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Greenhouse gas emissions of a spring cereal monoculture under conventional tillage and no-till treatments were measured in a peatland in Southwestern Finland for three years in 2018–2021. Nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes were measured with an opaque chamber technique approximately biweekly throughout the years. During the growing season, canopy net ecosystem exchange (NEE) was measured with a transparent chamber technique and hourly ecosystem respiration (ER) and gross photosynthesis (GP) were modelled with empiric models. On average, the annual emissions were 6.4 ± 2.4 Mg CO2-C ha − 1 yr− 1, 7.6 ± 3.5 kg N2O -N ha− 1 yr− 1, and − 0.35 ± 0.42 kg CH4-C ha− 1 yr− 1 for NEE, N2O and CH4, respectively. The effect of no-till management on the GHG balance was non-consistent through years and thus generally of minor significance. No-till reduced the annual CO2 emissions by 24% in 2019 and N2O emissions by 33% in 2020 compared to conventional tillage while there were no differences between the treatments in other years. Measured differences in ER occurred mostly during the winter periods, especially after ploughing. The results indicated that no-till may reduce CO2 and N2O emissions from cultivated peat soil, but it does not lead to large consistent reductions during the first years of NT management.

We assessed the soil carbon sequestration potential of various organic amendments of agricultural, municipal and industrial origin and the applicability of a soil carbon model to simulate it. The c...

Infection of the deep neck spaces is a life-threatening acute illness that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers unsurpassed soft tissue discrimination and is therefore well suited for imaging neck infections. Recently, the feasibility, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical significance of this method have been documented in patients with acute neck infections. This review article summarizes the scientific evidence, provides a practical guide to image acquisition and interpretation, reviews the most common imaging findings, and discusses some difficult diagnoses and pitfalls in acute neck infections, to help both radiologists and clinicians in managing these critically ill patients.

Objectives To determine the diagnostic accuracy of emergency magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in odontogenic maxillofacial infections, the clinical and surgical significance of MRI findings, and whether MRI can identify the tooth responsible for the infection. Methods A retrospective cohort study reviewed 106 emergency neck MRI scans of patients with neck infections of odontogenic origin. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI in identifying abscesses was studied relative to surgical findings. Correlations were analyzed between various MRI findings and clinical results and outcomes, such as the surgical approach (intraoral vs. extraoral). The ability of MRI findings to predict the causative tooth was assessed in a blinded multi-reader setting. Results Of the 106 patients with odontogenic infections, 77 (73%) had one or more abscesses. Imaging showed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.95, 0.84, and 0.92, respectively, for MRI diagnosis of an odontogenic abscess. Among the imaging findings, mediastinal edema was the strongest predictor of extraoral surgery. MRI showed bone marrow edema in the majority of patients, and multi-reader assessment showed good reliability. MRI was also able to predict the causative tooth accurately. Conclusions Emergency neck MRI can accurately detect odontogenic abscesses and reliably point to the causative tooth. These results can increase the utility and reliance on emergency MRI in clinical decision-making.

Background Computed tomography (CT) has traditionally been the first-line imaging method in neck emergencies such as deep neck infections. Due to superior soft-tissue contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be an alternative to CT, also in emergency situations. Purpose To characterize the use of routine MRI in neck emergencies, with an emphasis on clinical feasibility and diagnostic accuracy in cases of neck infection. Material and Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all primary neck MRI scans performed using a 3-T MRI device during a five-year follow-up period in a tertiary emergency radiology department. Imaging data were compared with final clinical diagnosis and surgical findings as reference standards. Results The search identified 461 primary neck MRI scans, of which 334 (72%) were performed on the basis of clinical suspicion of infection. Radiological evidence of infection was observed in 95% of these scans, and at least one abscess was detected in 229 cases (72% of confirmed infection). MRI had an overall technical success rate of 95% and had high positive predictive value for both infection (0.98) and detection of abscess (0.95). Conclusion We found that emergency neck MRI can be successfully performed on most patients, and that MRI detects neck infection with a high accuracy. These results suggest that MRI may be an alternative to CT as the first or only imaging modality in neck emergencies.

