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Intensive inversion tillage operations triggered a considerable organic carbon release from cultivated topsoils. Decreasing tillage intensity or land use change are reported to increase the soil organic matter (SOM) content of the degraded topsoil even within a decade. However, the chemical composition, storage mechanisms, and fate of the SOM surplus are not fully understood. Among the environmental and soil conditions, the role of carbonates is considered essential. The present study compares the SOM surpluses due to tillage intensity drop under acidic forest soils and Chernozems. The topsoils (0-10cm) of three long-term (~20 years) field trials were investigated in Hungary. SOM composition was estimated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Tillage intensity drop and pasture construction significantly increased the SOM content in all sites’ topsoils. At two locations, both organic matter pools increased, whereas only the mobile SOM pool has grown due to pasture construction. This suggests that a considerable amount of additional carbon can be stored in the soil, even in crop fields, using conservation technics. The SOM surplus did not change the original SOM composition trends of the labile and stable OM pools; consequently, the OM composition of the pools is rather the functions of soil and environmental conditions than sequestration mechanisms. In the acidic soil and the Chernozem under pasture, the mineral phase associated OM (stable pool) was ruled by aliphatic components, whereas the mobile, aggregation occluded OM was more aromatic. In agreement with the mainstream literature, we found the opposite trend on the other Chernozem site. Therefore the role of carbonates solely does not explain the differences. For more general trends, additional case studies must be involved. This research was funded by the National Research, Development, and Innovation Office (NKFIH), grant number: K-123953, and supported by the Eötvös Loránd Research Network SA41/2021, and EJP Sic-Soc-Dyn.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key soil quality property, indicative of the organic matter stored in the soil, which may also be a function of temporal variation. This study examines whether DOM is a robust property of the soil, controlling fertility, or if it may change with time. Altogether eight sets of soil samples were collected in 2018 and 2019 from the cultivated topsoil (0–10 cm) of cropland and from a nearby grassland near Martonvásár, Hungary. The study sites were characterized by Chernozem soil and were part of a long-term experimental project comparing the effects of manure application and fertilization to the control under maize and wheat monocultures. DOM was extracted from the samples with distilled water. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (DN), biological index (BIX), fluorescence index (FI), humification index (HIX), carbon nitrogen (C/N) ratio and specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254) index were studied in the arable soils, and the results showed that all the DOM samples were humified, suggesting relevant microbiological contributions to the decomposition of OM and its conversion into more complex molecules (FI = 1.2–1.5, BIX = ~0.5, and HIX = ~0.9). Temporal variations were detected only for the permanent grassland where higher DOM concentration was found in spring. This increased DOM content mainly originated from humified, solid phase associated, recalcitrant OM. In contrast, there were no differences among fertilization treatments and sampling dates under cropfield conditions. Moreover, climatic conditions were not proven as a general ruler of DOM properties. Therefore, momentary DOM alone is not necessarily the direct property of soil organic matter under cropfield conditions. The application of this measure needs further details of sampling conditions to achieve adequate comparability.

Global warming is accompanied by increasing water stress across much of our planet. We studied soil biological processes and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in 30 Hungarian oak forest sites in the Carpathian Basin along a climatic gradient (mean annual temperature (MAT) 9.6–12.1 °C, mean annual precipitation (MAP) 545–725 mm) but on similar gently sloped hillsides where the parent materials are loess and weathered dust inputs dating from the end of the ice age. The purpose of this research was to understand how a drying climate, predicted for this region, might regulate long-term SOC sequestration. To examine the effects of decreasing water availability, we compared soil parameters and processes in three categories of forest that represented the moisture extremes along our gradient and that were defined using a broken-stick regression model. Soil biological activity was significantly lower in the driest (“dry”) forests, which had more than double the SOC concentration in the upper 30 cm layer (3.28 g C/100 g soil ± 0.11 SE) compared to soils of the wettest (“humid”) forests (1.32 g C/100 g soil ± 0.09 SE), despite the fact that annual surface litter production in humid forests was ~ 37% higher than in dry forests. A two-pool SOM model constrained to fit radiocarbon data indicates that turnover times for fast and slow pools are about half as long in the humid soil compared to the dry soil, and humid soils transfer C twice as efficiently from fast to slow pools. Enzyme activity and fungal biomass data also imply shorter turnover times associated with faster degradation processes in the soils of humid forests. Thermogravimetry studies suggest that more chemically recalcitrant compounds are accumulating in the soils of dry forests. Taken together, our results suggest that the predicted climate drying in this region might increase SOC storage in Central European mesic deciduous forests even as litter production decreases.

