ALBERT

Notes: The USGS reference glasses GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G, GSE-1G, BCR-2G, BHVO-2G and BIR-1G were investigated by different analytical techniques. All these materials have a geological (basaltic) matrix and are therefore useful in igneous geochemistry as matrix-matched reference materials for microanalytical techniques. The new GS glasses have trace elements in groups at concentration levels of about 〈 0.01, 5, 50 and 500 μg g-1. Their major element compositions have been determined by EPMA, and trace elements have been analysed by LA-ICP-MS and two isotope dilution techniques using TIMS and ICP-MS. EPMA and LA-ICP-MS analyses indicated that the USGS reference glasses are homogeneous at the μm to mm scale with respect to major (variations 〈 1-2%) and most trace elements (variations 1-4%). Trace element data obtained from the different analytical techniques agreed within an uncertainty of 1-5%, indicating that between method results are comparable. Therefore, the preliminary working values for the four USGS GS glasses calculated from these data have a low level of uncertainty.

Notes: We have developed a new database named GeoReM () for reference materials and isotopic standards of geochemical and mineralogical interest. Reference samples include rock powders originating from the USGS, GSJ, GIT-IWG, synthetic and natural reference glasses originating from NIST, USGS, MPI-DING, as well as mineral (e.g., 91500 zircon), isotopic (e.g., La Jolla, E&A, NIST SRM 981), river water and seawater reference materials. GeoReM is a relational database, which strongly follows the concept of the three EARTHCHEM databases. It contains published analytical and compilation values (major and trace element concentrations, radiogenic and stable isotope ratios), important metadata about the analytical values, such as uncertainty, uncertainty type, method and laboratory. Sample information and references are also included. Three different ways of interrogating the database are possible: (1) sample names or material types, (2) chemical criteria and (3) bibliography. Some typical applications are described. GeoReM currently (October 2005) contains more than 750 geological reference materials, 6000 individual sets of results and references to 650 publications.

Notes: Data from a series of extended analytical sessions using a range of different zircon reference samples have been used to investigate the periodic derivation of abnormal 207Pb/206Pb ages during microbeam analysis%For the Canberra SHRIMP II, this phenomenon probably results from the presence of a signal at mass 204 that is alien to the Pb spectrum; isotopic fractionation is unlikely to be a significant contributor. In contrast, abnormal 207Pb/206Pb ages obtained from SHRIMP I at the same research centre require a different, but as yet unknown explanation. Assessment of the reasons for atypical 207Pb/206Pb measurements and the means of correcting for them should therefore be independently assessed for individual analytical instruments. The use of reference samples with very different ages is an effective way of doing this, because older reference samples are more useful for documenting isotopic fractionation, whereas younger ones are more sensitive indicators of isobaric interference.

Notes: This paper describes a technique for the preparation of a titanite (CaTiSiO5) glass calibration material for use in in situ microanalysis of major, minor, and trace elements in geological materials. The starting composition was a titanite matrix doped with minor and trace elements at ∼ 200 μg g-1. The elements Sc, Y, REEs, Th and U were added in the form of nitrates in solution, and the elements V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Hf and W were added as solid oxides. The synthetic titanite glass was produced by direct fusion by resistance heating in graphite electrodes at 1600-1700 °C, and quenched in air. Backscattered electron images indicate good homogeneity, with no signs of separate phases or vesicles, and analysis of the major elements Ca, Ti and Si by electron microprobe showed relative standard deviations between 0.5 and 0.7%, based on six independent measurements. Deviations from nominal concentrations for Ca, Si and Ti were measured to -1.2, -3.3 and -0.8%, respectively. The homogeneity of the trace elements in the glass was assessed by LA-ICP-MS analyses, using NIST SRM 610, 612 and 616 as external calibrators, and Ca as the internal standard element. Determinations were made both with a quadrupole mass spectrometer and a sector field instrument, and both raster and spot modes of analysis were used. For the majority of doped elements, precision was better than 10%, and relative deviations from nominal values were, with few exceptions, between 5 and 10%.

Notes: The articles that comprise this critical review serve to draw attention to research papers published in specific fields of interest during 2003, provide critical comment on the relevance and importance of individual publications in these fields, and offer an overview of the comparative importance of advances in particular areas. In this way, these articles aim to assist experts in the field by keeping them informed of relevant recent publications, as well as providing an important resource for students or early career researchers who are embarking on studies in an area new to them. This year, five papers provide summaries of developments in bulk sample determinations employing (1) ICP-AES and ICP-MS (trace elements), (2) XRF and atomic absorption spectrometry and INAA, (3) isotope ratio measurements (TIMS, MC-ICP-MS, ICP-MS, ToF), as well as in situ measurements conducted using (4) secondary ion mass spectrometry and (5) laser ablation ICP-MS (trace element and isotope ratio determinations).

Notes: New glass reference materials GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G and GSE-1G have been characterised using a prototype solid state laser ablation system capable of producing wavelengths of 193 nm, 213 nm and 266 nm. This system allowed comparison of the effects of different laser wavelengths under nearly identical ablation and ICP operating conditions. The wavelengths 213 nm and 266 nm were also used at higher energy densities to evaluate the influence of energy density on quantitative analysis. In addition, the glass reference materials were analysed using commercially available 266 nm Nd:YAG and 193 nm ArF excimer lasers. Laser ablation analysis was carried out using both single spot and scanning mode ablation. Using laser ablation ICP-MS, concentrations of fifty-eight elements were determined with external calibration to the NIST SRM 610 glass reference material. Instead of applying the more common internal standardisation procedure, the total concentration of all element oxide concentrations was normalised to 100%. Major element concentrations were compared with those determined by electron microprobe. In addition to NIST SRM 610 for external calibration, USGS BCR-2G was used as a more closely matrix-matched reference material in order to compare the effect of matrix-matched and non matrix-matched calibration on quantitative analysis. The results show that the various laser wavelengths and energy densities applied produced similar results, with the exception of scanning mode ablation at 266 nm without matrix-matched calibration where deviations up to 60% from the average were found. However, results acquired using a scanning mode with a matrix-matched calibration agreed with results obtained by spot analysis. The increased abundance of large particles produced when using a scanning ablation mode with NIST SRM 610, is responsible for elemental fractionation effects caused by incomplete vaporisation of large particles in the ICP.

Notes: There is a growing need for new zircon reference materials for in situ Hf-isotope analysis by laser ablation-multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS). In this contribution we document the results of a preliminary investigation of seven natural zircons, conducted in order to test their suitability in this regard. Solution MC-ICP-MS data on separated Lu and Hf fractions provided reference compositional data while the results of ca. 750 in situ LA-MC-ICP-MS analyses allowed assessment of potential micrometre-scale heterogeneity. On the basis of these analyses and additional relevant considerations such as availability, size and (Lu)Yb/Hf ratio, we suggest that, of the currently available zircons, Temora-2 and Mud Tank are most likely to provide robust reference materials for Hf isotope determinations both at the present time and into the future. The former has the advantage of also being well-characterised for U-Th-Pb systematics and suitable for in situ age determination, while the latter is the most readily available and is of very large grain size. Additional materials such as BR266, and 91500, although limited in supply, show more consistent Lu/Hf ratios and are thus of use in monitoring elemental fractionation during ICP-MS analysis.

Notes: The analytical capabilities of laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS in determining Li, Be and B at trace levels in geological samples have been tested on a series of glass reference materials and natural samples. The LA-ICP-MS instrument used consisted of a sector-field ICP-MS coupled with a laser ablation microprobe operating at either 266 or 213 nm wavelength. Reference glasses from NIST (SRM 612, 614 and 616) and MPI-DING (KL2-G, ML3B-G, StHs6/80-G, GOR128-G, GOR132-G, T1-G and ATHO-G) were selected to develop the analytical method and to assess the best instrumental configuration. A series of calcic amphiboles with different Li, Be and B concentrations were also analysed using both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS to test the applicability of the method to natural minerals. Results indicated that with a spot size of 40 μm the agreement between measured and reference values of Li, Be and B is generally better than 10% for NIST SRM 612 and 20% for NIST SRM 614. Average reproducibility at the 2s level was 10% for Li, 20% for Be and 15% for B. Limits of detection were approximately 100 ng g-1 for Be and B and 200 ng g-1 for Li. These results were confirmed by analyses carried out on natural amphiboles and compared well in terms of precision and accuracy with those commonly achieved by SIMS.

Notes: A basaltic certified reference material BEM, prepared by Chengdu University of Technology, has recently been approved as a Primary Grade Reference Material (GBW07126) by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China. BEM was sampled from the Emeishan Basalts in China, which is one of the largest basalt provinces in the world. After successfully completing homogeneity and stability tests, collaborative analyses were carried out in seventeen Chinese institutes and laboratories and two American laboratories. More than ten reliable analytical methods based on different principles of measurement were adopted, of which ICP-MS, NAA and ICP-AES contributed 60.5% of all results. Fifty-four elements and oxide components were characterised as certified values, four elements as recommended values and nine elements as information values. A minimum sampling mass of 40 mg for most elements is recommended for use.

Notes: Observation data of temperature, precipitation and snow depth have been compiled and generalized climatologically for a network of 38 stations in and around the Barents and Kara seas, for the period 1951–1992. The monthly precipitation totals were corrected for measuring errors, and the correction method is described in detail. The corrected precipitation values show that the annual precipitation in the region ranges from more than 500 mm along the coast of the Kola Peninsula to less than 200 mm in parts of the north-eastern Kara Sea. The solid fraction of the annual precipitation ranges from 70% in northern parts to 35% in southern parts. For the period 1951–1992 the analysis indicates decreasing trends in annual values of temperature, precipitation and snow depths in the north-eastern parts of the region.

Notes: The importance of the Hell Gate Polynya to marine birds in High Arctic Canada has not been assessed for two decades. Our breeding season surveys in 2002–04 found 19 species of marine birds using the polynya, in annual numbers perhaps reaching 25000 individuals. The site appears to support nationally significant populations of northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), Thayer's gull (Larus thayeri) and High Arctic brant (Branta bernida hrota), as well as locally important numbers of other species including common eiders (Somateria mollissima borealis) and black guillemots (Cepphus grylle). The polynya may be particularly important for migration, as many species are observed here earlier than elsewhere in the High Arctic.

Notes: Information about the spatial variations of snow properties and of annual accumulation on ice sheets is important if we are to understand the results obtained from ice cores, satellite remote sensing data and changes in climate patterns. The layer structure and spatial variations of physical properties of surface snow in western Dronning Maud Land were analysed during the austral summers 1999/2000, 2000/01 and 2003/04 in five different snow zones. The measurements were performed in shallow (1–2 m) snow pits along a transect extending 350 km from the seaward edge of the ice shelf to the polar plateau. These pits covered at least the last annual accumulation and ranged in elevation from near sea level to 2500 m a.s.l. The Ø18O values and accumulation rates had a good linear correlation with the distance from the coast. The mean accumulation on the ice shelf was 312±28 mm water equivalent (w.e.); in the coastal region it was 215±43 mm w.e. and on the polar plateau it was 92±25 mm w.e. The mean annual conductivity and grain size values decreased exponentially with increasing distance from the ice edge, by 48%/100 km and 18%/100 km respectively. The mean grain size varied between 1.5 and 1.8 mm. Depth hoar layers were a common phenomenon, especially under thin ice crusts, and were associated with low dielectric constant values.

