Distribution and Fractionation of Copper in Soils of Apple Orchards (5 pp)

Background Frequent application of Bordeaux mixture, which includes copper, as a fungicide in fruit and grape orchards may lead to copper accumulation in the soil, especially when orchard age and application times increase. The objectives of this study were: (i) to investigate the copper content and its spatial distribution in orchard soils; (ii) to identify the copper fractionation in soil and its relationship with plant uptake; (iii) to understand the characteristics of copper contamination in orchard soils. Materials and Methods Soil profile samples were taken in apple orchards with ages of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 years and pot experiments were also carried out to study the effects of external copper input on copper fractionation. All soil samples were air-dried, ground and extracted with 0.43 mol L–1 HNO3 for the total absorbed copper. Fractionation determination was conducted following Tessier and Shuman sequential extraction methods, and copper was measured with AAS. Plant samples were first dry ashed, dissolved with 6 mol L–1 HCl and then copper and other elements were measured with ICP-MS.Results and Discussion Soil total Cu was higher in the apple orchards than that in non-orchard fields and was seen to have increased with orchard age. Soil Cu increased substantially with the average annual copper increase, ranging from 2.5 to 9 mg Cu kg–1. The distribution of copper in the soil profile was uneven, decreasing from surface to deeper layers, and the differences were significant, but the contents in every layer were also significantly correlated with those in the next layers. For all copper fractions, the organically bound, crystalline Mn oxide bound, and amorphous Fe bound fractions extracted with the Shuman method were much higher than the exchangeable and residual fractions. Using the Tessier method, organically bound, carbonate bound and Fe-Mn oxide bound fractions were much higher. With an increase in external copper input, the organically bound, crystalline Mn oxide bound and amorphous Fe bound fractions in the Shuman method and organically bound, carbonate bound and Fe-Mn oxide bound fractions in the Tessier method all increased significantly, while the changes in other fractions were not significant. Soil total copper and copper fractions were found to have good correlations with apple tree uptake. Copper in fruit flesh had significant correlations with soil total content in the 0–10 cm layer, all the copper fractions in the 0–5 cm layer, and some fractions in the deeper layers. Conclusion Copper content in orchard soils increased significantly with intensive application of Bordeaux mixtures and orchard age. Copper content decreased sharply from the topsoil to deeper soil layers. The copper contents in different layers also significantly correlated with those in the next layers. Dominant fractions of the copper in soil were mainly associated with organic matter, iron and manganese oxides and carbonates. A close relationship was found between the copper content in soils and in apple tree organs (which contained 8.9 to 66mg kg–1 Cu). Recommendation and Perspective Though most copper in the soil was specifically adsorbed or immobilized, and copper was mainly distributed in topsoil, which was essentially devoid of roots, the copper concentration of fruit still had significantly positive correlations with soil copper and most copper fractions. Therefore, measures must be taken to control copper accumulation in orchard soils and to make the apple fruit production sustainable.     

Impacts of vineyard area dynamics on soil erosion in a Mediterranean catchment (1950-2011)

The Mediterranean basin has undergone widespread land cover change. Urbanization of coastal areas, land abandonment of steeper slopes, and agricultural intensification in alluvial plains are recurrent themes. The objective of this study was to examine how vineyard land cover changes have affected agricultural soil erosion in a 50 year period (1950–2011). The study area covers a 235 km² catchment located near the Gulf of St Tropez. Aerial photographs were used to map land cover in 1950, 1982, 2003 and 2011, and the RUSLE soil erosion model was run to estimate soil erosion.

Between 1950 and 2011, vineyard went from about 2,426 ha to 1,561 ha. Mean soil erosion increased as vineyard slopes became steeper (11.8 T ha^?1, 13.2 T ha^?1, 14.4 T ha^?1 and 13.5 T ha^?1 for 1950, 1982, 2003 and 2011). Total erosion decreased after 1982: 28,621 T y^?1 in 1950, 29,030 T y^?1 in 1982, 22,848 T y^?1 in 2003, and 21,074 T y^?1 in 2011. Total soil loss in 2011 is about 75% of values in 1950–1982, so impacts on water pollution and channel dredging have evolved positively over time.     

