Comparative Study on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Coarse-grained WC-based Cemented Carbides Sintered with Ultrafine WC or (W+C) as Additives

The effects of ultrafine WC(WC_(UF),0.5μm) or W(1μm) and C(0.3μm)(W+C)_(UF) additives on the densification,microstructure and mechanical properties of coarse-grained cemented carbides were compared systematically.Overall,the cemented carbides with WC_(UF)/(W+C)_(UF) additives are almost fully densification to be higher than 99%,and the average grain size is kept above 2.8μm.The WC_(UF) additive assists grains to(truncated)trigonal prism shape by two dimensional(2D) growth,whereas the(W+C)_(UF) additive assists grains to rounded shape by three dimensional(3D) growth,lowers WC contiguity and increases face-centered-cubic Co.The hardness and bending strength of(75WC_(C)-15WC_(UF))-10Co are 86.6 HRA and 2 272 MPa,respectively,both higher than those of(75WC_(C)-15(W+C)_(UF))-10Co,which could be ascribed to the enhanced densification and unblemished grains.However,the fracture toughness of the(75WC_(C)-15(W+C)_(UF))-10Co is 23.5 MPa·m^(1/2),higher than that of the(75WC_(C)-15WC_(UF))-10Co due to the uniform WC-Co structure and flexible binder phase.

Influence of fines content on the anti-frost properties of coarse-grained soil

This paper aims to determine the optimal fines content of coarse-grained soil required to simultaneously achieve weaker frost susceptibility and better bearing capacity. We studied the frost susceptibility and strength properties of coarse-grained soil by means of frost heaving tests and static triaxial tests, and the results are as follows： （1） the freezing temperature of coarse-grained soil decreased gradually and then leveled off with incremental increases in the percent content of fines; （2） the fines content proved to be an important factor influencing the frost heave susceptibility and strength properties of coarse-grained soil. With incremental increases in the percent content of fines, the frost heave ratio increased gradually and the cohesion function of fines effectively enhanced the shear strength of coarse-grained soil before freeze-thaw, but the frost susceptibility of fines weakened the shear strength of coarse-grained soil after freeze-thaw; （3） with increasing numbers of freeze-thaw cycles, the shear strength of coarse-grained soil decreased and then stabilized after the ninth freeze-thaw cycle, and therefore the mechanical indexes of the ninth freeze-thaw cycle are recommended for the engi- neering design values; and （4） considering frost susceptibility and strength properties as a whole, the optimal fines content of 5% is recommended for railway sub,fade coarse-~rained soil fillings in frozen re^ions.

Sedimentary Processes and Depositional Characteristics of Coarse-grained Subaqueous Fans along Steep Slopes in a Lacustrine Rift Basin:A Case Study from the Dongying Depression,Bohai Bay Basin,China

Coarse-grained subaqueous fans are vital oil and gas exploration targets in the Bohai Bay basin,China.The insufficient understanding of their sedimentary processes,depositional patterns,and controlling factors restricts efficient exploration and development.Coarse-grained subaqueous fans in the Yong′an area,Dongying Depression,are investigated in this study.These fans include nearshore subaqueous fans,and sublacustrine fans,and their sedimentary processes,depositional patterns and distribution characteristics are mainly controlled by tectonic activity and paleogeomorphology.Nearshore subaqueous fans developed near the boundary fault during the early–middle deposition stage due to strong tectonic activity and large topographic subsidence.Early sublacustrine fans developed at the front of the nearshore subaqueous fans in the area where the topography changed from gentle to steep along the source direction.While the topography was gentle,sublacustrine fans did not develop.During the late weak tectonic activity stage,late sublacustrine fans developed with multiple stages superimposed.Frequent fault activity and related earthquakes steepened the basin margin,and the boundary fault slopes were 25.9°–34°.During the early–middle deposition stage,hyperpycnal flows triggered by outburst floods developed.During the late deposition stage,with weak tectonic activity,seasonal floods triggered hyperpycnal flows,and hybrid event beds developed distally.