Notes: To examine algae populations, three expeditions (in March 2001, April 2002 and February 2003) were conducted in the Guba Chupa (Chupa Estuary; north-western White Sea), and one cruise was carried out in the open part of the White Sea in April 2003 and in the northern part of the Barents Sea in July 2001. Sea ice algae and phytoplankton composition and abundance and the content of sediment traps under the land-fast ice in the White Sea and annual and multi-year pack ice in the Barents Sea were investigated. The community in land-fast sea ice was dominated by pennate diatoms and its composition was more closely related to that of the underlying sediments than was the community of the pack ice, which was dominated by flagellates, dinoflagellates and centric diatoms. Algae were far more abundant in land-fast ice: motile benthic and ice-benthic species found favourable conditions in the ice. The pack ice community was more closely related to that of the surrounding water. It originated from plankton incorporation during sea ice formation and during seawater flood events. An additional source for ice colonization may be multi-year ice. Algae may be released from the ice during brine drainage or sea ice melting. Many sea ice algae developed spores before the ice melt. These algae were observed in the above-bottom sediment traps all year around. Three possible fates of ice algae can be distinguished: 1) suspension in the water column, 2) sinking to the bottom and 3) ingestion by herbivores in the ice, at the ice-water interface or in the water column.

Notes: Eight dolerite outcrops in Preseli, south Wales were measured in situ using field-portable XRF analysis, in order to compare two different analysis (“sampling”) strategies, and to investigate geochemical variability within and between outcrops. A sampling strategy of two (neighbouring but independent) measurements at each of a maximal number of locations dispersed over an outcrop was the more effective in indicating the overall chemical variance of that outcrop. Analysis of variance indicated that much of the observed variance within individual outcrops stems from real geochemical variability rather than from sampling and analytical factors. Standard ANOVA F tests showed that several of the studied outcrops are heterogeneous at the 5% significance level for one or more elements. Geochemical distinctions between some outcrops were demonstrated using discriminant analysis. PXRF analysis offers an alternative approach to conventional characterisation of outcrops, which is often based on laboratory analysis of small numbers of samples. However, PXRF data are affected by rock weathering and may require correction for this if they are to be compared with analyses of fresh rock.

Notes: Matrix diffusion can attenuate the rate of plume migration in fractured bedrock relative to the rate of ground water flow for both conservative and nonconservative solutes of interest. In a system of parallel, equally spaced constant aperture fractures subject to steady-state ground water flow and an infinite source width, the degree of plume attenuation increases with time and travel distance, eventually reaching an asymptotic level. The asymptotic degree of plume attenuation in the absence of degradation can be predicted by a plume attenuation factor, β, which is readily estimated as R′ (φm/φf), where R′ is the retardation factor in the matrix, φm is the matrix porosity, and φf, is the fracture porosity. This dual-porosity relationship can also be thought of as the ratio of primary to secondary porosity. β represents the rate of ground water flow in fractures relative to the rate of plume advance. For the conditions examined in this study, β increases with greater matrix porosity, greater matrix fraction organic carbon, larger fracture spacing, and smaller fracture aperture. These concepts are illustrated using a case study where dense nonaqueous phase liquid in fractured sandstone produced a dissolved-phase trichloroethylene (TCE) plume ∼300 m in length. Transport parameters such as matrix porosity, fracture porosity, hydraulic gradient, and the matrix retardation factor were characterized at the site through field investigations. In the fractured sandstone bedrock examined in this study, the asymptotic plume attenuation factors (β values) for conservative and nonconservative solutes (i.e., chloride and TCE) were predicted to be ∼800 and 12,210, respectively. Quantitative analyses demonstrate that a porous media (single-porosity) solute transport model is not appropriate for simulating contaminant transport in fractured sandstone where matrix diffusion occurs. Rather, simulations need to be conducted with either a discrete fracture model that explicitly incorporates matrix diffusion, or a dual-continuum model that accounts for mass transfer between mobile and immobile zones. Simulations also demonstrate that back diffusion from the matrix to fractures will likely be the time-limiting factor in reaching ground water cleanup goals in some fractured bedrock environments.

Notes: According to common understanding, the advective velocity of a conservative solute equals the average linear pore-water velocity. Yet direct monitoring indicates that the two velocities may be different in heterogeneous media. For example, at the Camp Dodge, Iowa, site the advective velocity of discrete Cl− plumes was less than one tenth of the average pore-water velocity calculated from Darcy's law using the measured hydraulic gradient, effective porosity, and hydraulic conductivity (K) from large-scale three-dimensional (3D) techniques, e.g., pumping tests. Possibly, this difference reflects the influence of different pore systems, if the K relevant to transient solute flux is influenced more by lower-K heterogeneity than a steady or quasi-steady water flux.To test this idea, tracer tests were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. Under one-dimensional flow conditions, the advective velocity of discrete conservative solutes equaled the average pore-water velocity determined from volumetric flow rates and Darcy's law. In a larger 3D flow system, however, the same solutes migrated at ∼65% of the average pore-water velocity. These results, coupled with direct observation of dye tracers and their velocities as they migrated through both homogeneous and heterogeneous sections of the same model, demonstrate that heterogeneity can slow the advective velocity of discrete solute plumes relative to the average pore-water velocity within heterogeneous 3D flow sytems.

Notes: Naturally occurring long-term mean annual recharge to ground water in Nebraska was estimated by a novel water-balance approach. This approach uses geographic information systems (GIS) layers of land cover, elevation of land and ground water surfaces, base recharge, and the recharge potential in combination with monthly climatic data. Long-term mean recharge 〉 140 mm per year was estimated in eastern Nebraska, having the highest annual precipitation rates within the state, along the Elkhorn, Platte, Missouri, and Big Nemaha River valleys where ground water is very close to the surface. Similarly high recharge values were obtained for the Sand Hills sections of the North and Middle Loup, as well as Cedar River and Beaver Creek valleys due to high infiltration rates of the sandy soil in the area. The westernmost and southwesternmost parts of the state were estimated to typically receive 〈 30 mm of recharge a year.

Notes: Proper management of ground water resources requires knowledge of the rates and spatial distribution of recharge to aquifers. This information is needed at scales ranging from that of individual communities to regional. This paper presents a methodology to calculate recharge from readily available ground surface information without long-term monitoring. The method is viewed as providing a reasonable, but conservative, first approximation of recharge, which can then be fine-tuned with other methods as time permits.Stream baseflow was measured as a surrogate for recharge in small watersheds in southeastern Wisconsin. It is equated to recharge (R) and then normalized to observed annual precipitation (P). Regression analysis was constrained by requiring that the independent and dependent variables be dimensionally consistent. It shows that R/P is controlled by three dimensionless ratios: (1) infiltrating to overland water flux, (2) vertical to lateral distance water must travel, and (3) percentage of land cover in the natural state. The individual watershed properties that comprise these ratios are now commonly available in GIS data bases.The empirical relationship for predicting R/P developed for the study watersheds is shown to be statistically viable and is then tested outside the study area and against other methods of calculating recharge. The method produces values that agree with baseflow separation from streamflow hydrographs (to within 15% to 20%), ground water budget analysis (4%), well hydrograph analysis (12%), and a distributed-parameter watershed model calibrated to total streamflow (18%). It has also reproduced the temporal variation over 5 yr observed at a well site with an average error 〈 12%.

Notes: Three-dimensional grids representing a heterogeneous, ground water system are generated at 10 different resolutions in support of a site-scale flow and transport modeling effort. These grids represent hydrostratigraphy near Yucca Mountain, Nevada, consisting of 18 stratigraphic units with contrasting fluid flow and transport properties. The grid generation method allows the stratigraphy to be modeled by numerical grids of different resolution so that comparison studies can be performed to test for grid quality and determine the resolution required to resolve geologic structure and physical processes such as fluid flow and solute transport. The process of generating numerical grids with appropriate property distributions from geologic conceptual models is automated, thus making the entire process easy to implement with fewer user-induced errors. The series of grids of various resolutions are used to assess the level at which increasing resolution no longer influences the flow and solute transport results. Grid resolution is found to be a critical issue for ground water flow and solute transport. The resolution required in a particular instance is a function of the feature size of the model, the intrinsic properties of materials, the specific physics of the problem, and boundary conditions. The asymptotic nature of results related to flow and transport indicate that for a hydrologic model of the heterogeneous hydrostratigraphy under Yucca Mountain, a horizontal grid spacing of 600 m and vertical grid spacing of 40 m resolve the hydrostratigraphic model with sufficient precision to accurately model the hypothetical flow and solute transport to within 5% of the value that would be obtained with much higher resolution.

Notes: This paper presents the design of the passive-discrete water sampler (PDWS) which has been developed to facilitate investigations of flow partitioning in fractured rocks. The PDWS continuously isolates seeping water into discrete samples while monitoring the seepage rate. The PDWS was used in a flow and transport experiment that investigated fracture-matrix interactions. During the experiment, a mix of conservative tracers with significantly different diffusion coefficients (lithium bromide [LiBr] and pentafluorobenzoic acid [PFBA]) was introduced along a fault located in fractured tuffs, and water seeping through the lower end of the fault was collected by the PDWS and analyzed for tracer concentrations. Preliminary results from this investigation show that samples of effluent captured by the PDWS effectively retained temporal changes in the chemical signature, while providing seepage rates.

Notes: Spatial variations in hydraulic conductivity (K) can significantly affect the transport of contaminants in ground water. Conventional field methods, however, rarely provide a description of these variations at the level of detail necessary for reliable transport predictions and effective remediation designs. A direct-push (DP) method, hydrostrati-graphic profiling, has been developed to characterize the spatial variability of both electrical conductivity (EC) and hydraulic conductivity in unconsolidated formations in a cost-effective manner. This method couples a dual-rod approach for performing slug tests in DP equipment with high-resolution EC logging. The method was evaluated at an extensively studied site in the Kansas River floodplain. A series of profiles was performed on a surface grid, resulting in a detailed depiction of the three-dimensional distribution of EC and K. Good agreement was found between K estimates obtained from this approach and those obtained using other methods. The results of the field evaluation indicate that DP hydrostratigraphic profiling is a promising method for obtaining detailed information about spatial variations in subsurface properties without the need for permanent wells.

