ALBERT

Description: not available

Description: The thick folic (mainly upland forest) materials (〉 40 cm of accumulated organic material) that occur in the Coastal Western Hemlock Biogeoclimatic Zone in British Columbia have not been described with regard to the spatial interrelationships of the soil constituents in context with the chemical composition of the different horizons. Micromorphological assessment and solid-state 13C NMR were used to characterize the accumulated folic materials from a Lignic Folisol (northern Vancouver Island), Histic Folisol (Prince Rupert, BC) and a Humic Folisol (Queen Charlotte Islands, BC). Micromorphology provided information on the spatial relationships of the soil constituents and 13C NMR provided data on the chemical components of the folic materials. Soil faunal activity, primarily from mites, was the dominant soil-forming process observed in the organic horizons of the Folisols, being especially prominent in the Lignic Folisol with the breakdown of woody materials. Solid state 13C CPMAS NMR spectra facilitated distinguishing three main types of horizons: (1) Horizons derived from accumulated residues (L, Fr, and Hr) showing higher carbohydrate-like C and O-alkyl C values and lower total aromatics; (2) Horizons with advanced decomposition (Hr2, Oh1, and Hd) which were higher in alkyl C; and (3) Horizons derived from ligneous material (Fw and Hdw) where carbohydrate-like C was less than total aromatic C. Implications for adequate nutrient content and forest growth were inferred from the observed micromorphology and chemical composition of the folic materials. Key words: Folisol, forest soils, micromorphology, 13C NMR, faunal activity

Description: Animal agriculture and the use of manure as a soil amendment can lead to enteric pathogens entering water used for drinking, irrigation, and recreation. The presence of Escherichia coli in water is commonly used as an indicator of recent fecal contamination; however, a few recent studies suggest some E. coli populations are able to survive for extended time periods in agricultural soils. This important finding needs to be further assessed with field-scale studies. To this end, we conducted a 1-yr study within a 9.6-ha field that had received fertilizer and semi-solid dairy cattle manure annually for the past decade. Escherichia coli concentrations were monitored throughout the year (before and after manure application) in the effluent from tile drains (at approximately 80 cm depth) and in 5- to 8-m-deep groundwater wells. Escherichia coli was detected in both groundwater and tile drain effluent at concentrations exceeding irrigation and recreational water-quality guidelines. Within two of the monitoring wells, concentrations of E. coli, and frequency of detections, were greatest several months after the manure application. In two monitoring wells and one tile drain the frequency of E. coli detections was higher before manure was applied than after. This suggests the presence and abundance of E. coli was not strongly related to the timing of manure application. A laboratory study using naladixic acid resistant E. coli showed the bacteria could survive at least two times longer in soil samples collected from the study field than in soil from the adjacent riparian area, which had not received manure applications. Together, field and lab results suggest that a consistent source of E. coli exists within the field, which may include “naturalized” strains of E. coli. Further studies are required to determine the specific source of E. coli detected in tile drainage water and shallow groundwater. If the E. coli recovered in subsurface water is primarily mobilized from naturalized populations residing within the soil profile, this indicator organism would have little value as an indicator of recent fecal contamination. Key words: Bacterial survival, naturalized Escherichia coli, groundwater, tile drainage

Description: Agricultural soils are the recipients of trace elements from general atmospheric pollution and from agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, feeds and urban biosolids. These input fluxes are usually small, and there are processes such as leaching and crop off-take to counterbalance the trace element inputs. Thus, it is difficult to evaluate the changes of trace element concentrations in agricultural soils. This paper examined a survey of 59 soil profiles in Southern Ontario, combining analysis of ~50 elements in three soil depths and corresponding measurements of the soil solid/liquid partition coefficient, Kd. The profile data were adjusted for yttrium concentrations to account for vertical particle migration. Increased concentration in the surface profile relative to the subsurface was considered an indication of enrichment, indicating the possible effects of human activity. For most elements, the surface (0–15 cm) and subsoils (30–60 cm) had similar concentrations. The notable exceptions were Cd, Pb, Sb, Se, Nb, U, and Zn, where surface soils had 1.4- to 2.2.fold higher concentrations than subsoils. Most of these increases can be attributed to human activity. Additional interpretation using the Kd data was useful to identify Ba and Mo as potentially among the contaminant elements. Surface soil concentrations of these elements were not markedly elevated compared with the subsoil, but their Kd values indicated that they were sufficiently mobile that depletion would be expected. Thus, perhaps continued input has supported the concentrations of Ba and Mo in the surface soils. Both are noted contaminants in dust from urban sources. Thus, the results show that several elements that are often of concern because of environmental toxicity or health impacts are at elevated concentrations in agricultural soils, and because these are rural locations the implication is that this has resulted from non.point.source pollution.Key words: Kd, partition coefficient, leaching, metals, cadmium

Description: Organic matter (OM) generally plays an important role in soil aggregate stability. The objective of this work was to characterize the hot water-extractable OM and its role in the aggregate stability of clayey ferrallitic soils under different land use management. The macroaggregate (〉200 µm) stability of these soils was determined before (AS) and after hot-water extraction (ASe). The contents in total organic carbon and in carbon present as carbohydrates, as well as the sugar composition, were determined on the bulk soils and their hot-water extracts.The carbon and macroaggregate contents decreased upon land-clearing and cultivation, but to a lesser extent when some cultural practices were used. Whatever the situation considered, the hot-water extract always presented a higher carbohydrate content than the bulk soil. The high values of ratios r = (galactose + mannose)/(arabinose + xylose) suggested that a large proportion of carbohydrates was of microbial origin. There were significant correlations between AS and the carbon content of bulk soils or hot-water extracts, and between AS and the soil carbohydrate content. On the opposite, whatever the soil sample studied, no significant difference could be found between AS and ASe, showing that hot-water extractable OM had thus no clear aggregating role in these soils. Key words: Organic matter, macroaggregate stability, hot-water extraction, carbohydrates, ferrallitic soils