Manure substitution improves maize yield by promoting soil fertility and mediating the microbial community in lime concretion black soil

Synthetic nitrogen(N)fertilizer has made a great contribution to the improvement of soil fertility and productivity,but excessive application of synthetic N fertilizer may cause agroecosystem risks,such as soil acidification,groundwater contamination and biodiversity reduction.Meanwhile,organic substitution has received increasing attention for its ecologically and environmentally friendly and productivity benefits.However,the linkages between manure substitution,crop yield and the underlying microbial mechanisms remain uncertain.To bridge this gap,a three-year field experiment was conducted with five fertilization regimes:i)Control,non-fertilization;CF,conventional synthetic fertilizer application;CF_(1/2)M_(1/2),1/2 N input via synthetic fertilizer and 1/2 N input via manure;CF_(1/4)M_(3/4),1/4 N input synthetic fertilizer and 3/4 N input via manure;M,manure application.All fertilization treatments were designed to have equal N input.Our results showed that all manure substituted treatments achieved high soil fertility indexes(SFI)and productivities by increasing the soil organic carbon(SOC),total N(TN)and available phosphorus(AP)concentrations,and by altering the bacterial community diversity and composition compared with CF.SOC,AP,and the soil C:N ratio were mainly responsible for microbial community variations.The co-occurrence network revealed that SOC and AP had strong positive associations with Rhodospirillales and Burkholderiales,while TN and C:N ratio had positive and negative associations with Micromonosporaceae,respectively.These specific taxa are implicated in soil macroelement turnover.Random Forest analysis predicted that both biotic(bacterial composition and Micromonosporaceae)and abiotic(AP,SOC,SFI,and TN)factors had significant effects on crop yield.The present work strengthens our understanding of the effects of manure substitution on crop yield and provides theoretical support for optimizing fertilization strategies.

Impact of mica on geotechnical behavior of weathered granitic soil using macro and micro investigations

The micaceous weathered granitic soil(WGS)is frequently encountered in civil engineering worldwide,unfortunately little information is available regarding how mica affects the physico-mechanical behaviors of WGS.This study prepares reconstituted WGS with different mica contents by removing natural mica in theWGS,and then mixes it with commercial mica powders.The geotechnical behavior as well as the microstructures of the mixtures are characterized.The addition of mica enables the physical indices of WGS to be specific combinations of coarser gradation and high permeability but high Atterberg limits.However,high mica content in WGS was found to be associated with undesirable mechanical properties,including increased compressibility,disintegration,and swelling potential,as well as poor compactability and low effective frictional angle.Microstructural analysis indicates that the influence of mica on the responses of mixtures originates from the intrinsic nature of mica as well as the particle packing being formed withinWGS.Mica exists in the mixture as stacks of plates that form a spongy structure with high compressibility and swelling potential.Pores among the plates give the soil high water retention and high Atterberg limits.Large pores are also generated by soil particles with bridging packing,which enhances the permeability and water-soil interactions upon immersion.This study provides a microlevel understanding of how mica dominates the behavior of WGS and provides new insights into the effective stabilization and improvement of micaceous soils.

Semi-analytical solution for drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils

The expansion of a thick-walled hollow cylinder in soil is of non-self-similar nature that the stress/deformation paths are not the same for different soil material points.As a result,this problem cannot be solved by the common self-similar-based similarity techniques.This paper proposes a novel,exact solution for rigorous drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils.Considering stress-dependent elastic moduli of soils,new analytical stress and displacement solutions for the nonself-similar problem are developed taking the small strain assumption in the elastic zone.In the plastic zone,the cavity expansion response is formulated into a set of first-order partial differential equations(PDEs)with the combination use of Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions,and a novel solution algorithm is developed to efficiently solve this complex boundary value problem.The solution is presented in a general form and thus can be useful for a wide range of soils.With the new solution,the non-self-similar nature induced by the finite outer boundary is clearly demonstrated and highlighted,which is found to be greatly different to the behaviour of cavity expansion in infinite soil mass.The present solution may serve as a benchmark for verifying the performance of advanced numerical techniques with critical state soil models and be used to capture the finite boundary effect for pressuremeter tests in small-sized calibration chambers.