Notes: Degradation of dissolved chlorinated solvents using granular iron is an established in situ technology. This paper reports on investigations into mixing iron and bentonite with contaminated soil for in situ containment and degradation of dense nonaqueous phase liquid source zones. In the laboratory, hypovials containing soil, water, bentonite, iron, and free-phase trichloroethene (TCE) were assembled. Periodic measurement of TCE, chloride, and degradation products showed progressive degradation of TCE to nondetectable levels. Subsequently, a demonstration was conducted at Canadian Forces Base Borden near Alliston, Ontario, Canada, where, in 1991, a portion of the surficial aquifer was isolated and free-phase tetrachloroethene (PCE) was introduced. Using a drill rig equipped with large-diameter mixing blades, three mixed zones were prepared containing 0%, 5%, and 10% granular iron by volume. The bentonite was added to serve as a lubricant to facilitate injection of the iron and to isolate the contaminated zone. Analysis of core samples showed reasonably uniform distributions of iron through the mixed zones. Monitoring over a 13-month period following installation showed, relative to the control, a decline in PCE concentrations to virtually nondetectable values. Reaction rates in the laboratory tests were similar to those reported in the literature, while the rate in the field test was substantially lower. The lower rate may be a consequence of mass transfer limitations under the static conditions of the field test. Results indicate that mixing iron and bentonite into source zones may be an effective means of source-zone remediation, with the particular advantage of being relatively immune to effects of geologic heterogeneity.

Notes: Performance assessments of repositories for the underground disposal of nuclear fuel and waste include models of ground water flow and transport in the host rocks. Estimates of hydraulic conductivity, K, based on field measurements may require adjustment (upscaling) for use in numerical models, but the choice of upscaling approach can be complicated by the use of nested modeling, large-scale fracture zones, and a high degree of heterogeneity. Four approaches to upscaling K are examined using a reference case based on exhaustive site data and an application of nested modeling to evaluate performance assessment of a waste repository. The upscaling approaches are evaluated for their effects on the flow balance between nested modeling domains and on simple measures of repository performance. Of the upscaling approaches examined in this study, the greatest consistency of boundary flows was achieved using the observed scale dependence for the rock domains, measured values from the large-scale interference test for the conductor domain, and a semivariogram regularization based on the Moye model for packer test interpretation. Making the assumption that large fracture zones are two-dimensional media results in the greatest changes to the median of travel time and improves the flow balance between the nested models. The uncertainty of upscaling methods apparently has a small impact on median performance measures, but a significant impact on the variances and earliest arrival times.

Notes: Icing fields are common in Svalbard and very diverse with respect to shape. The occurrence and spatial structure of icing fields in front of glaciers were analysed using aerial photographs (at a scale of 1:50000) taken from 19 July to 25 August 1990–a unique set of images covering the whole archipelago in one summer season. Icing fields were observed in front of 217 glaciers. A total area of 12.3 km2 appeared to be covered by the icings. This value, from late in the ablation season, is likely to be near the seasonal minimum. Of the 217 glaciers, 192 were selected for further analysis, carried out by stereoscopic observation of the aerial photographs. Striking difference in brightness of the icing fields in comparison to the surrounded terrain combined with field experience of the geomorphic setting of its occurrence made possible the complete inventory of the icing phenomena for the whole of Svalbard. Morphometric features were measured directly on photographs and on scanned portions of them. Results from field studies of melting and the decrease of the area of icing fields at the front of two glaciers are also presented. The shape and distribution of icings depend on a set of glaciological factors and on the glacial and geomorphologic setting. The duration of frigid temperatures in the winter when the icing fields were formed is also important. Results show that oval and circular shapes are characteristic for icing fields after surviving the ablation season. These fields have an important geomorphological influence on the outwash plains that currently develop in Svalbard.

Notes: The largest sulphuric acid event revealed in an ice core from the Lomonosovfonna ice cap, Svalbard, is associated with the densest concentration of microparticles in the ice core at 66.99 m depth. Electron microscope analysis of a volcanic ash particle shows it has the same chemical composition as reported for debris from the eruption of Iceland's Laki fissure in 1783 and confirms the identification of the tephra. Most of the particles in the deposit are not ash, but are common sand particles carried aloft during the eruption event and deposited relatively nearby and downwind of the long-lasting eruption. The tephra layer was found 10–20 cm deeper than high sulphate concentrations, so it can be inferred that tephra arrived to Lomonosovfonna about 6–12 months earlier than gaseous sulphuric acid precipitation. The sulphuric acid spike has a significant cooling impact recorded in the oxygen isotope profile from the core, which corresponds to a sudden drop in temperature of about 2°C which took several years to recover to previous levels. These data are the first particle analyses of Laki tephra from Svalbard and confirm the identification of the large acidic signal seen in other ice cores from the region. They also confirm the very large impact that this Icelandic eruption, specifically the sulphuric acid rather than ash, had on regional temperatures.

Notes: This annual review documents developments and applications in the field of isotope ratio determination, as reflected in the literature for the Earth and environmental sciences for the year 2003. Particular emphasis is placed upon the relationship between the two dominant analytical techniques-thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS)-and the rapidly changing nature of their roles in isotope analysis. Additionally, the review covers developments in single-collector ICP-MS and TOF technologies, new sample preparation procedures and the characterisation of isotopic reference materials, together with fundamental investigations of mass spectrometer performance.

Notes: This annual review of laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) covers the year 2003. Significant advances were made in understanding laser-sample interactions. In particular, research defined the distribution of particle sizes produced by the interplay of laser wavelength, laser pulse width and the gas environment of ablation. A link between particle sizes and elemental and isotopic fractionation at both the ablation site and in the ICP was established. Experimental 15 7 nm and femtosecond laser systems were tested with promising results. The number of applications of LA-ICP-MS in geology and environmental Earth science continued to grow with particular interest in element concentration and isotope ratio profiling of materials, linking composition to time scales. In situ isotopic ratio measurements were increasingly made using multicollector magnetic sector ICP-MS instruments. Other applications of wide interest included bulk sampling of rocks and ores prepared as lithium borate glasses; low level analysis of platinum-group elements, rhenium and gold in sulfides, metal and silicates; in situ uranium-lead zircon geochronology; and melt and fluid inclusion analysis.

Notes: We present a multi-element technique for the simultaneous determination of twelve trace elements in geological materials by combined isotope dilution (ID) sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) following simple sample digestion. In addition, the concentrations of fourteen other trace elements have been obtained using the ID determined elements as internal standards. This method combines the advantages of ID (high precision and accuracy) with those of SF-ICP-MS (multi-element capability, fast sample processing without element separation) and overcomes the most prevailing drawbacks of ICP-MS (matrix effects and drift in sensitivity). Trace element concentration data for BHVO-1 (n = 5) reproduced to within 1–3% RSD with an accuracy of 1–2% relative to respective literature values for ID values and 2–3% for all other values. We have applied this technique to the analysis of seventeen geological reference materials from the USGS, GSJ and IAG. The sample set also included the new USGS reference glasses BCR-2G, BHVO-2G and BIR-1G, as well as the MPI-DING reference glasses KL2-G and ML3B-G, and NIST SRM 612. Most data agreed within 3–4% with respective literature data. The concentration data for the USGS reference glasses agreed in most cases with respective data of the original rock powder within the combined standard uncertainty of the method (2–3%), except the U concentration of BIR-1G, which showed a three times higher concentration compared to BIR-1.

Notes: In this study, the Cd isotopic composition of various geological reference materials and anthropogenic samples was investigated. The measurements were made by multicollector ICP-MS and instrumental mass fractionation was controlled using a “sample-standard bracketing” technique. Cadmium isotopic data are reported relative to an internal Cd solution (Cd Spex) and expressed as the 114 Cd/110Cd delta value. Two other Cd solutions (Prolabo and JMC) were analysed and yielded the same 0% delta value. A fractionated Cd metal sample (Münster Cd) was used as a secondary reference material for Cd isotopic measurements and we obtained a 114 Cd/110 Cd delta value of 4.48% relative to Cd Spex solution. As opposed to multi-stage Cd purification previously published in the literature, a new one step anionic exchange purification using dilute HCl for the analysis of Cd isotopes in geological samples was developed. This method enabled a high recovery (〉 95%) and effective separation of the sample matrix to be achieved. The long-term external reproducibility was evaluated at 0.12% (2 standard deviations) for the 114 Cd/110Cd ratio, based on reference solutions and replicated measurements of samples over one year. The variation of Cd isotopic composition of natural terrestrial samples is restricted to a small range of 0.4%, which is similar to previously reported results. In contrast, large variations of Cd isotopic composition were found for anthropogenic samples with values as low as −0.64% for a dust sample issued from a lead smelter and values as high as +0.50% for NIST SRM 2711 (metal-rich soil). These variations are 10 times larger than the reproducibility and suggest that Cd isotopes can be useful as tracers of anthropogenic sources of Cd in the environment.

Notes: Seventy-seven years ago a tragedy took place in the Norwegian Arctic which shook the international community–especially Norwegians–and led to the public condemnation of the Italian explorer and airship builder Umberto Nobile. Steinar Aas, historian and author of a book on Nobile, has perused a trove of “new” material recently donated to the Norwegian Polar Institute and the Polar Museum in Tromsø, Norway. In this (unreviewed) piece, Aas explains why he finds the new collection a fascinating subject for further research.

Notes: The development and age of the present geomorphology and superficial material of the Coloradofjella plateau, Spitsbergen, have been investigated through field surveying and laboratory sediment analyses. The focus was specifically on the role of glacial erosion and periglacial processes. The summit plain is deeply incised with large V-shaped valleys. Extensive networks of ice wedge polygons indicate that the fine-grained regolith is at least a few metres thick. An abundance of coarse-grained gabbroid erratics, clearly derived from sources further to the east, are distributed over parts of the summit plain. A vertical-walled dolerite dyke protruding up to 4 m above the adjacent surface shows no sign of glacial erosion. Our findings confirm that the present bedrock geomorphology and regolith in the summit plain survived at least the Late Weichselian glaciation. This is best explained by the ice sheet having been cold-based throughout its existence on the summit plain. Cold-based conditions imply that permafrost survived the last glacial cover. Based on the geomorphic evidence and estimates of Late Cenozoic erosion, we suggest that the present summit plains roughly represent the remains of a preglacial surface.

