Nitrogen in Organic Wastes


Book Description

Organic wastes are traditionally applied to land to recover their fertilizer value, but the microbial turnover of such organic matter in soil is often out of phase with the requirements of growing plants. Therefore, nutrients may be lost and may even act as potential pollutants of water and air, posing a particular challenge to agricultural and environmental engineers.This book addresses both experimental and modeling methodology under the main headings of nitrogen and carbon transformations, gaseous losses, chemical means of controlling nitrification, and nitrate leaching. The articles are based on material presented at a specialized seminar held under the auspices of ISWA and DAKOFA at Aalborg University, Denmark, in September, 1988.




Special Report


Book Description










Long-Term Studies in Ecology


Book Description

The Cary Conferences, as we have envisaged them, are different from most scientific meetings in that they provide a forum for major issues in ecology from a more philosophical point of view. It appears to many of us that ecologists have limited opportunities to come together in small groups to address in a more philosophical way some of the major questions and issues that matter very much to the future of humankind and to us as ecologists. Moreover, we hope that the setting ofthe Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum promotes strong interaction and dis cussion between Conference participants with a minimum of distraction. We are proud to make our facilities available for such meetings, and we hope that over the years these Conferences might provide direction and leadership for the whole field of ecology. We have the broad goal of attempting to advance the field of ecology by bringing together leading ecologists and other scientists to address major issues. The first Cary Conference, in 1985, considered the status and future of ecosystem science. This first Conference was rather loosely structured but was successful in stimulating discussion, ideas, and enthusiasm (Likens et al. , 1987). The goals for this second Cary Conference in 1987 were: 1. to identify the roles of long-term studies in ecology; 2. to identify the options for study of long-term ecological phenomena; 3.




Proceedings


Book Description




Soil Quality for Crop Production and Ecosystem Health


Book Description

Soil is a complex body that exists as many types, each with diverse properties that may vary widely across time and space as a function of many factors. This complexity makes the evaluation of soil quality much more challenging than that of water or air quality. Evaluation of soil quality now considers environmental implications as well as economic productivity, seeking to be more holistic in its approach.Thus, soil quality research draws from a wide range of disciplines, blending the approaches of biologists, physicists, chemists, ecologists, economists and agronomists, among others.This book presents a broad perspective of soil quality that includes these various perspectives and gives a strong theoretical basis for the assessment of soil quality.A short glossary provides definitions for terms used throughout the book.




Handbook of Processes and Modeling in the Soil-Plant System


Book Description

Learn to create and use simulation models—the most reliable and cost-effective tools for predicting real-world results! The Handbook of Processes and Modeling in the Soil-Plant System is the first book to present a holistic view of the processes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Unlike other publications, which tend to be more specialized, this book covers nearly all of the processes in the soil-plant system, including the fundamental processes of soil formation, degradation, and the dynamics of water and matter. It also illustrates how simulation modeling can be used to understand and forecast multiple interactions among various processes and predict their environmental impact. This unique volume assembles information that until now was scattered among journals, bulletins, reports, and symposia proceedings to present models that simulate almost all of the processes occurring in the soil-plant system and explores the results that these models are capable of producing. With chapters authored by experts with years of research and teaching experience, the Handbook of Processes and Modeling in the Soil-Plant System examines: physical, chemical, and biological soil processes the soil formation and weathering process and its modeling the impact of radioactive fallout on the soil-plant system soil degradation processes and ways to control them water and matter dynamics in the soil-plant system growth and development of crops at various levels of production the potentials and limitations of using simulation models Students, educators, and professionals alike will find the Handbook of Processes and Modeling in the Soil-Plant System an invaluable reference on the soil-plant-atmosphere system and an ideal tool to help develop an effective decision support system.