Amending growing media with biochar has the potential to sequester carbon and enhance the properties of the receiving substance. However, knowledge of the mechanisms of how biochar amends the physical properties of the material is incomplete. By combining 3D image analysis and more conventional methods, this study aimed to (1) characterise the pore structure properties of three different plant-based biochars and (2) quantify their impact on Sphagnum moss growing media physical properties. The 3D imaging showed that irrespective of the feedstock, the majority (0.80–0.94 m3 m−3) of the biochar pore volume resided in pores with diameters 2–11 μm. Biochar pore properties shared similarities due to the structure of plant tissue. The application of biochar increased the water retention of the growing media by a maximum increase of 0.06 m3 m−3 in the pore diameter range 1–8 μm. This is relevant for plant-available water and microbiological activity, which indicates the usability of the biochar amendments. From methodological point of view, the benefits of combining 3D imaging with conventional measurements and impacts of the water table continuum discontinuity between the biochar and the surrounding growing media were demonstrated. The design of biochar for optimal water retention would benefit from further studies quantifying pore structure characteristics of biochar produced from a wide range of feedstocks.

Background Differences in the functioning of the immune system and the anatomical proportions of the neck between children and adults lead to different manifestations of deep neck infections. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may serve as an alternative to computed tomography (CT) as the primary imaging modality. Objective To study characteristic MRI findings and the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in pediatric deep neck infections. Materials and methods We retrospectively studied a cohort of pediatric patients who underwent a neck 3-tesla MRI study over a five-year period. Inclusion criteria were: 1) emergency MRI findings indicating an infection, 2) infection as the final clinical diagnosis, 3) diagnostic image quality verified by the radiologist reading the study and 4) age under 18 years. Patient record data, including surgery reports, were compared with the MRI findings. Results Data of 45 children were included and analysed. Compared to adults, children had a higher incidence of retropharyngeal infection and lymphadenitis, and a lower incidence of peritonsillar/parapharyngeal infection. MRI showed evidence of an abscess in 34 children. Of these 34 patients, 24 underwent surgery, which confirmed an abscess in 21 but no abscess in three patients. In addition, three patients underwent surgery without MRI evidence of abscess, and an abscess was found in one of these cases. The measures of diagnostic accuracy among the children were sensitivity 0.96, specificity 0.77, positive predictive value 0.89, negative predictive value 0.91 and accuracy 0.89. Compared with adults, children had lower C-reactive protein, but a similar proportion of them had an abscess, and abscess size and rate of surgery were similar. Conclusion Despite the differences in the infection foci, emergency MRI in children had equal diagnostic accuracy to that in adults.

Objectives Due to its superior soft-tissue contrast and ability to delineate abscesses, MRI has high diagnostic accuracy in neck infections. Whether MRI findings can predict the clinical course in these patients is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and prognostic significance of various MRI findings in emergency patients with acute neck infections. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed the 3-T MRI findings of 371 patients with acute neck infections from a 5-year period in a single tertiary emergency radiology department. We correlated various MRI findings, including retropharyngeal (RPE) and mediastinal edema (ME) and abscess diameter, to clinical findings and outcomes, such as the need for intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and length of hospital stay (LOS). Results A total of 201 out of 371 patients (54%) with neck infections showed evidence of RPE, and 81 out of 314 patients (26%) had ME. Both RPE (OR = 9.5, p < 0.001) and ME (OR = 5.3, p < 0.001) were more prevalent among the patients who required ICU treatment than among those who did not. In a multivariate analysis, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, RPE, and maximal abscess diameter were independent predictors of the need for ICU treatment, and CRP, ME, and maximal abscess diameter were independent predictors of LOS. Conclusion In patients with an acute neck infection that requires emergency imaging, RPE, ME, and abscess diameter, as shown by MRI, are significant predictors of a more severe illness. Key Points • Two hundred one out of 371 patients (54%) with neck infection showed evidence of retropharyngeal edema (RPE), and 81 out of 314 patients (26%) had mediastinal edema (ME). • Maximal abscess diameter, RPE, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were independent predictors of the need for intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, and maximal abscess diameter, ME, and CRP were independent predictors of length of hospital stay. • Prognostic significance of MRI findings was evident also while controlling for CRP values.