Notes: Book Review in this ArticleReview of Frozen oceans: the floating world of pack ice, by David N. Thomas

Notes: Inevitably, aerobic life leads to the formation of deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS) which participate in biomolecule oxidation, hence augmenting biomolecule turnover. Organisms have adapted to counteract the noxious effects of ROS by developing a battery of antioxidant defences (AOX) which comprise enzymes and low-molecular weight scavengers. Past studies have reported elevated AOX levels in polar pectinid bivalves compared with temperate congeners. This finding is controversial as mitochondrial ROS generation is low in polar versus temperate species, and, to date, there is no generally accepted explanation of the causes of increased basal AOX levels in polar waters. We suggest that the low food availability in those ecosystems may result in polar marine ectotherms diverting some energy into the maintenance of high AOX. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the total oxyradical scavenging capacity (peroxyl, hydroxyl and peroxynitrite) of three clam species: Laternula elliptica (Antarctic), Mya truncata (Arctic) and Mya arenaria (temperate). The data confirmed that polar bivalves are characterized by higher AOX. Herein, we propose that high AOX is required in environments characterized by low food availability as AOX efficiently protects biomolecules, notably the RNA expressed at high levels by cold-water ectotherms. Also, high AOX may explain the relatively long lifespan of most polar ectotherms.

Notes: Major concentrations of Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, Na2O and K2O, minor levels of TiO2, P2O5 and thirty petrologically, geochemically and environmentally significant trace elements have been determined in microwave oven acid leachates of whole powdered coal samples by direct current plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES). A single sample preparation procedure was suitable for all the determinations with no additional dilution step for major elements solution. Dried samples (0.5 g) were treated in low-pressure PFA digestion vessels with HF/HCl/HNO3/HClO4 acids to quantitatively extract the analytes from the bulk material, while leaving the major part of organic matrix as a residue. The major constituents of geological samples, in particular the easily ionised elements (EIEs) such as alkali and alkaline earths, may complicate the instrumental determinations in DCP-AES because of differential enhancements of elemental emission intensities and stray light interferences. Taking account of these factors, the coal matrix is considered to have very low major oxide totals as compared to many other common geo-environmental and related materials (rocks, sediments, soil, ashes etc.). The sample size employed here, while yielding a relatively concentrated solution to cover a wide range of elemental determinations, provided a sample matrix that significantly diminished interferences for DCP measurements. The need for closely matching the unknowns and calibrators was eliminated except for overall acidity and an excess quantity of caesium for EIE buffering. Calibration of the spectrometer was accomplished by simple aqueous single element solutions as high concentration calibrators in addition to a reagent blank as a low concentration calibrator. Two point working curves were established to allow for the maximum concentrations of each element expected in the unknowns. The precision of determinations under routine conditions as well as the reproducibility of the leaching and precision of instrumental measurements have been evaluated. Relative standard deviations (RSD) were of 1–2% for those elements whose concentrations in solid samples were well above the limits of quantification. Method detection limits in the buffered solutions were also evaluated. To evaluate the accuracy of the microwave oven-DCP method a suite of eight certified coal reference materials of differing rank, were analysed with good agreement with the certified and/or available published data. Results are presented for the uncertified major oxides in the AR series reference materials.

Notes: This paper presents statistical aspects related to the calibration process and a comparison of different regression approaches of relevance to almost all analytical techniques. The models for ordinary least-squares (OLS), weighted least-squares (WLS), and maximum likelihood fitting (MLF) were evaluated and, as a case study, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) calibration curves for major elements in geochemical reference materials were used. The results showed that WLS and MLF models were statistically more consistent in comparison with the usually applied OLS approach. The use of uncertainty on independent and dependent variables during the calibration process and the calculation of final uncertainty on individual results using error propagation equations are the novel aspects of our work.

Notes: Data are reported for rare earth elements (REE) in three geological glass reference materials (BIR-1G, BHVO-2G and BCR-2G) using a UV (266 nm) laser ablation ICP-MS system and the classical (HF-HClO4) acid decomposition method, followed by conventional nebulisation ICP-MS. External calibration of laser ablation analyses was performed using NIST SRM reference materials with internal standardisation using 29Si and 44Ca. Replicate analyses of reference basaltic glasses yielded an analytical precision of 1-5% (RSD) for all the elements by solution ICP-MS and 1-8% (RSD) by laser ablation ICP-MS. The relative differences between the REE concentrations measured by solution and laser ablation ICP-MS compared with the reference values were generally less than 11 % for most elements. The largest deviations occurred for La determined by solution ICP-MS in BIR-1G. The results of both solution and laser ablation ICP-MS agreed well, generally better than 7%, with the exception of La, Pr and Sm in BIR-1G. The measured REE laser ablation data for BIR-1G, BHVO-2G and BCR-2G agreed with the previously published data on these basaltic reference glasses, within a range of 0-10% for most elements. No significant influences were observed for the predicted spectral interferences on some REE isotopes in the analysis of basaltic glasses.

Notes: This review for the year 2003 deals with three relatively well-established, mature, analytical techniques (neutron activation analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry) that nevertheless remain very important for the characterisation of geological and environmental samples. Developments in neutron activation analysis included modification to the technique in relation to the determination of platinum-group elements, as well as consideration of sample size in ore grade estimation. A considerable body of literature was published on the application of atomic absorption spectrometry in the analysis of environmental samples. Many of these proposed technical and methodological improvements, notably in extraction procedures. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry saw developments in in situ analysis, synchrotron micro-XRF (μ-SRXRF) and a confocal X-ray set-up for 3D elemental imaging. XRF technologies were used in the analysis of geological samples, reference materials, glasses, solutes and environmental materials.

Notes: This review describes recent developments in trace element analysis using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It aims to focus on the application of ICP techniques to geological and environmental samples. Therefore, fundamental studies in ICP-MS and ICP-AES instrumentation have largely been ignored. Whereas the majority of literature reviewed related to ICP-MS, indicating that ICP-MS is now the preferred technique for all geological analysis, there is still a steady development of ICP-AES to environmental applications. It is clear that true flexibility in elemental analysis can only be achieved by combining the advantages of both ICP-AES and ICP-MS. Two particular groups of elements (long-lived radionuclide and the platinum-group elements) stood out as warranting dedicated sections describing analytical developments these areas.

Notes: This annual review of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) highlights significant progress in the application of the technology for the following areas: U-Pb geochronology (notably in the fields of reference material zircons), sources of uncertainty during analysis and secondary ion yields. Major publications introduced a new zircon reference sample and dealt with an intercomparison study of a suite of established calibrators, some of which have been shown to have certain limitations. Another publication claimed that the principal uncertainty in U-Pb dating is related to variations in the Pb and U relative emission yields over a complete analytical session. 2003 saw the introduction of an automated particle identification procedure applied to the analysis of a chondritic meteorite, as well as new geometries of SIMS hardware (NanoSIMS) and techniques (time-of-flight SIMS). NanoSIMS allows a two to three order of magnitude reduction in sampling volume as a result of a reduced beam diameter, and time-of-flight SIMS allows the study of sample surfaces, and can provide data for elements concurrently.

Notes: The advent of multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has provided an impetus to the study of isotope abundance variations in natural materials. In particular, the study of “non-traditional” stable isotopes has revealed isotope fractionation variations caused by a range of physiochemical and biological mechanisms. The magnitude of these variations may be 〈 1 per mil per mass unit, but are significant in terms of the experimental uncertainties involved, provided rigorous mass spectrometric protocols are followed. The double spike technique can be used effectively to evaluate isotope fractionation effects for both multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and thermal ionisation mass spectrometry. The demanding nature of this research implies the need for internationally-accepted reference materials so that interlaboratory comparisons can be made with confidence. At present, isotopically certified reference materials are unavailable for many elements, including Cu, Zn, Mo and Cd, and it is important that this situation be rectified as soon as practicable. Until such time as isotopically certified reference materials become available for every element, stable isotope geochemists should adopt a common reference material as the standard for each element so that rigorous interlaboratory comparisons can be made.

Notes: A new α-factor table for the Bence-Albee correction method of quantitative electron microprobe analysi is presented for an accelerating voltage of 15 kV and a take-off angle of 40 degrees. The α-factors were calculated from the full PAP correction with least squares fitting in the range 0.1–50% m/m in C/K-C space, with the assumption that C/K = 1 for C = 1, where C is the weight fraction of the emitting element as oxide or anion in binary oxide-oxide, oxide-anion or anion-anion systems, and K is the relative X-ray intensity ratio between compound and pure oxide or anion. Recently determined mass attenuation coefficients were chosen. X-ray intensities were calculated for binary oxide-oxide, oxide-anion and anion-anion systems. For the twelve major elements that characterise most geological samples, maximum deviations of α-factors in this study were smaller than 10 % and most deviations were less than 1%. The new α-factor table improves the accuracy of the Bence-Albee method compared with previous studies, and provides results as accurate as the full PAP correction when absorption is not large.

Notes: To understand and/or avoid small-scale chemical heterogeneities within geological materials prepared as normal thin sections, in situ multiple trace element determination coupled with the simultaneous microscopic observation of the sample during analysis is preferable. We have examined fifty trace elements in thin (〈 30 μm) layers of the NIST SRM 614 and 616 glass reference materials by LA-ICP-MS using different pit diameters and internal standard elements (Ca and Si). Compositional heterogeneities of Tl, Bi, As and Cd were found in NIST SRM 614 and 616 at the spatial resolution of ca. 10 0 μm. Except for these elements, the RSDs of six determinations for most elements were better than 10% in NIST SRM 614 when ablation diameters were 〈 50 μm. The measured concentrations for most elements in NIST SRM 614 and 616 agree with previous values in the literature at the 95% confidence level with the exception of W and Bi. New LA-ICP-MS data for K, As and Cd are also reported. The results support the view that the latest LA-ICP-MS is a powerful and flexible analytical technique for the determination of multiple ultra-trace element compositions in geological materials prepared as normal thin sections of the type that has been used for polarising optical microscopic observations since the end of the 19th century.

Notes: A simple and reliable method to separate rare earth elements (REE) from Mg, Fe, K, Na, Ca and Ba in ultramafic rocks has been developed, thereby concentrating their abundances. The sample (0.3 g) was digested with HF and HNO3 in a PTFE bomb, placed in a stainless steel container and, after drying, the insoluble residue was dissolved in 6 ml of 10% v/v HNO3. Following the addition of 50% triethanolamine and 30% m/v NaOH solution, the REE were precipitated along with Mg(OH)2, such that the majority of Fe, K and Na in the solution could be separated by centrifuging. The precipitate was dissolved in 1 ml HNO3 and a buffer solution of NH4Cl/NH4OH at pH = 9.0 was added to precipitate the REE along with any remaining Fe as Fe(OH)3, and so achieve separation from Mg, Ca and Ba, which remained in the solution. In this way, REE could be separated from major elements and were concentrated by a factor of about 60. The recovery of REE was more than 95% using this method. Four ultramafic rock reference materials, PCC-1 (USGS), JP-1 (GSJ), DZE-1, DZE-2 (IGGE) and one new proficiency testing sample GeoPT12 (GAS Serpentinite) were analysed by ICP-MS using indium as an internal standard. The quantitation limits were about 0.02–0.2 ng g−1. Smooth chondrite-normalised REE patterns were obtained with a precision for REE determination of about 2–9%.

