bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DIREITOS HUMANOS NO CURSO DE LICENCIATURA EM QUÍMICA DO IFPI CAMPUS TERESINA CENTRAL
Authors: Araujo Raiane de Oliveira , Dos Santos Vanessa Nunes
Published: September 2021

A formação de educadores em direitos  humanos pode orientá-los a ideia de transversalidade e interdisciplinaridade. Essas dimensões pedagógicas possibilitam, orientar os currículos escolares  a fomentar  uma cultura de direitos ,  uma vez que permitem a implantação dos conceitos dos direitos  humanos em todas as disciplinas dos cursos de graduação e em toda a forma organizacional dos programas de formação continuada. A educação em direitos  humanos emergiu como um potencial significativo no contexto de busca por um novo estado de direito, e tem ganhado maior visibilidade e importância na perspectiva de formação docente dentro das academias. As instituições de ensino possuem uma grande responsabilidade na criação de espaços para a cultura de Direito Humanos, estes devem estar nos currículos, nas avaliações, na capacitação de professores e outros. Deste modo, foi desenvolvida esta pesquisa com o objetivo de compreender a proposta de formação docente para atuação na perspectiva da educação para a diversidade e inclusão do curso de licenciatura em química ofertada pelo Instituto. Em função da natureza do objeto de estudo, foi abordada a questão dos direitos  humanos, trazendo uma análise do currículo do curso de licenciatura em química do IFPI Campus Teresina Central, refletindo como ele prepara (ou deveria preparar) um professor com formação humanista. A questão norteadora da pesquisa é: qual a fundamentação que um licenciando recebe para lidar com questões como direitos  humanos, políticas de inclusão, sociedade e meio ambiente? Conclui-se desse modo, que o  currículo é uma construção permanente o Projeto político pedagógico do Curso de Licenciatura em química desde sua implantação vem sendo adequado conforme as políticas e demandas na formação de professores. Portanto, conclui-se que tal processo formativo a qual está centrado a questão dos direitos  humanos na formação docente é uma das etapas fundamentais para que o professor, no futuro, se veja como um profissional atuante como Agente Sociocultural e Político, vindo a dar voz aos diversos grupos sociais e questionando as desigualdades sociais existentes, lutando pelo enfrentamento da equidade desses grupos na sociedade, buscando por uma sala de aula pautada no diálogo entre os diversos saberes e vivências que traga o estudante como sujeito ativo de uma reivindicação necessária e de uma mudança possível
Child Labor in Karachi: Situation and Realities Behind Increased Number of Working Children
Authors: John Stephen , Khan Sadaf , Mahesar Pervaiz Ali
Published: September 2021

The number of working children in Karachi is increasing day by day, and the objective of this research study was to highlight the situation and explore the reasons behind it. For this purpose, using sequential exploratory research design, data was collected from working children and parents of some of the children and was analyzed using SPSS. It is concluded that parents and their children have a wish for education but because of the cost of education and other reasons are unable.
Assessing the Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Depression in Elderly: A Predictive Study
Authors: Rauf Umara , Sarwar Uzma , Saheed Rafit
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this research is to investigate the association of perceived social support (PSS) and depression in middle and older aged people. A random sample of 126 elderly persons, age between 40 years to 75 years, were selected from different areas of Karachi. A demographic data sheet was administered along with study scales. To explore the relationship, correlation coefficient and linear regression were applied. Findings revealed a significant negative relationship between perceived social support and depression (p<.000) in middle and older-aged adults and in male and female middle and older-aged adults, respectively. Further, the analysis revealed that PSS has the potential to bring .09%, .10%, and .06% change in depression among the whole sample and among elderly males and females. Provision and utilization of adequate support systems for the elderly can be beneficial in treating emotional problems and enhance the well-being of this population.
Role of Pakhtun Women in Politics: A Case Study of Begum Zari Sarfaraz
Authors: Bilal Hazrat , Gohar Shaista , Shah Ayaz Ali
Published: September 2021

An effort has been made to revisit the political participation of Pakhtun women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa former NWFP. The active role in the politics of Pakhtun women was quite difficult due to socio-cultural constraints. In such circumstances a woman from the elite class emerged on the political scene of NWFP; Begum Zari Sarfaraz who not only participated in the independence movement of Pakistan but also participated in politics after the creation of Pakistan and had rendered great services for women folk as members of national and provincial assemblies. The paper shed light on her opposition to One Unit. The paper also investigates the reason that why she quit politics. There is hardly any literature on the role of Begum Zari Sarfaraz in the politics of Pakistan.
Marxism in Zakia Mashhadi's Death of an Insect
Authors: Fatima Kaniz , Ahmed Aadil , Shafi Shahzeb
Published: September 2021

