JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

Heavy metals are known to have deleterious effects on human health. The main route of human exposure to heavy metals is the daily intake of food. This study was designed to investigate the heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cr, Ni and Cd) in soil and major food crops (wheat, potato and corn) and estimate the health risks of metals to humans via soil and the crops consumed in Hamedan Province, using the total non-cancer hazard quotient. Daily metal intakes were estimated for three receptor groups and then compared with health guideline values. The non-cancer risk estimations showed that chromium, manganese, cadmium, zinc, Iron, Nickel and copper have oral Hazard Quotient values less than a value of one. The Hazard Index values were greater than 1 for all age groups, suggesting that adults and children in the study area may experience a potential non-cancer risk due to diet of heavy metal via wheat, corn and potato consumption and soil ingestion. Consumption of plant foods particularly wheat was found to be the major route of human exposure to heavy metal. The soil ingestion route is also important.

Mobarakeh Steel Complex has been using treated industrial wastewater for irrigation of green space to combat water shortage and prevent environmental pollution. This study was performed to assess the impact of short-, middle-, and long-term wastewater irrigation on soil quality attributes in green space of this complex. Soils were sampled from the wet bulb produced by under-tree trickles in three depths of forested lands irrigated with treated wastewater (for 2, 6 and 18 years) or groundwater. Several chemical, physical and biological characteristics of the soil samples were determined in the laboratory and compared to those of the native unirrigated soils as the controls. The results showed that pH was significantly reduced in the wastewater-irrigated soils as compared to the control. Organic matter content and cation exchange capacity significantly increased in the irrigated soils due to the incorporation of tree leaves into soil. Soil salinity also increased as the irrigation period increased because of the relatively high salinity of water and wastewater used for irrigation. Microbial basal respiration and arginine ammonification were greater in the irrigated soils in comparison to the control. In general, forestation and irrigation management have improved most of the soil quality indexes in the Mobarakeh Steel Complex green space, but some soil characteristics, such as salinity, need to be monitored and improved in future.

Technosols are modified soils affected by human activities. This study investigated genesis, classification and physicochemical properties of four pedons of Technosols developed on refused oil refinery materials and compared them with two unpolluted pedons. Mineralogical studies showed smectite as a dominant clay mineral with other clay minerals. These clay minerals adsorb oil compounds in their interlayer spaces and reduce their mobility and decomposition. Different micromorphological features resulting from oil compounds in soils, including depletion zones, types of coatings (quasi and hypocoating) and features due to horizontal and vertical movement of oil compound in soil showed dynamics of oil compounds and their effects on soil forming process. The refused petroleum compounds decrease pH and increase organic carbon, amorphous form of Iron in soils. Taking into account the presence of high amounts of gypsum and carbonate in polluted soil, the studied soils were classified as Typic Calcigypsids in Soil Taxonomy but in WRB system, due to the presence of impermeable geomembrane within 100 cm of soil surface, they were classified as Linic Technosols, showing the more precision of WRB system in their classification. 

The importance of decreasing the cost of soil structures due to the budget constraints makes engineers avoid handling large volumes of soil, thus making maximum use of local materials. Soil performance change in order to improve engineering applications of soil is called soil stabilization. Soil stabilization methods can be mechanical, electrical, thermal, chemical, etc. Gypsiferous soil including soils used in civil affairs and special structures in the vicinity of water needs to be established. This study is conducted to evaluate changes of shear strength of gypsiferous soil, using chemical method by addition of “A polyurethane Mastic”.  The studied gypsiferous soil was prepared from 3km north-west of Ramhormoz in Khuzestan province. Soil samples containing 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 5% and 7% of the said material additive were compressed with optimum moisture content obtained from standard Procter test, and finally, were tested under the direct shear test at shear rate of 0.5 mm per minute. After achieving cohesion parameters of soil, the best mix of the additive “A polyurethane Mastic” was found to be 5%.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of poultry manure (PM) and its derived biochars on chemical properties of a sample calcareous soil. Poultry manure and its derived biochars at 200(B₂₀₀), 300(B₃₀₀) and 400(_B400)°C were incorporated with 400 g of soil at 2% level (w/w) and incubated for 150 days. Some chemical properties of soil and bio-availability of some nutritional ingredients such as phosphorous, potassium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper were determined at different times of incubation. Soil nutrients availability, organic carbon (OC), electrical conductivity (EC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) increased by addition of all these organic substances. Biochars prepared at higher temperatures were more effective in increasing soil OC and its durability. Addition of PM and B₂₀₀ decreased soil pH, whereas B₄₀₀ increased it. Although highest soil EC was observed in B₃₀₀ and B₄₀₀ treated samples in the early stages of incubation, the rate of increasing in soil EC was higher at PM and B₂₀₀ treated samples. In general, it was concluded that biochar prepared at 300°C had the highest effect on availability of nutrients and their durability in the soil. 

