Fractionation and mobility of cadmium, lead and zinc in some contaminated and non-contaminated soils of Japan
September 2011
We investigated the forms and mobility of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in four contaminated and four non-contaminated surface soils, collected from different localities of Japan using a sequential extraction procedure. The total metal concentration in soils ranged from 0.69 to 12.5 for Cd, 19 to 359 for Pb and 90 to 704 mg kg-1 for Zn. The metal concentration in the contaminated soils was higher...
Use of soil conservation practices in the Southwestern highlands of Uganda
September 2011
The objective of this study was to determine the nature and extent of use of soil conservation practices, and examine the factors determining their adoption by farmers in Southwestern Uganda. We collected data from 853 households in eight sub counties spread out in three districts (Kabale, Kisoro and Ntungamo) through household interviews. The study area was divided into three categories (low, medium and...
Fertility status of guava orchards in Kohat District of Pakistan
September 2011
A study was conducted to assess the fertility status of the soils of 44 guava orchards in Kohat District of Pakistan. Results showed that the soils generally contained large proportion of silt followed by sand with very small proportion of clay. Average organic matter content in the surface soil was 2.24% and in subsoil 1.42%. Soil pH ranged between 7.8 and 8.8. Soils at surface were non saline except one...
Estimating the biodiversity of understory plant species in afforestation and land sliding areas of Alder stands
September 2011
After natural disturbance and human activities, the processes of regeneration and succession play an important role in increasing forest dynamics. In this study 51 sample plots were established to evaluate the status of plant species biodiversity in afforestation and landslide areas and to assess the effects of soil parameters on tree species community in Alder stands. Our measure of understory plant species...
Solid waste management system of Narayanganj city: An environmental study
August 2011
Improper management of solid waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution and degradation in many cities. Many cities lack solid waste regulations and proper disposal facilities. The present paper attempts to understand the poor disposal and handling of waste that leads to environmental degradation, destruction of the ecosystem and poses great risks to public health in Narayanganj City of Bangladesh. The...
Uptake of potentially toxic metals by vegetable plants grown on contaminated soil and their potential bioavailability using sequential extraction
August 2011
In order to estimate plant available fraction of metals in three soils, three vegetable samples: Amaranthus viridis, Celosea argentea and Corchorus olitorius were grown on contaminated soils. Matured plants were harvested and analyzed for their metal concentration. The soil samples were collected before and after planting, acid digested and analyzed to determine the pseudo total metal concentration,...
Sensitivity of vegetation to decadal variations in temperature and rainfall over Northern Nigeria
August 2011
The objective of this paper is to examine the extent vegetation has responded to decadal variations in temperature and rainfall over Northern Nigeria. The study covers four decades viz. the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s. Meteorological data from 11 stations covering 34 years (1971 to 2004) and satellite imageries of four dates, 1972, 1980, 1990 and 2000 taken during the wet season were analyzed in this work. Results...
Effects of farm yard manure on cadmium and lead accumulation in Amaranth (Amaranthus oleracea L.)
August 2011
Two pot experiments were carried out to study the effect of farm yard manure (FYM) on Cd and Pb accumulation by Amaranth. Six levels of FYM (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha-1) were applied to Cd and Pb treated soil separately in the pot experiments. The weight of the shoot and root of Amaranth significantly increased following the application of FYM to both Cd and Pb treated soil. The application of FYM in soil...
Effects of cow-dung and rock phosphate on heavy metal content in soils and plants
July 2011
Field trial was conducted with the view to determining the ideal rock phosphate (RP) and the level of cow dung fertilizer combination with respect to heavy metal contamination of soil and crops. Soils amended with Ogun rock phosphate (ORP) were subjected to 1-4 tha-1 of cow dung on which maize (Zea mays (L)ï´¿ and okra (Abelmuscus esculentum) were planted. The amended soils were found to be...
Comparative effectiveness of long yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and organic and inorganic fertilizers in improving soil nutrient status and yield of maize in southwest Nigeria
July 2011
The comparative effectiveness of long yam bean and organic and inorganic fertilizers for soil fertility improvement was carried out in an investigation conducted in Araromi Farms (latitude 7°16’N and longitude 5°17’E) in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State Nigeria in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The experimental design was a randomized complete block consisting of four treatments replicated three...
