Parisa Farzamnia; Shahram Manafi; Hamidreza Momtaz
Abstract
Introduction: Minerals are one of the main components of soils which play different roles in the soils. Minerals make up about 50% of the volume of most soils. They provide physical support for plants, and create the water- and air-filled pores that make plant growth possible. Mineral weathering releases ...
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Introduction: Minerals are one of the main components of soils which play different roles in the soils. Minerals make up about 50% of the volume of most soils. They provide physical support for plants, and create the water- and air-filled pores that make plant growth possible. Mineral weathering releases plant nutrients which are retained by other minerals through adsorption, cation exchange, and precipitation. Minerals are indicators of the amount of weathering that has taken place, and the presence or absence of particular minerals gives clues to how soils have been formed. The physical and chemical characteristics of soil minerals are important consideration in planning, constructing, and maintaining of buildings, roads, and airports. Clay minerals can be used for understanding of soil formation, optimum management of dry and wet lands and interpretation of paleo environments. Moreover, clay minerals can provide some valuable information such as the origin of sediments, transportation and precipitation of sediments and also some information about intercontinental weathering regimes. Quaternary sediments have occupied most of the agricultural and natural resources of Urima plain and recognition of mineralogical of these soils is essential to optimum and stabile use of these soils. Additionally, caly mineralogical investigation can provide some information about the intensity of weathering processes and climate change in this area. Thus, in this study clay minerals of quaternary sediments in northeast of Urmia and the mechanisms of their formation and also tracing probable climate change in this area were investigated.
Materials and Methods: This study was performed in theUrmia plain in west Azerbaijan Province. The study area is located on quaternary sediments and physiographically, this area is a part of a river alluvial plain with the gentle slope toward Urmia Lake. The mean annual precipitation and temperature of this area are 345.37 mm and 10.83 °C respectively and the soil moisture and temperature regimes are dry xeric and mesic respectively. In this study, eight soil profiles in quaternary sediments were dug and sampled and the morphological, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties were determined using standard methods.
Results and Discussion: According to the results, Illite, smectite, Kaolinite, chlorite, vermiculite and hydroxy interlayer vermiculite (HIV) were the dominant clay minerals in these soils. The origin of illite, chlorite and kaolinite were related to inheritance from parent material. Regarding to the present of some smectite in the parent material of these soils, some of smectites have been inherited from parent material. Nevertheless it seems that, the most of smectites in these soils have pedogenic origin. Based on mineralogical results and trends variation of smectite and illite along studied profiles, we concluded that some of smectites in these soils have been formed from illite transformation. In profiles 4 and 6, regarding to low depth water table and consequently poor drainage, high pH and high values of calcium and magnesium cations, provide suitable conditions for the neoformation of smectit and so, some of smectites have been formed via neoformation from soil solution. In these soils, vermiculites were pedogenic and have been formed during transformation of illite to smectite. Small amounts of hydroxy interlayer vermiculites were present in buried horizons and regarding that they were not present in parent material, it might be because these minerals are pedogenic and have been formed in a past wetter climate. The transformation of illite to smectite in lower horizons needs high moisture and regarding to recent semiarid climate of study area, the suitable amount of moisture for this transformation, especially in lower depths and also in buried horizons, is not present. Thus, it seems the transformation of illite to smectite in lower depths and buried horizons has been taken place in a wetter past climate. So we concluded that smectite and hydroxy interlayer vermiculite are evidences of a wetter past climate in this area.
Conclusion: In this study the origin of smectite in buried horizons was related to transformation of illite. According to high moisture condition which is necessary for the weathering of illite, the occurrence of this process related to more humid climate of the past. Additionally, the presence of hydroxy interlayer vermiculites was related to previously wetter climate as well. So results of this study can be used for recognition of climatic change in the study area.
S. chakherloo; Sh. Manafi; A. Heidari
Abstract
In order to comparision of the micromorphic properties of saline-sodic and nonsaline-nonsodic soils in the west of Urmia Lake, four soil profiles (2profile in saline-sodic soils and 2profiles in nonsaline-nonsodic soils) were investigated. These profiles were described and sampled using standard methods. ...
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In order to comparision of the micromorphic properties of saline-sodic and nonsaline-nonsodic soils in the west of Urmia Lake, four soil profiles (2profile in saline-sodic soils and 2profiles in nonsaline-nonsodic soils) were investigated. These profiles were described and sampled using standard methods. soil samples were used for physico chemical analysis and undisturbed and oriented samples were used for thin section preparation. Thin sections were studied using polarizing microscope in PPL and XPL lights. Thin sections studies showed that saline-sodic soils are structure less (apedal), and their voids are mostly vughs and channel and as a result, their, nonsaline-nonsodic soils are pedal with compound packing voids, vughs and planar voids and as a result, The b.fabric in these to group of soils is crystallitic. In saline sodic soils pedofeatures are illuvial clay coatings, salt accumulations including coatings and infillings of halite in channel and vughs. These pedofeatures were not seen in nonsaline-nonsodic soils. Organic coatings were seen as black colored films on peds and in some cases mixed with groundmass of saline-sodic soils.Calcium carbonate accumulations as nodules and coatings and nodules and coatings of iron and Mn oxides were seen in both saline-sodic and nonsaline-nonsodic soils.
R. Hamzenejad Taghlidabad; H. Khodaverdiloo; Sh. Manafi; S. Rezapour
Abstract
Abstract
Nowadays, environmental pollution by heavy metals is one of the most serious threats of the world which needs effective remediation actions. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of Atriplex [Atriplex verucifera], Salicornia [Salicornia europaea] and Chenopodium Album in ...
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Abstract
Nowadays, environmental pollution by heavy metals is one of the most serious threats of the world which needs effective remediation actions. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of Atriplex [Atriplex verucifera], Salicornia [Salicornia europaea] and Chenopodium Album in simultaneous uptake and accumulation of Na and Cd or Pb in two calcareous soils with different properties. Two soils, including a saline-sodic-calcareous (S1) and a calcareous (S2) soil, were selected. Different concentrations of Pb (0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg Pb kg-1 soil) and Cd (0, 10, 30 and 100 mg Cd kg-1) were then added to the soils. . The contaminated soils were incubated under a wetting-drying moisture regime for nearly seven months. The plants seeds were grown in pots containing different treatments of polluted soils and in control treatment (no Cd and Pb contaminations). The plant yields and concentrations of Pb, Cd and Na in the soil and plant samples were measured. Results showed that relative yield of Salicornia was more in soil S1, whereas those of Atriplex and Chenopodium Album were more in soil S2. In saline- sodic soil, the values of Na bioconcentration factor (BCENa) in control treatment were 67, 202 and 57 for Atriplex, Salicornia and chenopodium album respectively. The high value of BCENa in Salicornia revealed the ability of this plant in absorption and accumulation of Na from soil. A considerable accumulation of soil Cd by Salicornia and Pb accumulation by Atriplex and Salicornia was observed under unsuitable conditions of the saline-sodic soil, whereas, Atriplex and Chenopodium had high capability for Cd in the soil S2. These results revealed that these plants could be used for remediation of Pb and Cd contaminated soils. In this study, Salicornia with lower rate of yield reduction had the highest tolerance to Cd-stress and it seems that one can use this plant for phytiremediation of Cd and Pb from saline- sodic soil even in high concentrations of Cd and Pb.
Keywords: Bioaccumulation, Sodium (Na), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Halophyte plants