Notes: An extensively modified combustion/iodometric titration method was used for the determination of sulfur in SY-2, a CANMET international rock reference material, in coarse-grained mantle rocks and glassy materials at the microgram level. Replicate analysis (n = 27) of SY-2 demonstrated the potential for this sample to be certified as a reference sample for S. Our mean sulfur concentration (122 ± 3 μg g-1) suggests that the recommended value (0.011% w/w) could underestimate the true value by 10%. The other results compare well with those generated by other more sophisticated techniques such as X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and electron probe microanalysis, whether S is dissolved in glassy materials or occurs as discrete sulfides.

Notes: At three industrial sites in Ontario, New Hampshire, and Florida, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), released decades ago as dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), now form persistent source zones for dissolved contaminant plumes. These zones are suspended below the water table and above the bottoms of their respective, moderately homogeneous, unconfined sandy aquifers. Exceptionally detailed, depth-discrete, ground water sampling was performed using a direct-push sampler along cross sections of the dissolved-phase plumes, immediately downgradient of these DNAPL source zones. The total plume PCE or TCE mass-discharge through each cross section ranged between 15 and 31 kg/year. Vertical ground water sample spacing as small as 15 cm and lateral spacing typically between 1 and 3 m revealed small zones where maximum concentrations were between 1% and 61% of solubility. These local maxima are surrounded by much lower concentration zones. A spacing no larger than 15 to 30 cm was needed at some locations to identify high concentration zones, and aqueous VOC concentrations varied as much as four orders of magnitude across 30 cm vertical intervals. High-resolution sampling at these sites showed that three-quarters of the mass-discharge occurs within 5% to 10% of the plume cross sectional areas. The extreme spatial variability of the mass-discharge occurs even though the sand aquifers are nearly hydraulically homogeneous. Depth-discrete field techniques such as those used in this study are essential for finding the small zones producing most of the mass-discharge, which is important for assessing natural attenuation and designing remedial options.

Notes: We incorporate a linear estimate of casing friction into the analytical slug test theory of Springer and Gelhar (1991) for high permeability aquifers. The modified theory elucidates the influence of inertia and casing friction on consistent, closed form equations for the free surface, pressure, and velocity fluctuations for overdamped and under-damped conditions. A consistent, but small, correction for kinetic energy is included as well. A characteristic velocity linearizes the turbulent casing shear stress so that an analytical solution for attenuated, phase shifted pressure fluctuations fits a single parameter (damping frequency) to transducer data from any depth in the casing. Underdamped slug tests of 0.3, 0.6, and 1 m amplitudes at five transducer depths in a 5.1 cm diameter PVC well 21 m deep in the Plymouth-Carver Aquifer yield a consistent hydraulic conductivity of 1.5 × 10−3 m/s. The Springer and Gelhar (1991) model underestimates the hydraulic conductivity for these tests by as muchas 25% by improperly ascribing smooth turbulent casing friction to the aquifer. The match point normalization of Butler (1998) agrees with our fitted hydraulic conductivity, however, when friction is included in the damping frequency. Zurbuchen et al. (2002) use a numerical model to establish a similar sensitivity of hydraulic conductivity to nonlinear casing friction.

Notes: Long-term reactivity and permeability are critical factors in the performance of granular iron permeable reactive barriers (PRBs). Thus it is a topic of great practical importance, as well as scientific interest. In this study, four types of source solutions (distilled H2O, 10 mg/L TCE, 300 mg/L CaCO3, and 10 mg/L TCE + 300 mg/L CaCO3) were supplied to four columns containing a commercial granular iron material. In all four columns, gases accumulated to ∼ 10% of the initial porosity and resulted in declines in permeability of ∼ 50% to 80%. In the columns receiving CaCO3, carbonate precipitates accumulated to ∼ 7% of the initial porosity, with no apparent decline in permeability. The data indicate that precipitates formed initially at the influent ends of the columns, reducing the reactivity of the iron in this region. As a consequence of the reduced reactivity, calcium and bicarbonate migrated further into the column, to precipitate in a region where the reactivity remained high. Thus precipitation occurred as a moving front through the columns. The results suggest improved methods for PRB design and rehabilitation, and also suggest improvements that are needed in the mathematical models developed for predicting long-term performance.

Notes: A collection of Visual Basic programs, entitled Function.xls, has been written for ground water spreadsheet calculations. This collection includes programs for calculating mathematical functions and for evaluating analytical solutions in ground water hydraulics and contaminant transport. Several spreadsheet examples are given to illustrate their use.

Notes: Abstract. In Australia, stubble burning and tillage are two of the major processes responsible for the decline of soil organic carbon concentration in cropped soils, and the resulting soil degradation. However, the relative importance of these two practices in influencing the soil organic carbon concentration and the long-term impact on soil quality and productivity are not clear. The effects of stubble burning as practised by farmers in southeastern Australia were evaluated in two field trials, one of 19 years duration, the other of 5 years. Conventional tillage (three tillage passes) led to greater loss of soil organic carbon than stubble burning. Loss of total soil organic carbon attributed to stubble burning in the 0–10 cm layer was estimated to be 1.75 t C ha−1 over the period of the 19-year trial, equivalent to 29% of that lost due to tillage. In the 5-year trial, no change in soil organic carbon due to stubble burning was detectable. Changes in soil quality associated with stubble burning detected in the longer trial included a reduction in macro-aggregate stability, and increases in pH and exchangeable K+. Only the latter two were detected in the shorter trial. A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha−1) following stubble burning was observed in the 19-year trial but not in the 5-year trial. Research to monitor the longer term effects of stubble burning is needed, and to identify conditions where loss of soil organic carbon is minimized.

Notes: Abstract This study tests relationships between, on the one hand, field-saturated infiltration rate into the uppermost sloping soil layer (Kfsi and field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in soil horizons (Kfsh) and, on the other hand, in situ determined macropore sizes in soil profile descriptions. It was carried out at six locations along a transect on a slope with loamy soils. The macropores were classified into representative size indices based on pore diameters (Ptd) and pore areas (Pta). A strong relationship was found between Kfsi and Pta, and between Kfsh and Ptd. The approach is promising and the methodology could be further developed with the aim of generalizing the functional relationships, so that Kfs can be estimated in areas where soil survey databases contain information on pore size abundance but lack Kfs values.

Notes: Abstract Application of organic residues to soil is generally assumed to improve soil tilth. Only few studies have reported the long-term effects on the more subtle aspects of soil porosity, and no reports have considered the potential effects of organic amendments on the pore system in the subsoil. We sampled undisturbed soil cores (100 cm3 and 6280 cm3) using metal cylinders in differently fertilized plots in the long-term field experiment at Askov Experimental Station, Denmark. We selected the 0–60 cm soil layer of plots dressed for a century with either mineral fertilizers (labelled NPK) or animal manure (labelled AM) and unfertilized plots (UNF) as a reference. Both fertilization treatments were studied at two levels of nutrient application: ‘normal’ (labelled ‘1’) and 1.5 times ‘normal’ (labelled ‘1½’). Water retention, air permeability and air diffusivity were measured on the small cores, and we used the large cores for measuring near-saturated and saturated hydraulic conductivity. In the plough layer, the AM and NPK soils displayed identical pore volumes in size fractions that were larger as well as smaller than 30 μm, while the UNF soil had a significantly smaller volume of pores 〈 30 μm. No clear trends were found in treatment effects on pore organization as calculated from air diffusivity and air permeability measurements. No significant differences in hydraulic conductivity were found in the plough layer. For the subsoil below ploughing depth, significantly larger macropore volumes and near-saturated hydraulic conductivities were found for soil of plots receiving the larger (‘1½’) amount of nutrients compared with the ‘normally’ dressed soil. This effect was independent of fertilization system (AM or NPK). We attribute the larger volume of macropores to the improved root growth conditions in the soil with the higher nutrient level. We conclude that addition of animal manure at rates realistic in agriculture has only a modest effect on soil pore characteristics of the plough layer soil compared with the use of mineral fertilizers. For the subsoil below ploughing depth, a high level of nutrient application may increase soil macroporosity and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity, but the origin of nutrients is of no significance.

Notes: Abstract. A daily multi-layered water balance (DAMUWAB) approach has been formulated with modest input data on daily climatic records, slope gradient, physical soil properties and basic crop characteristics, for predicting the water and oxygen availability in freely drained soils of semiarid as well as subhumid tropical cropping systems. In this study, a simple one-dimensional root extension model is coupled to a water-uptake model that differentiates the uptake capacity of roots according to their depth. It has an intermediate level of detail between functional, 10-day period single-layered water balance (DESIWAB) approaches for land evaluation purposes, and the descriptive, daily water balances used in many crop growth models. Modelling capacity, functionality and expandability of DAMUWAB surpass the performance of DESIWAB. Water and oxygen shortages occurring in each compartment were found to limit water uptake and transpiration. Sensitivity analysis and comparison of DAMLWAB with the worldwide operational DESIWAB approach proved successful for model validation in the tropics and subtropics.

Notes: Abstract. Anecdotal and circumstantial evidence have suggested that the Olsen test underestimates plant-available phosphorus (P) in basaltic soils in Northern Ireland. Therefore, the ability of this test to predict plant-available P in basaltic (and non-basaltic) soils was investigated by regressing Olsen-P data against herbage P indices calculated from plant tissue test data using the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system. The average Olsen-P concentration for a range of fields situated on basaltic soils was considerably lower than the average Olsen-P concentration for a range of fields situated on non-basaltic soils, and yet mean sward P status, as given by the herbage P indices, was similar for both groups of fields. Herbage P indices were also much better correlated with Olsen-P measurements in non-basaltic soils than in basaltic soils. Furthermore, at low Olsen-P values (≶9mgPL−1) some swards on basaltic soils were genuinely deficient in P, while others were sufficient or even in surplus for this nutrient. The results confirm that Olsen-P is inadequate as a predictor of plant-available P in basaltic soils. It is concluded that an alternative soil test is needed to provide a reliable assessment of plant-available P in basaltic soils, to prevent overuse of fertilizer and manure P and to minimize the amounts of P entering local watercourses.

Notes: Abstract. Recent work has demonstrated that the Olsen test for phosphorus (P) is an unreliable predictor of plant-available P in soils derived from basalt parent material in Northern Ireland. The present study was conducted to develop a more reliable soil-P test for these soils by regressing P fractions removed from soil by various chemical extractants against herbage P indices calculated from plant tissue test data using a diagnosis and recommendation integrated system. The degree of P saturation of the soil P sorption capacity, based on ammonium oxalate extractable P, Al and Fe, provided a better prediction of P available to swards on basaltic soils than either the Olsen test or a number of other well-known soil-P test procedures. The superiority of the degree of P saturation test on basaltic soils was attributed to the fact that it simultaneously takes account of both P quantity and P buffering capacity factors in predicting P availability. The Olsen-P test, which accounts for the P quantity factor alone, was only reliable for non-basaltic soils. Re-classifying the P fertility status of basaltic soils according to the degree of P saturation test could result in considerably less P being recommended for these soils with possible consequential benefits to water quality.

