- Email: [email protected]
Advances in soil science
192
I G U Commission Measurement, Theory and Application in Geomorphology, and IRHS, International Commission on Continental Erosion. The works presented cover a wide range of environments, continents, climatic and geographic zones, as well as showing a wide diversity of approaches from theory and practice to temporal and spatial scales. The works compiled show, and stress indirectly, an exchange of information and modes of communicating methods, results and ideas between geomorphologists, hydrologists, geographers and environmentalists, all of whom are striving toward a better insight and improved understanding of the processes which carve and shape landscapes under semi-arid and climatic conditions. Of the thirteen selected articles, eight are of a descriptive, diagrammatic nature, in which the current situation, and also the chemical, physical description of the areas, flora and soils are discussed, but the processes involved are either referred to (e.g. piping out, lateral vs. vertical flow channels in soils, unisotropicity, localized collapse of soil structure and crop) or qualitatively mentioned. A modest attempt is made to modify the universal soil loss equation; as seen in the work of Madeyski and Banasik (Poland). De Poley (Belgium) presents in his work, a model to calculate headcut retreat in rills and gullies only when there is no internal horizontal flow in the soil and the process is governed by waterfalls and formation of plunge-pools. Regression analysis to quantify downstream patterns of mean grain size carried or deposited and sorted along stream beds is used by Rhoades in his, presented, work. It appears to me that discussions held by the workshop participants, as reflected by the works compiled, were impaired by a lack of balance; namely, relatively small numbers of surface hydrologists. Yet the reader will find the book's contents very informative, interesting and conducive to further research programs, promotion of new ideas and new formulations of the erosive, transport and deposition processes discussed. A. HADAS
Agricultural Research Organization Institute o f Soils and Water The Volcani Center P.O. Box 6 Bet Dagan 50-250 Israel
ADVANCES IN SOIL SCIENCE
Advances in soil science, Volume 12, by B.A. Stewart (Editor). Springer, New York, 1989, 221 pp., DM 186.00, ISSN: 0176-9340, ISBN: 0-387-97121-1.
193
This volume contains five contributions ranging from basic research on clay mineralogy studies using new techniques, to field studies on soil structure management practices and minimization of soil water evaporation. The five works are review articles that summarize and update the information available on the stated subjects. B.D. Kay's presentation on "Rates of Change of Soil Structure under Different Cropping" begins by defining soil structure and listing the most important characteristics of soil structure, leading to discussion of processes responsible for soil structure changes in form, stability, resilience, strength and management practices of soil structure through cropping systems, tillage, water balance and chemical amendments. An attempt is made to quantify soil structure range changes resulting from cropping systems. This well written article includes nine figures and reviews, analyses and summarizes 238 recent articles. "Crop Response to Azospirillum Innoculation" by M.E. Sumner, reviews the roots-Azospirillum interactions, crop response to innoculation by Azospirillum, the possible reactions and processes involved, and the importance of strains involved. The contents include eight tables, some of which summarize tremendous amounts of documented, referenced works and two figures based on referenced literature which includes 181 articles. The problems and merits of applying 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy to soil science and clay mineralogy studies is discussed by E. Murad. This method offers an insight into the characteristic properties of soil minerals containing iron and which are inclined to be ordered magnetically. The readings and determinations are susceptible to errors and discrepancies by imperfections, and ill-prepared samples and there is a need for corroborating determinations by other methods, e.g. X-ray diffraction, and selective dissolution procedures. The article includes one table and 11 figures and is based on 105 works listed as references. An article by P.B. Malla and S. Komarnani, "The High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy" describes another technique for the study of soil and soil clays. This technique of high resolution, electron transmission yields chemical, mineralogical physical-structural information about silicate layers, and consequently on soil minerals. The reader is given a short description of the technique, principles and physical background upon which the technique is based. Specific discussions deal with soil or clay sample preparations, characterization of the results and concise conclusions. Sixteen figures and 63 references are given and listed. The last review article, by S.K. Jalota and S.S. Prihar deals with "Bare-Soil Evaporation in Relation to Tillage." This article is of importance to agronomists and practical extension specialists who are involved and interested in tillage and water conservation practices. The reader is introduced to the process of bare-soil evaporation, factors affecting it (e.g. climate, soil type), dynamic aspects of the process and how