Physical and mechanical properties and microstructures of submarine soils in the Yellow Sea

In recent years,the exploration of seabed has been intensified,but the submarine soils of silt and sand in the Yellow Sea area have not been well investigated so far.In this study,the physical and mechanical properties of silt and sand from the Yellow Sea were measured using a direct shear apparatus and their microstructures were observed using a scanning electron microscope.The test results suggest that the shear strength of silt and sand increases linearly with the increase of normal stress.Based on the direct shear test,the scanning electron microscope was used to observe the section surface of sand.It is observed that the section surface becomes rough,with many“V”‐shaped cracks.Many particles appear on the surface of the silt structure and tend to be disintegrated.The X‐ray diffraction experiment reveals that the sand and silt have different compositions.The shear strength of sand is slightly greater than that of silt under high stress,which is related to the shape of soil particles and the mineral composition.These results can be a reference for further study of other soils in the Yellow Sea;meanwhile,they can serve as soil parameters for the stability and durability analyses of offshore infrastructure construction.

Liquefaction susceptibility and deformation characteristics of saturated coral sandy soils subjected to cyclic loadings-a critical review

Coral sandy soils widely exist in coral island reefs and seashores in tropical and subtropical regions.Due to the unique marine depositional environment of coral sandy soils,the engineering characteristics and responses of these soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings have been a subject of intense interest among the geotechnical and earthquake engineering communities.This paper critically reviews the progress of experimental investigations on the undrained behavior of coral sandy soils under monotonic and cyclic loadings over the last three decades.The focus of coverage includes the contractive-dilative behavior,the pattern of excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)generation and the liquefaction mechanism and liquefaction resistance,the small-strain shear modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus and damping,the cyclic softening feature,and the anisotropic characteristics of undrained responses of saturated coral sandy soils.In particular,the advances made in the past decades are reviewed from the following aspects:(1)the characterization of factors that impact the mechanism and patterns of EPWP build-up;(2)the identification of liquefaction triggering in terms of the apparent viscosity and the average flow coefficient;(3)the establishment of the invariable form of strain-based,stress-based,or energy-based EPWP ratio formulas and the unique relationship between the new proxy of liquefaction resistance and the number of cycles required to reach liquefaction;(4)the establishment of the invariable form of the predictive formulas of small strain modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus;and(5)the investigation on the effects of stress-induced anisotropy on liquefaction susceptibility and dynamic deformation characteristics.Insights gained through the critical review of these advances in the past decades offer a perspective for future research to further resolve the fundamental issues concerning the liquefaction mechanism and responses of coral sandy sites subjected to cyclic loadings associated with seismic events in marine environments.

Impact of Initial Soil Conditions on Soil Hydrothermal and Surface Energy Fluxes in the Permafrost Region of the Tibetan Plateau

Accurate initial soil conditions play a crucial role in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes in land surface process modeling.This study emphasized the influence of the initial soil temperature(ST)and soil moisture(SM)conditions on a land surface energy and water simulation in the permafrost region in the Tibetan Plateau(TP)using the Community Land Model version 5.0(CLM5.0).The results indicate that the default initial schemes for ST and SM in CLM5.0 were simplistic,and inaccurately represented the soil characteristics of permafrost in the TP which led to underestimating ST during the freezing period while overestimating ST and underestimating SLW during the thawing period at the XDT site.Applying the long-term spin-up method to obtain initial soil conditions has only led to limited improvement in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.The modified initial soil schemes proposed in this study comprehensively incorporate the characteristics of permafrost,which coexists with soil liquid water(SLW),and soil ice(SI)when the ST is below freezing temperature,effectively enhancing the accuracy of the simulated soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.Consequently,the modified initial soil schemes greatly improved upon the results achieved through the long-term spin-up method.Three modified initial soil schemes experiments resulted in a 64%,88%,and 77%reduction in the average mean bias error(MBE)of ST,and a 13%,21%,and 19%reduction in the average root-mean-square error(RMSE)of SLW compared to the default simulation results.Also,the average MBE of net radiation was reduced by 7%,22%,and 21%.

Experimental study on permanent deformation characteristics of coarse-grained soil under repeated dynamic loading

Practical assessment of subgrade settlement induced by train operation requires developing suitable models capable of describing permanent deformation characteristics of subgrade filling under repeated dynamic loading.In this paper,repeated load triaxial tests were performed on coarse-grained soil(CGS),and the axial permanent strain of CGS under different confining pressures and dynamic stress amplitudes was analysed.Permanent deformation behaviors of CGS were categorized based on the variation trend of permanent strain rate with accumulated permanent strain and the shakedown theory.A prediction model of permanent deformation considering stress state and number of load cycles was established,and the ranges of parameters for different types of dynamic behaviors were also divided.The results indicated that the variational trend of permanent strain rate with accumulated permanent strain can be used as a basis for classifying dynamic behaviors of CGS.The stress state(confining pressure and dynamic stress amplitude)has significant effects on the permanent strain rate.The accumulative characteristics of permanent deformation of CGS with the number of load cycles can be described by a power function,and the model parameters can reflect the influence of confining pressure and dynamic stress amplitude.The study’s results could help deepen understanding of the permanent deformation characteristics of CGS.