The pulping industry generates vast amounts of bark residues and wastewater treatment sludges, which are combined and stored for varying periods in stacks, often in the open air, prior to utilization for energy via combustion. In order to optimize the storage strategy, the effects of incorporating sludge into bark on heating value and storage-related environmental impacts were investigated in laboratory and outdoor studies. Biological degradation activity was found to be higher in treatments containing 25% sludge (B75S25) and 50% sludge (B50S50) on a fresh mass basis, in comparison with pure bark (B100). Mean monthly dry mass loss was 2.1% (B100), 3.3% (B75S25), and 3.7% (B50S50) in the laboratory and 2.7%, 4.2%, and 4.8%, respectively, outdoors. Sludge addition was found to maintain degradation activity at low temperatures (+ 3°C). Co-storage of sludge and bark led to loss of energy, mainly due to increased loss of biomass and increased moisture content. Overall, biomass moisture content governed the heating value. Cumulative methane emissions over the storage period were higher from the sludge-containing treatments than from pure bark, but emissions of nitrogen-containing gases (N2O and NH3) were negligible throughout. Sludge addition roughly halved the cumulative chemical oxygen demand (COD) of leachate and minimized its concentration of phosphate-P. However, larger amounts of inorganic elements were released to the percolating water from the sludge-containing treatments. Overall, these results indicate that finding alternative uses for the sludge fraction would be beneficial.

Short-term agronomic and environmental benefits are fundamental factors in encouraging farmers to use biochar on a broad scale. The short-term impacts of forest residue biochar (BC) on the productivity and carbon (C) storage of arable boreal clay soil were studied in a field experiment. In addition, rain simulations and aggregate stability tests were carried out to investigate the potential of BC to reduce nutrient export to surface waters. A BC addition of 30 t ha−1 increased soil test phosphorus and decreased bulk density in the surface soil but did not significantly change pH or water retention properties, and most importantly, did not increase the yield. There were no changes in the bacterial or fungal communities, or biomasses. Soil basal respiration was higher in BC-amended plots in the spring, but no differences in respiration rates were detected in the fall two years after the application. Rain simulation experiments did not support the use of BC in reducing erosion or the export of nutrients from the field. Of the C added, on average 80% was discovered in the 0–45 cm soil layer one year after the application. Amendment of boreal clay soil with a high rate of BC characterized by a moderately alkaline pH, low surface functionalities, and a recalcitrant nature, did not induce such positive impacts that would unambiguously motivate farmers to invest in BC. BC use seems unviable from the farmer's perspective but could play a role in climate change mitigation, as it will likely serve as long-term C storage. publishedVersion

We compared soil physical, chemical and biological properties, erosion rate and carbon allocation to soil physical fractions between conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) management at a clay soil site under spring cereal monoculture in southwestern Finland. Subsurface drain discharge, surface runoff and soil erosion were continuously monitored in 2008 -2018. At the end of the 10-year monitoring period in 2018, various soil properties and earthworm total density, mass and species richness were determined. Total soil erosion was 56% less in NT than in CT although surface water discharge was higher in NT. NT had a clear effect on the topsoil physical structure by decreasing the pore size and increasing soil aggregate size. The total soil carbon stock in the 700 kg m-2 mineral topsoil layer (approx. 0-60 cm layer) was slightly lower in NT (108 ± 12 Mg C ha-1) than in CT (118 ± 9.0 Mg C ha-1) due to lower carbon content of the 10-30 cm layer in NT. In NT the proportion of large macroaggregates was higher and more organic carbon was bound to large macroaggregates in the 0-10 cm layer which may be related to the higher abundance of earthworms in NT. The results showed that NT is an effective method to reduce erosion rates but other means to increase carbon input especially below the topsoil layer are likely required to achieve a significant increase in the carbon stock of boreal clay soils. For both tillage managements, the rate of erosion through subsurface drains depended clearly on annual precipitation and winter temperature, posing a challenge in the future climate with mild winters and more extreme discharges.