Intensive tillage operations, especially moldboard plowing, are widely described as one of the leading causes of soil organic matter (SOM) decrease in cultivated topsoils. Experiments proved that afforestation or even dropped tillage intensity might increase the SOM content of the soil within decades. However, little is known about the forms and sequestration mechanisms of the recently produced organic matter under conservation agriculture practices. Thus, the present study aimed to test the following hypotheses on a Chernozem crop field shifted to conservation tillage: (i) SOM increase appears in the uppermost soil layer without any effect in the subsoil layer; (ii) SOM increase affects each (both labile and stabile) SOM pools of the soil; (iii) the increase modifies the SOM composition of the fractions. The investigations were carried out in a long-term field experiment established in 2002 at Józsefmajor, Hungary. The present study compares the SOM amount and composition of the 0-10 cm and 30-40 cm horizons under plowing, deep cultivation, and no-tillage. Decreasing cultivation intensity resulted in a general soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration increase in both the mineral phase associated OM (stable pool), and the aggregate occluded OM fractions (labile pool). This indicates a relevant saturation deficit in both fractions of the topsoil even though the particulate organic matter fraction did not change. The increase is probably due to the above-ground plant residue input surplus as the SOC content in the 30-40cm layer did not change. The SOM surplus stabilized in the soil did not affect SOM composition differences between depth and fractions resulted in a cultivation-independent chemical SOM composition. The only difference was aromaticity, which showed increasing stratification due to tillage intensity mitigation. These results suggest the highlighted role of dissolved organic matter movement in the profile as the possible driving force of differentiation of aromaticity with depth. The results also underline the role of local circumstances in organic matter composition changes, proving the process's complexity and the difficulties of holistic model construction. The present research was supported by the Hungarian National Research and Innovation Office (NKFIH) K-123953, which is kindly acknowledged.

Extreme precipitation events can trigger flash flood, mass movements, pluvial flood and accelerated soil erosion. As soil structures are highly degraded due to intensive improper cultivation water infiltration can considerably decrease during the vegetation period. Additional changes in canopy coverage on the soil surface cause relevant variability in infiltration and hence vulnerability against runoff related disasters. Most researchers agree that the frequency of extreme precipitations increases, however, in the Carpathian Basin the uncertainties are quite high. This study aims to compare daily maximum mean precipitation amounts (MMPA) predicted by the Goda-method for June and August as the most probable months of extremities. We used the CarpatClim database as input and predicted MMPAs for two periods, 1960–1985 and 1986–2010. The Goda-method uses monthly data and calculates daily results on given probability. A general increase was found between the first and second half of the period regarding daily maximum precipitation amount in both investigated months. For August the 1-day precipitation amount increased from 56.1 mm to 61.8 mm, whereas 6-days amount from 93.8 mm to 103.2 mm at 1 per cent probability (r = 0.53; p < 0.001). Beyond this change, relevant spatial differences were found. Comparing the macro regions plains had lower increase compared to the mountains, whereas the highest increase was at the. The most endangered location is the southern part of the Transdanubian Hills where parallel with the intensive increase in MMPA both in June and August the environmental conditions such as loose parent material and the high percentage of crop fields also emphasize the potential hazard.

Soils and their functions are critical to ensuring the provision of various ecosystem services. Many authors nevertheless argue that there is a lack of satisfactory operational methods for quantifying the contributions of soils to the supply of ecosystem services. Therefore, it is difficult to automate and standardize the mathematical and statistical methods for the selection of indicators and their scoring. Our objective is the development of a novel soil quality and ecological indicator selection and scoring method based on a database representing the most common Hungarian soils typical for arable lands of Central Europe (Chernozems, Phaeozems, Luvisols, Cambisols, Gleysols, Solonetz, Arenosols). For evaluation purposes, soil texture, depth to groundwater table, soil organic matter (SOM), pH, calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), electrical conductivity (EC), Na, available N, P, K, Mg, S, Cu, Zn and Mn of 1045 plots representing a total land area of about 5000 ha at 0–30 cm layer were analyzed. We classified the samples into 25 soil types. Using correlation, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis the direction and strength of the intercorrelation of indicators and their combinations were determined. Indicators were classified into the following categories: (1) indicators that characterize nutrient retention and cation exchange capacity: texture, SOM, EC and Na; (2) available nutrients, relatively independent from management practices: K, Mg, Cu; (3) indicators that determine base saturation: pH, CCE, available Mn; (4) highly variable available nutrients: N, S, P, Zn. By reviewing the results of Hungarian long-term experiments, we interpreted the soil indicators as a function of agricultural suitability. Following the parameterized and non-linear interpretation of the indicators, we analysed the variance of soils, in terms of their agricultural land suitability. According to the intercorrelation of input indicators and variance of scored indicators the minimum data set for soil quality assessment includes texture, depth of groundwater table, SOM, pH, Na, available K, P and Zn. In order to further advance our soil quality assessment model, our following goals target the determination the hierarchical ranking and grouping of soil parameters in a combined manner.