Poverty is the root cause of exploitation of the poor at the hands of the rich in the root structure of the society that leads the poor towards the state of self-pity. This study is an interlink between the domains of World Englishes, Freudo-Marxist Literature, Trauma Literature and Postcolonial Literature. The postcolonial context of the subcontinent amidst language appropriation is the major theme that witnesses the phenomenon of exploitation and poverty through the canvas of Freudo-Marxist Literature. The current study attempts to find Marxist themes, predominantly exploitation and poverty, from a short story Death of an Insect by Zakia Mashhadi. The textual qualitative method of analysis proceeds under the operational theoretical lens of Edgar W. Schneider and Karl Marx. The former deals with textual analysis through language appropriation, while the latter deals with thematic analysis through the behaviour of the bourgeoisie towards the proletariat, respectively. The study has found that the upper class, for their vested interests, even for the satisfaction of their ego, brutally exploit the poor working class, who have to suffer and bear all inhuman behaviour without any resistance. Thus, this continuous Vicious Circle of exploitation and poverty cause difficulties and hardships for the poor class.
Methodology for analyzing financial monitoring data on the example of business entities
Authors: Beketnova Yuliya
Published: September 2021

Abstract. The purpose of the article is to propose methodology for analyzing financial monitoring data that takes into account the need to process large volumes of heterogeneous data, the latency of the sought characteristics, and also satisfies the criterion for the time and resource indicators of the data processing process. It is necessary to move from sequential expert inspections of the objects to parallel massive automated inspections, taking into account modern methodological and instrumental capabilities in the context of the digital transformation of public administration. The lack of a methodology for data analysis in the field of financial monitoring prevents the widespread introduction of automation of the processes of assessing the situation and making decisions at different hierarchical levels of the public administration contour, the formation of integral assessments of business entities, which determines the timeliness and importance of this study. The problem of optimizing the choice of business entities according to the information of financial monitoring to determine the priority of verification is posed in meaningful terms and mathematically. The article provides an illustration of the proposed methodology using the example of data on business entities. Using the method of the main components of factor analysis, an integral indicator of the deviant component of the activity of an economic entity was found. The obtained estimates are verified using the pattern recognition theory and their internal convergence is confirmed. On the basis of the obtained measures of deviant activity of economic entities, a map of the propensity to legalize money in the regions has been synthesized. The practical value of this approach lies in the fact that, based on the ranking of the regions according to their susceptibility to money laundering, recommendations can be developed to improve the current practice of conducting financial investigations and to efficiently redistribute resources.
Optimizing the consolidated budget of the development Program for a diversified industrial complex
Authors: Braginsky Oleg
Published: September 2021

In a situation of economic downturn, complicated by COVID-19 pandemic, which has covered many countries in the world, including Russia, it is necessary to choose ways to ensure more or less sustainable economic growth. The condition in the Russian chemical complex is analyzed. The choice of the chemical complex as one of the priority ways of the Russian economic development has been substantiated. A conditional long-term development Program for the Russian chemical complex is worked out. This Program takes into account the shortcomings of fragmented government measures for the development of chemical and petrochemical industries. It is argued that the implementation of the Program will allow increasing the domestic supply for high-value-added hydrocarbon products, generally contributing to the reduction of the raw material share of Russian exports. The authors' earlier research to optimize structure of the development program for a large industrial complex in conditions of limited resources is developed. In particular, an approach to the choice of the optimal structure of the development program`s budget, consisting of such sources of financing as assignments from the national budget, private capital, long-term credits, as well as reinvested profit from investment projects participating in the Program is proposed. The results of economic and mathematical modeling and computer experimentation for optimizing structure of this Program`s consolidated budget, which make it possible to significantly improve its target indicators, as well as to involve socially significant low-profit investment projects of small and medium-sized businesses, are presented.
Analysis of small and medium business: Constructing production functions with estimating effective funds
Authors: Gorbunov Vladimir
Published: September 2021

Independent self-organizing small and medium-sized entrepreneurship (SMB) is usually considered to be the most important sector of the modern economy, evolving in according to market conditions and stimulating the economy to progress. But in recent years, works have appeared that criticize the defining of this economy sector as the “locomotive” of the entire market economy. Arguments for different points of view are often based on verbal judgment and comparisons between countries, despite significant differences in the definition of small (SB) and medium (MB) businesses across countries. In this paper, for comparative analysis of industrial segments of the sectors of SB, MB, and large enterprises (LE), we suggest the method for assessing the “effective funds” (EF) of production systems and constructing their production functions (PF). The concept EF is understood as part of the book-value of production funds that actually participate in the output. This indicator is not directly measurable, but it can be estimated based on data of production investment, the number of employees and the total output of enterprises of the studied system when constructing “capital” PF. The initial version of the method was proposed by us in 2012, and here a next modification is given, taking into account the specifics of the SMB reflection by Rosstat. The method is demonstrated on statistical data for the industrial segments of the SB, MB and LE sectors of the Russian economy.
Method for assessing the results of hierarchical socio-economic systems’ functioning based on the aggregated production function
Authors: Zhukov Roman
Published: September 2021

