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The scope of this paper was to examine the influence of two subtypes of pseudogley soil (of planes and of slopes) and three different land uses (forest, grassland and arable land) on the content and composition of humus in south Mačva and Pocerina. The humus content was determined by dichromate method, and hu­mus components were measured using the method proposed by Kononova and Bel­cikova. The studied soils are mostly characterized by low humus content. Humus content is significantly higher in pseudogleys of plains compared to pseudogleys of slopes. Pseudogleys under grass and crops have significantly lower content of humus compared to the pseudogleys under forest. Important characteristic of hu­mus composition of surface horizon is dominant portion of fulvic over humic acids. Pseudogleys of plains have statistically significant higher amount of humic acids. The composition of humus is significantly different in pseudogley under forest compared to pseudogleys under grass and crops: it has more fulvic acids, less humin, and lower Ch:Cf ratio. Changes in pseudogley land use have produced better humus quality.

The systematic survey of grassland communities was performed on Mt. Stol (eastern Serbia). The main aims of the research were to: (1) determine grassland vegetation types of the researched area; (2) correlate the impacts of the soil and environmental conditions on the occurrence of certain plant communities, and (3) comment on the conservational value of the grasslands in the researched area. The data set included 60 phytosociological relevйs of grasslands recorded between 2001 and 2004. The main environmental gradients of species composition were analyzed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). For the ecological interpretation of ordination axes, ecological indicator values were used. Three associations were distinguished: Danthonietum calycinae, Asperulo-Agrostietum vulgaris and Ranunculo bulbosi- Arrhenatheretum elatioris belonging to two alliances and two classes: Chrysopogono-Danthonion - Festuco-Brometea and Arrhenatherion - Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. The results of the DCA support our assumption that the main environmental gradient in the species composition of the grasslands is related to nutrients and moisture. The conservational value of grasslands in the researched area is discussed. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 31057 and III46008]

Bentonite samples from Petrovac and Aleksinac were treated with sulfuric acid of different molarities. Differences in structure and texture of the initial and modified bentonite were determined by chemical analysis and Xraypowder diffraction (XRPD), infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and physisorption nitrogen at −196°C. Sulfuric acid caused an exchange of Al3+, Fe3+ and Mg2+ with H+ ions which led to a modification of the smectite crystalline structure. The Mg and Fe substitution in the octahedral sheet promoted the dispersion of those layers and forming of amorphous silicon. The sequence according to which the cations left the octahedral sheets was as follows: Mg2+>Fe3+>Al3+. The sulfuric acid activated bentonites exhibiting a lower cation exchange capacity (CEC) and а change of specific surface area (SBET) from 6 to 387 for bentonite from Petrovac and from 44 to 1784 m2 g-1 for bentonite from Aleksinac, positioning them as an excellent absorber in wine technology and in the protection of soil and environment.

The effect of land use on group and fractional composition of humus was examined in 13 rendzina profiles under forests, 12 profiles under grassland and 8 profiles under arable fields in different parts of Serbia where rendzinas are typically found. The difference regarding land use of rendzina soils (depending on cultural practices or absence of any, and different amounts and quality of plant residues) under forest, grassland or arable fields had a highly significant statistical effect on humus group composition and the fractional composition of humic and fulvic acids. Human activities have brought about some positive changes regarding humus composition by promoting its stable component in rendzinas under grassland and arable fields, which is not the case in forest rendzina. The conversion of forests into grasslands and arable fields did not significantly affect the type of humus in rendzina soils, which remained characteristic of that soil type.

Humic acids (HAs), similar to other fractions of humic substances (HSs), have a large number of reactive functional groups enabling them to aggregate in solutions. Regardless of the origin of humic acid (aqueous or soil), this aggregation process is dependent on environmental conditions and strongly influences the mobility of soluble ionic and molecular pollutants. The aim of this work was to monitor the aggregation process of two humic acids isolated from different mineral soils (IHSS Elliot soil HA standard and Rendzic Leptosol HA) in the 2-11 pH range. Changes in aggregate size in HA sols were followed up using dynamic light scattering (DLS), while zeta potential (ZP) measurements in the same pH range were performed applying laser Doppler electrophoresis (LDE) technique. The effect of HA sol concentration and soil source on aggregation was examined as well. Besides, HA samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. By inspecting HA-particle-size dependence on pH, it can be concluded that both HAs in corresponding sols behave as molecular aggregates or supramolecular structures, formed from small individual moieties (sizes < 10 nm) at higher pH values. The ZP vs. pH curve for both HAs revealed the ZP minimum in the 5-7 pH range, caused most likely by dissociation of acidic functional groups prevailing at lower pH values and deaggregation predominating over dissociation at higher pH values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]