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Earth and environmental sciences cover all planetary and Earth science aspects, including solid Earth processes, development of Earth, environmental issues, ecology, marine and freshwater systems, as well as the human interaction with these systems.
Earth and Environmental Sciences
The present state of our landscapes is not only the result of various natural processes, but of the anthropogenic effect that humankind had since its occurrence within the landscape. These processes reach back as far as the beginning of the known archaeological eras. One of the major problems in the reconstruction of landscape evolution is bridging the gap between the archaeologically well-defined periods and the extensively documented last three centuries. Remains of the various archaeological periods are conserved in the soil and form part of the soil’s memory function; but soils develop and might get destroyed over time. However, soils also bridge the heritage of once lived cultures with those events of the last few centuries that are reconstructable, based on written and map sources. It must be noted that the possibility of human-induced soil destruction is significantly higher within the mentioned centuries, therefore the understanding of land-use changes, land-use trajectories are essential in assessing the possible degradation of soils, archaeological sites and heritage.The present contribution attempts to integrate the tools of geoarchaeology, soil science and landscape ecology with the archaeological knowledge of the Cikola valley (Mezőföld, Hungary). The historic land-use changes within the target area of the valley were detected and quantified with the trajectory tracking method. This was compared to soil conditions, geoarchaeological data and to information collected through on-site archaeological field walking. The comparisons of archaeological sites that have been less or more intensively used in the past, differ both in soil conditions, and in the condition of the archaeological phenomena they preserve. The trajectory values gave a good estimate on the possible and predictable disturbance of the archaeological phenomena preserved at the examined sites.
Results of the performed preliminary particle size determination (PSD) experiments of soils show the importance of the preparation details of the laser diffractometer method (LDM). The analysis of the effect of each preparation factor on soil PSD data calls attention to the need for working out standard instructions defining the pre-treatments and settings for the LDM instrument. Further laboratory experiments involving larger soil datasets are required for the better understanding of the effects of soil pre-treatments and settings on PSD data. There is a practical reason of substituting the time-consuming pipette method with the LDM. In case of this substitution, linkages of the LDM PSD data and other soil properties are to be established. Correlation study of the LDM and conventional PSD data could make the harmonization of newly built and historical databases possible. Finally, the introduction of the LDM technique to soil physical methodology could generate the reevaluation of existing soil physical interrelations.
In a long-term fertilization field experiment set up in Debrecen-Látókép in 1983 on calcareous chernozem soil the changes in the chemical and microbiological characteristics related to the carbon and nitrogen cycles of the soil are shown and evaluated. The soil samples were taken in the 26th and 27th years of the experiment, (in 2009, 2010) from maize monoculture and tri-culture. In addition to the effects of fertilizer doses, correlations among soil chemical and microbiological properties were established; and the various ratios among some microbiological parameters were also evaluated.The elements of NPK fertilizers increased together with the doses, so the elements’ effect cannot be separated, the minimum factor is not identifiable.With increasing fertilizer doses, the soil pH decreased in both the mono- and triculture, parallelly there was a significant increase in hydrolytic acidity. A close negative correlation was proved between the pH(H2O) and hydrolytic acidity and pH(KCl) and hydrolytic acidity. An increased soil nutrient content was recorded in each NPK treatment, the available phosphorus and nitrate content increased in a higher proportion than that of potassium.Among the measured parameters of the carbon and nitrogen cycles fertilization had a positive influence on the organic carbon (OC), organic nitrogen (ON), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents, the number of cellulose decomposing and nitrifying bacteria, the nitrate exploration and CO2-production, while it mainly had negative effects on the investigated enzymes (saccharase and urease) activity.Evaluating the ratios among the measured parameters, fertilization seems to have promoted the increase in nitrogen-containing organic compounds, because the OC/ON and MBC/MBN ratios decreased due to the effect of different doses of NPK fertilizers in both cultures.
In water quality research the interest in online biofilm monitoring techniques has recently increased significantly. Christiani et al. (2008) presented a simple electrochemical technique to monitor electro-active biofilm in soil, based on the cathodic polarisation of stainless steel electrodes. Authors present an improved method, in which stainless steel was replaced by copper. By using copper-zinc electrodes authors have shown difference in the electrical potential between sterilized and native soils even at low moisture content.