Assessing the root system and its tensile strength is necessary for determine the impact of roots in increasing the soil shear strength. The present study aims to investigate effects of slope and flow of riverbank on root system of riparian POPULOYS trees. In a relatively direct interval, 6 riparian POPULOYS trees were chosen on the slope of Simereh riverbank. To assess the root system, the circular profiles trenching method was utilized. The surface around each tree was divided into four quadrants: upper quadrant, lower quadrant, in slope direction and in flow direction. In every quadrant, number and diameter of roots were measured. The obtained results showed that the highest number of roots were in 90-100 cm depth. 59% of Roots, in the slop direction and 53% of roots in flow direction, were located in the top quadrant. Approximately, 97% of roots had up to 20 mm diameter. The greatest difference in the number of roots in upper, lower, in slop direction and in flow direction quadrants, were seen in diameters up to 5 mm. In slope direction, this difference was almost 2.7 times more than the difference seen in flow direction. The average ratio of root cross-section was 0.26%. The obtained results indicate that the root system of riparian POPULOYS trees on the riverbank is asymmetrical.

Soil moisture is one of the main input parameters in many models for monitoring and predicting crop yield. The ability of mathematical models has allowed correct application of brackish water and selection of management options. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the performance of HYDRUS-2D for simulating soil volumetric water content in a heterogeneous heavy soil under field conditions. Three volumes of irrigation water (10, 15 and 20 L) and three salinity levels of irrigation water (1.279, 2.5 and 5 dSm^-1) were exerted in a linear drip irrigation system with three replications. In order to check the amount of soil volumetric water content, soil profiles were drilled to 40 cm depth and vertical wall of drip irrigation line was networked. Soil volumetric water content was measured with a TDR MiniTrase kit 6050X3K1B model. The observed soil moisture values were compared with the simulated ones using statistical indices (i.e. nRMSE and CRM).  The results indicated that mean soil volumetric water content distribution in irrigation water with different levels of salinities was in the range of field capacity. The range of nRMSE values varied from 0.91 to 2.07 percent in different replications. According to calculated nRMSE values, performance of the simulation model, was ranked as excellent for simulation of soil volumetric water content. Range of CRM values was shown to be from -0.0080 to 0.0170 that was really low. Results of these two statistics indicate high ability of the model in simulating soil volumetric water content using estimating hydraulic parameters by inverse solution.

Knowledge of variation in soil properties from each event to another is very important for the determination of critical periods during which soil is susceptible to erosion processes. This study was carried out to investigate soil loss in sequential rainfall events in Zanjan Province. Toward this, ten soil textures samples were taken and were transported to small plots (60 cm×80cm) with 20-cm depth) on a 8% slope land at three replications. The plots were exposed to ten simulated rainfalls with an intensity of 55 mm h^-1 for 30-min and 5-day intervals. A total of 300 simulated rainfall trials were carried out at the plots.  Results indicated that soil moisture, runoff production and soil loss were significantly affected by rainfall events (P< 0.001). Increasing soil moisture and consequently decreasing soil infiltration capacity were the most crucial element in increasing runoff production and soil loss in the sequential rainfall events, in a way that about 84% of soil loss variation in the rainfall events could be explained based on antecedent soil moisture. After the fifths rainfall event, no significant differences  was found in soil infiltration capacity as well as runoff production because of soil moisture reaching to the water-holding capacity. Nevertheless, an increasing trend was observed in soil loss after fifth event which could associate with presence of more erodible soil particles on the surface and consequently increasing the concentration of surface flows.