In the Jakupica Mt. (North Macedonia, Central Balkan Peninsula; ~41.7° N, ~21.4 E; maximum elevation: 2540 m asl) a large plateau glacier was reconstructed. The lowest mapped moraines in the northeastern valleys are at elevations of 1490-1720 m asl and suggest the former existence of glacier tongues of ~3 km length. The maximum ice extent and five deglaciation phases were reconstructed. The equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of the most extended glacial phase is 2073+37/-25 m asl. The 10Be Cosmic Ray Exposure (CRE) age (n=8) of this phase was estimated at 19.3+1.7/-1.3 ka, conformable with the LGM similarly to the nearby Jablanica Mt [1]. CRE ages from the next moraine generation placed the first phase of deglaciation to 18.2+1.0/-3.0 ka (n=8). The samples from the moraine of the penultimate deglaciation phase (n=5) provided CRE ages with large scatter and biased towards old ages, which is probably the result of inherited cosmogenic nuclide concentrations within the rock [2, 3], as it was suggested in the cirques of the Retezat Mt. [4].Glacio-climatological modelling was performed under constrains of geomorphological evidence in order to make paleoclimatological inferences. The degree-day model was used to calculate the amount of accumulation required to sustain the glaciological equilibrium assuming a certain temperature drop at the ELA for the most extended stage.If the LGM mean annual temperature and the increased annual temperature range suggested by pollen-based paleoclimate reconstructions [5] are placed into the glaciological model the estimated annual total melt at the LGM ELA implies much wetter conditions compared to the current climate. This is in contrast with the regional LGM annual precipitation reconstructions of the same dataset, which suggests ~25% decrease in the Jakupica Mt. Alternatively, the model can be constrained with the current annual temperature range and the regional estimates of LGM temperature drop at 6-7 °C. This suggests 1.3 to 1.8 times more simulated precipitation than today.These results support paleoclimate models, which predict increased precipitation in this region and suggest that in the Central Balkan region either the precipitation or the annual temperature amplitude (or both) are inaccurate in the pollen-based paleoclimate reconstruction database. Funding: NKFIH FK124807; GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00009; RADIATE 19001688-ST. [1] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al. 2020. Geomorphology 351: 106985[2] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al. 2021. GRA, EGU21-4573[3] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al. 2021. vDEUQUA2021, Book of Abstracts, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5526214[4] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al. 2021. Geomorphology, 107719.[5] Bartlein, et al. 2011. Clim. Dyn. 37, 775–802.

Since the 19th century, geomorphological studies in the currently mainly unglaciated central Balkan Peninsula described extended glacial landforms and repeated glaciations. With the growing number of numerical ages an ambiguous picture has formed concerning the timing of the most extended glaciation and also on the glacier response to the cooling phases (e.g. Younger Dryas) during the last deglaciation of these mountain ranges.This study provides 10Be cosmic ray exposure ages of a succession of glacial landforms in the Jakupica Mt. (North Macedonia), aiming to improve the understanding of Late Pleistocene glacier development in the area [1].In the Jakupica Mt. (~41.7° N, ~21.4 E; Solunska Glava, 2540 m asl) a large plateau glacier was reconstructed (max. area ~45 km2, max thickness: ~300 m), where three main ice accumulation areas could be delineated [2]. The study area comprises six northeastward facing, formerly glaciated valleys. Two of these valleys emerge from the plateau, one stands separate, and the remaining three are topographically separated by a relatively flat NNW-SSE oriented ridge. During the most extensive glacial stages, these three valleys were fed by ice overflowing above this ridge from the plateau. The lowest mapped moraines are descending down to 1550-1700 m asl suggesting the former existence of glacier tongues of ~3 km length. The large plateau ice and the complicated system of confluences makes glacier reconstructions and equilibrium line altitude (ELA) calculations challenging. Thus, the ELAs were preliminary estimated based on the maximum elevation of the lowermost lateral moraines, leading to ELA values of 1800±50 m a.s.l. for the most extended phase.The maximum ice extent outlined by the lowest mapped moraines descending down to 1550-1500 m asl. occurred around ~24-19 ka (n=5), in agreement with the timing of the Last Glacial Maximum. During the Lateglacial, the exposure ages are getting younger by the glacier recession up to the moraines at ~1820 m asl (~19-14 ka, n=15). However, the highest sampled landforms (~2200 m asl) provided ages with a large scatter between ~25 and ~5 ka (n=6). This large scatter and the observed bias towards old ages are most probably the result of inherited cosmogenic nuclide concentrations within the rock. Consequently, 10Be exposure ages alone are apparently not suitable to determine the age of final deglaciation of this mountain. Similar conditions have been observed in the Retezat Mts (Southern Carpathians, Romania) [3].This research was supported by the NKFIH FK124807 and GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00009 projects and by the Radiate Transnational Access 19001688-ST.[1] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al., 2020. Last deglaciation in the central Balkan Peninsula: Geochronological evidence from Jablanica Mt. (North Macedonia). Geomorphology 351: 106985[2] Temovski et al., 2019. Glacial geomorphology of the northeastern part of the Jakupica Mountain, Macedonia, Central Balkan Peninsula. GRA 21, EGU2019-7822[3] Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger et al., 2018. Glacier reconstruction, deglaciation chronology and paleo-environment reconstruction, Retezat Mountains, Southern Carpathians, Romania. Geologica Balcanica; Abstracts of the XXI. CBGA Congress, Salzburg, 10-13 September; p. 240-241.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is in the focus of research as it plays crucial role in soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and all adsorption related processes in the soil. Nevertheless, its compound and the methods to investigate it are rather diverse. Some approach prefers to define different theoretical carbon pools in the soil based on input and mineralization dynamics using mean residence times. Other studies apply physical and/or chemical fractionations of the soil to separate the various eg. mineral phase associated or aggregate occluded carbon pools to gain less heterogeneous material. However, in practice, these two approaches are hardly met each other. As a considerable part of SOM is strongly associated with the mineral colloid fraction or even cations its investigation reveals the question of extractions. Traditional methods aimed to extract pure SOM fractions such as fulvic and humic acids (FA; HA) and characterized the whole SOM based on them, even though these pure fractions represented only a small part of the total SOM and were not present under natural conditions. Recent methods try to characterize the SOM using in situ samples where the role of organic mineral complexes is still not fully understood. As a result, findings based on several approaches are hardly comparable with each other. The present study aims to characterize SOM based on parallel in situ solid-phase investigation FA separation, and water dissolved organic matter extraction. The study site is a haplic Luvisol under plowing and conservation tillage. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the solid phase fractions resulted in an inverse proportion between organic carbon content and aromaticity independently from tillage. The aggregate occluded SOM was characterized by the lack of aliphatic components, whereas the fine fraction, and the bulk soil associated SOM seemed to be rich in them. The water-soluble SOM revealed molecular size increase in both the fine fraction related and the aggregate occluded organic matter owing to plowing, nonetheless, aggregates occluded the same sized OM molecules as those attached to the fine fraction. In general, FA fractions provided more humified organic matter, whereas water dissolved SOM showed a more intensive microbiome origin. The photometric properties of the FA fractions did not differ between the tillage systems, except for the SUVA254, which provided higher aromaticity under conservation tillage due to the lack of plowing. Also, the water-soluble part of SOM showed more humified composition and increased aromaticity under conservation tillage compared to plowing tillage. As a consequence, beneath the fingerprint of recent microbial activity, DOM reflects soil organic matter composition as well, therefore it seems to be suitable as a direct SOM proxy. The present research was supported by the Hungarian National Research and Innovation Office (NKFIH) K-123953, which is kindly acknowledged.