The article presents a method that develops a methodology for assessing the functioning of hierarchical socio-economic systems. The methodology includes formalized description of the object of research and the construction of partial and integral performance indicators. Performance indicators are calculated using production functions. The method is based on an algorithm for constructing an aggregated production function, which is used to calculate the normative (expected) value of the result of the functioning of the object of research. Using the example of the regions in Central Federal District and data for 2007–2016 testing and comparative analysis of four algorithms for estimating the parameters of the aggregate production function in the construction of the integral indicator are carried out. The gross regional product for the NACE sections (C, D and E) was chosen as effective indicators. The scientific novelty of the study is as follows. Three algorithms for constructing the distribution density of an aggregated random variable, which is a combination of residuals from econometric equations that describe the particular results of the functioning of elements of a hierarchical socio-economic system, are proposed and tested. The distribution density is used to find the parameters of the aggregated production function. For the two-dimensional case, analytical expression of the corresponding probability distribution density is obtained. The conclusion about the possibility of using the method to evaluate the results of the functioning of hierarchical socio-economic systems is substantiated.
D. S. MEREZHKOVSKY AS A STUDENT OF THE THIRD GYMNASIUM (COMMENTATOR’S NOTES) PART 2
Authors:   Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkinskij Dom), Russian Academy of Sciences, Kumpan Ksenia Andreevna
Published: September 2021

The article introduces the academic community to a vast collection of the unknown documents from the archives of the Third Gymnasium (Classical School) and from Merezhkovsky’s personal foundation, which contains the experiments of his early years. As the result, a picture emerges that depicts the school routine, featuring the portraits of the professors and the analysis of the studies in humanities. Besides, a detailed commentary on the «Gymnasium» fragments of the autobiographical poem The Ancient Octaves is offered, and conclusions are drawn regarding the reliability of the assessments of education contained in it.
BORIS BOZHNEV’S «INFINITE CIRCLE»
Authors:   Alexander Solzhenitsyn Centre for Studies of Russia Abroad, Vasilyeva Maria Anatolyevna
Published: September 2021

The article considers the work of the outstanding émigré Russian poet B. B. Bozhnev (1898– 1969). His fi rst book of poems Bor’ba za nesushchestvovan’e (The Struggle for Non-Existence) (Paris, 1925) is analyzed. Special emphasis is laid on the compositional structure of this collection of poetry, and on the problem of the title and the «kenotic» narrative of the fi nal poem «I est’ bor’ba za ne su-shchestvovan’e…» («And there is a struggle for non-existence…»). Besides, the article traces the reception of the poet’s writings, from the pronouncements of the emigrant literary critics to the modern studies, and addresses the issue of the controversial defi nition of B. Bozhnev’s poetry as «nihilistic» (G. P. Struve). In the stylistic analysis of The Struggle for Non-Existence and other lifetime editions of the poet, a special emphasis is laid on the «contracted phenomenon» of Bozhnev’s poetry space.
VYACHESLAV IVANOV AND HIS GERMAN-LANGUAGE PUBLISHERS
Authors:   Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkinskij Dom), Russian Academy of Sciences, Lappo-Danilevskii Konstantin Iur’evich
Published: September 2021

Review: Vjačeslav Ivanov und seine deutschsprachigen Verleger / Hrsg. von Michael Wachtel und Philip Gleissner; unter Mitwirkung von Vladimir Janzen. Berlin; Bern; Bruxelles; New York; Oxford; Warszawa; Wien: Peter Lang, 2019. 374 S., 22 Abb. (Russian Culture in Europe; vol. 14).
THE GENRE OF INSCRIPTION IN G. R. DERZHAVIN’S POETRY (VERSE ON THE DEATH OF A DOG)
Authors:   Università degli Studi di Napoli L’Orientale, Venditti Michela
Published: September 2021

The article draws attention to the insuffi ciently studied genre of inscription of the 18th century. Important studies have been devoted to the small poetic forms of the epigram and the epitaph of the period, but the inscription, because of the vagueness of the exact genre defi nition, has not yet received due attention. The article offers a general preliminary outline of the data concerning this genre in the 18th century, and the analysis of certain inscriptions in the works by Derzhavin.
F. M. DOSTOEVSKY AS RECALLED BY E. A. CAZALET: RESTORATION AND RE-CONSTRUCTION OF MEMORIES
Authors:   Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkinskij Dom), Russian Academy of Sciences, Arshinova Irina Vladimirovna
Published: September 2021

Drawing from the materials of the Proceedings of the Anglo-Russian Literary Society, the article reconstructs the circumstances of E. A. Cazalet’s encounter with F. M. Dostoevsky, and offers a tentative dating of this event. Dostoevsky’s image in Cazalet’s recollections seems to be infl uenced by E. M. de Vogüé’s and M. Baring’s interpretations, and the article demonstrates how in Cazalet’s recollections of Dostoevsky the margin between the personal and the cultural memory becomes permeable.
E. VON HARTMANN AND L. N. ANDREEV: EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO PESSIMISMS ARTICLE 1
Authors:   A. M. Gorky Institute of World Literature, Russian Academy of Sciences, Koz’menko Mikhail Vasil’evich
Published: September 2021