The competition between Bidens pilosa and Setaria viridis alters soil microbial composition and soil ecological function

Bidens pilosa is recognized as one of the major invasive plants in China.Its invasion has been associated with significant losses in agriculture,forestry,husbandry,and biodiversity.Soil ecosystems play an important role in alien plant invasion.Microorganisms within the soil act as intermediaries between plants and soil ecological functions,playing a role in regulating soil enzyme activities and nutrient dynamics.Understanding the interactions between invasive plants,soil microorganisms,and soil ecological processes is vital for managing and mitigating the impacts of invasive species on the environment.In this study,we conducted a systematic analysis focusing on B.pilosa and Setaria viridis,a common native companion plant in the invaded area.To simulate the invasion process of B.pilosa,we constructed homogeneous plots consisting of B.pilosa and S.viridis grown separately as monocultures,as well as in mixtures.The rhizosphere and bulk soils were collected from the alien plant B.pilosa and the native plant S.viridis.In order to focus on the soil ecological functional mechanisms that contribute to the successful invasion of B.pilosa,we analyzed the effects of B.pilosa on the composition of soil microbial communities and soil ecological functions.The results showed that the biomass of B.pilosa increased by 27.51% and that of S.viridis was significantly reduced by 66.56%.The organic matter contents in the bulk and rhizosphere soils of B.pilosa were approximately 1.30 times those in the native plant soils.The TN and NO_(3)^(-)contents in the rhizosphere soil of B.pilosa were 1.30 to 2.71 times those in the native plant soils.The activities of acid phosphatase,alkaline phosphatase,and urease in the rhizosphere soil of B.pilosa were 1.98-2.25 times higher than in the native plant soils.Using high-throughput sequencing of the16S rRNA gene,we found that B.pilosa altered the composition of the soil microbial community.Specifically,many genera in Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were enriched in B.pilosa soils.Further correlation analyses verified that these genera had significantly positive relationships with soil nutrients and enzyme activities.Plant biomass,soil p H,and the contents of organic matter,TN,NO_(3)^(-),TP,AP,TK,and AK were the main factors affecting soil microbial communities.This study showed that the invasion of B.pilosa led to significant alterations in the composition of the soil microbial communities.These changes were closely linked to modifications in plant traits as well as soil physical and chemical properties.Some microbial species related to C,N and P cycling were enriched in the soil invaded by B.pilosa.These findings provide additional support for the hypothesis of soil-microbe feedback in the successful invasion of alien plants.They also offer insights into the ecological mechanism by which soil microbes contribute to the successful invasion of B.pilosa.Overall,our research contributes to a better understanding of the complex interactions between invasive plants,soil microbial communities,and ecosystem dynamics.

Effects of land-use patterns on soil microbial diversity and composition in the Loess Plateau,China

In the Loess Plateau of China,land-use pattern is a major factor in controlling underlying biological processes.Additionally,the process of land-use pattern was accompanied by abandoned lands,potentially impacting soil microbe.However,limited researches were conducted to study the impacts of land-use patterns on the diversity and community of soil microorganisms in this area.The study aimed to investigate soil microbial community diversity and composition using high-throughput deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)sequencing under different land-use patterns(apricot tree land,apple tree land,peach tree land,corn land,and abandoned land).The results showed a substantial difference(P<0.050)in bacterial alpha-diversity and beta-diversity between abandoned land and other land-use patterns,with the exception of Shannon index.While fungal beta-diversity was not considerably impacted by land-use patterns,fungal alpha-diversity indices varied significantly.The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota(34.90%),Proteobacteria(20.65%),and Ascomycota(77.42%)varied in soils with different land-use patterns.Soil pH exerted a dominant impact on the soil bacterial communities'composition,whereas soil available phosphorus was the main factor shaping the soil fungal communities'composition.These findings suggest that variations in land-use pattern had resulted in changes to soil properties,subsequently impacting diversity and structure of microbial community in the Loess Plateau.Given the strong interdependence between soil and its microbiota,it is imperative to reclaim abandoned lands to maintain soil fertility and sustain its function,which will have significant ecological service implications,particularly with regards to soil conservation in ecologically vulnerable areas.