194
it is affected by tillage. All in all the presentation based on theoretical studies as well as practical-empirical observations, includes three tables, 12 figures, simple equations and 99 referenced articles. This volume offers an interesting m e n u to soil scientists and the well written articles are worth reading. A. HADAS
Institute of Soils and Water Agricultural Research Organization The Volcani Center PO Box 6 Bet Dagan 50250 Israel
SOIL EROSION IN EUROPE
Soil Erosion Protection Measures in Europe, by U. Schwertmann, R.J. Rickson and K. Auerswald (Editors). Soil Technology Series 1, Catena Verlag, Cremlingen-Destedt, Germany, 1989, 216 pp., DM 119.00/US$75.00, ISBN 3-923381-16-6. There is a great need to apply known technology to control soil erosion, yet at the same time there is also an urgent need to further understand the processes of soil erosion and assess the efficiency of erosion control practices. Soil Erosion Protection Measures in Europe is the edited proceedings of the Fourth European C o m m u n i t y Workshop on soil erosion protection held at Freising-Weihenstephan in 1988. The aim of the workshop was to consider measures to protect against soil erosion and offsite effects in different European countries. In all, the book contains 20 papers which address a wide range of soil erosion issues. In addition, the volume provides a list of recommendations for future requirements to further develop soil protection methods and foster research co-operation. Overall, the great diversity of European agroecosystems ensures that the approaches to control soil erosion will be equally diverse and varied. No one m e t h o d or strategy can be a c c o m m o d a t e d or used to provide adequate soil protection. Choice of erosion control methods will depend on the local agricultural system, site characteristics, type of erosion, cropping system, h u m a n pressure, and other factors. Understandably then, the papers in the book consist of individual case studies, although at the same time several c o m m o n strategies utilized to combat erosion are described. The first three papers of the proceedings deal with wind erosion. Description of wind control measures in The Netherlands, mainly for sandy soils used for vegetables and bulb growing, and peat areas, covers a wide range of meth-
I G U Commission Measurement, Theory and Application in Geomorphology, and IRHS, International Commission on Continental Erosion. The works presented cover a wide range of environments, continents, climatic and geographic zones, as well as showing a wide diversity of approaches from theory and practice to temporal and spatial scales. The works compiled show, and stress indirectly, an exchange of information and modes of communicating methods, results and ideas between geomorphologists, hydrologists, geographers and environmentalists, all of whom are striving toward a better insight and improved understanding of the processes which carve and shape landscapes under semi-arid and climatic conditions. Of the thirteen selected articles, eight are of a descriptive, diagrammatic nature, in which the current situation, and also the chemical, physical description of the areas, flora and soils are discussed, but the processes involved are either referred to (e.g. piping out, lateral vs. vertical flow channels in soils, unisotropicity, localized collapse of soil structure and crop) or qualitatively mentioned. A modest attempt is made to modify the universal soil loss equation; as seen in the work of Madeyski and Banasik (Poland). De Poley (Belgium) presents in his work, a model to calculate headcut retreat in rills and gullies only when there is no internal horizontal flow in the soil and the process is governed by waterfalls and formation of plunge-pools. Regression analysis to quantify downstream patterns of mean grain size carried or deposited and sorted along stream beds is used by Rhoades in his, presented, work. It appears to me that discussions held by the workshop participants, as reflected by the works compiled, were impaired by a lack of balance; namely, relatively small numbers of surface hydrologists. Yet the reader will find the book's contents very informative, interesting and conducive to further research programs, promotion of new ideas and new formulations of the erosive, transport and deposition processes discussed. A. HADAS
Agricultural Research Organization Institute o f Soils and Water The Volcani Center P.O. Box 6 Bet Dagan 50-250 Israel
ADVANCES IN SOIL SCIENCE
Advances in soil science, Volume 12, by B.A. Stewart (Editor). Springer, New York, 1989, 221 pp., DM 186.00, ISSN: 0176-9340, ISBN: 0-387-97121-1.