This article discusses the infl uence of Eduard von Hartmann’s philosophy on Leonid Andreev’s worldview and creative writing. It introduces new evidence from the holdings of the Leeds Russian Archive (Great Britain), extracts from Andreev’s school diary related to von Hartmann’s The Philosophy of the Unconscious.
Seasonal Changes in the Carbohydrate Pool of an Atlantic Forest Soil under Different Vegetation Types .
Authors: Martín Ángela , Carballas Tarsy , Díaz-Raviña Montserrat
Published: September 2021

The seasonal variations of the content and composition of soil carbohydrates, a labile pool of the soil organic matter, were studied in a Humic Cambisol located within the Atlantic temperate-humid zone (Galicia, N.W. of Spain) and developed over basic schists and under different type of vegetation: Quercus robur (climax forest), Pinus pinaster and Eucalyptus globulus. Soil samples from the A horizon (0-15 cm depth) of the three different forests were collected in spring, summer, autumn and winter. The carbohydrate content was estimated by colorimetry after their extraction by a sequential two-step acid hydrolysis method and further purification of the hydrolysates (first hydrolysis fraction, FA, non-cellulosic polysaccharides; second hydrolysis fraction, FB, cellulosic polysaccharides). The total amount of neutral sugars (hexoses and pentoses) from the three forests was in the range of 2.9-27.4 g kg-1 d.w., and represented between 5 and 12 % of the total organic C. The carbohydrate content was much higher in the FA fraction than that in the FB fraction, hexoses predominating over pentoses in both fractions. Seasonal variations of hexoses and pentoses exhibited the same behaviour pattern, showing that for FA and FB fractions higher concentrations of both neutral sugars were found in spring and winter (mean values: 12 and 14 g total neutral sugars kg-1 d.w., respectively) than in summer and autumn (7 and 8 g total neutral sugars kg-1 d.w., respectively). Likewise, for each year’s season, the total content of both hexoses and pentoses in both fractions varied in the order: Quercus (16 g neutral sugars kg-1 d.w.) > Pinus (9 g neutral sugars kg-1 d.w.) > Eucalyptus (5 g neutral sugars kg-1 d.w.) forests. Vegetation type clearly affected soil organic carbon, carbohydrate content and aggregate stability, while the ratio neutral sugar C / total organic C was mostly affected by season. Compared to the climax oak forest, the pine and eucalyptus stands exhibited a significant reduction in the content of carbohydrates, total organic C, total N and in aggregate stability, showinga decrease in soil quality.
Soil property variability in a humid natural Mediterranean environment: La Rioja, Spain .
Authors: Jiménez-Ballesta Raimundo , S. Andrades Marisol , Marín Álvaro , Íñigo Victoria , Alonso-Martirena Juan I.
Published: September 2021

Estimating the spatial variability of soil properties is significant for evaluating environmental impacts. For example, many soil properties are directly used in the modelling of environmental processes such as global climate change. These aspects have not previously been studied at this level in La Rioja (a region of Spain with a humid Mediterranean environment). The intention of this study was to provide quantitative information on soil assessment and mapping methods for natural soils in a humid Mediterranean environment. The properties considered included: pH and organic matter, calcium carbonate and clay contents. For testing, samples were selected from several different soil types which, in theory, were only affected by pedogenetic processes and had developed on different parent materials. More than half of the samples did not contain any CaCO3, while the rest of the samples presented a variety of CaCO3, forms, with high percentages being present in certain cases (up to 65% on the surface). It was possible to establish two different areas: one predominantly acidic and the other principally basic. The predominately basic samples were due to the high percentage of carbonate in the parent materials. The clay content on the surface was similar to that in the subsurface layers. Finally, the organic matter contents in the uppermost layers presented average values of 3.9%,with a range of from 0.3 to 17.5%. The major variations in soils were determined by soil type (therefore by soil forming processes), parent material composition, and vegetation type. This study reveals that these methods are useful to determine the spatial distribution of some soil properties in undisturbed soils. The contour maps of soil property variability could be used to improve future sampling designs and management decisions.
Assessment of the impact of soil heating on soil cations using the degree-hours method .
Authors: Cancelo-González Javier , Barros Nieves , Rial-Rivas María Ermitas , Díaz-Fierros Francisco
Published: September 2021

Important factors in the evaluation of fire severity are the duration of the soil exposition to a certain temperature as well as the factors that determine the thermal transmissivity on the soil (moisture, texture, organic matter content, etc.). The aim of this work was to apply the degree-hours method (DH) to characterize the thermal impact of forest fires in soils. Thermal treatments in the laboratory were conducted using soil samples in order to study the effects in the soil exchange complex. The results showed the effect of the supplied degree-hour (DH) on the cation exchange capacity (CEC), which was expressed by a continuous exponential decrease in the CEC. This function may better explain the process of the decreasing of CEC than only the maximum temperature values. The sum of cations extracted in relation to the thermal treatment gradually increased with temperature or DH, and tended to stabilize at high values. The concentration of the different cations extracted increased gradually with the intensity of heating, and when related to the DH appeared to fit an equation of the type y=a+bxc with a high degree of confidence. Analyses of the results show that the measurement of the heat supplied to the soil is a useful parameter with which to interpret pedologic changes, especially when those changes happen continuously over time.
Labile carbon pools and biological activity in volcanic soils of the Canary Islands .
Authors: Armas Herrera Cecilia María , Arbelo Rodríguez Carmen Dolores , Mora Hernández Juan Luis , Rodríguez Rodríguez Antonio
Published: September 2021