A new approach to pedestal differentiation for soil loss estimation-a case study from a burnt area in north-central Portugal

Soil pedestals have long been used as qualitative indicators of soil splash erosion.In rangelands,plant-capped pedestals,generally grass tussocks,have also been used to quantitatively estimate soil loss since the first half of the twentieth century.In agricultural lands,forests,and bad-lands,stone-capped pedestals have been used as qualitative and semi-quantitative indicators of active,'extreme'erosion.Little work has been reported on using capstone pedestal data for quantifying soil loss.We postulate that three distinct capstone pedestal types may be present in any given location and that a detailed analysis of a pedestal height histogram may be used to recognize their populations.This analysis can subsequently inform if soil loss can be reliably estimated and if so,which of the existing methods using pedestal height data will provide more accurate results.The three proposed capstone pedestal types are:(1)neo-pedestals formed underneath surface stones exposed by(partial)removal of the soil surface cover;(2)endo-pedestals formed underneath stones that were buried in the soil but have been exposed by erosion;and(3)phoenix-pedestals formed underneath stones from collapsed pedestals.In the pedestal height histogram of any given location,a skew to smaller heights may indicate the existence of endo-and/or phoenix-pedestals,which may be revealed as a bi-(or tri)modal distribution when using a smaller bin size.This concept was applied to a case study where soil loss had been monitored for control plots and mulched plots during a 5-year period following wildfire in a eucalypt plantation.We measured pedestal heights and used methods to quantitatively assess soil loss from soil pedestal data in the available literature.Soil pedestal data at the end of the 5-year period under or overestimated soil loss in the control treatment,with results ranging from 60 to 115%of measured soil loss,depending on the method.It is postulated that phoenix-and endo-pedestals may be a driving factor behind the observed discrepancies.We discuss how future research may provide more insight into dominant processes,and how frequency distributions may be used to select the best methods for estimating soil loss from pedestals.

Impact of wetting-drying cycles and acidic conditions on the soil aggregate stability of yellow‒brown soil

Soil aggregate is the basic structural unit of soil,which is the foundation for supporting ecosystem functions,while its composition and stability is significantly affected by the external environment.This study was conducted to explore the effect of external environment(wetting-drying cycles and acidic conditions)on the soil aggregate distribution and stability and identify the key soil physicochemical factors that affect the soil aggregate stability.The yellow‒brown soil from the Three Gorges Reservoir area(TGRA)was used,and 8 wetting-drying conditions(0,1,2,3,4,5,10 and 15 cycles)were simulated under 4 acidic conditions(pH=3,4,5 and 7).The particle size distribution and soil aggregate stability were determined by wet sieving method,the contribution of environmental factors(acid condition,wetting-drying cycle and their combined action)to the soil aggregate stability was clarified and the key soil physicochemical factors that affect the soil aggregate stability under wetting-drying cycles and acidic conditions were determined by using the Pearson’s correlation analysis,Partial least squares path modeling(PLS‒PM)and multiple linear regression analysis.The results indicate that wetting-drying cycles and acidic conditions have significant effects on the stability of soil aggregates,the soil aggregate stability gradually decreases with increasing number of wetting-drying cycles and it obviously decreases with the increase of acidity.Moreover,the combination of wetting-drying cycles and acidic conditions aggravate the reduction in the soil aggregate stability.The wetting-drying cycles,acidic conditions and their combined effect imposes significant impact on the soil aggregate stability,and the wetting-drying cycles exert the greatest influence.The soil aggregate stability is significantly correlated with the pH,Ca^(2+),Mg^(2+),maximum disintegration index(MDI)and soil bulk density(SBD).The PLS‒PM and multiple linear regression analysis further reveal that the soil aggregate stability is primarily influenced by SBD,Ca^(2+),and MDI.These results offer a scientific basis for understanding the soil aggregate breakdown mechanism and are helpful for clarifying the coupled effect of wetting-drying cycles and acid rain on terrestrial ecosystems in the TGRA.