193
This volume contains five contributions ranging from basic research on clay mineralogy studies using new techniques, to field studies on soil structure management practices and minimization of soil water evaporation. The five works are review articles that summarize and update the information available on the stated subjects. B.D. Kay's presentation on "Rates of Change of Soil Structure under Different Cropping" begins by defining soil structure and listing the most important characteristics of soil structure, leading to discussion of processes responsible for soil structure changes in form, stability, resilience, strength and management practices of soil structure through cropping systems, tillage, water balance and chemical amendments. An attempt is made to quantify soil structure range changes resulting from cropping systems. This well written article includes nine figures and reviews, analyses and summarizes 238 recent articles. "Crop Response to Azospirillum Innoculation" by M.E. Sumner, reviews the roots-Azospirillum interactions, crop response to innoculation by Azospirillum, the possible reactions and processes involved, and the importance of strains involved. The contents include eight tables, some of which summarize tremendous amounts of documented, referenced works and two figures based on referenced literature which includes 181 articles. The problems and merits of applying 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy to soil science and clay mineralogy studies is discussed by E. Murad. This method offers an insight into the characteristic properties of soil minerals containing iron and which are inclined to be ordered magnetically. The readings and determinations are susceptible to errors and discrepancies by imperfections, and ill-prepared samples and there is a need for corroborating determinations by other methods, e.g. X-ray diffraction, and selective dissolution procedures. The article includes one table and 11 figures and is based on 105 works listed as references. An article by P.B. Malla and S. Komarnani, "The High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy" describes another technique for the study of soil and soil clays. This technique of high resolution, electron transmission yields chemical, mineralogical physical-structural information about silicate layers, and consequently on soil minerals. The reader is given a short description of the technique, principles and physical background upon which the technique is based. Specific discussions deal with soil or clay sample preparations, characterization of the results and concise conclusions. Sixteen figures and 63 references are given and listed. The last review article, by S.K. Jalota and S.S. Prihar deals with "Bare-Soil Evaporation in Relation to Tillage." This article is of importance to agronomists and practical extension specialists who are involved and interested in tillage and water conservation practices. The reader is introduced to the process of bare-soil evaporation, factors affecting it (e.g. climate, soil type), dynamic aspects of the process and how
194
it is affected by tillage. All in all the presentation based on theoretical studies as well as practical-empirical observations, includes three tables, 12 figures, simple equations and 99 referenced articles. This volume offers an interesting m e n u to soil scientists and the well written articles are worth reading. A. HADAS
Institute of Soils and Water Agricultural Research Organization The Volcani Center PO Box 6 Bet Dagan 50250 Israel
SOIL EROSION IN EUROPE
Soil Erosion Protection Measures in Europe, by U. Schwertmann, R.J. Rickson and K. Auerswald (Editors). Soil Technology Series 1, Catena Verlag, Cremlingen-Destedt, Germany, 1989, 216 pp., DM 119.00/US$75.00, ISBN 3-923381-16-6. There is a great need to apply known technology to control soil erosion, yet at the same time there is also an urgent need to further understand the processes of soil erosion and assess the efficiency of erosion control practices. Soil Erosion Protection Measures in Europe is the edited proceedings of the Fourth European C o m m u n i t y Workshop on soil erosion protection held at Freising-Weihenstephan in 1988. The aim of the workshop was to consider measures to protect against soil erosion and offsite effects in different European countries. In all, the book contains 20 papers which address a wide range of soil erosion issues. In addition, the volume provides a list of recommendations for future requirements to further develop soil protection methods and foster research co-operation. Overall, the great diversity of European agroecosystems ensures that the approaches to control soil erosion will be equally diverse and varied. No one m e t h o d or strategy can be a c c o m m o d a t e d or used to provide adequate soil protection. Choice of erosion control methods will depend on the local agricultural system, site characteristics, type of erosion, cropping system, h u m a n pressure, and other factors. Understandably then, the papers in the book consist of individual case studies, although at the same time several c o m m o n strategies utilized to combat erosion are described. The first three papers of the proceedings deal with wind erosion. Description of wind control measures in The Netherlands, mainly for sandy soils used for vegetables and bulb growing, and peat areas, covers a wide range of meth-