Digital soil mapping techniques which incorporate the digital auxiliary environmental data to field observation data using software are more reliable and efficient compared to conventional surveys. Therefore, this study has been conducted to use k- Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) and artificial neural network (ANN) to predict spatial variability of soil salinity in Ardekan district in an area of 700 km², in Yazd province. In this study, 180 soil samples were collected in a grid sampling manner and then soil chemical and physical properties were measured in laboratory. Environmental auxiliary variables were included topographic attributes, remote sensing data (ETM+) and apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). The result of the study showed that the K-mean nearest neighborhood had higher accuracy than ANN models for predicting soil electrical conductivity (ECe). Overall, k-NN models could provide significant relationships between soil salinity data and environmental auxiliary variables. The k-NN model had the root mean square and coefficient of determination of 12.10 and 0.92, respectively, between predicted and observed ECe data. Also, apparent EC, and remotely sensed indices and wetness index were identified as the most important factors for predicating the soil salinity in the studied area.

Potassium (K) fixation in soil is an important process which affects the availability of K to plants. There is limited information on K fixation capacity (PFC) of soils in Chahar Mahal & Bakhtiary province. This study was carried out with the aim of determining PFC and its relation with soil characteristics in 10 samples of surface soils in Chahar Mahal & Bakhtiary province. PFC was determined by adding six different levels of K by using KCl salt and measuring cation exchange capacity (CEC) in mineral, organic and clay fraction of soils. The results showed that the CEC in the mineral, organic and clay soils changes from 16.02-19.38, 1.71-3.27 to 29.3-39.8 cmol+/kg consequently. Potassium availability index (PAI) in the soils changes from 0.36 to 0.7 and Potassium fixation index (PFI) changes from 0.29 to 0.63. According to the results PFI and PAI showed significant correlation with whole and mineral fraction of the soil CEC, clay percent, pH and CaCO₃ percent. The results of this study also showed that fixation of K fertilizer in the studied soils plays an important role in K dynamic of soil and K availability to plants.

Improvement of soils is among the major concerns in civil engineering, therefore a variety of approaches have been employed for different soil types. The annual budget of implementing the projects of this kind in countries clearly implies the importance of the subject. The loose granular soils and sediments have always imposed challenges due to their low strength and bearing capacity. Bio-mediated soil improvement has recently been introduced as a novel link of biotechnology (biotech) and civil engineering for improving the problematic soils, i.e. utilizing some bacteria to precipitate calcite on the soil particles. Bio-grouting is a branch of Bio-mediated soil improvement which is a method based on microbial calcium carbonate precipitation. In this regard, the soil samples were stabilized by injecting the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii in the first phase of the process and Urea and Calcium Chloride in the second phase of the process (two-phase injection) as the nutrients into the sandy soil columns and subjected to unconfined compressive strength test. In this research, Taguchi method was utilized for design of experience (DOE). Based on results obtained, the activity of the bacteria caused the precipitation of calcium carbonate in soil samples so that after 21 days, the unconfined compressive strength of the soil increased from 85 kPa in the control sample to 930 kPa at optimum condition.

Pollutants are considered the disturbing factors of environment, and among them the heavy metals are more important considering their non-degradability and physiological effects on organisms in low concentrations. The goal of this research was to investigate the effect of industrial landuse on Cd and Pb concentrations in surface soils of the southwest Isfahan. According to satellite images and topographic maps (1:50000) of the study area, soil samples (depth: 0–20 cm) were collected using random sampling. A total of 38 surface soil samples were obtained from industrial areas (lowest distance = 1480 m) in the area of 73481 ha. Total concentrations of Cd and Pb in the digested solution were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Using Arc GIS, the spatial distribution patterns and Cd and Pb variography of samples were analysed and finally the best models of spatial distribution of heavy metals were achieved. The primary results showed that the mean concentrations of Cd, and Pb of surface soil samples in industrial areas were 1.8 to 31.5 mg Kg^-1 higher than the world’s mean values, respectively. Although the mean concentrations of Cd and Pb were respectively 8 to 700 mg Kg^-1 lower than the standard of Iranian Department of Environment for industrial landuse.