Environmentally friendly superabsorbent polymers for water conservation in agricultural lands
July 2011
Polymer complexes of crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and starch were synthesized to form superabsorbent polymers (SAP) and their performances as a water retaining aid for irrigation were assessed. The SAP was crosslinked with aluminum sulfate octadecahydrate for optimum water retention. Starch from vegetables and chemically modified cellulose fibers were used as the basis for the polymer structure because of...
Evaluation of some locally sourced phosphate rocks for oil palm production
June 2011
The effectiveness of some locally sourced phosphorus rocks (Sokoto Rock Phosphate (SRP), Crystallizer Super (CRY)) as P2O5 fertilizers for manuring oil palm applied on a long term basis (2000-2008) were evaluated along with conventional imported single superphosphate fertilizer at Okomu Oil Palm Plc., Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The rocks...
The integration of variable rate technologies for a soil-applied herbicide in leafy green production
June 2011
While lettuce is an intensively managed specialty crop for which there is little tolerance for weeds, the herbicide benefin (Balan®) is commonly used in preplant and preemergence applications to control weeds during lettuce stand establishment. In fields with high clay and low organic matter contents, considerably more of the herbicide is required for adequate weed control than in soils with higher sand contents...
Effects of different sources of nitrogen on potato at Tigoni, Kenya
June 2011
A field experiment was set up to investigate the effects of different sources of nitrogen on potato at Tigoni in Kenya. The treatments consisted of ten fertilizer materials and two potatoSolanum tuberosum varieties, namely, ‘Tigoni’ and ‘Asante’. The experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons: October, 2008 to February, 2009 (first season) and April, 2009 to August, 2009, (second...
Evaluation of possible environmental impacts for Barapukuria thermal power plant and coal mine
May 2011
Barapukuria is the only natural coalmine reserve in Bangladesh that is in operation. In this study, an attempt was taken to conduct environmental impact assessment of Barapukuria thermal power and coal mining project through environmental, socio-economical and meteorological study. The analysis showed that, the Mn concentration was found in the satisfactory range. The pH was found slightly alkaline and surface water was...
Characteristics and waste management practices of medical wastes in healthcare institutions in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
May 2011
The study was undertaken to investigate the medical waste categories and its management practices in five different hospitals as representative health care institutions in Port Harcourt city, Nigeria. Sampling was conducted by grouping the representative hospitals into large, medium and small categories based on bed space, average bed occupancy rate, ward units, staff strength and patients. Data were obtained by...
Assessment of impacts of charcoal production on soil properties in the derived savanna, Oyo state, Nigeria
May 2011
This study evaluated the impacts of charcoal production on soil properties in the derived savanna zone of South Western, Nigeria. Ten soil samples were collected randomly at the depth of 0 to10 cm in each of the charcoal production sites (CPS) and adjacent field sites (AFS) which is the control site. All soil samples collected were subjected to laboratory analysis for soil pH, particle size composition, available...
Assessment of the redistribution extent of As, Cr and Cu during sequential extraction
May 2011
In this study, sequential extraction method was used to assess the metal speciation in a chromated copper arsenate contaminated soils. Total value of 47.75 mg arsenic kg-1 dry soil, 659.43 mg chromium kg-1 and 406.50 mg copper kg-1 were obtained in the soil sample. Sequential extraction was conducted for the chromated copper arsenate contaminated soil. The experimental results show that the...
Natural attenuation of a 14-month-old waste engine oil polluted soil
May 2011
The effect of natural attenuation on bioremediation of waste engine oil (WEO) polluted soil was investigated. Soil was polluted with WEO at the rate of 0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0% w/w oil in soil. The entire set up was left in the open shade for 5 months after pollution (5 MAP) in the first instance, and then for another 9 months (14 MAP), without mechanically disturbing the soil. Soil was carefully irrigated with 200 ml...
Effect of pesticides on microbial transformation of sulphur in soil
April 2011
A pot study was conducted in the laboratory of Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India in the year 2007-2008 to investigate the effect of pesticides, on the microbial transformation of sulphur (S) in soil. Insecticide (Endosulfan), fungicide (Dithane M-45), herbicide (2,4-D) were added to the soil at their recommended...
