt and published by . This book was released on 1961 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Soil Biology written by and published by . This book was released on 1967 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Biology of Earthworms written by Ayten Karaca and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-11-09 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Earthworms, which belong to the order Oligochaeta, comprise roughly 3,000 species grouped into five families. Earthworms have been called ‘ecosystem engineers’; much like human engineers, they change the structure of their environments. Earthworms are very versatile and are found in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. They play an important role in forest and agricultural ecosystems. This Soil Biology volume describes the various facets of earthworms, such as their role in soil improvement, soil structure, and the biocontrol of soil-borne plant fungal diseases. Reviews discuss earthworms’ innate immune system, molecular markers to address various issues of earthworm ecology, earthworm population dynamics, and the influences of organic farming systems and tillage. Further topics include the characteristics of vermicompost, relationships between soil earthworms and enzymes, the role of spermathecae, copulatory behavior, and adjustment of the donated sperm volume.

Download or read book Chemistry and Biology of Water Air and Soil written by J. Tölgyessy and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 1993-03-11 with total page 879 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental pollution is a universal problem which threatens the continued existence of mankind, rendering it one of the primary concerns of society. This book provides a comprehensive view of the chemistry and biology of water, air and soil, particularly those aspects connected with the protection of the environment. The first part of the book presents fundamental information on the chemistry and biology of water in its natural state, and the effects of water pollution from industry, traffic, agriculture and urbanization. It covers the composition of natural, service and wastewaters as well as methods of chemical and biological water analysis and water treatment. The second part deals with atmospheric problems, particularly the basic composition of atmosphere and the different sources of its pollution, methods of restriction, and air analysis. The final part of the volume focuses on the characteristics of soil and soil components, natural and anthropogenous soil processes, the chemistry, biology and microbiology of soil, and soil analysis. This book will be of great value to chemists, biologists, physicians, pharmacists, farmers, veterinarians and university students, as well as to those engaged in the sphere of environmental protection.

Download or read book Soils written by Khan Towhid Osman and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-04 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aimed at taking the mystery out of soil science, Soils: Principles, Properties and Management is a text for undergraduate/graduate students who study soil as a natural resource. Written in a reader-friendly style, with a host of examples, figures and tables, the book leads the reader from the basics of soil science through to complex situations, covering such topics as: the origin, development and classification of soil physical, chemical and biological properties of soil water and nutrient management management of problem soils, wetland soils and forest soils soil degradation Further, the ecological and agrological functions of soil are emphasized in the context of food security, biodiversity and climate change. The interactions between the environment and soil management are highlighted. Soil is viewed as an ecosystem itself and as a part of larger terrestrial ecosystems.

Download or read book Anthropogenic Soils written by Jeffrey Howard and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a state-of-the-art review of the physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of anthropogenic soils, their genesis morphology and classification, geocultural setting, and strategies for reclamation, revitalization, use and management.