The effects of genotypes, nutrient and water supply on the dry matter production and potassium uptake dynamics of maize (Zea mays L.) were studied on chernozem soil in the Debrecen-Látókép long-term field experiment (Eastern Hungary).According to the experimental results and calculations it can be concluded that — in addition to the previously used and considered soil and plant nutrient contents — the calculation of the plant-extracted nutrient amount (depending on the applied hybrid, NPK nutrient levels and water supply) is suggested to enable the characterization of the growth and nutrient demand dynamics of maize genotypes. This parameter gives information not only about the available nutrient amount at a given sampling time, but about the supply level of plants up to the sampling time as well. For the proper characterization of the mentioned dynamics of maize plants authors suggest to take the following sampling times into consideration: the intensive vegetative growth period, the switch between the vegetative and generative growth phases (silking), and the grain filling phase.
Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield samples taken from a consecutive series of crop years representing drought, normal and moist conditions at the Nagygombos experimental site of the Szent István University have been evaluated. The impact of N topdressing and crop year conditions on the performance of protein and wet gluten content were studied.The results suggest that ascending levels of N topdressing, and increased number of applications had a beneficial effect on the protein content, as well as on wet gluten values. Crop year had a significant effect on quality manifestation. The drier the crop year, the better the recorded quality performance. The magnitude of changes was bigger in case of gluten than in that of protein values. There were minor differences between the two varieties examined, especially in their response patterns to nitrogen supply. Dough formation depends mainly on the gliadin/ glutenin ratio, but there is less information on the agronomic and climatic impacts that may cause alterations in that.
The Sopron Wine Region is one of the most significant and historical wineproducing regions in Hungary, with a total area of 4300 hectares, out of which 1800 hectares are used for grapevine cultivation. The aim of the present research was to carry out basic measurements for soil, grape and wine in the Sopron Wine Region to obtain preliminary results for future investigations.The demonstrated methods are suitable for the combined analysis of soils, grape berry and wine. It was established that there are differences between the composition of grape berry and wine of the selfsame vine cultivar in the investigated areas. The terroir effects of the Sopron Wine Region have not been studied as yet extensively, although there are several international studies in this field (e.g. Hugget, 2006; Csikász-Krizsics & Diófási, 2008; Fernández-Marín et al., 2013). By future measurements carried out on a large number of samples and with sophisticated multivariate statistical analysis the relationships between measured physical and chemical parameters can be evaluated in the region, providing basis for establishing terroir aspects.
Plant nutrition is one of the most important intensification factors of crop production. The utilization of nutrients, however, may be modified by a number of production factors, including weed presence. Thus, the knowledge of occurring weed species, their abundance, nutrient and water uptake is extremely important to establish an appropriate basis for the evaluation of their risks or negative effects on crops. That is why investigations were carried out in a long-term fertilization experiment on the influence of different nutrient supplies (Ø, PK, NK, NPK) on weed flora in maize field.The weed surveys recorded similar diversity on the experimental area: the species of A. artemisiifolia, S. halepense and D. stramonium were dominant, but C. album and C. hybridum were also common. These species and H. annuus were the most abundant weeds.Based on the totalized and average data of all treatments, density followed the same tendency in the experimental years. It was the highest in the PK treated and untreated plots, and significantly exceeded the values of NK fertilized areas. Presumably the better N availability promoted the development of nitrophilic weeds, while the mortality of other small species increased.Winter wheat and maize forecrops had no visible influence on the diversity and the intensity of weediness. On the contrary, there were consistent differences in the density of certain weed species in accordance to the applied nutrients. A. artemisiifolia was present in the largest number in the untreated control and PK fertilized plots. The density of S. halepense and H. annuus was also significantly higher in the control areas. The number of their individuals was smaller in those plots where N containing fertilizers were used. Contrary to them, the density of D. stramonium, C. album and C. hybridum was the highest in the NPK treatments.
The surplus of the NPK balances of Hungarian agriculture, appearing in the nutrient balance sheet is a consequence of intensive fertilization in the past. Hungary had a positive P-balance between 1960 and 1990 for 30 years, and a positive NK-balance between 1970 and 1990 for 20 years during the 20th century.Studying the long-term effects of superphosphate in a field experiment on calcareous chernozem soil, it was found that the “half life time” of residual P was 5–7 years. The trial, i.e. the P after-effect lasted for 20 years.Liming and fertilization are the main soil fertility improving considerations for acidic sandy soils. These soils are often poor in all major nutrients. Mineral fertilizers, mainly NH4NO3, acidify soil, the pH values sink in comparison to the unfertilized plot. Liming and use of dolomite powder may counterbalance the acidification.
