Use of15N for fertilizer N recovery and N mineralization studies in semi-arid Kenya

Maize and beans were grown on a ferralsol at Kiboko, Kenya, with up to 120 kg N ha^–1. Within the 10 kg N ha^–1 plots,¹⁵N labelled fertilizer was applied in microplots. There was no significant response in yield to fertilizer N and labelled N recovery was low, being 7.5% or less in one season and 17.7% or less in the second season. Samples of Kiboko soil at four different water contents were incubated and the rate of gross N mineralization over 7 days was calculated, utilizing¹⁵N labelling of the mineral N. Gross N mineralization increased greatly with soil moisture and a fitted relationship between gross N mineralization rate and soil water content was obtained. Using measurements of soil water content at the field site, daily values of the soil N supply by gross mineralization were calculated. On average, modelled gross soil N mineralized could supply much (> 69%) of the N removed from the plots. It is suggested that the lack of response to fertilizer N may be explained by the coincidence of a high rate of N mineralization, and increased crop demand, caused by the onset of rain.     

Incubating superphosphate in ‘dry’soil can reduce its effectiveness

Single superphosphate was incubated for six months at 25°C in soil which had been subject to one of three moisture treatments. These were: dried in a glasshouse, dried at a constant temperature of 25°C, or moist soil. Phosphorus (P) effectiveness was then compared with effectiveness of P from freshly-applied superphosphate using yields of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and triticale (×Triticosecale) tops in pot experiments.Incubation in soil which had been dried at 25°C did not decrease the effectiveness of the P. Incubation in moist soil decreased it to about 20% of the effectiveness of freshly-applied P in one case and to about 50% in the other case. Incubation in soil which had been dried in a glasshouse also decreased its effectiveness. The decrease varied with conditions, but in two cases the P was 70% as effective as freshly-applied P, and in one case only 45% as effective. Presumably sufficient moisture was present in the soil dried in the glasshouse to enable water-soluble P present in the fertilizer to react with the soil.     

Fate of nitrogen fertilizer applied to lowland rice on a Sulfic Tropaquept

A field experiment was conducted on an acid sulfate soil in Thailand to determine the effect of N fertilization practices on the fate of fertilizer-N and yield of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.). A delayed broadcast application of ammonium phosphate sulfate (16-20-0) or urea was compared with basal incorporation of urea, deep placement of urea as urea supergranules (USG), and amendment of urea with a urease inhibitor. Deep placement of urea as USG significantly reduced floodwater urea- and ammoniacal-N concentrations following N application but did not reduce N loss, as determined from an¹⁵N balance, in this experiment where runoff loss was prevented. The urease inhibitor, phenyl phosphorodiamidate (PPD), had little effect on floodwater urea- and ammoniacal-N, and it did not reduce N loss. The floodwater pH never exceeded 4.5 in the 7 days following the first N applications, and application of 16-20-0 reduced floodwater pH by 0.1 to 0.3 units below the no-N control. The low floodwater pH indicated that ammonia volatilization was unimportant for all the N fertilization practices. Floodwater ammoniacal-N concentrations following application of urea or 16-20-0 were greater on this Sulfic Tropaquept than on an Andaqueptic Haplaquoll with near neutral pH and alkaline floodwater. The prolonged, high floodwater N concentrations on this Sulfic Tropaquept suggested that runoff loss of applied N might be a potentially serious problem when heavy rainfall or poor water control follow N fertilization. The unaccounted-for¹⁵N in the¹⁵N balances, which presumably represented gaseous N losses, ranged from 20 to 26% of the applied N and was unaffected by urea fertilization practice. Grain yield and N uptake were significantly increased with applied N, but grain yield was not significantly affected by urea fertilization practice. Yield was significantly lower (P = 0.05) for 16-20-0 than for urea; however, this difference in yield might be due to later application of P and hence delayed availability of P in the 16-20-0 treatment.     