Download or read book The role of physical and biological soil crusts on the water balance in semiarid ecosystems written by Sonia Chamizo de la Piedra and published by Universidad Almería. This book was released on 2014-11-06 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In arid and semiarid areas, the interplant spaces are usually covered by physical and biological soil crusts. These crusts, though representing an almost negligible portion of the soil profile, have a number of crucial roles. Soil crusts form the boundary between soil and atmosphere and therefore control gas, water and nutrient exchange into and through soils. Concretely, in the last decade, the study of biological soil crusts (BSCs) (complex communities of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, mosses and other microorganisms in intimate association with soil particles) has drawn the attention of a growing number of researchers due to the key role they play in numerous processes in the ecosystems where they appear. Unlike physical crusts, BSCs protect soils against erosion by water and wind, and increase soil fertility by fixing atmospheric C and N, synthesising polysaccharides and reducing nutrient losses by runoff and erosion. Through their influence on numerous properties that affect how water moves though soils such as roughness, porosity, hydrophobicity, cracking, and albedo, BSCs play a key role in water processes, such as infiltration and runoff, evaporation and soil moisture. It is widely known the role of physical crusts in decreasing soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity, thus decreasing infiltration. However, there is controversy regarding the role of BSCs in infiltration and runoff processes. Some studies indicate that BSCs increase infiltration, and consequently, decrease runoff, whereas others have reported that they decrease infiltration and increase runoff or that they have no effect on either of them. In addition, the influence of BSCs on other soil water balance components such as evaporation and soil moisture has hardly been studied and the scarce existing studies also show contradicting results. With the aim of enlightening the role that BSCs play in the water balance in semiarid areas, in this thesis it has been analysed the influence of different soil crust types, physical crusts and various developmental stages of BSCs, on key soil water balance components such as infiltration-runoff, evaporation and soil moisture, at plot scale. Furthermore, to better understand how these crusts affect hydrological processes, the influence of the type of crust and developmental stage of the crust on different properties that affect water movement and retention in soils has been analysed. Last, spectral characteristics of the different crust types, as well as of vegetation, have been examined with the aim of developing a spectral classification system for differentiation of these common ground covers in semiarid areas that allows their mapping and the modelling of the effects of the crusted areas on hydrological and erosion processes on larger spatial scales (hillslope and catchment). To conduct this research, two areas where BSCs are widespread and that represent key spatial distributions of BSCs in semiarid ecosystems were chosen in the province of Almeria (SE Spain): El Cautivo (in the Tabernas Desert), a badlands catchment with silty-loam textured soils, and Las Amoladeras (in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park), a flat area with sandy-loam textured soils. Our results show that BSCs increase aggregate stability, water retention capacity, and organic carbon and total nitrogen content compared to physical crusts and, within BSCs, these properties increase in the crust and the underlying soil as the crust is more developed (in terms of greater biomass and later-successional species composition). The increase in soil properties with the presence of BSCs is especially noticeable in the top layer of soil (0.01 m) and decreases with depth (0.01-0.05 m) (Chapter I). Through their effect increasing surface roughness and physico-chemical soil properties, BSCs increase infiltration and decrease runoff compared to physical crusts. In general, infiltration increases with greater BSC development (Chapter II). However, there are exceptions to this general pattern that are conditioned by other factors such as the spatial scale under study or the type of rainfall. At small plot sizes (0.25 m2) and after 1h-high intensity simulated rainfall (50 mmh-1), we found that well-developed BSCs such as lichens, generate higher runoff rates than less developed BSCs as cyanobacteria, and similar runoff rates to physical crusts (Chapter II). Thus, at microplot scales and under extreme events, the effect of well-developed BSCs in enhancing infiltration due to their greater roughness can be overcome by their ability to clog soil pores when wet, thus increasing runoff. However, when the influence of BSCs on infiltration and runoff is analysed under natural rain events and at larger spatial scales (1-10 m2), we found that, in low intensity rainfalls, runoff decreases with the cover of well-developed BSCs (lichens) and this effect is higher as the plot size increases (Chapter III). Such decrease in runoff with the presence of well-developed BSCs is due to the microtopography that these crusts confer to soils. Under high intensity rainfalls, BSC cover has no significant effect on runoff yield and the main factor acting to determine runoff generation is rainfall intensity (Chapter III). The removal of the crust initially causes infiltration to increase. But this effect diminishes over time as raindrop impact reseals the surface and a new physical crust is formed that increases runoff (Chapter II). Moreover, crust disturbance by trampling but, especially by removal, causes a dramatic increase in erosion (Chapter II). Erosion also depends on the type of BSC. Well-developed crusts as lichens and mosses generate lower erosion rates than less developed crusts as cyanobacteria. Regarding the influence of BSCs on soil evaporation, under saturation conditions and warm ambient temperatures, soil water loss is quick in all types of surfaces and no significant differences are found in soils with or without BSCs (Chapter V). However, during long cold wet periods, soil water loss is faster in soils devoid of BSCs than in those covered by them. Thus, BSC-crusted soils maintain more soil moisture at the upper soil layer (0.03 m) than adjacent soils where the BSC has been removed, during wet periods. At deeper soil (0.10 m), soil moisture is similar in both BSC-crusted and uncrusted soils. The removal of the BSC causes a higher decrease in soil moisture in fine-textured soils (Cautivo), where the presence of BSCs has a stronger influence on increasing porosity and infiltration, than in coarse-textured soils (Las Amoladeras). During dry soil periods, soil moisture is similar in soils with or without BSCs (Chapter V). Last, a quantitative analysis of spectral characteristics of vegetation, physical crusts and BSC developmental stages has demonstrated the possibility of classifying these common ground covers in semiarid areas based on distinctive spectral features (Chapter VI). The application of the classification system developed to multi and hiperspectral provides the possibility for future mapping of spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of BSCs, which is crucial to incorporating the effects of crusted surfaces in current hydrological and erosion models. Summarizing, compared to physical crusts, the presence of BSCs increase physico-chemical properties of underlying soils, especially in the first centimeters of soil, and this enhancement is greater as the BSC is more developed. Due to this increase in soil properties and the higher roughness that BSCs provide to soils, BSCs increase water input by increasing infiltration and soil moisture, and soil moisture, and reduce water output by reducing soil evaporation. Hence, compared to physical crusts, the presence of BSCs and, especially the presence of well-developed BSCs, have an overall positive effect on the local water balance in semiarid ecosystems, in addition to having a major role in protecting soils from erosion.