Assessment of soil and water conservation measures practiced by farmers: A case study in the Tolon-Kumbungu District of Northern Ghana
April 2011
This study was undertaken in three communities in Tolon-Kumbungu district of the Nothern region to determine the level of soil erosion on farmlands as well as the soil and water conservation measures adopted by farmers in the area. The results indicated that the farmlands are moderately sloppy (4%) with an estimated soil loss of 2.6 tonnes/ha. Average bulk density was found to be 1.6 g/cm3, indicating slightly compact...
Some fresh water diatoms of Galta kund, Jaipur, India
April 2011
In the present study, fresh water diatoms of Galta kund, Jaipur were investigated between October 2009 and September 2010. Twenty Four species of diatoms were identified from Galta Kund. These species belong to eleven genera...
Seasonal variation in nutrient content of some selected vegetables from Wamakko, Sokoto State, Nigeria
April 2011
The effect of seasonal variation on the nutrient and anti-nutrient contents of some selected vegetables cultivated under local agricultural practices by farmers from Wamakko, Sokoto State, were investigated. The concentrations of the elements in their soil were also studied. For the macroelements, significant differences at P<0.05 were observed in tomato for Na and K. In amaranth, it was observed only in Na, Ca and...
Integrating indigenous knowledge and soil science approaches to detailed soil survey in Kaduna State, Nigeria
March 2011
Farmers’ knowledge about their soils and their management constitutes a complex wisdom system, which if integrated with modern soil science, could provide the necessary synergy for sustainable agricultural development. A field work was undertaken in parts of Kaduna State to ascertain the indigenous knowledge of farmers and compared it with scientific classification of the same soils. The farmers used non-taxonomic...
Growth and development of jack-bean and pigeon-pea in cassiterirte mine spoil
March 2011
Cassiterite mining has caused critical damages to the environment with respect to soil degradation and water pollution. In a greenhouse experiment two leguminous species, jack-bean (Canavalia ensiformis) and pigeon-pea (Cajanus cajan), were grown using cassiterite mine spoil as substrate, in the presence of rhizobia and with or without mycorrhizal fungi, and the substrate was amended or not with organic compost and...
Rangeland characteristics of a supercritically degraded landscape in the semi-arid area of South Africa
March 2011
The objective of this study was to investigate rangeland condition in a semi-arid area with doubling erosion rates. Work was conducted using aerial photographic analysis and field investigations were conducted using 10 paired 20 x 20 m plots and 2 1 x 1 m quadrats randomly located with each plot. Degraded sites showed significant differences in soil compaction but not in soil water infiltration time. Degraded sites were...
The linkage between land reform and land use changes: A case of Vietnam
March 2011
Recently, land reform and land tenure have been once again considered as the important issue of development agenda. Land reform via land allocation and titling has been widely undertaken in transition and developing countries across continents. As a result, a massive transfer of land rights from state and collective bodies to private entities have been adopted. Such land reforms have significantly influenced land...
Studies on sub-soil characteristics of sand deposits in some parts of Bayelsa State, Eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria
February 2011
Sub-surface investigation was undertaken by drilling boreholes within and along the Nun River Channel covering three communities of Kaiama, Opokuma and Sabagreia, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The route extent was over 5 km long and the study was necessitated to provide materials as structural fills for road construction purposes. Eight boreholes were drilled in the three locations to a maximum depth of 14 m from the river...
A model for solid waste management in Anambra State, Nigeria
February 2011
Indiscriminate dumping of solid wastes along the streets and roads corners causes a lot of deadly infectious diseases which could be responsible for the large proportion of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. A deterministic model needed for short and long term waste management and management information system in Anambra State sanitation and environmental protection agency (ANSEPA) is considered in this paper. A...
Abundance and distribution of large mammals in the Bakossi landscape area, Cameroon
February 2011
A survey was conducted in the Bakossi landscape area during the wet season to determine the species richness and distribution of large mammals within the three conservation sites.Results show that 10 species of large mammals (Red duikers, Blue duikers, Red river hog, Chimpanzees, Drill, Putty-nosed monkey, Mona monkey, Black-fronted duikers, Bushbuck and Sitatunga) were present in the Bakossi landscape. Of these,...
Distribution of cyanide in a cassava-mill-effluent polluted eutric tropofluvent soils of Ohaji area, South-eastern Nigeria
February 2011
This study investigates on the distribution of cyanide on a cassava- mill- effluent polluted eutric tropofluvent soil in Ohaji Southern Nigeria. Three morphological land units were marked out namely, the background unit (pedon A), discharged point unit (pedon B) (the effluent receiving unit) and downstream unit (pedon C). Soil sample collection was carried out in five replicates in May 2007 adopting a randomized...