Available nitrogen in soils and its determination by the ‘Nmin-method’ and by electroultrafiltration (EUF)

Excess nitrogen fertilizer rates are an environmental hazard. To avoid excess rates, the level of available nitrogen in the soil must be known and considered for assessing the nitrogen fertilizer rate. In arable soils nitrate and exchangeable ammonium in the rooting depth of a crop are directly available to plant roots. These two nitrogen forms are recovered with the Nmin method and they are considered in assessing the nitrogen fertilizer rate for arable crops.Besides nitrate and ammonium recovered by the Nmin method from soil samples taken in early spring, a considerable amount of organic soil nitrogen may be mineralized during the growth period and contribute to crop nutrition. The nitrogen mineralization potential can be determined in incubation tests. The absolute quantities of mineralized nitrogen thus obtained, however, are much higher than the mineralization rates under field conditions. It is for this reason that incubation tests have not obtained a major importance for assessing nitrogen fertilizer rates.With the electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) method nitrate, ammonium, and a minor portion of organic soil nitrogen are extracted from a soil suspension. There is experimental evidence that this organic nitrogen (=Norg) is easily mineralizable. Based on field experiments with cereals and maize formulae were established by which the nitrogen fertilizer rate can be calculated. In these formulae nitrate, ammonium and organic nitrogen extracted by EUF are considered.Advantages and drawbacks of the Nmin method and EUF method are discussed.     

地源热泵土壤热物性测试与分析

运用恒热流测试原理自主研发了岩土热物性测试仪,通过现场测试的方法,调整加热管的加热功率、埋管中循环水流量、埋管进出口水温随时间变化规律,利用线热源理论确定了地下岩土的热物性参数。实验表明,土壤初始温度的测量精度对于提高土壤的导热系数是至关重要的,在未扰动的土壤温度以及给定PE管材的条件下,测试时间为50小时左右时,土壤导热系数逐渐趋于稳定,收敛于3.109 W/(m.℃),整个测试过程平均导热系数为3.489W/(m.℃),该结果为地源热泵系统的准确设计提供了依据。     

复合土钉支护技术在深基坑中的应用

该基坑工程地质上存在的主要问题是上层为杂填土和呈流塑态的淤泥,自稳能力极差,还受现场施工条件以及经济因素的限制。本基坑采用的支护方案为:I选用段顶部放坡+粉喷桩+土层锚杆;Ⅱ、Ⅲ段选用喷锚支护。竣工后期的变形监测数据表明该支护方案的选择是成功的。     

非饱和膨胀土水分迁移的试验研究

在等温条件下,分组对不同初始干-湿段土体含水量、不同时间间隔对非饱和膨胀土的气态水迁移和气液态水混合迁移的规律及其关系进行试验研究,揭示了其随时间的变化过程。试验结果表明,土质情况、含水量水平及含水量梯度对其有重要影响,气态水迁移量与气液混合迁移量都随含水量梯度增加而增加,与时间和位置呈复杂的非线性关系;含水量较小时,土粒对水分的吸附能力较强,致使含水量梯度较大,含水量较大时,土粒周围自由水较多,水分分布较均匀。     

边坡锚固工程分析中的水平条分法

对目前中国规范推荐用于边坡加固计算的垂直条分传递系数法进行研究,发现将该方法用于边坡锚固受力分析时,不仅存在垂直条块与加固结构体（锚杆和锚索）相互交叉,而且计算得出的锚固力与加固体的实际锚固力存在偏差等缺陷。在相关资料提出的、用于加筋土稳定性分析的水平条分法基础上,结合边坡锚固工程的特点,将该水平条分法做进一步拓展,使其能适用于锚杆和锚索等边坡锚固工程的稳定性计算,并通过工程实例对拓展后的水平条分法进行了验证。     

石灰-粉煤灰改良汉中膨胀土试验研究

通过对膨胀土掺和石灰一煤粉灰进行改性试验,研究了汉中膨胀土改性前后胀缩性、强度等性能的变化,得到了膨胀土掺和石灰一粉煤灰进行改良的最佳掺量为质量分数石灰8％,粉煤灰16％,将为汉中膨胀土治理提供参考。     

安县晓坝镇震后新建场址主要岩土工程问题及对策

安县晓坝镇处于＂5.12＂汶川大地震极重灾区,受灾严重,不具备重建条件,需选址重建。在野外详细调查的基础上,通过现场勘查和室内试验,深入研究了晓坝镇灾后新建场址的主要岩土工程问题。研究表明,新建场址主要土层为粉质粘土和淤泥质土,属高压缩性软弱土;地下水埋深浅,对基础施工和地基土承载力影响大;建筑场地类别Ⅱ类,属抗震不利地段。提出了深层水泥土搅拌法和换填地基两种软基处理方案,以及加强地基基础抗震设计等措施。