Temporal and environmental factors drive community structure and function of methanotrophs in volcanic forest soils

Methanotrophs,organisms that obtain oxygen by oxidizing methane,are recognized as the only known biological sink for atmospheric CH_4,and forest soil methanotrophs play crucial roles in mitigating global warming.The succession patterns of methanotrophic communities and functions in Wudalianchi volcano forest soils could provide a basis for the study of evolutionary mechanisms between soil microorganisms,the environment,and carbon cycling of temperate forest ecosystems under climate change.In this study,the characteristics and drivers of methanotrophic community structure and function of two volcanic soils at different stages of development are analyzed,including an old volcano and a new volcano,which most recently erupted 300 years and 17-19×10^(5)years ago,respectively,and a non-volcano hills as control,based on space for time substitution and Miseq sequencing and bioinformation technology.The results showed that CH_(4) fluxes were significantly higher in old-stage volcano forest soils than new-stage forest soils and non-volcano forest soils.There were significant differences in the community composition and diversity of soil methanotrophs from different volcano forest soils.Methylococcus was the dominant genus in all soil samples.Additionally,the relative abundance of Methylococcus,along with Clonothrix,Methyloglobulus,Methylomagum,Methylomonas and Methylosarcina,were the important genera responsible for the differences in methanotrophic community structure in different volcano forest soils.The relative abundance of methanotroph belonging toγ-proteobacteria was significantly higher than that belonging toα-proteobacteria(P<0.05).Chao1,Shannon and Simpson indices of soil methanotrophic community were significantly lower in new-stage volcanos and were significantly affected by bulk density,total porosity,p H,nitrate,dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen.There were significant differences in community structure between new-stage and old-stage volcanoes.Bulk density and p H are important soil properties contributing to the divergence of methanotrophs community structure,and changes in soil properties due to soil development time are important factors driving differences in methanotrophs communities in Wudalianchi volcanic soils.

Subsoil tillage enhances wheat productivity,soil organic carbon and available nutrient status in dryland fields

Tillage practices during the fallow period benefit water storage and yield in dryland wheat crops.However,there is currently no clarity on the responses of soil organic carbon(SOC),total nitrogen(TN),and available nutrients to tillage practices within the growing season.This study evaluated the effects of three tillage practices(NT,no tillage;SS,subsoil tillage;DT,deep tillage)over five years on soil physicochemical properties.Soil samples at harvest stage from the fifth year were analyzed to determine the soil aggregate and aggregate-associated C and N fractions.The results indicated that SS and DT improved grain yield,straw biomass and straw carbon return of wheat compared with NT.In contrast to DT and NT,SS favored SOC and TN concentrations and stocks by increasing the soil organic carbon sequestration rate(SOCSR)and soil nitrogen sequestration rate(TNSR)in the 0-40 cm layer.Higher SOC levels under SS and NT were associated with greater aggregate-associated C fractions,while TN was positively associated with soluble organic nitrogen(SON).Compared with DT,the NT and SS treatments improved soil available nutrients in the 0-20 cm layer.These findings suggest that SS is an excellent practice for increasing soil carbon,nitrogen and nutrient availability in dryland wheat fields in North China.

The potential for an old-growth forest to store carbon in the topsoil:A case study at Sasso Fratino,Italy

There is considerable interest devoted to oldgrowth forests and their capacity to store carbon(C)in biomass and soil.Inventories of C stocks in old-growth forests are carried out worldwide,although there is a lack of information on their actual potential for C sequestration.To further understand this,soil organic carbon(SOC)was measured in one of Italy's best-preserved old-growth forests,the Sasso Fratino Integral Nature Reserve.This reserve is on the World Heritage List along with other ancient beech forests of Europe,and it is virtually untouched due to the steepness of the terrain,even before legal constraints were imposed.Although the sandstone-derived soils are often shallow,they are rich in organic matter.However,no quantification had been carried out.By systematically sampling the topsoil across the forest,we accurately determined the average amount of SOC(62.0±16.9 Mg ha^(–1))and nitrogen(4.0±1.2 Mg ha^(–1))in the top 20 cm.Using the CENTURY model,future dynamics of SOC stocks were predicted to 2050 according to two climate scenarios,A1F1 and B2,the first of high concern and the second more optimistic.The model projected an increase of 0.2 and 0.3 Mg ha^(–1)a^(–1)by 2030 under the A1F1 and B2 scenarios,respectively,suggesting that the topsoil in old-growth forests does not reach equilibrium but continues accumulating SOC.However,from 2030 to 2050,a decline in SOC accumulation is predicted,indicating SOC net loss at high altitudes under the worst-case scenario.This study confirms that soils in oldgrowth forests play a significant role in carbon sequestration.It also suggests that climate change may affect the potential of these forests to store SOC not only in the long term but also in the coming years.