The status of soil K forms and its relationship with K content in wheat grain at harvest period may be important for nutrient fertility management. For this purpose, 40 surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) soil samples and also grain samples from wheat fields of Darab region were randomly sampled in 2014. Then physicochemical properties of the soils and the contents of soluble, exchangeable and non-exchangeable K and contents of K in wheat grains were determined. Results indicated that content of soluble, exchangeable and non-exchangeable K in the studied soils ranged 15-70, 91-443 and 396-1182 mg kg^-1, respectively. Significant relationships were obtained between soil K forms and clay, calcium carbonate and CEC. Although it is expected that content of easily available K (soluble and exchangeable K) was low at late stage of wheat growth, most soils had sufficient K content. The positive and significant relationship among different K forms was indicative of the K forms equilibration at the time of wheat harvesting. Although there is not a relationship between K content in wheat grain and soil K forms, it was shown that K content of wheat grain was correlated with soil exchangeable K and clay content in fine-textured soils (clay > 30%). It means that ammonium acetate may be a suitable extractant for estimation of soil K status and plant available K of heavy-textured soils in the studied region.

This study was done to evaluate the effect of afforestation in sand dunes at the vicinity of Shush, because of the importance of soil protection and wind erosion in sand dunes, also sand dunes afforestation as an effective and long lasting fixation mechanism. The study site was covered by petroleum mulch about 20 years ago and afforested by Prosopis juliflora. To study the effects of afforestation on sand dunes, two 10 ha afforested sites (25-50 and 75-100 percent canopy coverage) and control were selected. In each of studied site 15 plots were established and soil physiochemical properties were determined. Our result indicated that afforestation caused soil texture to change from sandy to sandy-loam. Also, soil phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and nitrogen increased in 0-5 cm soil depth by afforestation that could be because of nutrient absorption from soil depth and returning to the surface by litter fall compared to the control. This study revealed that 25-50 percent canopy coverage resulted in better soil physiochemical properties compared to control site. In conclusion, sand dunes afforestation not only resulted in sand dunes fixation but also soil fertility and long lasting fixation.

Traditionally, most corn field in Hamedan Province is prepared for planting by moldboard plowing followed by a number of secondary tillage operations. In recent years conservation tillage systems have become more popular. This research was conducted in the form of a split plot experimental design with six tillage treatments and three replications. Main tillage methods including: (T1) conventional tillage (moldboard plow + cyclotiller equipped with roller), (T2) combination tiller (chisel plow equipped with roller) (T3) bandary tillage with chisel blades were considered as main plots and two P fertilizer application including: (F1) fertilize broadcasting and (F2) fertilizer bandary placement were considered as sub plots. During growing seasons, soil mechanical resistance (cone index), soil bulk density and water infiltration in soil were measured. At the end of the growing season (harvesting time), corn yield and its components were measured. Results indicated that tillage methods and soil depth had a significant effect on the soil bulk density and cone index. The effect of tillage on water infiltration in soil was significant. The effect of P fertilizer application on corn yield was significant (P≤0/01) and P fertilizer bandary placement with mean corn yield of 10862 kg/ha had higher yield value than the fertilizer broadcasting with mean corn yield of 9965 kg/ha. Although the difference between tillage methods for corn yield was not statistically different, T2 treatment with mean corn yield of 10913 kg/ha had higher yield value than the other two tillage treatments (T1 with mean corn yield of 10106 kg/ha and T3 with mean corn yield of 10222 kg/ha).