It is important to assess the mineralisation of soil organic carbon (SOC) to predict the short-term response of biosphere carbon reservoirs to changing environmental conditions. We investigated the labile (easily-mineralisable) SOC in volcanic soils, where the bioavailability of SOC is typically affected by physico-chemical stabilisation mechanisms that are characteristic of these soils. Ten soils were selected that represent the most typical soil types (mainly Andosols) and natural habitats (xerophytic scrubland, laurel forest and pine forest) in the Canary Islands, a volcanic archipelago. Over two years we measured several physico-chemical SOC fractions with different degrees of bioavailability: water-soluble carbon in fresh soil samples (WSC) and in the saturated extract (WSCse), hot water-extractable carbon (HWC), potassium sulphate-extractable carbon (PSC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), particulate organic carbon (POC), humic substances carbon (HSC), and total organic carbon (TOC), and performed CO2 emission incubation assays. We related these measurements to the potential C inputs of plant litter and roots and to the activity of certain hydrolytic enzymes (CM-cellulase, β-D-glucosidase, and dehydrogenase) that are involved in carbon turnover. In vitro carbon mineralisation measurements from short assays (ten days) were fitted with simple first-order kinetics to investigate SOC. This procedure was simple and allowed us to obtain estimates both for potentially mineralisable SOC and for the heterogeneity of the substrates that were consumed during incubation. The investigated volcanic soils had large labile SOC concentrations in which simple carbohydrates predominated and that were mainly derived from roots and aboveground non-woody residues. Among the analysed physico-chemical SOC fractions, HWC (3.1 g kg-1 on average at 0-30 cm depth in Andosols) was the most correlated with C0 (1.2 g kg-1) and therefore best represents potentially mineralisable SOC. PSC (0.77 g kg-1), which represents an SOC pool of low bioavailability, was protected by its adsorption to allophane in silandic Andosols.
Fabric of topsoil horizons in aridic soils of Central Asia .
Authors: Lebedeva Marina , Kutovaya Olga
Published: September 2021

Two surface microhorizons – vesicular and platy – were found to be typical of the fabric of topsoil horizons in gravely loamy soils located along an arid/continental climatic gradient in the Subboreal zone of Central Asia (from southern Russia to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia). Their genesis is related to active vesiculation (for vesicular А1 microhorizon) and cryogenesis (for platy А2 microhorizon) against a background of high clay mobility and/or eolian accumulation of fine material. New mechanisms responsible for the formation of vesicular pores are suggested: (a) the leaching of dense complete crystal infillings (moldic voids) and (b) the development of biogenic capsules typical of iron bacteria that were diagnosed by the microbiological method of fouling Agar-covered glasses under natural conditions. In a series of studied soils, Yermic Regosols are characterized by additional specific microfeatures: (1) iron depletion from the material around the pores and formation of iron concentrations in the intrapedal mass owing to biogenic mobilization of iron with participation of sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria and (2) the accumulation of organic matter (residues of microbial cells) in the vesicular pores.
Impact of prescribed burning on soils in urban interface areas in Granada (south-eastern Spain) .
Authors: Sánchez-Camacho Sara Montoya , Marín Calderón Guadalupe , Bernaldo de Quirós Eduardo Ortega
Published: September 2021

We report here on the effects of preventive burning on soils in peri-urban areas in Granada (Spain). The sampling area, located close to the Sacromonte Abbey on the outskirts of the city of Granada,used to be an agricultural plot devoted to olive trees and cereals but is now abandoned to scrub and the odd tree.The soils in question were entisols. Controlled burning was conductedfor six hours over an area of 13,300 m2and samples were taken at three different times: before burning, four days afterwards and a year afterwards. The parameters measured were: pH, organic matter, carbonates, soil moisture and nitrogen. The results reveal that whilst organic matter and nitrogen contents increased, pH, carbonates and soil moisture decreased after burning.
Preliminary characterization of microbial functional diversity using sole-C-source utilization profiles in Tremoal do Pedrido mire (Galicia, NW Spain) .
Authors: Pérez-Rodríguez Marta , Martínez Cortizas Antonio
Published: September 2021