The initial online publication contained a typesetting mistake in the author information. The original article has been corrected.

The volume of soil organic matter (SOM) changes, owing to variations in tillage systems. Conservation tillage (CT) is a useful method for recovering the SOM content of crop fields. However, little is known about the SOM composition of silt- and clay-associated and aggregate-occluded organic matter (OM). The present study aimed at determining the SOM compositions of various SOM fractions in the same Luvisol in a native forest and under ploughing and CT. SOM fractions (silt and clay associated, sand and aggregates associated, restricted OM) were characterized using diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The size of both the aggregate-occluded and resistant SOM pools increased, owing to the shift in the tillage system to CT for 15 years. As a general trend, the soil organic carbon content was inversely proportional to aromaticity under both crop fields, which supported the preferential mineralization of aliphatic components in each fraction. The shift in the tillage system could trigger rapid qualitative changes even in the stable restricted carbon pools, nevertheless, it was difficult to distinguish between the role of OM and the mineral composition in the FTIR spectra. In particular, the clay-related organic-mineral complexes could trigger difficulties in the traditional interpretation methods.

Conservation tillage (CT) is of primary importance in food security, soil conservation, and sustainable development, even though its comprehensive effects on runoff (RO) and soil loss (SL) are still not fully understood. In 2004, a field-scale study was launched in southwest Hungary to investigate the long-term (16 years) effects of CT on RO, SL and soil, under a warm-summer humid continental climate. Four, especially large, 1200 m2 plots (2 ploughing tillage (PT) and 2 CT) were established, using a special, two-channel collection system. By the end of the study period, significantly higher water-stable aggregates (PT: 20.0 %, CT: 30.4 %), higher soil organic matter (PT: 1.4 %, CT: 1.9 %), greater earthworm abundance (4.9 times that in PT plots) was recorded on the CT plots. Conservation tillage decreased surface RO by 75 % and SL by 95 %. The difference between PT and CT was significant for mean annual soil erosion, with values of 2.8 t ha−1 and 0.2 t ha-1, respectively. The exceedance of extreme precipitation events was

The interactions of climatic and geochemical factors control soil organic carbon storage capacity and turnover. The comprehensive evaluation of the effect of long-term detritus manipulation on the soil organic carbon, soil-forming processes and the soil physical and chemical properties will help us better understand the carbon sequestration of forest soils. The long-term (19 years) effect of detrital input and removal treatments (DIRT) on physicochemical soil properties were investigated at a Central-European forest site (Sikfőkut, Hungary). In contrast to the results of similar experiments in other parts of the world, the detritus input treatments affected the soil organic carbon and almost all of the soil physicochemical indicators for the upper 15 cm layer. Soil pH, potential acidity and base saturation decreased in the litter removal plots and increased in the detritus doubling treatments. A decrease in organic matter content in the litter removal plots explained the changes in bulk density, as the stability of aggregates also decreased with the decrease of exchangeable bases and organic colloids. In this respect, compared to the other DIRT sites and other similar experiments in the world, our experimental site is considered unique, as it has the highest clay content and the driest climate. We conclude that potential cation exchange capacity and base saturation (exch. Ca) play a fundamental role in predicting the occurrence of the carbon sequestration mechanisms. We suggest to include these parameters into current SOC models.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) has primary importance in terms of soil physics, soil fertility and even of climate change control. One hundred soil samples were taken from an intensively cultivated Cambisol to quantify SOC redistribution triggered by soil erosion under a subhumid climate, by the simultaneous application of diffuse reflectance (240–1 900 nm) and traditional physico-chemical methods. The representative sample points were collected from the solum along the slopes at the depth of 20–300 cm with a mean SOC content of 12 g kg−1. Hierarchical cluster analyses were performed based on the determined SOC results. The spatial pattern of the groups created were similar, and even though the classifications were not the same, diffuse reflectance had proven to be a suitable method for soil/sediment classification even within a given arable field. Both organic and inorganic carbon distributions were found to be a proper tool for estimations of past soil erosion processes. The SOC enrichment was found on two sedimentary spots with different geomorphological positions. Soil organic matter composition also differed between the two spots due to selective deposition of the delivered organic matter. The components with low-molecular-weight reached the bottom of the slope where they could leach into the profile, while the more polymerised organic matter compositions were delivered and deposited even before on a higher segment of the slope in an aggregated form. This spatial difference appeared below the uppermost tilled soil layer as well, referring the lower efficiency of conventional ploughing tillage in soil spatial homogenisation.