Soil resilience assessment using soil profile descriptions and Analytic Hierarchy Process in Mediterranean mountains considering diverse fire occurrences

Wildfires are complex natural phenomena that exert significant impacts on landscapes,societies,and economies.Understanding the concept of resilience is crucial in mitigating its possible negative impacts,as it involves preparing for,responding to,and recovering from wildfires.This research aims to demonstrate the utility of in situ soil profile description in assessing land use resilience using an Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)through an expert panel survey.The study examines a catchment located in the Balearic Islands,considering two fire occurrences(once and twice),comparing abandoned agricultural terraces and natural hillslopes.The results demonstrated that the priority ranking of variables to assess soil profile resilience against wildfires,determined by a panel of 10 experts,identified horizon depth(25.1%),slope inclination(21.5%),and hydrological connectivity(16.6%)as the most crucial factors.Other variables,such as number and size of roots,structure of pedal soil material,size class structure,and rock fragments,also contributed to resilience but to a lesser extent,with scores ranging from 5.7%to 9.6%.Analyzing the priorities established by the experts using AHP,the results showed that the least resilient soil horizon was H1 of the control hillslope,especially under high and low connectivity processes,which aligned with the loss of superficial soil horizons after one and two wildfires.Hillslopes showed greater changes in resilience after occurring wildfires compared to terraces,with the most significant alterations occurring after the second wildfire event.This study addresses a significant knowledge gap in the field by highlighting the interconnectedness of wildfires,resilience,and land use,providing insights into land management strategies for wildfire-prone regions.

A Review of Biochemical Processes and Techniques for Soil Stabilization and Resilience

Biochemical, chemical, and mechanical, techniques have been employed to enhance soil resilience for decades. While the use of mechanical techniques requires transporting huge amounts of soil materials, the cement used in chemical techniques may lead to increase atmospheric carbon dioxide. Numerous studies indicate that biochemical techniques may be less expensive, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Biopolymers and enzymes derived from microorganisms have been suggested as biological enhancers in strengthening and fortifying soils used for earthen structures. Lime and other treatment techniques used as biobased materials have been shown to be less effective for stabilizing soils. Here, we review biochemical processes and techniques involved in the interactions of soil enzymes, microorganisms, microbial extracellular polymeric substances, and other biopolymers with soil particles, and the challenges and strategies of their use as biobased materials for stabilizing soils. This review provides their impacts on various soil properties and the growth potentials of agricultural crops. .

Effects of long-term fencing on soil microbial community structure and function in the desert steppe,China

One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem.However,relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management.In this study,we investigated the diversity and aboveground biomass of Caragana korshinskii Kom.shrub communities in long-term fencing and grazing areas,combined with an analysis of soil physical-chemical properties and genomics,with the aim of understanding how fence management affects plant-soil-microbial inter-relationships in the desert steppe,China.The results showed that fence management(exclosure)increased plant diversity and aboveground biomass in C.korshinskii shrub area and effectively enhanced soil organic carbon(233.94%),available nitrogen(87.77%),and available phosphorus(53.67%)contents.As well,the Shannon indices of soil bacteria and fungi were greater in the fenced plot.Plant-soil changes profoundly affected the alpha-and beta-diversity of soil bacteria.Fence management also altered the soil microbial community structure,significantly increasing the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota(5.31%-8.99%),Chloroflexi(3.99%-5.58%),and Glomeromycota(1.37%-3.28%).The soil bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks under fence management had higher complexity and connectivity.Based on functional predictions,fence management significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrification and nitrate reduction functions and decreased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrate and nitrite respiration functions.The relative abundances of ecologically functional fungi with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,ectomycorrhizal fungi,and saprotrophs also significantly increased under fence management.In addition,the differential functional groups of bacteria and fungi were closely related to plant-soil changes.The results of this study have significant positive implications for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of dry desert steppe and similar areas.