Fabienne Trolard

Anthropogenic contamination of groundwater with nitrate in arid region: case study of southern Hodna (Algeria)

In southern Hodna, an arid region of Algeria, the extension of irrigated agriculture and overexploitation of groundwaters have led to a rupture with traditional land use by pastoralism. Due to the arid conditions, groundwaters are the only water resources for man and irrigation. This study focuses on nitrate contamination of groundwaters and its increase since the last 40xa0years, on the basis of two archives and recent analyses. The chemical facies of waters is sulphate-chloride, the risk of salinity is moderate to large. The sodicity risk, as estimated by the SAR, is low due to the large salinity and the sandy soil texture. Nitrate contamination of deep groundwater is a clear evidence when recent data are compared to the historical data. From 1996 to 2008, the proportion of samples with NO3− concentrations larger than 50xa0mg/L increases from 24 to 61xa0%, the proportion of samples with NO3− concentrations larger than 100xa0mg/L increases from 12 to 27xa0%. The study points at a general contamination of aquifers from anthropic origin: phreatic water was already contaminated when pastoralism was dominant (1967); as population increased and irrigation agriculture developed with large use of N-fertilizers and organic amendments, contamination extended spatially and vertically to deep aquifer. To remediate this contamination, fertilizers should be fractionated and limited to plant requirements on the basis of soil and plant analyses. Excess of irrigation should be avoided. Soil surface should be continuously covered to prevent nitrate leaching. Secondly, more efficient irrigation techniques, such as localized irrigation, should be implemented, with adaptation of crop systems and fertilizer inputs to arid conditions. Farmers should then be trained; simultaneously, local agronomic references that are presently lacking should be acquired.

Early detection of the effects of compaction in forested soils: evidence from selective extraction techniques

PurposeSoil compaction resulting from mechanisation of forest operations reduces air permeability and hydraulic conductivity of soil and can result in the development of hydromorphic and/or anoxic conditions. These hydromorphic conditions can affect physico-chemical properties of the soils. However, early detection of these effects on mineralogical portion of soils is methodologically difficult.Materials and methodsTo analyse the effects of soil compaction on iron minerals in loamy Luvisol, three compacted and three non-compacted soil profiles up to the depth of 50xa0cm were collected from an artificially deforested and compacted soils after 2xa0years of treatment. Soil was compacted with the help of 25 Mg wheeler’s load to increase the dry bulk density of soil from 1.21u2009±u20090.05 to 1.45u2009±u20090.1xa0gxa0cm−3. Soil samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and were treated by citrate bicarbonate (CB) and dithionite citrate bicarbonate (DCB) under controlled conditions. Major and minor elements (Fe, Al, Mg, Si and Mn) were analysed by ICP-AES in the CB and DCB extracts.Results and discussionIt was found that X-ray diffraction is not an enough sensitive method to detect the quick mineralogical changes due to soil compaction. Results obtained from CB-DCB extractions showed that soil compaction resulted in larger CB and smaller DCB extractable elements as compared to non-compacted soil. Labile Fe was found 30xa0% of total Fe oxides in compacted soil against 10–14xa0% in non-compacted soils. Compaction thus resulted in Fe transfer from non-labile to labile oxides (s.l.). Results showed that soil compaction leads to the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+. The effects of hydromorphic conditions due to soil compaction were observed up to the depth of 35xa0cm in forest soil profile. Furthermore, a close association of Al with Fe oxides was observed in the soil samples, while Mn and Si were mainly released from other sources, Mg showing an intermediate behaviour.ConclusionsHydromorphic conditions owing to soil compaction affect the mobility and crystallisation process of iron mineral. CB-DCB selective extraction technique, in contrast to XRD technique, can be effectively used to examine the possible effects of soil compaction on iron minerals.