Although geomorphological evidences of Quaternary glaciations of the Southern Carpathians were extensively studied and discussed, the limited number of chronological studies resulted in poor and controversial knowledge on the age of glaciations and deglaciation of the area. We use new and recalculated in situ produced 10Be surface exposure ages of glacial landforms to shed light on the age of the maximum glacial extent and the glacier oscillations during the last deglaciation process on the northern side of the Retezat Mountains. According to our data, the maximum ice extent documented by preserved moraines occurred around 21.0 − 1.5 + 0.8 ka, coincident with the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The deglaciation process during the Lateglacial was characterized by two glacial advances at 18.6 − 0.8 + 0.9 and 16.3 − 0.6 + 0.6 ka. Inferred stabilization date of the penultimate glacial stage at 15.2 − 0.8 + 0.7 ka was closely followed by the abrupt warming at the onset of the Bolling/Allerod documented by a local chironomid-based temperature reconstruction. The last small glacier advance was dated to 13.5 − 0.4 + 0.5 ka. These recessional/readvance phases agree with other European glacial chronologies.

The present study reports novel data concerning Conservation Tillage (CT) in the continental sub-humid climate zone in Central Europe (Hungary), an area which has been mostly neglected in the course of previous CT studies. The results of a 10-year (2003–2013) comparative study of mouldboard ploughing tillage (PT) and CT (no inversion, using a reduced number of tillage operations and leaving min. 30% crop residues on the soil surface) types are reported. Our extensive monitoring system has provided new and detailed information concerning technologies and yields both from the first, transitional period and, over the following years, of adapted technology. Our results suggest that tillage type was a more important factor in the question of yields than either the highly variable climate of the studied years, or the diverse slope conditions of the plots. During the first three years of technological changeover to CT (2003–2006), a decrease of 8.7% was measured, respective to PT. However, the next seven years (...

Although glacial landforms on the Balkan Peninsula have been studied since the 19th century, only scarce data are available about the extent of the former glaciations in the Central Balkan Peninsula, the transition zone between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. Glacial features of the Jablanica Mt. were mapped, described and classified into morphostratigraphic units. A revised glacio-geomorphological map was produced and glacial landforms were assigned to six morphostratigraphic units. Ten primary and two secondary cirques were identified in the upper parts of the studied valleys, while downstream the valleys were steep and glacially shaped with several glacial steps and thresholds. Cirque and valley morphology indicate that subglacial deepening was limited within the cirques and was more intensive in the valley sections during more extensive glacial phases. The largest reconstructed glaciers were 4.6&ndash, 7 km long, while the last cirque glaciers were only a few hundred meters long. Using morphostratigraphic data, a glacier reconstruction was carried out for the largest mapped glacial extent. On the basis of glacial geomorphology, a former equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) of ~1800 m and glacier cover of 22.6 km2 were estimated during this stage. The local ELA values were compared to the regional ELA record and enabled to tentatively attribute a MIS 6 age for the reconstructed maximum ice extent in the study area.

The cultivation of native forest soils usually triggers a decline in soil organic matter (SOM) and a deterioration of aggregates. Although switching to conservation tillage (CT) can supply SOM, little is known about the temporal resolution of this change. This study aims to quantify changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) content and SOM composition of the same soil under 14 years of CT, plowing tillage (PT), and native forest (NF). Plowing ameliorates the macroaggregate-mediated loss in SOC content, in both the fine fraction and the coarse particles. Decades of CT can significantly increase both the microaggregates and fine particles related to SOC content, whereas in the finest fraction, the volume of recalcitrant SOC increased the most, and reached the original value under NF. Continuous plowing triggered SOM molecular size increases in both aggregates and the fine fraction, whereas switching to CT restored the molecular SOM size of the fine fraction only. Therefore, this fraction can be changed, even in short periods. Water dissolved the largest and middle-sized molecules of SOM, which are mainly from macroaggregates. Even if aggregation did not increase due to turning to CT, the content of the larger molecules of SOM increased in this short time.

Decreased water retention and increased runoff and soil loss are of special importance concerning soil degradation of hilly crop fields. In this study, plots under ploughing (conventional) tillage (PT) and conservation tillage (CT; 15 years) were compared. Rainfall simulation on 6 m2 plots was applied to determine infiltration and soil loss during the growing season. Results were compared with those measured from 1200 m2 plots exposed to natural rainfalls in 2016. Infiltration was always higher under CT than PT, whereas the highest infiltration was measured under the cover crop condition. Infiltration under seedbed and stubble resulted in uncertainties, which suggests that natural pore formation can be more effective at improving soil drainage potential than can temporary improvements created by soil tillage operations. Soil erodibility was higher under PT for each soil status; however, the seedbed condition triggered the highest values. For CT, soil loss volume was only a function of runoff volume at both scales. Contrarily, on PT plots, some extreme precipitation events triggered extremely high soil loss owing to linear erosion, which meant no direct connection existed between the scales. Improved soil conditions due to conservation practice are more important for decreasing soil loss than the better surface conditions.