Description: Soil formation under a cold, dry climate on two Late Holocene (approximately 1800 yr BP and 1150 yr BP) volcanic tephra deposits was examined to evaluate trends and rates of soil weathering. Presently under mature boreal forest, these soils are underlain by permafrost within 1 m of the soil surface. The soils are composed of buried forest floor materials and layers of coarse ashy-pumiceous rhyodacite tephra up to 60 cm thick. The bulk density in all tephra-derived horizons is less than 0.90 Mg m−3, water retention values for these horizons at 1500 kPa suction are less than 10% by weight. The mineralogy of the tephra-derived horizons is dominated by volcanic glass with lesser amounts of plagioclase, microcline and amphibole. Micromorphological investigation showed minor pitting of glass and feldspar grains and some oxyhydroxide coatings and Fe and Al-humus complexes. Several soil horizons meet glass composition, P retention and oxalate-extractable Fe and Al criteria established for andic soil material. However none of the profiles meet the thickness requirement to be classified as Andisol as specified in Soil Taxonomy. It is estimated that it would take 〉4000 yr under present climatic conditions to achieve such a degree of weathering. Key words: Tephra, Cryosol, andic, Yukon, Gelisol, glass

Description: A detailed soil salinity survey was carried out in three of the 13 irrigation districts in southern Alberta. About 30 quarter-sections in each district were randomly selected for soil sampling. The location, distance from water supply ditches, slope of the land, and depth to till and water table at each site were recorded. Soil texture and electrical conductivity of extracts of soil samples were determined in the laboratory. The extent of the area with a soil salinity level of 4 dS/m or more is 5% of the total surveyed land in the Western Block of the St. Mary River Irrigation District (WSMRID), 6% in the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID) and 9% in the Taber Irrigation District (TID). These values are not as high as others have previously estimated. The salinity level of the soil at each site was found to vary with its location and distance from water supply ditches in the WSMRID and LNID, clay content in the 0- to 120-cm depth in the WSMRID and TID, and water table level in the TID. Key words: Soil texture, EC, SAR, pH

Description: Researchers wishing to conduct studies in Nunavut are asked by potential funders and licensing agencies to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) and meaningfully engage Inuit communities, but they must usually interpret for themselves what this means and how to do it in practice. As a group of Inuit youth from four Nunavut communities, we have developed a concept we call ScIQ (pronounced sigh-cue) to describe how science and IQ can be combined for more meaningful engagement to benefit both Inuit communities and scientific researchers. ScIQ is based on the understanding that IQ is not only knowledge that Inuit have gained over many generations; it is more holistic and includes Inuit values, customs and principles for living our lives. Incorporating IQ into research then, should be as much about how research is conducted as it is about data collected from Inuit and local knowledge used to conduct the research. Over a five-day Ikaarvik Youth ScIQ Summit in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, we developed 45 recommendations for specific things researchers can do before, during, and after their research that, from our perspective, are examples of truly incorporating IQ and result in more meaningful engagement of Inuit communities. This paper presents the Ikaarvik ScIQ recommendations. Qaujisaqtiit qaujisarniqarumajut Nunavummi apirijauvut kiinaujaqaqtiutuinnarialingni amma laisansitaaqtittijiujuni ilaliujjinirmut Inuit Qaujimajatuqanginni (IQ) amma tukiqattiaqtumi ilautittinirmi Inungni nunaliujuni, kisiani tukiliurijariaqaqput immingnut qanuq tukiqarningani ammalu qanuq pilirianguvangningani atuqtauninganut. Katinnganiulutik Inungni makkuktuni tisamani Nunavummi nunaliujuni, pivalliatittisimavugut isumagijautuinnarniujumi taijavut ScIQ (taijausuuq sigh-cue) unikkaarinirmi qanuq qaujisarniq amma Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit katitirijaujunnarningani tukiqattiarniqsaujumi ilautittiniujumi pivaallirutiqarniaqtumut tamakkini inungni nunaliujuni amma qaujisarnirmut qaujisaqtiujuni. ScIQ tunngaviqaqpuq tukisiumaniujumi Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit qaujimanituinnaunnginningani Inuit pisimajanginni arraagugasaalungnut, iluittuuniuvuq amma ilaqaqpuq Inuit pinnarijanginni, atuqpaktanginni amma tunngaviujuni inuunirmi inuusittinni. Ilaliujjiniq Inuit Qaujimajatuqanginni qaujisarnirmut asuilaak, ilaqalluaqpuq qanuq qaujisaqtauninga pilirianguvangningani ammalu qaujisaqtaunikuni titiraqsimajuni katiqsuqtaujuni Inungni amma nunalingni qaujimaniujunut atuqtauvaktuni pilirinirmut qaujisarniujumi. Tallimanut−ullunut, Ikaarvik Makkuktuni ScIQ Katimaniujumi Iqaluktuuttiaq, Nunavummi, pivalliatittilauqpugut 45-ni atuliqujaujuni nalunaiqtausimajunut kisutuinnanut qaujisaqtiit pilirijariaqaqtanginni sivuniani, taikani amma kinguniagut qaujisarninginni, isumagijattinni, uuktuutiuvut ilaliujjillaringningani Inuit Qaujimajatuqanginni amma pitittilluni tukiqarniqsaujumi ilautittiniujumi Inungni nunaliujunit. Una paippaaq tunisivuq Ikaarvik ScIQ atuqunajaqtanginni.