Download or read book Soil Biology written by Martin Wood and published by Chapman & Hall. This book was released on 1989-01-01 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Methods in Soil Biology written by Franz Schinner and published by Springer. This book was released on 1996-05-13 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In terrestrial ecosystems, soil microorganisms and soil animals are essential for litter degradation, soil formation and the availability of nutrients and trace elements. The measurement of biological soil parameters allows a rapid evaluation of the effects of chemical and physical influences due to pollutants or soil management. This book introduces a number of well proved methods for the analysis of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycles. It focuses further on the determination of the number and biomass of microorganisms, algae and animals in the soil. Particular emphasis is placed on the comprehensible and complete description of the experimental procedures.

Download or read book Forest and Rangeland Soils of the United States Under Changing Conditions written by Richard V. Pouyat and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-02 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book synthesizes leading-edge science and management information about forest and rangeland soils of the United States. It offers ways to better understand changing conditions and their impacts on soils, and explores directions that positively affect the future of forest and rangeland soil health. This book outlines soil processes and identifies the research needed to manage forest and rangeland soils in the United States. Chapters give an overview of the state of forest and rangeland soils research in the Nation, including multi-decadal programs (chapter 1), then summarizes various human-caused and natural impacts and their effects on soil carbon, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and biological diversity (chapters 2–5). Other chapters look at the effects of changing conditions on forest soils in wetland and urban settings (chapters 6–7). Impacts include: climate change, severe wildfires, invasive species, pests and diseases, pollution, and land use change. Chapter 8 considers approaches to maintaining or regaining forest and rangeland soil health in the face of these varied impacts. Mapping, monitoring, and data sharing are discussed in chapter 9 as ways to leverage scientific and human resources to address soil health at scales from the landscape to the individual parcel (monitoring networks, data sharing Web sites, and educational soils-centered programs are tabulated in appendix B). Chapter 10 highlights opportunities for deepening our understanding of soils and for sustaining long-term ecosystem health and appendix C summarizes research needs. Nine regional summaries (appendix A) offer a more detailed look at forest and rangeland soils in the United States and its Affiliates.

Download or read book Biological Soil Crusts An Organizing Principle in Drylands written by Bettina Weber and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-05-21 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume summarizes our current understanding of biological soil crusts (biocrusts), which are omnipresent in dryland regions. Since they cover the soil surface, they influence, or even control, all surface exchange processes. Being one of the oldest terrestrial communities, biocrusts comprise a high diversity of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens and bryophytes together with uncounted bacteria, and fungi. The authors show that biocrusts are an integral part of dryland ecosystems, stabilizing soils, influencing plant germination and growth, and playing a key role in carbon, nitrogen and water cycling. Initial attempts have been made to use biocrusts as models in ecological theory. On the other hand, biocrusts are endangered by local disruptions and global change, highlighting the need for enhanced recovery methods. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the fascinating field of biocrust research, making it indispensable not only for scientists in this area, but also for land managers, policy makers, and anyone interested in the environment.