International audience; Several studies applied numerical age determination methods to examine glacial phases of the central Balkan Peninsula. However, the resulting datasets are contradictory, meaning that further discussion is needed. This study provides 10 Be cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages of a succession of glacial landforms in the Jablanica Mt. (North Macedonia), aiming at a better understanding of Late Pleistocene glacier development in the area. On the basis of the mapped glacial landforms, six glacial stages were identified and their mean equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) were estimated. The CRE ages of five glacial stages-from the second oldest to the youngest-were determined between 16.8 +0.8 / −0.5 ka and 13.0 +0.4 / −0.9 ka. Accordingly, the most extensive glaciation in the Jablanica Mt. occurred before~17 ka. The average ELA of the glaciers was 1792 ± 18 m a.s.l. during the largest ice extent, and 2096 ± 18 m during the last phase of the deglaciation. Independent reconstructions of key climatic drivers of glaciological mass balance suggest that glacial re-advances during the deglaciation were associated to cool summer temperatures before~15 ka. The last glacial stillstand apparently resulted from a modest drop in summer temperature coupled with increased winter snow accumulation. In the study area no geomorphological evidence for glacier advance after~13 +0.4 / −0.9 ka could be found. On the basis of independent climate proxies we propose that the last glacier advance occurred no later thañ 13 ka, and glaciers were withdrawing during the Younger Dryas when low temperatures were combined with dry winters.

Climate change is increasing the occurrence of extreme precipitation events and causing irregular precipitation patterns. This occurs in parallel with the degradation of crop fields, and triggers the occurrence of pluvial floods and droughts on the same field. Consequently, irrigation must be adapted to the changing soil properties. Detailed spatial and temporal measurements of changes in infiltration are required. This study aimed to quantify changes in infiltration for a subhumid irrigated cropland with various soil types (Phaeozem, Solonetz, Chernozem) and field conditions (seedbed and stubble) by simulating rainfall. As the soil structure determines hydrology, the aggregate stability/surface roughness was tested as a proxy of infiltration through photogrammetry. The soil losses caused by precipitation did not exhibit connections to changes in the surface roughness, and lower aggregate stability did not necessarily cause lower infiltration intensities, suggesting that sedimentation could only partly seal drainage pores. The final infiltration intensities varied within a wide range (0.2&ndash, 28.4 mm h&minus, 1). Seedbed preparation did not increase the volume of micropores (&lt, 10 &micro, m), which resulted in higher infiltration under stubble. Photogrammetry was found to be a potentially useful tool for measuring aggregate stability, however, further investigations on in situ soil surfaces are required for technical improvement.

In this study the erubaz soil, a shallow soil influenced by volcanic parent rocks is examined with special emphasis on its clay content and clay-mineral-composition. Fifteen profiles at seven study areas and with four different parent material types are analysed. Bulk soil mineralogical and clay-mineralogical properties are examined by X-ray diffractometry (XRD). According to the mineralogical analysis the presence of the unstable mafic silicates indicates that the composition of the parent rock is still well reflected in the examined soil profiles. Illite is the most common clay mineral followed by kaolinite and smectite. Kaolinite and illite contain ca. 15–20% and 10% interlayered of smectite, respectively. Poor crystallisation and composition of secondary minerals suggest that these soils are in an early stage of their pedogenic evolution, but are more developed than the typical Andosols. Presence of opal-C and cristobalite in the andesitic samples is characteristic. Our study revealed that the erubaz soil type is not as homogeneous as it was suggested before. According to our analysis, mainly on the basis of their mineralogy, these soils can be divided into two well-defined groups. These two groups (erubaz soils formed on intermediate-acidic and on basic lithology) can be regarded as subtypes of the erubaz soil type. Moreover, two varieties (black and brown), mostly based on colour and SOM content, are distinguished. In these varieties the conditions of the decomposition of organic material are very different due to the moisture content, temperature and pH-conditions of the soil. The studied soil profiles were included into the WRB-system. On the basis of threshold-values of their diagnostic horizons, the studied profiles did not fulfil the criteria of the Andosol group and were inserted into the assemblage of Phaeozems.