Reclamation of acid sulfate (AS) soils for agriculture causes severe environmental problems and may expose the human population to increased metal intake in some cases. This is due to drainage-induced oxidation of reduced sulfide-rich sediments, and subsequent acid formation and metal mobilization in the soil. Most of the mobilized elements are lost through leaching, but some metals may be transported upwards in the soil profile. In this study, we compared the concentrations of total N and C, electrical conductivity (EC), and easily available (AAAc/AAAcEDTA-extractable) Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, S, and Zn in the surface horizon (0-15 cm) of arable AS and non-AS soils, classified on a map basis (mb), in the whole coastal area of Finland covered by the Litorina Sea stage of the Baltic Sea. Our aim was to assess whether the surface horizon of AS soils poses a risk of increased metal bioavailability. The study was conducted by combining two regional-scale datasets, monitoring data on the chemical status of Finnish cultivated soils, and a probability map of occurrence of AS soils in coastal areas of Finland. Mean total N and C concentration was 40% and 56% higher, respectively, in fine-textured AS(mp )soils, and 20% and 18% higher, respectively, in clay AS(mp) soils, than in the corresponding non-AS(mp) soils, although in clay soils the differences were not statistically significant. Electrical conductivity and easily available S and Ni concentrations were significantly higher in AS(mp) soils than in non-AS(mp) soils (29%, 56%, and 106% higher, respectively, in fine soils; 72%, 61%, and 47% higher, respectively, in clay soils). Mean Fe, Cr, Cu, and Zn concentrations were higher in AS(mp) than non-AS(mp) soils, but the difference was statistically significant only for Zn in clay soils (63%) and Cr in fine soils (68%). Mean Al, Cd, and Pb concentrations did not differ between AS(mp) and non-AS(mp) soils. These results are consistent with earlier findings in more spatially restricted studies. Enrichment of easily available metals in the surface horizon of AS soils could affect the quality of crops grown on these soils, an issue requiring further study.

The development of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) imaging technologies for precision farming applications is rapid, and new studies are published frequently. In cases where measurements are based on aerial imaging, there is the need to have ground truth or reference data in order to develop reliable applications. However, in several precision farming use cases such as pests, weeds, and diseases detection, the reference data can be subjective or relatively difficult to capture. Furthermore, the collection of reference data is usually laborious and time consuming. It also appears that it is difficult to develop generalisable solutions for these areas. This review studies previous research related to pests, weeds, and diseases detection and mapping using UAV imaging in the precision farming context, underpinning the applied reference measurement techniques. The majority of the reviewed studies utilised subjective visual observations of UAV images, and only a few applied in situ measurements. The conclusion of the review is that there is a lack of quantitative and repeatable reference data measurement solutions in the areas of mapping pests, weeds, and diseases. In addition, the results that the studies present should be reflected in the applied references. An option in the future approach could be the use of synthetic data as reference.

We estimated the effects of different cutting heights and harvesting strategies on the amounts of harvestable residue biomasses and allocation of residue biomasses in the soil. A case study on regional straw biomass resources was performed with the different crops cultivated in Varsinais-Suomi (Southern Finland) at present (averages of 2003–2012) and in the predicted future warmer climate (scenario RCP 4.5, year 2055). We also estimated, with the help of the Yasso07 model, the effects of different residue incorporation intensities on soil organic carbon (SOC) at present and in the future warmer climate. The results suggested that cutting height has a significant impact on the amount of straw biomass incorporated in the soil and subsequent change in SOC. The impact depended on crop species and variety. When straw is collected and used e.g. in energy production, harvesting practices leaving greater stubble heights could help to maintain soil fertility. The Yasso07 model suggests that in the predicted future warmer conditions, more straw could be collected without decreasing SOC, as mineralization of SOC in the warmer climate is expected to increase less than organic carbon amendments caused by higher crop and root biomasses. Collection and usage of straw as a renewable energy source always decreases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in comparison to fossil fuels. However, collecting straw every second year instead of every year, even with higher stubble, would decrease field traffic and spare the soil from compaction and the farmer from extra work, while still significantly decreasing GHG emissions.

Nutrient status of arable soils is linked to food production potential and environmental risks. The use of nutrients is affected by policy measures, which formulation calls for data on the long-term development of soil fertility. In Finland, the chemical status (pH 4.65 ammonium acetate-extractable nutrients and pHw) of cultivated topsoils has been surveyed at the same sites in 1974 (n = 1835), 1987, 1998 and 2009 (n = 524). The aims of this study were to determine the temporal trends in P, S, macro nutrient cations and pH utilizing the monitoring data, to find explanations for the trends, and to assess the current status of fertility in the Finnish cultivated soils. The mean soil P concentrations continuously increased with time in clay, fine-textured and mull soils, or first increased but later turned to a decrease in coarse mineral soils, and exhibited no trend in peat soils. Between 1998 and 2009, high P concentrations tended to decrease whereas low P increased, the magnitude of the change being dependent on cropping system (if > 80% of the time planted with annual crops, perennial crops, or under rotation of the two). The trends of the other nutrients mostly reflected the balances of the elements in agricultural soils. The trend for S was generally increasing between 1987 and 1998, but turned to a decline after 1998. The general trends in the mean Ca, Mg and pH were increasing, whereas the initial upward trend for K leveled off after 1987. Based on the 2009 sampling, the current soil fertility is sufficient, but attention is to be paid on S and K status, and the overall fertility of coarse mineral soils.

