Restoration of degraded lands by adoption of recommended conservation management practices can rehabilitate watersheds and lead to improving soil and water quality. The objective was to evaluate the effects of grass buffers (GBs), biomass crops (BCs), grass waterways (GWWs), agroforestry buffers (ABs), landscape positions, and distance from tree base for AB treatment on soil quality compared with row crop (RC) (corn [Zea mays L.]–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation) on claypan soils. Soil samples were taken from 10‐cm‐depth increments from the soil surface to 30 cm for GB, BC, GWW, and RC with three replicates. Soil samples were collected from summit, backslope, and footslope landscape positions. Samples were taken at 50‐ and 150‐cm distances from the tree base. β‐Glucosidase, β‐glucosaminidase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase (FDA), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), active carbon (AC), and water‐stable aggregates (WSA) were measured. Results showed that β‐glucosidase, β‐glucosaminidase, dehydrogenase, FDA, AC, WSA, and TN values were significantly greater (P < 0.01) for the GB, BC, GWW, and AB treatments than for the RC treatment. The first depth (0–10 cm) revealed the highest values for all soil quality parameters relative to second and third depths. The footslope landscape had the highest parameter values compared with summit and backslope positions. The 50‐cm distance of AB treatment had higher values than the 150‐cm distance for all measured parameters. Results showed that perennial vegetation practices enhanced soil quality by improving soil microbial activity and SOC.
Core Ideas
Permanent vegetative management (trees and grasses) enhanced soil quality.
Perennial practices improved microbial activity and increased soil organic carbon.
Perennial vegetative practices have agricultural and environmental significance.
Establishing perennial practices is an effective approach to enhance soil quality.
The soil acari fauna of Citrus orchards of Baghdad in Jadiriya area was studied in a total of forty-eight samples. Twenty-two species were recorded during the present study of which eight species were first records to Iraq. The ordinal composition of the soil acari fauna was predominantly Mesostigmata. This fauna represents diverse trophic groups. The most abundant groups were the predacious and the Microphytophagus, while the less abundant groups were the predacious/ Microphytophagus, Macrophytophagus, and Panaphytophagus. The most abundant and frequent species were Rhizoglyphus sp. Tyrophagus putrescentiea (Scrank), Pachylaelaps longisetis Halbt. and Stratiolaelaps miles Berl.
The study area soils suffer from several problems appear as tkhesvat and cracks in the roads and waterlogging which reduces the susceptibility of soil to withstand pressure, this study was conducted on the soil of the Karkh district based on field study that included (6) samples of soil physical analyses contain different ratios of (mud, sand, silt) as percentages (52%, 45%, 3 #) respectively, and liquidity limit rate (39%) Stroke rate plasticity was (20.6%) The rate coefficient of plasticity total (19.2%)0
Abstract<p>The present work deals with the performance of screw piles constructed in gypseous soil of medium relative density; such piles are extensively used in piles foundations supported structures subjected to axial forces. The carrying capacity and settlement of a single screw pile model of several diameters (20, 30, and 40) mm inserted in gypseous soil is investigated in the present study. The gypsum content of soil used in tests was 40%. The bedding soil used in tests was prepared by raining technique with a relative density of 40%. A physical model was manufactured to demonstrate the tests in the laboratory. The model of screw pile has been manufactured of steel with a total length of 50</p>
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The response of floating stone columns of different lengths to diameter ratio (L/D = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10) ratios exposed to earthquake excitations is well modeled in this paper. Such stone column behavior is essential in the case of lateral displacement under an earthquake through the soft clay soil. ABAQUS software was used to simulate the behavior of stone columns in soft clayey soil using an axisymmetric finite element model. The behavior of stone column material has been modeled with a Drucker-Prager model. The soft soil material was modeled by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion assuming an elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. The floating stone columns were subjected to the El Centro earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.1 an
Activities associated with mining of uranium have generated significant quantities of waste materials containing uranium and other toxic metals. A qualitative and quantitative study was performed to assess the situation of nuclear pollution resulting from waste of drilling and exploration left on the surface layer of soil surrounding the abandoned uranium mine hole located in the southern of Najaf province in Iraq state. To measure the specific activity, twenty five surface soil samples were collected, prepared and analyzed by using gamma- ray spectrometer based on high counting efficiency NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The results showed that the specific activities in Bq/kg are 37.31 to 1112.47 with mean of 268.16, 0.28 to 18.57 with
Gypseous soils are distributed in many regions in the world including Iraq, which cover more than (31%) of the surface area of the country. Existence of these soils, always with high gypsum content, caused difficult problems to the buildings and strategic projects due to dissolution and leaching of the gypsum caused by the action of water flow through soil mass. For the study, the gypseous soil was brought from Bahr Al-Najaf, Al-Najaf Governorate which is located in the middle of Iraq. The model pile was embedded in gypseous soil with 42% gypsum content. Compression axial model pile load tests have been carried out for model pile embedded in gypseous soil at initial degree of saturation of (7%) before and after soil satu
The construction of embankment for roadway interchange system at urban area is restricted due to the large geometry requirements, since the value of land required for such construction is high, and the area available is limited as compared to rural area. One of the optimum solutions to such problem is the earth reinforcement technique which requires a limited area for embankment construction. Gypseous soil from Al-Anbar governorate area was obtained and subjected to various physical and chemical analysis to determine it is properties. A laboratory model box of 50x50x25 cm was used as a representative embankment; soil has been compacted in five layers at maximum dry density (modified compaction) and an aluminum reinforcement strips were i
The current research is attempt to test the reflection of the lean management on the human resources management practices of two of the most important communication companies operating in Iraq (`Zain & Asia cell), The research aims to Determine the extent of adoption of the lean management approach in the two researched companies, as it improving human resource management practices. The research problem represented in the existence of lack of in some aspects of the application the lean management approach in service sector and neglecting the impact of its tools on the human resource management practices. For this purpose three principle research hypotheses has been formulated, first there is a correlation rel
