University of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal of Soil Environment2476-49731120151001The effects of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on some physical properties of a sandy loam soil and nutrients uptake by spring barley19383ENFariba Samaei1. Former M.SC. Student, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh ArdabiliShokrollah AsghariAssociate Professor of Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh ArdabiliNasser AliasgharzadProfessor of Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz University:Journal Article20150416The coarse-textured soils have mainly macrospores, therefore, water and nutrients holding capacity of these soils is considerably low. Although the effects of mycorrhizal fungi on physical properties and nutrients uptake has been studied in fine- textured soils but the effect of these fungi on physical properties and nutrients uptake in coarse-textured soils has not been studied. A completely randomized block experimental design was conducted with two species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi including <em>Glomus intraradices</em> (GI), <em>Glomus etunicatum</em> (GE) and a non-mycorrhizal (control) undergrowth of spring barley with four replications in a sterilized sandy loam soil under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that GI and GE fungi significantly (P < 0.01) increased the mean weight diameter of aggregates by 113.6 and 201.8%, mesopores by 20.8 and 27.8% and microspores by 5 and 14.1%, total porosity by 2.2 and 2.6%, available water capacity by 13.3 and 27.1%, while decreased macropores by 9.5 and 17.3% and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K<sub>s</sub>) by 68.8 and 88.2% relative to the control, respectively. Furthermore, the percentages of increase were 45.9 and 164 for potassium and 53.5 and 135.1 for phosphorus in GI and GE relative to the control, respectively. According to the results of this study, mycorrhizal symbiosis improved physical quality and nutrients uptake of the alkaline coarse-textured soil.https://jse.uma.ac.ir/article_383_c3c923addeb761375e4ef6053cf373f1.pdfUniversity of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal of Soil Environment2476-49731120151001The effects of polyacrylamide on the parameters of physical quality in a clay loam soil selected from semiarid region1017384ENNeina SafariFormer M.SC. Student, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh ArdabiliNasser AliasgharzadProfessor of Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz UniversityShokrollah AsghariAssociate Professor of Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal Article20160305In semiarid regions, physical quality of fine-textured soils is generally poor due to low rate of organic matter and consequently weak stability of aggregates. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) on some physical quality indices and also their temporal variability in a clay loam soil which was selected from a semiarid region in the west of Iran. These indices were mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, dispersible clay ratio (DC), saturated hydraulic conductivity (K<sub>s</sub>), and total porosity (n). The rates of PAM including 0 (control), 0.125, and 0.25 g kg<sup>-1</sup> of air dry soil were mixed with the soil and uniformly packed into plastic pans, and incubated in a greenhouse at 0.7 to 0.8 field capacity moisture content (0.123-0.14 g g<sup>-1</sup>) and 22 ± 4 ºC for 6 months . MWD, DC, K<sub>s</sub>, and n were measured for the soil taken from the 10–15 cm layer of pans at 30, 90, and 180 days. The results showed that both low and high rates of PAM significantly increased the means of MWD by 83 and 127 % and n by 8.75 and 7.75 %, respectively compared with the control even 6 months after the start of the experiment. Also, both low and high rates of PAM significantly decreased the mean of DC by 31 and 43 % and increased the mean of K<sub>s </sub>by 11.5 and 14.5 %, respectively relative to the control. The beneficial effects of PAM on soil physical quality were reduced with time. By considering the application cost of PAM, it can be suggested that in semiarid regions, 0.125 g PAM kg<sup>-1</sup> of air dry soil is a suitable application rate for improving physical quality of fine-textured soils.https://jse.uma.ac.ir/article_384_668718140df93b91bf1672e2e88f91c7.pdfUniversity of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal of Soil Environment2476-49731120151001The effect of Diammonium Phosphate Fertilization on Salinity Tolerance of Maize (Zea mays L.)1827385ENSomaye Soltani SiahpoushMaster of Soil Science, Department Of Soil Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili , Ardabil-IranKazem HashemimajdAssociated prof. of Soil Science, Department Of Soil Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil-IranNosratolah NajafiAssociated prof. of Soil Science, Department Of Soil Science, Tabriz University , Tabriz-IranJournal Article20160305A greenhouse experiment was carried out to examine the effect of phosphorus fertilization on the tolerance of maize (<em>Zea mays </em>L.) to different soil salinity levels in 2011 at Mohaghegh Ardabili University in Ardabil- Iran. Five levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40, 80 and 160 kg Pha<sup>-1</sup>asdiammonium phosphate) and 10 salt levels (0.75, 1.20, 2.29, 3.30, 4.25, 5.11, 6.19, 8.80, 10.88 and 14.00 dSm<sup>-1</sup>) were investigated as a factorial combination with a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The