Finland is a northern country with cool and humid climate. This has implications for the greenhouse gas balance of cultivated soils. Utilizing organic soils for food production is unavoidable in a country with high coverage of peat soils. As the greenhouse gas emissions per hectare are several folds on organic soils compared to mineral soils, organic soils are a dominant source of agriculture-related carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions in country scale although their proportion is only 10% of the field area. Another factor that exposes fields to high losses of nutrients and organic matter is the short growing season and the resulting long non-vegetated period. The review of existing data shows that emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are the most important components of the total greenhouse gas balance, whereas fluxes of methane are negligible in drained cultivated soils. Generally, the total emissions are higher from annual than perennial cropping. Climate and agricultural policies have tightening requirements for all economic sectors, and this imposes new challenges to agricultural management. As soils are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, special attention should be paid on developing mitigation measures and practices that reduce the climatic impact of cultivated soils.

Addition of biochar into a soil changes its water retention properties by modifying soil textural and structural properties. In addition, internal micrometer-scale porosity that is able to directly store readily plant available water affects soil water retention properties. This study shows how precise knowledge of the internal micrometer-scale pore size distribution of biochar can deepen the understanding of the biochar-water interactions in soils. The micrometer-scale porosity of willow biochar was quantitatively and qualitatively characterized using X-ray tomography, 3D image analysis and Helium ion microscopy. The effect of biochar application on clay soil water retention was studied by conventional water retention curve approach. The results indicate that the internal pores of biochar, with sizes of at 50 and 10 μm (equivalent pore diameter), increased soil porosity and the amount of readily plant available water. After biochar addition, changes in soil porosity were detected at pore size regimes 5–10 and 25 μm, i.e. biochar pore sizes multiplied by factor 0.5. The detected pore size distribution of biochar does not predict directly (1:1 compatibility) the changes observed in the soil moisture characteristics. It is likely that biochar chemistry and pore morphology affect biochar-water interactions via e.g. surface roughness and contact angle. In addition, biochar induced changes in soil structure and texture affected soil moisture characteristics. However, the approach presented is an attractive pathway to more generalized understanding on how and why biochar internal porosity affects soil moisture characteristics. publishedVersion

The pool of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Finnish croplands has declined during recent decades according to nation-wide soil inventories, but reasons for this trend remain unclear. We studied the possible reasons using an approach based on the Yasso07 soil carbon model. We evaluated also the suitability of this approach for estimating the pool and changes of SOC in boreal croplands at the regional scale. The simulated SOC pool declined in each of the four study regions we divided the country into over the entire study period from 1900 to 2009. During the last 35 years, the mean estimate of the decrease rate varied from 0.29 to 0.36 Mg ha − 1 year − 1 among the regions. The mean estimate of the SOC pool in the croplands varied from 92 to 124 Mg ha − 1 at the end of the study period. In a sensitivity analysis, the estimates of the decrease rate slowed down by 25% or accelerated by 38% at most, whereas the pool estimates increased or decreased by 18% at most. According to our simulations and the sensitivity analysis, the SOC pool declined because croplands produced less litter than pre-cropland forests and this agricultural litter decomposed more rapidly. On the other hand, climate warming has not been a significant reason for the decline yet. Increasing carbon input to the cropland soil by applying organic manure and avoiding bare fallow are means to slow down the loss of SOC. The simulated estimates were similar to measurement-based ones available for comparison. We concluded that our approach was suitable for studying the reasons for the declining trend of SOC and the major uncertainties were caused by inexact input values.

The collapse of Soviet Union in early 1990s led to abandonment of large area of arable land which is assumed to act as a carbon (C) sink. We studied the ability of two dynamic soil C models (Yasso07 and RothC) to predict changes in soil C content after cropland abandonment. The performance of the models was compared using the results of a long-term experiment in Pushchino, Moscow region (5450 0 N, 3735 0 E) in Russia. The experiment was divided in four combinations of fertilizer or mowing treatments on former cropland soil. The soil C content was determined in the year of establishment (1980) and thereafter in 1999 and 2004. The soil C stocks increased by about 1.5- to 1.8-fold during the study period. Both models predicted the overall change in soil C relatively well (modelling efficiency of Yasso07 and RothC were 0.60 and 0.73, respectively). Accord- ing to the models, the soil gained on average 140-150 g C m -2 year -1 during the first 5 years after conversion of cropland to grassland. The C seques- tration rate decreased to 40-50 g C m -2 year -1 after 20 years of land use change. The sequestration rates estimated in this study are comparable to the rates observed in other studies.