Spatial variability mapping of some soil properties in El-Multagha agricultural project (Sudan) using geographic information systems (GIS) techniques
February 2011
Soil surveying and mapping is an important operation, since it plays a key role in the knowledge about soil properties and how it can be used for agriculture, irrigation, urbanization and other land uses. This study was carried out in order to map out some soil characteristics in the Northern State in resettlement projects associated with the newly established Merowe Dam. Some physical and chemical properties of the...
The physical and chemical characteristics of soils of Northern Kenya Aridlands: Opportunity for sustainable agricultural production
January 2011
Biophysical characterization was carried out in the mountain and oasis areas within the Northern Kenya Arid Lands with a view of identifying, soil constraints and opportunities for sustainable agricultural production in the area. The soil aspects were studied through desk-top analysis of the existing databases and collection of secondary data at regional scale, site evaluation surveys at site level and detailed soil...
Comparative study of different organic manures and NPK fertilizer for improvement of soil chemical properties and dry matter yield of maize in two different soils
January 2011
A pot experiment was conducted to compare different organic manures with NPK fertilizer for improvement of chemical properties of acid soil from farmer’s field in coastal area of Epe and nutrient depleted soil from research field of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan. Maize was planted for 12 weeks and dry matter yield was determined. Results showed that application of 5...
The effects of soil density on the vegetation of the Umfolozi catchment in South Africa
January 2011
The effects of soil compaction on plant productivity were studied in the dry season of September 2008 in Umfolozi catchment, South Africa. This study used 10 paired plots each measuring 20 x 20 m and 1 x 1 m quadrats randomly located within the study plots in both degraded and undegraded sites. Soil samples were collected on the outer edge of the quadrats within the study plots. Soil moisture (%) in the soil samples...
The importance of Turkish hazelnut trace and heavy metal contents for human nutrition
January 2011
The trace and heavy metal concentration of eighteen different varieties of hazelnut were studied for variety and geographical region discussed for human nutrition and health. These results showed that average Al, As, B, Cr, Co, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the varieties varied in the following ranges 0.91-9.74, 0.02-0.27, 14.60-29.90, 0.02-0.04, 0.07-0.61, 0.01-0.03, 13.76-21.71,...
Effects of crop rotation on soil macronutrient content and pH in potato producing areas in Kenya: Case study of KARI Tigoni station
December 2010
Proper crop rotation might help to conserve soil fertility among small scale potato farmers in Kenya. A study was carried out at KARI Tigoni station between April 2007 and May 2010 to evaluate the effect of crop rotation on soil pH and macro nutrient levels. Rotations involved maize, potatoes and cabbages. Results showed that, soils at KARI Tigoni station are generally acidic with pH ranging from 4.3 (extreme acidity)...
Comparative influence of benomyl on rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere bacteria of cowpea and their ability to solubilise phosphate
December 2010
Six concentrations of benomyl (g/ml): 0.00 (control), 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40 and 0.80 were assayed by using 1.5 kg of top soil collected from nursery of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Cowpea (IT - 93K - 452 - 1) seeds were planted in the soil sample in different polyethylene bags. Harvesting of cowpea seedlings was done on 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days of germination. Nodule and soil...
Changing weather and introduction of pigeon pea intercrop in formerly cold pyrethrum zone
December 2010
Pyrethrum is a, herbaceous perennial crop grown commercially for extraction of pyrethrins, which is used in pesticides formulation. Through out the years, it has been grown in a pure stand due to its poor performance as intercrop with other crops that do well in pyrethrum growing areas. A trial was carried out on introduction of a short pigeon pea variety at different line spacing within the pyrethrum crop in randomized...
Characterizing soils of Delbo Wegene watershed, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia for planning appropriate land management
November 2010
The soils of the Delbo Wegene watershed of Southern Ethiopia were characterized along toposequence for the development of land management plan for sustainable soil management practices. Four pedons along toposequence were studied. Delbo Wegene watershed is located between 06°52’ 45.9’’ and 06°53’34.8’’ N latitude and between 37°48’ 10.5’’ and...