This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of rill erosion and evaluate the ability of Hairsine-Rose model in estimation of sediment concentration. The experiments were carried out at the Soil and Water Conservation Research Station of Tehran University in Kuhin, Qazvin. Four flow rates were tested at three slopes in trapezoidal hand-made rills of 3 m long and 5 cm base width. Outflows were sampled periodically to determine changes in sediment concentration. The experiments were repeated in early autumn and mid spring. Sediment concentration showed a dynamic change with time which was affected by flow rate, slope and season. The sediment concentration was high in the first few minutes of the experiment but over time, dropped and finally reached a more or less stable state. The effects of flow rate and slope were more detectable on sediment concentration at the early unsteady conditions than at the final steady conditions. Though the temporal trends were similar, the sediment concentration was generally higher in autumn than in spring. Hairsine-rose model showed a better performance at lower flow stream powers but generally over predicted sediment concentration showing a systematic error probably due to model formulation.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of poultry manure (PM) and derived biochars on phosphorous (P) availability and apparent recovery in a calcareous soil. Treatments consisted of four rates of P (0, 30, 60 and 90 µgg-1) and five organic substances (blank, poultry manure and derived biochars at 200, 300 and 400°C). organic substances were incorporated with 400 g of soil at 2% level (w/w). All soil treated samples plus control were incubated for 150 days. Soil P availbility determined at 8 different stage of incubation time period. Phosphorous availability was less in untreated soil samples with organic substances and also decreased with time. Although P recovery from inorganic P fertilizer was high in the early stages of incubation time compared to treated soil samples but decreased with time, if not treated with organic substances. Phosphorus availability and recovery increased with time in PM and biochares treated soil samples. Simultanous application of inorganic P and organic substances decreased apparent P recovery. Negative interaction obsorved between organic substances and high rates of inorganic P fertilizer on P availability. It was concluded that PM biochar prepared at 300°C had the highest effect on adjusting P availability in calcareous soil.

Bi-level drainage system is a type of underground drainage systems, in which adjacent drainage lines are installed at different depths. In the Hydraulics Laboratory, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, a model was built, that include a cube tank 2 meters in length, width and height of 1 meters was made ​​of galvanized. In this model, two rows 20 cm apart from each other drains were installed. As drainage, a pipe of three layers to the outer diameter of 16 mm was made of PVC. Within this model of stratified soil was used as a soil layer of low permeability with a hydraulic conductivity of 1.15 cm per hour, thickness of 20 cm soil layer between two light soil layer with 30-cm thickness for bottom layer and 20 cm for the top layer with a hydraulic conductivity of 1.55 cm per hour. For accurate measurement of the water table Behavior in the soil at each point of the model, some piezometer distance of 10 cm from each other on the floor model was installed. After Outfit of model with blow-off valve, Experiments with a heavy irrigation for different intervals between depths of 30 and 50 cm were used in drainage and water table elevation values ​​as observed values ​​were extracted from the model. The results show that the values ​​obtained from Upadhyaya and Chauhan Equation only in small area of water table profiles, which include an area of between the two drainage, are consistent with observed and with a wider distance between deep and shallow drainage, time of drop in water table increased.

Mapping the spatial distribution of soil taxonomic classes is important for useful and effective use of soil and management decisions. Digital soil mapping (DSM) may have advantages over conventional soil mapping approaches as it may better capture observed spatial variability and reduce the need to aggregate soil types. A key component of any DSM activity is the method used to define the relationship between soil observations and environmental covariates. This study aims to compare multiple logistic regression models and covariate sets for predicting soil taxonomic classes in Bam district, Kerman province. The environmental covariates derived from digital elevation models, Landsat imagery, geomorphology map and soil unit map that were divided into two different sets: (1) variables derived from digital elevation models, remote sensing and geomorphology map, (2) variables derived from digital elevation model, remote sensing, geomorphology map and the soil map. Stratified sampling schemes were defined in 100000 hectares, and 126 soil profiles were excavated and described. The results of accuracy model showed that data set 2 increased accuracy of model including overall accuracy, kappa index, user accuracy and reliability of the producer. The results showed that the multiple logistic regression model can promote traditional soil mapping and it can be used to large group of other scientific fields.