Talajok szemcseösszetételének vizsgálata előtt nélkülözhetetlen a talajban található eltérő tulajdonságú kötőanyagok feloldása, roncsolása, mivel ezeknek fontos szerepe van a mikro- és makroaggregátumok kialakításában. Ennek hiányában jelentős mennyiségű agyagszemcse marad aggregátumokban, a szemcseösszetételt, agyagtartalmat jelentősen módosítva. Jelen tanulmányban az egyik leggyakoribb ragasztóanyagnak, a talajok humusztartalmának a hatását vizsgáltuk. A statisztikai analízis eredménye szerint a humuszt bontó hidrogén-peroxidos kezelésekkel – a kontrollként használt, humusz nélküli folyóvízi homok kivételével – szignifikánsan nagyobb agyagtartalmat mérünk, mint a MSz szerinti Na-pirofoszfátos kezeléssel. A hidrogén-peroxidos előkészítéssel a talajminták szemcseösszetételének varianciája lényegesen kisebb, mint más kezeléseké, vagyis az intenzívebb előkészítő eljárásokkal a minták szemcseméret eredményeinek különbsége csökken. Az előkészítő eljárások különbségének az okát keresve a talajok humusz- és agyagtartalmának korrelációját elemeztük. A humusz az agyagtartalommal gyengén korrelált. Az 1–5. kezelésekkel kapott agyag- és a talaj humusztartalma között negatív, míg a hidrogén-peroxidos kezelések esetén gyenge pozitív kapcsolatot mutattunk ki. Az ultrahangos kezelések kiemelt jelentőségűek az előkészítésekben, de az agyagtartalomban szignifikáns különbség csak a hidro-gén-peroxidos kezelések esetén mutatható ki. Vizsgálataink megmutatták a talajminták szemcseméret elemzése előkészítésének, az ásványi szemcsék dezaggregálásának fontosságát, valamint azt, hogy a dezaggregálás elégtelensége jelentősen kisebb agyagtartalmat eredményez. Talajok szemcseméret meghatározásában, de különösen a jelentősebb szervesanyag-tartalmú talajokéban a hidrogén-peroxidos előkészítő eljárás használandó. A Na-pirofoszfátnak és az ultrahangos kezelésnek a talajminta diszpergálásában van nagy jelentősége. Szükségesnek tartjuk ezért a hazai talaj szemcseméret-elemzés szabványát (szabványait) felülvizsgálni, továbbá az európai szemcseméret-elemzési eljárások tapasztalatainak megismerését és beépítését a hazai szemcseméret analitikai gyakorlatba.

Flooding and waterlogging events showed a frequency rising sharply during the last decades so their prevention has become a very actual task. Prevention should start where surface runoff is generated, i.e. over the areas used for agriculture and forestry of hilly and mountainous watersheds. Conservation agriculture is a very successful method for keeping rainwater in the soil and for decreasing the sediment and nutrient load of surface waters. The increased amount of soil moisture is favorable both for the plants and for soil fauna. The mitigation of runoff , soil and nutrient loss is due to the organic matter which remains in the topsoil as it is not disturbed and moved downwards in the soil by ploughing as well as to the activities of soil edaphon. By applying non-inversion, shallow tillage runoff can be reduced to a mere one third and soil loss to the thirtieth-fortieth of the values measured under conventional tillage, depending on weather conditions of the given year. Experiments show that conservation agriculture provides for profitable production and at the same time it is beneficial for the environment.

Geotextiles have an important influence on soil moisture conditions. It is well known that the application of geotextiles increases soil moisture content of the soil, but there is a lack of information on how the different mats keep the soil moisture. The objective of this paper is to present the effect of biological geotextiles on soil moisture dynamics of the topsoil and to compare the effectiveness of various geotextiles in conserving soil moisture as well as comparing their role in soil moisture dynamics in the different climatic zones. Soil moisture measurements were carried out in the framework of the BORASSUS project at six study sites in Brazil, China, Hungary, Lithuania, Thailand and Vietnam. Soil moisture was measured by gravimetric method. All together six different kinds of biological geotextiles (Borassus, Buriti, Bamboo, Jute, Maize and Rice) and one synthetic geotextile were used. To study soil moisture dynamics of the geotextiles applied in Hungary 1000 cm3 soil monoliths were covered by Jute, Buriti and Borassus mats. The effects of natural rainfall events on soils and geotextiles were examined in detail. According to the results of this paper there is not much difference concerning the effect of biological geotextiles made from various materials on soil moisture conservation. There are, however, remarkable differences in conserving soil moisture according to the geographical location of the study sites. The favourable effect of geotextiles on soil moisture conservation could be statistically justified if annual precipitation amount is over 700 mm and the annual temperature range is below 28°C. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Because of population growth the global demand for food is rapidly increasing. As a consequence of this agriculture is expanding and becoming more intensive. Agricultural land use has the highest share among land use categories in the world therefore it is very important that farming activities are sustainable for the landscape and environment friendly. The aim of this paper is to present the positive role of conservation agriculture in landscape protection on the example of the results of the SOWAP (Soil and Surface Water Protection) project, supported by EU LIFE and Syngenta. Within the framework of the project tillage plots were established at two locations in Hungary, near Lake Balaton on Luvisol and Cambisol soils. The experimental program included soil erosion, biodiversity, soil microbiology measurements and agronomic traits. Runoff from the conservation tillage treatments was reduced by 66.8%, soil loss by 98.3%, TOC loss by 94.1%, nitrogen loss by 86.8%, phosphorus loss by 95.6% and potassium loss by 78.8% relative to values measured on the conventional plots. Soil moisture conditions have improved in the upper 20 cm under conservation tillage. Rainfall simulation experiments indicate the protection of plant residues resulting in the reduced number and volume of rills under conservation tillage. Yields of winter wheat, winter oilseed rape, sugar beet and maize were similar from plowed fields and conservation-tilled fields. There was a considerable improvement of biodiversity conditions on the conservation plots. The results of the SOWAP project give a reliable evidence that conservation agriculture is sustainable and it is an adequate tool for landscape protection.