Notes: Abstract. Different types of contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals coexist in different chemical forms in soil. Although bioremediation of organics has been widely studied, little attention has been paid to changes in metal behaviour during the bioremediation process. In this study, the diffusion gradient in thin-film (DGT) technique was used to assess changes in potentially bioavailable Cd and Cr fluxes in soil during the bioremediation of phenanthrene. Fluxes of Cd were low (〈 0.2pgcm−2 s−1) and increased to 0.4–0.9 pg cm−2 s−1, while Cr(III) fluxes showed an approximately tenfold increase. Results showed that there was increased mobilization of metals associated with the fungal reduction of phenanthrene concentrations by Penicillium frequentans.

Notes: Abstract. A study was conducted to compare the performance of the PR1 capacitance probe (Delta-T Devices) in measuring soil volumetric moisture content (θ) with two established standard methods: the neutron probe (Didcot Instruments) and the gravimetric method. Over a two-year period, the three methods were used to measure θ in glasshouse plots containing crops of either oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) or bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.). The PR1 probe gave variable performance depending on the depth and soil profile where the measurements were made. In most cases, the PR1 probe significantly overestimated θ. In some cases, it significantly underestimated θ or gave similar values to the other methods. Despite this frequent overestimation of θ, the PR1 probe adequately registered the relative changes in θ Its measurements were linearly and positively related to those of the gravimetric and neutron-probe methods. However, the regression lines significantly deviated from the 1:l line. This paper discusses the possible reasons for the unsatisfactory performance of the PR1 probe and the practical problems associated with the installation of its access tubes.

Notes: Abstract. The effects of nitrogen fertilizer and tillage systems on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage have been tested in many field experiments worldwide. The published results of this research are here compiled for evaluation of the impact of management practices on carbon sequestration. Paired data from 137 sites with varying nitrogen rates and 161 sites with contrasting tillage systems were included. Nitrogen fertilizer increased SOC but only when crop residues were returned to the soil; a multiple regression model accounted for just over half the variance (R2=0.56, P=0.001). The model included as independent variables: cumulative nitrogen fertilizer rate; rainfall; temperature; soil texture; and a cropping intensity index, calculated as a combination of the number of crops per year and percentage of corn in the rotation. Carbon sequestration increased as more nitrogen was applied to the system, and as rainfall or cropping intensity increased. At sites with higher mean temperatures and also in fine textured soils, carbon sequestration decreased. When the carbon costs of production, transportation and application of fertilizer are subtracted from the carbon sequestration predicted by the model, it appears that nitrogen fertilizer-use in tropical regions results in no additional carbon sequestration, whereas in temperate climates, it appears to promote net carbon sequestration. No differences in SOC were found between reduced till (chisel, disc, and sweep till) and no-till, whereas conventional tillage (mouldboard plough, disc plough) was associated with less SOC. The accumulation of SOC under conservation tillage (reduced and no till) was an S-shape time dependent process, which reached a steady state after 25–30 years, but this relationship only accounted for 26% of the variance. Averaging out SOC differences in all the experiments under conservation tillage, there was an increase of 2.1 t C ha−1 over ploughing. However, when only those cases that had apparently reached equilibrium were included (all no till vs. conventional tillage comparisons from temperate regions), mean SOC increased by approximately 12 t C ha−1. This estimate is larger than others previously reported. Carbon sequestration under conservation tillage was not significantly related to climate, soil texture or rotation.

Notes: Abstract. The impact of different tropical farming systems on soil quality was examined using a systematic sampling strategy. Total organic C, pH, extractable P, exchangeable K, bulk density, water stable aggregates, microbial biomass C, cation exchange capacity, soil depth, and clay content were determined. An assessment framework, including a minimum data set, linear scoring functions and weighted additive indices, was used to evaluate the soil quality of a tropical farm growing various crops in Hainan, China. Soil quality was evaluated according to four functions: water availability, nutrient availability, rooting suitability, and erosion resistance. Our results showed that soils were intrinsically lacking in nutrients and vulnerable to degradation, and that these problems were exacerbated by inappropriate management. There was strong evidence that long-term rubber farming caused soil acidification, soil compaction, and depletion of organic matter and nutrients. By contrast, conservation practices in coffee plantations protected or improved organic matter concentration and soil structure, resulting in higher soil quality indices.

Notes: Abstract. Over the last three decades there has been a great increase in the production of waste from urban, industrial and agricultural activity that could be recycled as a source of plant nutrients, and used to enhance soil quality. The use of these materials could partially offset the need for mineral fertilizers, giving both economic and environmental benefits. An incubation experiment was carried out using different organic waste materials applied to a Cambic Arenosol. Air-dried soil was mixed with increasing amounts of composted solid municipal waste, secondary pulp-mill sludge, hornmeal, poultry manure, solid phase from pig slurry, and composted pig manure, resulting in applications equivalent to 0, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg ha−1 of Kjeldahl nitrogen. The samples were incubated for 244 days under a controlled environment of 24 °C and 60% water holding capacity of the soil. The increasing amounts of waste applied always led to a greater amount of potentially available nitrogen present in the soil/waste mixture. Based on the proportion of their active N fraction, wastes were ranked: poultry manure〉hornmeal〉solid phase from pig slurry〉composted pig manure〉secondary pulp-mill sludge〉composted municipal solid waste. The results were well described by a one-pool exponential mineralization model, and mineral N formation was proportional to the quantity of waste applied. Of the wastes tested, those from animal sources showed greater nitrogen mineralisation. Nitrification was rapid, and concentrations of ammonium nitrogen remained relatively small.

Notes: Abstract. Fertilizer and manure application rate and timing are often based on the optimal nitrogen rate and not on potassium (K) requirements. This can lead to excess or shortage of K depending on the crop and rotation. In grass-dominated agricultural production, including many organic farming systems, K has become a critical element, especially in areas dominated by coarse-textured or organic soils. In this paper we review K management in relation to long-term sustainability of both the soil resource and the production of crops of high yield and quality. One question for the future is whether we can adopt management options that favour efficient use of K and secure a sustainable future for global K reserves. For example, is it possible to enhance the release rate of K from soil mineral sources so that we require less fertilizer K from K-bearing salt deposits? A reduction in external K inputs requires improved on-farm recycling of K in order to reduce losses. We also need a better understanding of soil processes and soil–plant interactions and decision-support tools to predict the potential K release from mineral weathering. Certain areas dominated by young, clay-rich soils can potentially supply enough K, whereas other areas with coarse sandy or organic soils have a very low weathering potential and would thus need external inputs of K.

Notes: Abstract. A model of soil variability as a continuous background process with superimposed point contamination was applied to 569 measurements of metal concentrations (Cr, Ni and Pb) in the topsoils of Sheffield, England. Robust estimators of the variogram were shown to be required to describe spatial variation of the metal concentrations at most sampled locations. This is diagnostic of the presence of a contaminant process. Values of the standardized kriging error from the cross-validation of each datum were used to identify spatial outliers for each metal. The ordinary kriged estimates of Cr, Ni and Pb were mapped after removing the outliers to estimate the background variation. Each of the 35 spatial outliers that occured in gardens have concentrations exceeding their Soil Guideline Value for residential land use with plant uptake, highlighting a potentially significant exposure pathway. The frequent observation of coal and furnace waste at these sites suggests that their dispersal, following domestic use and industrial processes, respectively, represents a significant point contaminant process. There was no evidence for spatial clustering of the point process. However, the spatial outliers of Cr and Ni showed a significant association with disturbed sites identified from historical land use maps, in part due to their prevalence in areas of historical steel manufacture. The magnitude of diffuse pollution for each metal in the urban soil was estimated by removing the spatial outliers and comparing robust measures of location with those from a survey of soils developed over the same parent materials in adjacent rural and peri-urban environments. The Winsorized mean Pb concentrations in urban topsoil (203 mg kg−1) were twice the value in the rural environment (101 mg kg−1), highlighting a very substantial diffuse Pb load to urban soils. The equivalent estimated diffuse components in urban soils for Cr and Ni were, respectively, 25% and 14% higher than the rural soils.

Notes: Abstract. Effective use and recycling of manures together with occasional and judicious use of supplementary fertilizing materials forms the basis for management of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) within organic farming systems. Replicated field trials were established at three sites across the UK to compare the supply of P and K to grass–clover swards cut for silage from a range of fertilizing materials, and to assess the usefulness of routine soil tests for P and K in organic farming systems. None of the fertilizing materials (farmyard manure, rock phosphate, Kali vinasse, volcanic tuff) significantly increased silage yields, nor was P offtake increased. However, farmyard manure and Kali vinasse proved effective sources of K to grass and clover in the short to medium term. Available P (measured as Olsen-P) showed no clear relationship with crop P offtake in these trials. In contrast, available K (measured by ammonium nitrate extraction) proved a useful measurement to predict K availability to crops and support K management decisions.

Notes: Abstract. The compilation of a database of soil carbon and land use is described, from which models of soil carbon dioxide emissions across the United Kingdom (UK) can be run. The database gives soil organic carbon, sand, silt and clay contents and bulk densities weighted to reference layers from 0 to 30 cm and from 30 to 100 cm depths. The data are interpolated from information on soil types and land use on a 1 km grid across the UK and are used to estimate soil carbon stocks. For 1990, the baseline year for the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emissions, the estimate is 4562 Tg soil organic carbon in the top 1 m of soil across the UK, with an average density of 18 kg m−2. The data can be reported by layer (e.g. 54% in topsoils) and country (e.g. 48% in Scotland) as well as by soil and land type.

Notes: Abstract. To evaluate the effect of sea salmon sludge on soil and ryegrass yield and quality, five treatments were tested (30, 60 and 90 t ha−1 of sludge, inorganic fertilizer and control). The sludge contained 16% dry matter (DM), 0.13% total N and 1.6% P. The sludge increased ryegrass DM yield, P and Na content, but decreased K concentrations in soil and plants. Sludge can be applied successfully on to land, but its addition should be complemented with inorganic nutrients (N, K). The high Na content of the sludge may limit repeated application, but the main benefit is its P content.