Peatlands are a global carbon sink. It has been estimated that Northern peatlands store 257-342 Gt of carbon. Most carbon is in the form of peat organic matter whose transformation is largely dependent on microbial activity, and this in turn has a major influence on carbon cycling. The presence of two main physico-chemical environments in the peat deposits -the upper, aerobic, acrotelm and the lower, anaerobic catotelm- suggests that there could be differences in both the microbial activity and communities’ composition with depth. In this preliminary study we analyzed the depth variation in microbial community functional diversity using sole–carbon–source utilization profiles, in a raised bog from Galicia (NW Spain). Substrate utilization was quantified by measuring the absorbance at 590 nm of the colour developed by the reduction of the tetrazolium dye contained in each carbon source. Substrates consumption was followed for 10 days and expressed as average well colour development (AWCD) and microbial diversity (Shannon-Wiener index, H). The highest activity (AWCD 1.6-2.0) and microbial diversity (H 3.3) were found at the surface (upper 2 cm) of the peatland. No substrate was used below a depth of 52 cm. Principal components analysis showed three main depth records of degradation: i) substrates (N-compounds, carbohydrates, carboxylic acids) only used at the surface of the peatland, ii) substrates (mostly carboxylic acids) used at the surface and at 46-48 cm, and iii) substrates (N-compounds and polymers) used from the surface to a depth of 48-52 cm. The overall kinetics of substrate utilization showed four patterns: i) asymptotic, ii) exponential (although of low activity), iii) linear, and iv) no reaction over the whole incubation period. Some differences were observed, both in intensity of substrate degradation and total time of reaction, when substrates were grouped according to the results of principal component analysis. These findings suggest a “stratification” of the microbial communities that may be controlled by the varying geochemical conditions (humidity, temperature, acidity, nutrient- and oxygen availability) with depth, and that the acrotelm/catotelm boundary is an effective barrier for oxidative degradation of the organic matter in peatlands.
The impact of Cinnamomum camphora on the dissipation of PAHs in diesel contaminated soils from China .
Authors: Giri Nirita , Sieghardt Monika , Fan Zhu , Korimort Thomas , Mentler Axel
Published: September 2021

The ongoing urbanization has led to worldwide increase of diesel consumption resulting in several environmental problems like air, water and soil pollution. Diesel comprises polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which, via various vectors like insufficient combustion, accidents, etc., are subsequently deposited in the soil because of their hydrophobicity and low water solubility. Uncontaminated agricultural or urban soils are of great importance as they have a direct impact on food security and human health. Sixteen of the PAHs have been listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as ‘priority pollutants’ because of their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. The removal of PAHs from the environment through phytoremediation is a growing concern and scientific interest. The main objective of this study was to investigate the phytoremediation capacity of the evergreen tree species Cinnamomum camphora for the dissipation and degradation of several PAHs of different chemical structure. A pot experiment was established with artificially diesel contaminated soil from Changsa, China. The experimental design included three different diesel contents with and without tree-plantation. An extraction method and an HPLC separation method with different detectors was developed and applied for the analysis of soil samples. The analytical results revealed that Cinnamomum camphora enhances removal of selected PAHs from the contaminated soil with reduction of 91.1% to 98.8% as well as dissipation of persistent PAHs with 4 total and aromatic rings. However a confirmative study is suggested to understand whether the dissipation effect is due to rhizosphere bacteria or combined effect of several factors.
Challenges and opportunities in soil science: Learning from soils, learning from nature
Authors: Macías Felipe
Published: September 2021

As part of the celebration of 2015 as the International Year of Soils, a review of the current status of soil science is presented, in particular on the future challenges of this discipline, such as the fight against hunger, the improvement of quality of life, and the need for increasing  scientific understanding of our environment. The most recent contributions of soil science offering interesting prospects are also presented.
Aeolian sands and soils of a Wetland Biosphere Reserve: The Tablas de Daimiel
Authors: García-Giménez Rosario , González-Cascón R. , Vigil R. , Jiménez Ballesta Raimundo
Published: September 2021

Three soil profiles were characterized from a sandy area situated in a transitional zone in the “Tablas de Daimiel” UNESCO wetland biosphere reserve (TDNP) in the Mancha Plain (Central Spain). The original thickness of the soil layer in this area was as much as 100 cm, but the combined effect of unbalanced cultivation (including irrigation) and an increasingly dry climate has partially eroded their natural properties, almost leading to a desertification process. The main properties of these soils, classified as Xeropsamments (Soil Survey Staff 2006) or Arenosols (IUSS Working Group WRB 2006), are the dominance of sand in the soil matrix, its basic character, and low soil organic matter and carbonate contents. Scanning electron microscopy of the quartz grain surfaces indicated that the superficial textureswere commonly well preserved and characteristic of specific conditions of aeolian formation. Exoscopy revealed a mixture of sub-angular and rounded quartz morphotypes withwell-preserved mechanical impacts on the grain surfaces. These percussion effects are characteristic of aeolian processes and confirmed that mechanical actions were more significant than chemical processes in their pedogenesis.This micromorphological study of the textural sands in the transitional zone of the TDNP revealed that the (red) sands were transported to this area by wind, probably from material of degraded red soils, and deposited on soil horizons previously developed over marls and limestones. The relict character of these materials and specially their susceptibility to degradation should be considered as a priority argument to preserve this area and introduce management measurements to avoid soil erosion.
Microbial indicators for assessing the adverse impact of technical-grade hexachlorocyclohexane on soil quality
Authors: Anza Mikel
Published: September 2021