Operator dermal exposure and protection provided by personal protective equipment and working coveralls during mixing/loading,application and sprayer cleaning in vineyards

The efficiency of a working coverall combined with personal protective equipment to protect operators against dermal exposure to plant protection products under field conditions was studied. Operators wore a non-certified water-repellent finish polyester/cotton coverall plus a certified gown during the mixing/loading and the cleaning phases. Insecticide foliar application to a vineyard was selected as the exposure scenario. The overall dermal residue levels measured in this study were in the range of data recently collected in Europe. The water-repellent finish working coverall reduced body exposure by a factor of approximately 95%. Wearing a Category III Type 3 partial body gown during mixing/loading and cleaning of the application equipment led to a further protective effect of 98.7%. The combination of a water-repellent finish working coverall and partial body protection during specific tasks provided satisfactory levels of protection and can be considered as suitable protection for the conditions of use studied.     

吐鲁番盆地葡萄园土壤重金属污染状况及其潜在生态风险

为探讨中国葡萄主产区土壤重金属污染状况及生态风险,从吐鲁番盆地葡萄园采集了101个土壤样品,测定As、Cd、Cr、Ni、Pb和Hg等6种元素的浓度.利用地质累积指数(Igeo)、潜在生态风险指数(RI)和生态风险预警指数(IER),对葡萄园土壤重金属污染状况及其潜在生态风险进行了评估.结果 表明:吐鲁番盆地葡萄园土壤中...     

吐鲁番盆地葡萄园土壤重金属环境容量评价与预测

土壤与农产品重金属污染风险评价是当前国内外研究的热点领域。从新疆吐鲁番盆地葡萄园采集101个代表性土壤样品，测定其中As、Cd、Cr、Ni、Pb和Hg等6中元素的含量。采用综合环境容量指数法（PI），分析葡萄园土壤重金属环境容量特征及其空间分布规律，估算静态和动态环境容量，并预测其近百年变化趋势。结果表明：（1）吐鲁番盆地葡萄园土壤中As、Cd、Cr、Ni、Pb与Hg含量平均值均未超出《农用地土壤污染风险管控标准（GB15618-2018）》中的土壤风险筛选值；（2）葡萄园土壤各重金属元素单项环境容量指数平均值由大到小依次为：Ni > Pb=Hg > As > Cr > Cd其中，Ni元素的环境容量指数处于高容量状态As、Cd、Cr、Pb与Hg等5种元素环境容量指数均处于中容量状态。研究区98.02%的葡萄园土壤处于中容量区，研究区中部葡萄园土壤重金属元素的PI值较高，研究区东部和西部葡萄园土壤重金属元素的PI值较低；（3）静态年容量和动态年容量排序相同大小依次为：Cr > Ni > Pb > As > Hg > Cd。20~40 年之内的静态和动态年容量变化速度大于其他年限的变化速度，各年限动态年容量均大于静态年容量。     

Spatial and Seasonal Patterns of Bird Communities in Italian Agroecosystems

Abstract:  Despite agricultural landscapes covering almost 60% of the total land area of Italy, knowledge of the effects of agriculture and its intensification on bird communities is still scarce. I analyzed the effects of land uses on bird diversity and community structure in different farmland habitats of lowland northwestern Italy. I surveyed breeding and overwintering birds with a hierarchically nested sampling design and used generalized linear and mixed models to investigate the relationships between the diversity and abundance of birds and habitat or landscapes attributes. The effects of agriculture on α avian diversity varied with season and spatial scale, whereas nonagricultural habitats (long-term fallows or woodlands) had a generally positive effect that was constant throughout time and space. As the amount of woodland habitat increased, spatial turnover (β diversity) of breeding birds decreased. Arable landscapes supported low levels of avian diversity throughout the year but were favored by emblematic farmland birds that have declined severely in Europe and in the study area. Farmland birds (40% of which are experiencing population declines) were more abundant or foraged more frequently in the less-disturbed habitat types such as fallows, grasslands, and winter stubbles and tended to avoid the prevailing cultivations (maize, vineyard, and wheat). Landscape simplification, the expansion of maize cultivation, winter plowing practices, and the conversion of highly diverse grasslands to tilled lands are likely to be responsible for the local decline of most farmland species (Skylark [Alauda arvensis ], Starling [Sturnus vulgaris ], buntings [Emberiza spp.], and wagtails [Motacilla spp.]) and for the increase of birds that are turning into agricultural pests (Hooded Crow [Corvus corone cornix ]).