December 2013

Re-defining and quantifying inorganic phosphate pools in the soil and water assessment tool

The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT), a large-scale hydrologic model, is used to estimate phosphate (P) loading in streams and water bodies. The labile, active, and stable P pools are currently used to represent P cycling in SWAT; however, these pools are conceptual without any chemical basis. The current structure allows SWAT to reasonably represent P cycling; however, restructuring and incorporation of recent...

Author(s): Richard L. Haney, Michael J. White, Jeffrey G. Arnold, Elizabeth B. Haney and R. Daren Harmel

December 2013

Biogas residues as source of sulfur to Pak choi Brassica rapa Var. chinensis (L.)

It has been a standard agricultural practice to fertilize Brassica crops with sulfur to enhance yield. However, current atmospheric deposition of sulfur does not meet pack choi (Brassica rapa Var. chinensis (L.)) requirement which is excellent sources of beta carotene and glucosinolates that are associated with reduced incidence of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In such soils the release of sulfur from organic...

Author(s): Mewael Kiros Assefa, S. von Tucher and Urs Schmidhalter

December 2013

Organic carbon distribution in alluvial soils according to different flood risk zones

This study examines the spatial distribution of organic carbon in alluvial soils subjected to frequent flooding according to different flood risk zones, that is, interval recurrences of 0-20 years (FFz) and 20-100 years (MFz). Sites located outside of flood zones (NFz) were also selected to compare the soil organic carbon (SOC) in different zones. The selected sites are located in floodplains covered by forest dominated...

Author(s): Vernhar Gervais-Beaulac, Diane Saint-Laurent, Jean Sébastien Berthelot and Mhamed Mesfioui