Status and distribution of extractable micronutrients in Haplustults in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, Gombe state, Nigeria
November 2010
A study was conducted to determine the status and distribution of extractable Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn in Haplustults in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe State, Nigeria. Composite soil samples representative of the soils in the LGA were collected from 0 - 15 and 15 - 30 cm depths of five locations (Hinna, Kanti, Jangargari, Gidan Waya and Dadin Kowa) and analyzed. Results indicate that the soils were...
Effects of tillage and manure application on soil physicochemical properties and yield of maize grown on a degraded intensively tilled alfisol in southwestern Nigeria
November 2010
Intensive tractorised tillage practices especially in the tropical and subtropical climate produces compaction in crop root zone (20 to 30 cm depth), degradation of soil quality, loss of organic matter and declining soil and crop productivity. The effects of tillage and manure application on soil physical and chemical properties, growth and yield of maize grown on an intensively mechanized and degraded Alfisol was...
Analysis of the effects of kraal manure accumulation on soil nutrient status through time
November 2010
This study investigated the influence of the accumulation of animal wastes on the soils of active kraal sites through time. This investigation involved the sampling and analysis of the soils of kraals that had been in use for periods ranging from 2 to over 45 years. Soil sampling and analysis were done both in the dry and wet seasons for comparative purposes. The properties of the kraal soils were compared with those of...
A review of non-conventional energy systems and environmental pollution control
September 2010
The massive increases in fuel prices over the last years have however, made any scheme not requiring fuel appear to be more attractive and to be worth reinvestigation. In considering the atmosphere and the oceans as energy sources, the four main contenders are wind power, wave power, tidal and power from ocean thermal gradients. The renewable energy resources are particularly suited for the provision of rural power...
Effect of quantity and placement distances of inorganic 15-15-15 fertilizer in improving soil fertility status and the performance and yield of maize in a tropical rain forest zone of Nigeria
September 2010
The high cost of mineral fertilizer in crop production had necessitated an investigation into the optimum fertilizer rate for profitable maize production. The study was conducted in Akure (7°15’N, 5°12’E) in Nigeria in 2007 and revalidated in 2008. The experimental design was a split plot method in a randomized complete block with fertilizer quantity as the main plot and fertilizer placement distance...
Assessment of integrated soil and water conservation measures on key soil properties in South Gonder, North-Western Highlands of Ethiopia
September 2010
Land degradation caused by erosion was an environmental threat that hampered agricultural production and the causes include: over cultivation, overgrazing, overpopulation and deforestation. Loss of productive land undermined rural livelihoods and national food security. The major factors discouraged farmers adoption of soil conservation measures were labour shortage, land tenure uncertainty, fitness of structures and...
A fractal approach for estimating soil water retention curve
September 2010
Direct measurement of soil water retention curve (SWRC) is time consuming and expensive, therefore many empirical models have been developed to describe it. Also fractal models have been proposed in the last decades for estimating SWRC. In this study, the fractal dimension of SWRC (DSWEC) and the mass fractal dimension of soil texture for 30 soil samples (with a spread range of soil texture) were determined. Fractal...
Balanites aegyptiaca, a potential tree for parkland agroforestry systems with sorghum in Northern Ethiopia
August 2010
Balanites aegyptiaca tree is preferred by farmers in Tigray Region of Ethiopia for fuel wood, provision of shade, fodder and as a medicinal plant. This study was conducted to assesssoil properties and sorghum yields on farm fields (Limat, Goblel and Korbebite and Endakeshe), where B. aegyptiaca are traditionally retained. At each site, six...
Environmental port management: Conceptual model development and use of tools to evaluate and monitor dredging activities in the Port of Rio Grande, Brazil
August 2010
This work concerns assessing and monitoring of dredging activities in the Port of Rio Grande, Brazil. The subject is presented to address the major problems related to the dredging process itself and sediment disposal options. From the dredging works carried out in 1998, 2000 and 2003 on the Port of Rio Grande, different data were gathered and used to develop a preliminary conceptual model of this process. The...
Morphogenetic characterization of soils formed from basement complex rock in the humid tropical rainforest of Nigeria
August 2010
The morphogenetic and physico-chemical properties of four soil units occupying different slope facets on a rolling landscape were studied to understand distribution of soils on a typical landscape. The soil colours range from dark brown to reddish brown (10YR3/3-5YR3/3) in the surface and strong brown (7YR4/6) to yellowish red (5YR5/8) in the sub soil. The texture varies from loam/sandy clay loam in the surface to...
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