Notes: Abstract. Knowledge of changes in soil organic matter (SOM) fractions resulting from agricultural practice is important for decision-making at farm level because of the contrasting effects of different SOM fractions on soils. A long-term trial sited under Sudano-Sahelian conditions was used to assess the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on SOM fractions and sorghum performance. Sorghum straw and kraal manure were applied annually at 10 t ha−1, with and without urea at 60 kg N ha−1. The other treatments included fallowing, a control (no fertilization), and inorganic fertilization only (urea, 60 kg N ha−1). Fallowing gave significantly larger soil organic carbon and nitrogen (N) levels than any other treatment. Total soil SOM and N concentrations increased in the following order: urea only 〈 straw 〈 control 〈 straw+urea 〈 manure with or without urea 〈 fallow. Farming had an adverse effect on SOM and N status; however, this mostly affected the fraction of SOM 〉0.053 mm (particulate organic matter, POM). The POM concentrations in the control, straw and urea-only treatments were about one-half of the POM concentrations in the fallow treatment. POM concentrations increased in the following order: urea only 〈 control 〈 straw with or without urea 〈 manure with or without urea 〈 fallow. The fraction of SOM 〈0.053 mm (fine organic matter, FOM) was greater than POM in all plots except in fallow and manure+urea plots. Total N concentration followed the same trend as SOM, but cultivation led to a decline in both POM-N and FOM-N. Crop yield was greatest in the manure plots and lowest in the straw, control and urea-only plots. Results indicate that under Sudano-Sahelian conditions, SOM, POM and FOM fractions and crop performance were better maintained using organic materials with a low C/N ratio (manure) than with organic material with a high C/N ratio (straw). Urea improved the effect of straw on crop yield and SOM concentration.

Notes: Abstract. We examined the use of soil quality (SQ) assessment to predict soil productivity and stability as a component of site potential for rangelands. Two minimum sets of data were compared for the SQ assessment within an area of relatively uniform climate. Data set 1 consisted of total soil N, topsoil depth, effective profile depth (EPD), and grade of structure, thus incorporating only soil chemical and physical properties. Data set 2 included exchangeable soil potassium, EPD, soil water retention capacity at wilting point, a soil slake test, and a nutrient cycling index. The interrelationships between soil properties and plant growth characteristics (i.e. total and herbage yield) were investigated and interpreted by statistical analysis and expert knowledge. By performing multiple regressions for each data set against the plant growth characteristics, we identified the contribution of each data set variable to the variability in plant characteristics and, thus, the predictive potential of each variable and data set. Within data set 1, EPD was important and in data set 2 the nutrient cycling index, which is a landscape function index derived from soil surface attributes, played the most important role in predicting potential. Principal component analysis was used to provide weighting factors for each indicator. We then transformed and combined observed indicator values for each data set using weighting factors and scoring functions into an additive soil quality index (SQI) varying in value from 0 to 1. The SQIs, with values greater than 0.8, provide optimum conditions for high yield.

Notes: Abstract. The favoured temperature range for soyabean seed germination is 25–30 °C and the crop is sensitive to water stress. In northern India, the crop is sown in the hot-dry months of May–June. Straw mulching can alter the soil's hydrothermal regime by lowering the temperature and reducing evaporation losses. A field experiment was conducted from 1999 to 2002 at the Research Farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on a loamy sand soil to evaluate the effect of wheat straw mulch on soil temperature, soyabean seed yield and crop growth. Maximum soil temperatures at sowing depth, recorded during the 1-month period after sowing (seed germination to seedling establishment stage), were high under no-mulch, ranging from 30.6 to 48.6 °C, while mulching substantially reduced these temperatures by 1.4 to 12.7 °C. Mulching increased soyabean seed yield by 4.4 to 68.3% in different cropping seasons; it also increased plant biomass by 17 to 122% and nodule mass by 8 to 220%. Leaf area index, chlorophyll content of leaves and number of pods per plant were all increased. Seed yield improvement under mulch was negatively correlated with rainfall distribution (number of rainy days) and amount during the whole cropping season. The percentage increase in seed yield with mulching was regressed against the total number of rainy days and total rainfall in millimetres in the cropping season. Thereby 93% of the variation in response to mulching in different cropping seasons was explained by the distribution and amount of rainfall.

Notes: Abstract In Galicia (northwest Spain) the application of organic wastes to agricultural land is a common practice, which may increase total and bioavailable metal contents in the soil. In this study, total metal concentrations were determined in acid soils under different use (pasture, cropland, woodland) in an agricultural area where agro-industrial sludges are frequently recycled as manure. The aim was to establish baseline metal levels which could be used to determine the capacity of soils to absorb organic wastes. The estimation of baseline metal concentrations was carried out by two methods, one based on the analysis of means and geometric deviations, and another based on a modal analysis. Results suggested that the modal analysis procedure might be preferable when analysing data sets with a heterogeneous frequency distribution. In general, there was no significant difference in total metal concentrations when comparing soils from different land uses. Baseline levels for each metal indicated that all soils were suitable for organic waste application under current European Union (EU) legislation. From 2015, more restrictive metal limit values have been proposed by the EU, potentially preventing the addition of metal-containing wastes to pasture, cropland and woodland soils. The dissolved metal values in each soil were also estimated by empirical equations relating total metal concentrations, pH and organic matter content. Results showed that only the pasture soils would be suitable for organic waste disposal under the proposed EU metal limits for 2015, due to liming and substantial organic matter content. Total metal concentrations were insufficient to discriminate environmental risk in acid soils of different land use. The determination of baseline levels in reference areas and the estimation of soil metal bioavailability are suggested to define permissible values in the developing legislation.

Notes: Abstract Diverter berms are used to control soil erosion along restored pipeline corridors between the time the pipe is installed and the establishment of a vegetation cover. Current practice, based on standard design procedures, is often inadequate in areas of steep slopes and erosive rainfall because the resulting berm channels are too steeply graded and too widely spaced, and insufficient attention is given to their outlets. The Universal Soil Loss Equation provides a more flexible procedure for determining the spacing required to achieve a specified erosion target for given conditions of rainfall, soils and slopes. Where the required spacings are not feasible because they are too close, spacings should be based on ensuring that flow velocity does not exceed 80% of the maximum non-eroding velocity, and additional supporting erosion-control measures should be provided. Channels should be graded at 0.4% and the grade should never exceed 2%. The choice of type of outlet should be determined by the erodibility of the soil, the steepness of the slope, vegetation cover and whether the outlet slope is on undisturbed or made-up ground. Broad-based berms should be used as an alternative to narrow-based ones where there is a risk of damage from vehicles.

Notes: Abstract. The practice of large phosphorus (P) additions to agricultural land has resulted in an increased depletion of limited mineable rock phosphate resources, P accumulation in soils with an increased risk for P losses, and intensified eutrophication and deterioration of water quality in recipient water bodies. A number of measures have been used to reach balance between P inputs and outputs in agricultural systems, with the goal of achieving improved P use efficiency, sustained high crop yields and reduced P losses. This paper discusses how this goal may be achieved. Results from a Swedish long-term fertility experiment combined with results of a P leaching study using a selection of soils from the fertility experiment are used to evaluate the effects of a balanced P system on yields, soil P levels and P leaching. Three P fertilizer application strategies are compared (zero P, replacement P, and a treatment where surplus P fertilization was used to achieve a rapid increase in the soil P status). The replacement P strategy appeared to be the most sustainable system but P fixation in this system must be accounted for. When surplus P rates were applied, increased crop yields were counterbalanced by poorer use efficiency and P accumulation in soil. Topsoil P content was a poor predictor of P leaching. Instead, balancing P inputs and outputs represents a first step in the management of P losses, but additional, site-specific measures are required to counteract site-specific factors responsible for P losses.

Notes: Abstract. Sustainable nutrient management includes economizing on finite natural resources such as fossil energy and limited phosphorus (P) resources. Arable farms with exclusively crop production are characterized by large nutrient export in farm products. In the long term, nutrient export from soils and losses must be balanced by adequate inputs of fertilizers, biological N2 fixation or recycled products from the human food system. Critical issues associated in particular with arable systems discussed in this paper include organic matter depletion and lack of synchronization between nitrogen (N) release from organic N pools (such as plant residues and green manures) and crop demand, leading to N losses and/or N deficiency. Further critical issues identified include efficient use of indigenous soil P and applied P fertilizers and, especially in organic systems, risk of depletion of P and K, which if realized reduce soil fertility and limit production. The risk of enrichment of trace elements to levels toxic to soil microbes, plants, animals or man is also discussed. Suggested measures for managing these critical issues include choice of crop rotation, residue and green manure management.

Notes: Abstract. Low input grazing-based meat production is often practised on land where alternative land use is restricted and where high biodiversity warrants specific environmental payments. Although these systems are characterized by low external nutrient inputs, significant nutrient losses may occur per unit of produce, even though losses per unit area are low. If the aim is to have animal production without further eutrophication of watercourses, these losses should be minimized,. However, if nutrient-poor grasslands characterized by high biodiversity are the aim, some losses must be accepted to balance nutrient inputs by atmospheric deposition. The impact of grazing animals on nutrient dynamics in grasslands is reviewed in this paper, and options to further improve nutrient management are discussed. It is concluded that nutrient management should largely be addressed indirectly through management of animal behaviour in relation to grazing and supplemental feeding, as well as through optimization of the seasonal distribution of livestock size. A case study indicated that N losses from a cattle farm could be reduced considerably by these means, while animal production could actually be improved. Sustainability issues and trends in legislative and social pressures on low input grazing-based systems of animal production are discussed in relation to nutrient management and practical recommendations.

Notes: Abstract. Changes in agricultural subsidies in Europe and the ready availability of fertilizers have allowed a spatial decoupling of livestock and crop production. This has increased the flow of nutrients that occurs between farms compared to within individual farms. In terms of nutrient cycling, mixed farms provide the opportunity to re-integrate aspects of agricultural production. The degree of integration between crop and livestock production is defined by the reliance on the use of home-produced feed compared to imported feed, and is independent of intensity. Management of inputs and/or internal flows offers the scope to improve nutrient use efficiency (NUE) on mixed farms. Greatest uncertainties in calculating NUE are associated with variation in yield and composition of home-produced feed, and consequent manure composition. Three key areas are addressed to highlight the interchange of nutrients (and risks for losses) between crop and livestock production; (i) the role of livestock diet in manipulating the amount and availability of manure nutrients; (ii) the impact of manure management on nutrient losses; and (iii) nutrient management through the integration of crops and livestock in rotations. While not all the associated issues are unique to mixed farming, these three areas all influence NUE.

Notes: Abstract. The intensity of animal production around the world has increased substantially during the last half-century, which has led to large problems with the disposal of manures and waste waters. The focus of this paper is on the development of national policies to improve the nutrient management of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where nutrients are invariably in surplus. To create proper nutrient management strategies for CAFOs, and to avoid environmental problems when surplus nutrients enter air, soil and water, we need to know the number of animals/birds in the unit, the quantity of manure/slurry produced, how this material is stored and handled and how much land is available for manure spreading. In this paper, we discuss the development of nutrient management strategies for CAFOs in Europe and North America, and the voluntary measures and environmental regulations related to this. For the planning of nutrient management to be comprehensive and efficient, we need expertise from several disciplines. This planning includes development of: animal diets that reduce the amounts of excreted nutrients; efficient storage and land application technologies; land application programmes to optimize yields and reduce nutrient losses; and strategies for use of excess manure outside the farm. Also, large-scale efforts involving many stakeholders (farmers, governments and private industry) are needed to solve problems with nutrient imbalances over the long term. Efforts along these lines include manure relocation, alternative uses of manures, nutrient trading, and a general extensification of animal agriculture. The overall guiding principle for policies and planning should be a balance of nutrients, on farms as well as at larger scales.