International audience; The terrace sequence of the Hungarian part of the Danube valley preserves a record of varying tectonic uplift rates along the river course and throughout several climate stages. To establish the chronology of formation of these terraces, two different dating methods were used on alluvial terraces: exposure age dating using in situ produced cosmogenic Be-10 and luminescence dating. Using Monte Carlo approach to model the denudation rate-corrected exposure ages, in situ produced cosmogenic Be-10 samples originated from vertical depth profiles enabled the determination of both the exposure time and the denudation rate. Post-IR IRSL measurements were carried out on K-feldspar samples to obtain the ages of sedimentation.The highest terrace horizon remnants of the study area provided a best estimate erosion-corrected minimum B-10 exposure age of >700 ka. We propose that the abandonment of the highest terrace of the Hungarian Danube valley was triggered by the combined effect of the beginning tectonic uplift and the onset of major continental glaciations of Quaternary age (around MIS 22). For the lower terraces it was possible to reveal close correlation with MIS stages using IRSL ages. The new chronology enabled the distinction of tIIb (similar to 90 ka; MIS 5b-c) and tIIIa (similar to 140 ka; MIS 6) in the study area. Surface denudation rates were well constrained by the cosmogenic Be-10 depth profiles between 5.8 m/Ma and 10.0 m/Ma for all terraces. The calculated maximum incision rates of the Danube relevant for the above determined >700 Ka time span were increasing from west (

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key property for both fertility and carbon level control in the atmosphere. SOC changes in soils are ruled by tillage and erosion. Initial SOC erosion was investigated using a laboratory rainfall simulator. Six precipitation events were modelled on cultivated, bare Cambisol monolith with various slope steepness and surface roughness under a constant intensity of 80 mm h−1. The total amount of soil loss was divided into four aggregate size classes ( 1.00 mm). Altogether, 72 sediment and 16 in situ samples were analysed. The results show a loss of SOC concentration that increased at all aggregate sizes, the highest (~200 %) found in the smallest grain size, while conversely nitrogen concentration decreased in the 250–1000 μm class. Consequently, soil organic matter (SOM) compounds underwent changes during the initial erosion processes in soil losses of all aggregate sizes. The detached SOM was less polymerised and had more aromatic character compared to that of the in situ soil in all aggregate size classes. The type of SOM enrichment found through the soil loss in this study is a result of two parallel processes within initial erosion phenomenon: (I) chemical degradation of the most labile SOM components and (II) mineralogical changes in the smallest aggregate class (

Az európai vulkáni rendszerek talajerőforrásait feltérképező COST 622 projekt keretében vizsgáltuk a belső-kárpáti vulkáni vonulat hazánk területére eső, vulkáni kőzeteken képződött talajait. A vulkáni kőzetet létrehozó vulkánosság jellege alapján (mészalkáli: savanyú és intermedier, illetve alkálibazalt vulkánosság) hét mintaterületet jelöltünk ki. A vizsgált talajok genetikai szintjein részletes makro- és mikromorfológiai, kémiai és fizikai vizsgálatokat végeztünk. Vizsgálataink célja a diagnosztikai bélyegek (WRB, 1998) és a részletes morfológiai megfigyelések összehasonlítása volt. Diagnosztikai tulajdonságok alapján a legváltozatosabb talajnak a fekete nyirok bizonyult, mely a mintaterületek talajnedvesség-forgalmi és mikro-klimatikus különbségei alapján Phaeozem-ként (Badacsony, Tihany), Cambisol-ként (Andornaktálya) és Luvisol-ként (Tolcsva) került besorolásra. Valamennyi vizsgált mintaterületen morfológiai és kémiai tulajdonságok alapján aktív és inaktív folyamatokra utaló bélyegeket diagnosztizáltunk. A múltban végbement folyamatokra utalnak a geliszolflukciós transzport bélyegei és az igen erős fagyhatásra képződött pszeudohomok-szemcsék. Aktív folyamatoknak tekinthető: a humuszosodás, intenzív mállás és agyagosodás, kilúgzás és az agyagvándorlás. Galyatető esetében a periglaciális fagyaprózódásból keletkezett finom por intenzív kémiai mállását, amorfkolloid képződését sikerült detektálni.

Colloids are thought to move easily, consequently both mineral and organic colloids are overrepresented in runoff and soil loss, which causes selective erosion. Soil loss compound is a function of scale. The enrichment of soil organic carbon (SOC) and of the clay fraction in soil loss was studied at two sites in Hungary. A rainfall simulator was applied to describe selective erosion at micro (

The Carpathian Basin, with diverse volcanic parent materials, age of rocks, type of vegetation and climatic conditions, is an excellent field within a small region to study the main influences of soil development on volcanic material. At ustic/xeric moisture regime, independently from the type of the rock (ignimbrite, andesite, basalt) Phaeozems and Cambisols develop. At ustic and udic moisture regimes, both on pyroxene andesite and basalt, Umbrisols develop. Under udic moisture regime, above 1000 m elevation, on pyroxene andesite in Romania and Slovakia, Andosols can develop. In a topo-sequence on pyroxene andesite, under udic moisture regime, between 700–1000 m, Cambisols or Luvisols dominate, but Andosols, sometimes with spodic features from 1000 to 1800 m elevation.