Nitrogen Losses from Flooded Rice Field

A field microplot experiment was conducted during the tillering stage of paddy rice to investigate nitrogen(N) Iosses from flooded rice fields following fertilizer application. After application of ammonium bicarbonate,most of nitrogen in the floodwater was present as NH4-N and its concentration varied widely with time.Concentrations of both NO3-N and NO2-N in the floodwater were low due to the weakened nitrification.Under flooded anaerobic reducing conditions, soil solution concentrations of NO3-N and NH4-N were nothigh, ranging from 0.6 mg L-1 to 4.8 mg L-1, and decreased with soil depth. However, the groundwater wasstill contaminated with NO3-N and NH4-N. Rainfall simulation tests showed that the N losses via runoff inrice fields were closely related to the time intervals between fertilizer applications and rainfall events. Whena large rain fell for a short period after fertilizer application, the N losses via runoff could be large, whichcould have a considerable effect on surface water quality. Both irrigation and N fertilizer application mustbe controlled and managed with great care to minimize N losses via runoff from agricultural land.

Preliminary Study on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Releases from Creek Sediments in Shanghai Suburbs

A laboratory study was conducted to observe the release ofnitrogen and phosphorus from the sediments under both anaerobic andaerobic conditions. The samples used were five creek sediments and afish-pond sediment (as a comparison) obtained from suburban Shanghai.High loads of nitrogen and phosphorus were found in the creeksediments. Total nitrogen of the sediments ranged form 1.17 to 5.95 gkg^-1; total phosphorus from 608.63 to 2 033.95 mg kg^-1. Making upmore than 90/100 of the total nitrogen, organic nitrogen was thedominant nitrogen fraction in the sediments; whereas inorganicphosphorus was the dominant phosphorus fraction, which made up morethan 85 percent of the total phosphorus. Ca-bound phosphorus fractiondominated inorganic phosphorus, which occupied more than 50/100 ofthe total.

Origin of Quaternary Red Clay of Southern Anhui Province

The particle size distribution, heavy mineral constituents and rare earth elements (REE) characteristics of the Quaternary red clay of southern Anhui Province were studied to explore the origin of the clay. The results showed that the clay had some properties of areolian deposits, which could be compared with those of the loess in North China; and its chondrite normalized curves of REE were similar to those of the Xiashu loess, implying that they shared the same origin. It was concluded in combination with the results reported by other researchers that the Quaternary red clay of southern Anhui Province originated from aeolian deposits, and this could reveal the cycles of warm and cold climates in the area during the Quaternary period.

Preliminary Study on Relationship Between Soil Parent Materials and Tea Quality

Six tea plantations with different soil-forming parent materials, the same tea variety and tea age and similar landforms and management were selected to conduct a systematic study on the relationship between soil properties and tea quality. The results showed that the quality of tea grown on the soils derived from granites, arenaceous shales, argillaceous sandstones, was superior; those on the soils derived from limestones,dolomites, Quaternary red clays, were inferior. Further study showed that sandy soils were beneficial to improving amino acid content of tea, and clayey soils made it decrease; high content of bases might decrease the contents of tea polypenols, caffeine, water extracts, but promote the content of amino acids; available phosphorous was significantly positively correlated with water extracts, but significantly negatively correlated with carbine; slowly available potassium was positively correlated with amino acid content. Soil parent materials should be regarded as an important factor in evaluating the adaptability of tea to soils.

Some Biogeochemical Characteristics of Tea Soils

Characteristics of the element abundance, material cycling, element budget in tea soils were discussed based on investigations of six tea plantations and the adjacent waste lands in the Three Gorges region.The plantations have different soil-forming parent materials, but similar landforms, and the same tea variety and close ages. The results showed that tea growing could increased the contents of organic matter,total and available N, P, Al and Mn; the elements enriched by tea trees were in the following descending Sequence: P > Ca> K > Mn > Mg > Zn > Al > Fe; elements returned through litter of tea were in the sequence of Ca> Mn > P > Zn > Mg > K > Al > Fe; in the nutrient budget of the soil-tea system, P and K were in deficit,whereas Al, Ca, Fe and Mn in surplus.

Grain-size evidence for multiple origins of the reticulate red clay in southern China

Grain-size distributions of the reticulate red clay in Xuancheng, Anhui Province, and Jiujiang, Taihe and Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, are analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) Generally fine and uniform, grain-size charac- teristics of the reticulate red clay in Xuancheng and Jiujiang are much similar, with no >2 mm gravels, 0.30% and 1.14% of >63 μm fraction on average, respectively, and 34.65% and 37.20% of 10―50 μm fraction, which is apparently accumu- lated. The patterns of the grain-size distribution curves of the uppermost yellow-brown earth of the profiles in the two ar- eas much resemble those of the loess in northern China and the Xiashu loess in southeastern China, while the patterns of the other layers also apparently show some attributes inher- ited from the above. The grain-size distribution patterns of the quartz separated from the whole profiles in the areas are almost identical, which could also be compared with those of the loess and the Xiashu loess. All the features above reveal aeolian characteristics of the reticulated red clay in these two areas. (2) The reticulate red clay in Taihe and Ganzhou is much coarser than that in Xuancheng and Jiujiang, with high content of >63 μm fraction and relatively low content of 10―50 μm fraction. The variations in grain-size distribu- tions of the profiles are also observed. The grain-size distri- bution patterns of both the original samples and the quartz of the red clay could hardly be compared with those of the loess and the Xiashu loess. All the features above reveal their alluvial or diluvial origins. (3) The multiple origins of the reticulate red clay in the areas reflect the diversity and com- plexity of the Quaternary environment in southern China. The existence of the reticulate red clay with aeolian charac- teristics brings forth objective evidence for the occurrence of large-scale dust deposition in southern China during the Quaternary glacial periods. Further investigation and study on the regional distribution of this kind of the red clay will be conducive to revealing the southern border of the large-scale dust deposition in southern China during the Quaternary glacial periods.