results showed that stem diameter, leaf number and area, leaves chlorophyll index and shoot and root dry weights at 60 days after germination were significantly increased with phosphorus applications but were decreased with increasing soil salinity levels. Shoot and root phosphorous concentrations were increased with increasing soil salinity and phosphorus level. The maize plants treated with 80 kg P ha<sup>-1</sup> produced higher shoot and root dry matter over other levels. Maximum stem diameter, leaf number and area, leaves chlorophyll index were obtained by using 160 kg P ha<sup>-1</sup>. The interactive effects salinity and phosphorous on chlorophyll index and dry weight of shoot and root was significant, whereas other growth indices were not markedly changed. Application of phosphorus fertilizer mitigated the negative influences of salinity, causing the corn growth be increased.https://jse.uma.ac.ir/article_385_aae5a5347fa3a0d9e96ca0fd8401a2f0.pdfUniversity of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal of Soil Environment2476-49731120151001A Comparison of the performance of LFA method with Traditional assessment methods of soil properties in summer rangeland ecosystems, Hezar Jerib, North of Iran2834386ENIsa Jafari FootamiPhD Student of School of Natural Resources, Gorgan Agriculture Science and Natural Resources University, I.R.IranGholamali Heshmati. Professor, Department of Range Management, School of Range and Watershed Management, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural ResourcesJournal Article20160305 Soil and plant are the main criteria to recognize the function of natural ecosystems, and to evaluate their potentials. Application of new rangeland ecosystems monitoring methods is essential for ecological studies. LFA principles and soil surface assessment parameters are based on ecological conditions of Australia. The aims of this study were calibration of LFA method for a summer rangeland ecosystem and compare two aspects by LFA method and soil parameters in Hezar Jerib rangeland, Mazandaran province, North of Iran. In LFA 11 soil surface parameters are ranked to determine soil surface indices (infiltration, stability and nutrient cycling of soil). To compare LFA method with soil parameters; N, P, K, Organic matter, infiltration and stability were estimated by laboratory methods. Then LFA indices and experimental measurements were comparing by regression. The results indicate that LFA soil surface indices are in moderately verified class (R: 0.4-0.6) and strongly verified class (R>0.6) respectively. The results also showed that N, P, K, Organic matter, infiltration and stability in both aspects are in strongly verified class. The indexes of landscape stability and nutrient cycle were higher on the northern than southern areas for patches of grass-shrub, and the index of nutrient cycling was higher in south than the north direction for patches of shrubs. https://jse.uma.ac.ir/article_386_524c641d6121c57cee89b87c926ccc77.pdfUniversity of Mohaghegh ArdabiliJournal of Soil Environment2476-49731120151001Suitable site selections for gabion check dams construction using analytical hierarchy process and decision making methods3544387ENMarouf EmamgholiAlumnus Watershed management, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural ResourcesKhabat KhosraviPh.D Student of Watershed management, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural ResourcesNazila SedaiiPh.D alumnus in Watershed management, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural ResourcesJournal Article20160305Nowadays, soil erosion and sediment production are one of the problems facing human communities, which lead to less land productivity, low surface water quality, dam reservoir reduction and poor food production Third world and developing countries are not exceptions to this Problem, on the other hand, in these countries because of leakage of financial resources, scientific and meticulous planning is essential to combat problems and to prioritize areas for efficient use of limited resources. Therefore, in this research is an attempt to determine proper location for check dam constructions. Due to information required for decision-making in selecting appropriate regions and due to high intricacy of the effective parameters and high heterogeneity of the area, the spatial analysis in ArcGIS was used for Siazakh basin in Kurdistan province. So that, for determining proper location of check dams, the required basic data, field surveying, maps and other information produced using ARC-GIS, Autodesk-map, ENVI and Expert choice. After that, dendritic model was designed, which, consists of determining hierarchical levels. This hierarchical level contains a set of objects, criteria and Sub criteria. Later, standardization of factors, weighting the criteria and sub criteria was done based on AHP method. Paired test of criteria and sub-criteria (1-9 value) was performed using Expert choice software. Then, quantitative criteria (including: erosion, run off, watershed accessibility and watershed related characteristics criteria) combined with qualitative criteria (socio-economic criteria). Each of these criteria includes sub-criteria. Basin's prioritizing map was produced in GIS by preparation of criteria and sub-criteria map. Waterway map overlaid with prioritizing map and then among 946 waterways, 36 waterways were prioritized and allocated using Expert Choice software.https://jse.uma.ac.ir/article_387_b44b93a0bbb13c0dd0f2274ca0a41aa0.pdf