Soil and Water Research, 2014 (vol. 9), issue 1
Application of k-Nearest code to the improvement of class pedotransfer functions and countrywide Field Capacity and Wilting Point mapsOriginal Paper
Markéta MIHÁLIKOVÁ, Svatopluk MATULA, František DOLEŽAL
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):1-8 | DOI: 10.17221/44/2013-SWR 
The database of soil hydrophysical properties in the Czech Republic (HYPRESCZ) which contains the data needed for derivation of pedotransfer functions for soil water retention curves was used for the estimation of field capacity and wilting point of agricultural land resource on a countrywide scale. The results were combined with the existing Soil Texture Map of the Czech Republic to create four new maps, namely the Map of Field Capacity and the Map of Wilting Point for the topsoil and subsoil separately. From the total number of 1048 relevant database entries, only about a half included reliable wilting point data. The k-Nearest computer...
Spectral characterization of selected humic substancesOriginal Paper
Vojtěch ENEV, Ľubica POSPÍŠILOVÁ, Martina KLUČÁKOVÁ, Tibor LIPTAJ, Leoš DOSKOČIL
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):9-17 | DOI: 10.17221/39/2013-SWR
Current concern for soil quality has stimulated research on soil organic matter (OM). Humic substances (HS) of different origin were compared applying ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), "steady-state" fluorescence spectroscopy, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). Sodium humates samples were isolated from soil (Gleyic Luvisol), compost, and South-Moravian lignite from the mine Mír in Mikulčice. Sodium humates (SH) were extracted by a conventional procedure recommended by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS). Results showed that the presence of O-containing...
Contamination of the soil and water environment by heavy metals in the former mining area of Rudňany (Slovakia)Original Paper
Lenka ANGELOVIČOVÁ, Danica FAZEKAŠOVÁ
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):18-24 | DOI: 10.17221/24/2013-SWR
Contamination of soil and water environment by heavy metals in a former mining area and their effect on the soil characteristics were determined. Soil samples were collected in the village of Rudňany which is, according to environmental regionalization, classified as an environmentally loaded and unhealthy area. Soil samples were collected in 2011 at eight fields situated at different distance from the pollution source. Total contents of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg), soil reaction (pH), organic carbon (Cox), activity of urease (URE), acid phosphatase (ACP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined in soil samples. Water samples were...
Regional analysis using the Geomorphologic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH) methodOriginal Paper
Mohammad Reza KHALEGHI, Jamal GHODUSI, Hassan AHMADI
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):25-30 | DOI: 10.17221/33/2012-SWR
The construction of design flood hydrographs for ungauged drainage areas has traditionally been approached by regionalization, i.e. the transfer of information from the gauged to the ungauged catchments in a region. Such approaches invariably depend upon the use of multiple linear regression analysis to relate unit hydrograph parameters to catchment characteristics and generalized rainfall statistics. In the present study, Geomorphologic Instaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH) was applied to simulate the rainfall-runoff process and also to determine the shape and dimensions of outlet runoff hydrographs in a 37.1 km2 area in the Ammameh catchment,...
Effects of zeolite and vermicompost applications on potassium release from calcareous soilsOriginal Paper
Mahdi NAJAFI-GHIRI
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):31-37 | DOI: 10.17221/72/2012-SWR
Zeolite and vermicompost applications to soil may improve K fertility of soils. For this purpose, these materials were added to five representative calcareous soils collected from southern Iran. The treatments included (1) control, (2) 20 g/kg zeolite, (3) 20 g/kg vermicompost, and (4) 20 g/kg vermicompost + zeolite (1:1). The samples were incubated for 90 days, and the concentrations of soluble, exchangeable, and non-exchangeable K and K release rate to 0.01M CaCl2 during 240 min (16 successive 15 min extractions of soil samples with CaCl2 solution) were determined. Results indicated that zeolite application increased significantly...
Assessing sediment enrichment ratio in Mai-Negus catchment, northern EthiopiaOriginal Paper
Gebreyesus Brhane TESFAHUNEGN, Paul L.G. VLEK
Soil & Water Res., 2014, 9(1):38-45 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2013-SWR
Soil degradation is a threat to sustainable development in Ethiopia. However, degradation indicators, such as sediment enrichment ratio (SER), are not adequately documented in literature. This study aims to investigate the SER of different erosion-status sites (aggrading, stable, eroded) in various landforms in Mai-Negus catchment, northern Ethiopia. The erosion-status sites in the landforms were identified using field indicators, and soil samples were collected for analysis of selected soil parameters. In this study, due to the ratio of aggrading to eroded or stable sites at catchment and landform levels, the SER of soil nutrients and fine soil particles...