Technical-grade hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) has been widely used for human health and agricultural purposes. Consequently, HCH residues have entered the soil ecosystem with concomitant deleterious effects on soil quality. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of HCH on soil microbial properties as biological indicators of soil quality. To this end, non-polluted soil was spiked with different amounts of a heavily HCH-polluted soil in order to obtain a concentration gradient between 0 and 1,500 mg HCH kg-1 dry matter soil. The mixtures were incubated under laboratory conditions for 2 months. Dehydrogenase activity, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity (FDA), basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), microbial biomass carbon, metabolic potential, and the soil quality index were negatively affected by increasing HCH concentrations in soil, in many cases following an exponential pattern. FDA and SIR appear a priori suitable indicators for the impact of HCH on soil microbial properties and, hence, soil quality.
Developing the prototype AndaLAND for agriculture soil and water assessment in climate change scenarios
Authors: Fernández-Boyano Marta , Tabernero-Pérez David , Alonso-Herrero Sergio , Pérez-Álvarez José Miguel , Blanco-Velázquez Francisco José , Anaya-Romero María , Fernández-Luque José Enrique
Published: September 2021

There is a critical need to incorporate concerns on soil and water use and protection into land use planning policies and practices, not exclusively in protected areas, especially taking into account the widespread power transfer to local authorities regarding land-use decision making. Accordingly, it is extremely useful what Decision Support Systems (DSS) do on land use. AndaLAND is a prototype DSS which has been developed as a web-based application. It helps to define the vulnerability and the efficiency of the use and protection of soils in the selected target region: Andalusia (Southern Spain). AndaLAND integrates a complete catalogue of information on climate, soil and soil management, to make land vulnerability evaluation. By using Web Map Services (WMS), AndaLAND is fed with available databases from public mapping services (the Geographic Information System for the Common Agricultural Policy-SIGPAC) and other external sources (Microcomputed-based Land Evaluation Information System, MicroLEIS). Climate change scenarios are considered jointly with other relevant global change elements, such as land use change. Soil evaluation is based on decision rules that follow a decision tree. This method was established from Drools (a powerful hybrid reasoning system), using agrological rules for determining soil capacity in plots. The tool is capable of evaluating individually more than 6 million plots currently existing in the Andalusian region. AndaLAND’s final output is a report on the particular vulnerability of a user-specified plot. The report includes information on the plot’s geographical location, its environmental status regarding to (current and potential) impacts, degradation and/or pollution in the water-soil-crop system and eventual affections due to climate change-induced events. The report also provides practical recommendations for sustainable use and management of plots (in particular, for irrigated crops, these recommendations are linked to available irrigation technologies and water consumption).
The relationships among thermal resistivity, water content and a stony sandy soil
Authors: Rubio Carles M.
Published: September 2021

Developing soil macro-porosity could be considered to be a direct effect of physical, chemical and eco-pedological processes where the soil matrix has contact with coarse elements. Hence, macro-porosity acquires a special importance affecting the liquid phase as well as the gas phase, and therefore the soil thermal properties as well. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effect of the coarse elements on the total thermal resistivity (Rho) for a sandy soil. The experiment was carried out with several gravel masses (kggravels·kgsoil-1) mixed with soil, and repacked in a soil column device. The method used for measuring the thermal resistivity was the heat pulse, based on ASTM D5334-08. The water content (θ) was determined using capacitor probes (FDR probes). The experimental device was maintained inside a thermal chamber for controlling a minimal thermal drift. The Rho(θ) relationship presented higher variability when 35% of coarse elements were added and the water content was close to saturation.
Evaluation of plant waste used as mulch on soil moisture retention
Authors: Rico Hernández Jose Ramón , Navarro Pedreño José , Gómez Lucas Ignacio
Published: September 2021

Soil mulching is a technique commonly used in arid and semi-arid areas to prevent erosion and reduce evaporation of soil water. In this study, an experiment quantified the effect of three organic wastes (shredded date palm leaf (Phoenix dactylifera), cereal straw, and pine bark) used as mulch on moisture retention in two soils with different textures, S1 (loam) and S2 (silty loam). Each soil was added to a height of 15 cm in square containers 31 cm wide and 20 cm high. The treatments were administered a day after soil saturation with water by covering each soil with 2 cm of mulch. Soils without mulching were used as control treatments. The experiment took place inside a greenhouse until a total loss of soil moisture was achieved. Temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) values were measured throughout the experiment. During the first 16 days, high and practically constant evaporation was observed in the soils without mulching (1813 g H2O/day per m2 in S1 and 1792 g H2O/day per m2 in S2). Linear regressions were established to quantify the water loss over time in each treatment. The results show that all three organic byproducts were effective in reducing water loss in both soils, with significant differences observed between pine bark and the other two materials. The palm leaf was as effective as the cereal straw, so it is considered appropriate for use as a mulching material in areas like ours where its abundance and ease of use provide further environmental benefits.
Pedogenic influence on profile distribution of total and DTPA - extractable micronutrients in rice growing hydric soils of Majuli river island, Assam, India
Authors: Bhaskar B. P. , Tiwari Gopal , Prasad Jagdish
Published: September 2021