Notes: Abstract. The rate and extent to which cattle or pig slurry infiltrates into soil after application is one of the important factors determining the rate and extent of subsequent ammonia (NH3) volatilization. Better characterization of the infiltration process is required to improve predictive models of NH3 losses after land spreading. This paper describes a laboratory system using time domain reflectometry to measure slurry infiltration into soil columns. This system enabled semi-continuous, non-destructive infiltration measurements to be made, assessing the influence of slurry type, dry matter (DM) content, soil type and soil water tension. Differences were noted in the infiltration behaviour of cattle and pig slurries. For cattle slurry, DM content (range 1.7–7.1%) was the main influencing factor. Infiltration rate rapidly decreased with increasing DM content and there was no influence of soil type or water tension. For pig slurry, all of the slurry infiltrated into a sandy clay loam soil within the first hour, regardless of DM content (range 1.5–4.7%), whereas only 60% infiltrated into a clay loam soil over the same time period (slurry DM content 2.1%).

Notes: Abstract. Despite considerable investment, some UK bathing waters fail to comply with mandatory standards as defined by the EU Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC). Continued non-compliance has been associated with diffuse sources of faecal indicator organism (FIO) contamination, in particular those deriving from agricultural land. This paper examines concentrations of FIOs in surface, subsurface and instream water samples at field sites considered to pose a high potential risk of FIO contamination. Quality of samples was compared with FIO standards for bathing water compliance in the UK. FIO concentrations exceeding mandatory and guideline standards were recorded frequently at all sites. In freely draining soils, FIO mobilization by rainfall was predominantly via subsurface flow, with occasional surface water flow linked to intensive rainfall events. In slowly permeable soils, surface mobilization of FIOs predominated, with the occurrence of limited subsurface samples linked to seasonal desiccation cracking within the soil, and to intense rainfall events. Watercourse FIO concentrations were significantly increased as the stream passed-by fields with freely draining soils. The data imply a generally higher risk of FIO transfer from freely draining soils and occasional increased risk from less permeable soils due to temporal changes in soil structure and rainfall intensity.

Notes: Abstract. Nutrient losses from arable land are important contributors to eutrophication of surface waters, and phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) usually act together to regulate production of Cyanobacteria. Concentrations and losses of both nutrients in drainage water from pipe drains were studied and compared in 15 crop rotations on a clay soil in southwest Sweden. Special emphasis was placed on P and it was possible to evaluate critical components of the crop rotations by flow-proportional water sampling. Total P concentrations in drainage water were generally small (0.04–0.18 mg L−1), but during two wetter years out of six, high P concentrations were measured following certain management practices, including ploughing-in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and fertilizing in advance without incorporation into the soil to meet the needs of several subsequent crops. This resulted in average flow-weighted concentrations of total P between 0.3 and 0.7 mg L−1. In crop rotations containing green manures, green fallow or leguminous leys, there was also a risk for increased P losses after these crops were ploughed in. The losses increased in the order: cash crops 〈 dairy with grass 〈 dairy with lucerne 〈 monoculture with barley 〈 organic farming with cattle slurry 〈 stockless organic farming with green manure. P balances varied between −9 and +8 kg P ha−1 and N balances between +4 and +35 kg N ha−1. The balances were not related to actual leaching losses. Phosphorus losses in drainage from set-aside were 67–82% of those from cash crops grown in ploughed and P-fertilized soil at the same site, indicating a high background P loss from this clay soil.

Notes: Abstract. Flooding of abandoned coal mines often causes discharges of iron-rich drainage water into the environment. Treatment of these discharges results in the formation of ochre (hydrous iron oxides) for which no end-use has been identified. Ochre effectively adsorbs phosphate from solution and thus could be used for remediation of waste waters. The resulting P-enriched ochre could then potentially be recycled as a P fertilizer. Pot and field experiments were set up to assess performance and environmental acceptability of ochre in this role, using grass and barley as test crops, as well as birch and spruce tree seedlings. Soils and plant materials were analysed for total and available P, total metals and pH. Results showed that P-saturated ochre functioned as a slow-release P fertilizer, and in the short term was as effective as conventional P fertilizer in maintaining crop yields. It also raised soil pH, and did not pose any significant problem through introduction of potentially toxic trace metals into the soil.

Notes: Abstract. Soil samples from a 32-year grassland field experiment were taken from 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm soil depths in February 2002. Plots received annual treatments of unamended control, mineral fertilizer, three rates of pig slurry and three rates of cow slurry, each with six replicates. Samples were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), pH and Olsen P. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated as a sodicity indicator. Mean ESP was generally greater for slurry treatments than the control, with a trend of increasing ESP with application rate. This was particularly marked for cow slurry. At 0–5 cm depth ESP increased from 1.18 in the control to 1.75 at the highest rate of pig slurry and 5.60 at the highest rate of cow slurry. Similar trends were shown for CEC, exchangeable Na+, K+ and Mg2+, Ca2+ and Olsen P. The build-up of soil P due to slurry applications, together with this combination of physical and chemical factors, may increase the risk of P loss to surface waters, particularly from soils receiving high rates of cow slurry.

Notes: Abstract. Changes in surface soil properties of a savanna Alfisol under cultivation with applications of manure and inorganic NPK fertilizer were evaluated after 45 years of annual cropping. Soils from treatments with fertilizer only, fertilizer in combination with farmyard manure (FYM) at both high and low rates were compared to soil from a control receiving neither fertilizer nor manure. The high rate of FYM and fertilizer significantly improved soil aggregation, increased C, N and P status, while reducing soil penetration resistance. The results showed that there is a need to use both manure and inorganic fertilizer to maintain soil fertility in savanna soils under continuous cultivation.

Notes: Abstract. Large nitrogen (N) inputs to outdoor pig farms in the UK can lead to high nitrate leaching losses and accumulation of surplus N in soil. We investigated the residual effects of three contrasting outdoor pig systems as compared to an arable control on nitrate leaching and soil N supply for subsequent spring cereal crops grown on a sandy loam soil during 1997/98 and 1998/99 harvest seasons. Previously, the pig systems had been stocked for 2 years from October 1995 and were designated current commercial practice (CCP, 25 sows ha−1 on stubble), improved management practice (IMP, 18 sows ha−1 on undersown stubble) and best management practice (BMP, 12 sows ha−1 on established grass). Estimated soil N surpluses by the end of stocking in September 1997 were 576, 398, 265 and 27 kg ha−1 N for the CCP, IMP, BMP and continuous arable control, respectively. Nitrate leaching losses in the first winter were 235, 198, 137 and 38 kg ha−1 N from the former CCP, IMP and BMP systems and the arable control, respectively. These losses from the former pig systems were equivalent to 41–52% of the estimated soil N surpluses. Leaching losses were much smaller in the second winter at 21, 14, 23 and 19 kg ha−1 N, respectively. Cultivation timing had no effect (P〉0.05) on leaching losses in year 1, but cultivation in October compared with December increased nitrate leaching by a mean of 14 kg ha−1 N across all treatments in year 2. Leaching losses over the two winters were correlated (P〈0.001) with autumn soil mineral N (SMN) contents. In both seasons, spring SMN, grain yields and N offtakes at harvest were similar (P〉0.05) for the three previous pig systems and the arable control, and cultivation timing had no effect (P〉0.05) on grain yields and crop N offtake. This systems study has shown that nitrate leaching losses during the first winter after outdoor pig farming can be large, with no residual available N benefits to following cereal crops unless that first winter is much drier than average.

Notes: Abstract. Saprolite is formed from bedrock weathered in situ that retains the structure and fabric of the parent rock. Landscaping in hilly and rugged topography with unavoidable land levelling exposes saprolites, which are often associated with poor growth of trees and shrubs. In Malaysia, the suitability of saprolites derived from basalt, granite and schists for growing trees and palms was assessed from their physical and chemical properties. Following FAO guidelines all the saprolites were adjudged to be unsuitable due to wetness, shallowness and low chemical fertility as the main limitations.

Notes: Abstract. Vertisols are among the most common, high-potential soils in the central highlands of Ethiopia, where over 88% of human and 77% of the livestock population are located. Productivity from these soils is constrained by severe waterlogging due to their physical properties and intensive rainfall in summer. Traditionally, farmers plant late in the season to avoid the waterlogging, which results in harvest yields that are far below optimal. To bridge this yield gap, the broad-bed and furrow system for surface drainage has been introduced. Despite reported yields of various crops, little is known of the on-site and off-site impacts of this system. Consequently, four land preparation methods viz. (i) broad-bed and furrow (BBF), (ii) green manure (GM), (iii) the traditional system of ridge and furrow (RF) and (iv) reduced tillage (RT) were compared on standard runoff plots for 5 years (1998–2002) at Caffee Doonsaa in the central Highlands of Ethiopia. Runoff, sediment, organic carbon and nutrient (organic nitrogen and available phosphorus) losses were determined during the last two years (2001 and 2002). Over 50% of the seasonal rainfall was lost as runoff, regardless of the treatment, with significantly more of the excess water running off BBF and RT treatments in both years. The BBF system drained 67% and 54% of rainfall as runoff in 2001 and 2002, respectively, compared with 61% and 53% from the RT system during the measurement period. Although not statistically significant, the largest sediment and total nutrient losses tended to be from the BBF. The effect of the treatments on total nutrient loss and enrichment ratio was inconsistent. The nutrient concentration in the eroded sediment was greater than that of the originating surface soil but was strongly correlated. The effect of the land preparation methods was significant and varied with crops. Recommended options for best crop productivity are BBF for lentil and RT for wheat and tef.

Notes: Abstract. Knowledge of the stocks and the potential range of soil organic carbon (SOC) in various land–soil combinations is an important precursor to policies aimed at linking, for example, management of SOC to greenhouse gas emission controls. To investigate the factors controlling the percentage of SOC (%SOC) of soils in England and Wales, we made a multiple regression analysis of data for the 2448 arable and ley-arable sites in the 1980 England and Wales National Soil Inventory (NSI). Clay content, average annual precipitation and depth of topsoil explained 25.5% of the variation in %SOC, when calcareous and peaty soils and those susceptible to flooding were excluded. Using ‘robust’ statistics, ‘indicative SOC management ranges’ were estimated for different physiotopes, that is, landscape units for which the environmental factors governing %SOC are similar, namely soil clay content and precipitation. These ranges describe the expected %SOC range for an arable soil in a given physiotope. They have potential to support approximate targets for the %SOC of arable soils and for estimating upper and lower limits for sequestered soil carbon in arable systems.