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Chemical fertilizers have had a significant impact on food production in the recent past, and are today an indispensable part of modern agriculture. On the other hand, the oil crisis of the 1970s and the current Middle East problems are constant reminders of the vulnerability of our fossil fuel dependent agriculture. There are vast areas of the developing world where N fertilizers are neither available nor affordable and, in most of these countries, balance of payment problems have resulted in the removal of N fertilizer subsidies. The external costs of environmental degradation and human health far exceed economic concerns. Input efficiency of N fertilizer is one of the lowest and, in turn,...
An updated edition of the classic work on the inorganic chemistry of soils. * With its companion volume, Humus Chemistry, forms a complete, advanced-level treatment of both organic and inorganic aspects of soil chemistry. * Revised to keep pace with the latest developments in the field. * Provides more in-depth treatment of all topics.
The sustainability of both natural and managed ecosystems is strongly influenced by soil biological processes. A major question in soil biology and ecosystem ecology is the extent to which these processes are affected by the function and structure of the soil's biotic community. The Significance and Regulation of Soil Biodiversity presents the discussions of a group of soil biologists and ecosystem ecologists in which they synthesize available information, present innovative methodologies, and develop cross-taxa and cross-habitat collaborations to advance our understanding of soil biodiversity. The volume addresses the extent and regulation of soil biodiversity and describes initial approaches to the linking of soil biodiversity and ecosystem function. Audience: Researchers and students in a wide range of environmental scientific disciplines.
This book contains the proceedings of the `8th Nitrogen Workshop' which was held at the University of Ghent, Belgium, from 5 to 8 September 1994. Although nitrogen dynamics in different ecosystems have been studied for several decades, new orientations and other emphases have recently emerged. Previously, nitrogen was considered as an essential element mostly in terms of productivity, but now, more emphasis is attached to environmental consequences. More than 100 contributions in this book tackle recent developments within the fields of nitrogen advice systems, plant response to fertilization, immobilization and mobilization, nitrification, denitrification, leaching, ammonia volatilization and biological nitrogen fixation. A large number of papers is devoted to the formation of gaseous nitrogen compounds, while mineralization-immobilization is another topic of important interest. The book also contains the reports of discussion groups on different aspects of the nitrogen cycle.
Soil is formed from the physical and chemical weathering of rocks-processes described historically becau'se they involve eons of time-by glaciation and by wind and water transport of soil materials, which are later deposited in deltas and loessial planes. Soil undergoes further transformations over time and provides a habitat for biological life and a base for the development of civilizations. Soil is dynamic-always changing as a result of the forces of nature and particularly by the influences of man. Soil has been studied as long as history has been documented. Numerous references to soil are found in historical writings such as Aristotle (384-322 Be), Theophrastus (372-286 Be), Cato the E...
Integrated studies on the assessment and improvement of soil and water quality have to deal almost inevitably with issues of scale, since the spatial support of measurements, the model calculations and the presentation of results usually vary. This book contains the selected and edited proceedings of a workshop devoted to issues of scale entitled: `Soil and Water Quality at Different Scales', which was held in 1996 in Wageningen. It is intended for environmental researchers, scientists and MSc and PhD students. Part 1 covers current issues and methodologies with scale related soil and water quality research. Part 2 covers agroecological and hydrological case studies in which scale transforms form an important part of the research chain. Part 3 consists of papers focusing on methodologies and up and downscaling. Part 4 contains review papers based on modellers' and statisticians' considerations as well as the papers and posters presented during the workshop. Part 5 consists of short research notes.
This self-contained volume covers fundamental and applied aspects of nitrogen-fixation research. The book describes milestones in the discovery of the associative and endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria found involved with cereal crops, forage grasses, and sugar cane. It provides a comprehensive overview of their phylogeny, physiology, and genetics as well as of the biology of their association with their host plants, including tools for in situ localization and population-dynamics analysis. Also included are chapters describing the functions required for a bacterium to be competent and competitive in the rhizosphere, and analysis of associations of cyanobacteria with fungi, diatoms, bryophytes, cycads, Azolla, and Gunnera.
An exploration of the most complex microbial ecosystems with incisive reviews of developments in soil science. It presents techniques of chemical analysis, refinements of environmental protection measures, and methods for maximizing agricultural yields. It also addresses a wide range of biochemical processes and practical applications of advanced biotechnologies.
Discussing methods of enzyme purification, characterization, isolation, and identification, this book details the chemistry, behavior, and physicochemical properties of enzymes to control, enhance, or inhibit enzymatic activity for improved taste, texture, shelf-life, nutritional value, and process tolerance of foods and food products. The book cov