The rice-growing river floodplain ecosystems of Majuli island, India, have been recognized as a biodiversity hotspot with a high degree of variability in geomorphological forms and geochemical conditions for trace metals in hydric soils. Ten hydric soil series in rice-growing soils of Majuli island were studied with the aim of understanding the pedogenic influence on distribution and content of total and diethylenetriamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) extractable micronutrient cations (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) and their enrichment levels. The correlation analysis showed that these cations were closely linked with soil texture, organic carbon, cation exchange capacity and pH levels. The multiple regressions and cluster analysis was employed to identify the effect of river fed deposits on distribution pattern and lithological enrichment of metals. The contamination status was assessed through quantitative indexes with reference material. The negative geo-accumulation index values were used to conclude that these soils had been practically unchanged by anthropogenic influences. They showed moderate Cu contamination but were otherwise unpolluted (Pollution load index < 1) with respect to total elements under study.
Soil quality index applied to Cucurbit production (Chaco, Argentina)
Authors: Rojas Julieta Mariana , Goytía Silvia Yanina , Roldán María Florencia , Mórtola Natalia Andrea , Romaniuk Romina Ingrid , Casco Noelia Lorena
Published: September 2021

Soil quality (SQ) assessment is an important tool for monitoring the sustainability of production systems. The National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) selected a minimum dataset of indicators (MDS) with the objective of generating a tool for diagnosis and monitoring of soils subject to land use changes. The MDS is composed of: total organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH, bulk density and the wind erodible fraction. The objective of this work was to use the MDS and the Soil Quality Index (SQI) derived from it to describe the state of the soils intended for Cucurbit production in Chaco. The MDS was sufficiently sensitive to describe the state of the soils. The low and moderate SQ highlighted the need to incorporate soil conservation practices, given the low levels of organic matter and physical degradation. These practices would also contribute to the control of wind erosion, a process that is poorly managed in the area.
By-products as an amendment of a mine soil: effects on microbial biomass determined using phospholipid fatty acids
Authors: Santás-Miguel Vanesa , Cutillas-Barreiro Laura , Nóvoa-Muñoz Juan Carlos , Arias-Estévez Manuel , Díaz-Raviña Montserrat , Fernández-Sanjurjo María José , Álvarez-Rodríguez Esperanza , Núñez-Delgado Avelino , Fernández-Calviño David
Published: September 2021

In the present work, the effect of two by-products (pine bark and crushed mussel shell) on microbial biomass and community structure was studied in a soil from a mine tailing located in a copper mine. In a laboratory experiment, different doses (0, 12, 24, 48, 96 and 192 Mg ha-1) of pine bark, crushed mussel shell or mixtures of both by-products were added to the soil. The amended soil samples were incubated for one year at 60% of water holding capacity, and then 33 phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were extracted from these samples and quantified. The PLFAs concentrations were used for different microbial biomass estimations: total biomass, bacterial biomass, fungal biomass, gram-positive (G+) biomass and gram-negative (G-) biomass. The addition of crushed mussel had no significant effects on the total soil microbial biomass, either bacterial of fungal biomass. However, the addition of pine bark increased the total microbial biomass in the soil (up to 40%), mainly due to increases in the fungal biomass (it increased 1600%). No synergistic effects were observed when the soil was amended with both, pine bark and crushed mussel shell. The main community structure changes were due to the addition of pine bark to the soil, and were also due to modifications in fungal communities. Our results suggest that the microbial biomass was mainly limited in the mine soil by low organic matter concentrations, and therefore, practices increasing the amount of soil organic matter should be priorities for soil reclamation.
Terraces and landscape in Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca, Mexico: Micromorphological indicators
Authors: Solis Castillo Berenice , Bocco Gerardo
Published: September 2021

In the semi-arid Mixteca Alta, Mexico, complex societies developed sophisticated terrace systems to control erosion and improve rain-fed agriculture. Knowledge regarding the agricultural systems has been crucial in understanding landscape construction through cultivation and social complexity. In this study six sequences on terrace systems were investigated. The samples were analyzed for bulk chemical, textural and micromorphological observations. Soils developed on terraces of the Yanhuitlán river (sequences Y04 and Y05) were dated, respectively, 5,300, 2,700 and 1,100 cal BP, suggesting a possible anthropic use since the early Formative period. These soils are composed of microstratified fine sediments of local origin, reflecting low energy during their deposition; they are weakly structured and developed in anoxic conditions due to saturation during terrace flooding. However, in these soils, a mixture of silt particles and charcoal fragments suggests the influence of anthropic use. On the other hand, sequences Y01 and Y02 are Pleistocene soils developed in an anoxic environment of a swampy landscape; their vertic properties may be related to dry seasonal periods. Knowledge of landscape genesis contributes to the assessment of anthropic impact in the area.