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• Optimized balance between crop productivity, restoration and maintenance of vital soil functions and soil carbon sequestration and storage – the SmartSOIL (FP7) project

  213-215

  András Molnár

  Views:

  246

  Soils provide the most indispensable function of supporting the production of food and feed for a growing human population. At the same time they provide a range of regulating and supporting functions related to climate change and removal of greenhouse gases. The majority of the soil functions are closely linked to the flows and stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC); low levels of both flows and stocks may seriously interfere with several of the essential soil functions and thus affect the ecosystem services that soils deliver. Soil degradation is considered a serious problem in Europe and a large part of the degradation is caused by intensive cultivation practices in agriculture. The aim of the SmartSOIL project is to link the results of different scientific fields through a holistic and multidisciplinary approach and as a result develop a decision making tool contributing to sustainable development.

• Sight-specific development of the tools for the measurement of CO2-emission of the soil

  53-58

  Györgyi Kovács

  Nikolett Szőllősi

  Views:

  259

  Soil is the main source and at the same time the potential sink of greenhouse gases (e.g. CO₂, CH₄). Measurements were carried out in the experimental sites (soil tillage experiments and an extensive pasture) of the Karcag Research Institute of University of Debrecen, Centre for Agricultural Sciences to determine the CO₂-emission of the soil. The in situ CO₂-emission of soil was measured by means of an ANAGAS 98 infrared gas analyser in plastic (PVC) chambers, but this previously applied method (cylinders) was not suitable for the soil surface covered with grass,
  hence a new instrument was needed to be invented. In order to measure CO₂-emission on a larger area without deep disturbance of the soil, a special metal frame was created with a matching bowl. The most problematic part was the spatial delimitation of the measurement area as the surface of the soil can be very various and proper isolation is a must. We consider the frame+bowl method we developed suitable for measuring CO₂-emission of pastures as well as other crop-fields. 

• The effect of rising concentration of atmospheric carbone dioxide on crop production

  81-84

  András Tamás

  Views:

  253

  In the atmosphere, the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are rising in gradually increasing pace since the Industrial Revolution. The rising concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) contributes to global warming, and the changes affect to both the precipitation and the evaporation quantity. Moreover, the concentration of carbon dioxide directly affects the productivity and physiology of plants. The effect of temperature changes on plants is still controversial, although studies have been widely conducted. The C4-type plants react better in this respect than the C3-type plants. However, the C3-type plants respond more richer for the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate change.