Soil organic matter and soil aggregate stability are good indicators of soil quality and both can be positively affected by reduced tillage and residue management practices. A field study was conducted to find the impacts of tillage and residue management practices on soil carbon stock and distribution of SOC within different soil physical fractions. The study site was a 30-year experiment divided to six treatment classes, conventional tillage (CT) and reduced tillage (RT) with straw incorporated (S), straw removed (SR) and straw burned (SB). The soil was segregated into four different classes: large and small macroaggregates, microaggregates and silt and clay which were analyzed for total carbon. Reduced tillage or residue incorporation did not result in higher C sequestration but there were more water stable aggregates in the reduced tillage treatment.

This study presents a method for estimating the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock changes in mineral agricultural soils developed for the Finnish GHG inventory. SOC stock changes in mineral cropland and grassland soils from 1990 to 2013 were calculated by combining agricultural statistics and national conversion factors to estimate the organic inputs to soil, along with the Yasso07 soil carbon model. The effects of selected key assumptions on the simulation results were studied. The method yielded SOC change estimates closer to the observed SOC change than were the results of the previously used Tier 1 method. The SOC stocks of croplands in 1-m soil profiles were slightly decreasing in most regions of the country. At the national level, the decrease was on average 0.05 Mg C ha–1 year–1 (0.01%). Selection of climate data (annual vs. long-term mean) and the initialization procedure had large impacts on the simulated SOC stock and change results, whereas the simulations at regional and subnational levels provided similar results. The method was found to be suitable for the GHG inventory and preferable to the Tier 1 method. The modular structure of the system allows for continuous improvements when more information and data are gathered.

Kristiina Karhu, et al, 'Impacts of organic amendments on carbon stocks of an agricultural soil - Comparison of model-simulations to measurements', Geoderma Vols. 189-190, pp. 606-616, first published online 24 August 2012. The version of record is available online at doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.06.007 © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phosphorus (P) flow from deposits through agriculture to waterways leads to eutrophication and depletion of P reserves. Therefore, P must be recycled. Low and unpredictable plant availability of P in residues is considered to be a limiting factor for recycling. We identified the determinants for the plant-availability of P in agrifood residues. We quantified P in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and in field soil fractions with different plant availabilities of P as a response to manure and sewage sludge with a range of P capture and hygienization treatments. P was more available in manure and in sludge, when it was captured biologically or with a moderate iron (Fe)/P (1.6), than in NPK. Increasing rate of sludge impaired P recovery and high Fe/P (9.8) prevented it. Anaerobic digestion (AD) reduced plant-availability at relevant rates. The recovery of P was increased in AD manure via composting and in AD sludge via combined acid and oxidizer. P was not available to plants in the sludge hygienized with a high calcium/P. Contrary to assumed knowledge, the recyclability of P in appropriately treated residues can be better than in NPK. The prevention of P sorption in soil by organic substances in fertilizers critically enhances the recyclability of P.

We studied the effects of tillage and straw management on soil aggregation and soil carbon sequestration in a 30-year split-plot experiment on clay soil in southern Finland. The experimental plots were under conventional or reduced tillage with straw retained, removed or burnt. Wet sieving was done to study organic carbon and soil composition divided in four fractions: 1) large macroaggregates, 2) small macroaggregates, 3) microaggregates and 4) silt and clay. To further estimate the stability of carbon in the soil, coarse particulate organic matter, microaggregates and silt and clay were isolated from the macroaggregates. Total carbon stock in the topsoil (equivalent to 200 kg m − 2 ) was slightly lower under reduced tillage (5.0 kg m − 2 ) than under conventional tillage (5.2 kg m − 2 ). Reduced tillage changed the soil composition by increasing the percentage of macroaggregates and decreasing the percentage of microaggregates. There was no evidence of differences in the composition of the macroaggregates or carbon content in the macroaggregate-occluded fractions. However, due to the higher total amount of macroaggregates in the soil, more carbon was bound to the macroaggregate-occluded microaggregates in reduced tillage. Compared with plowed soil, the density of deep burrowing earthworms ( Lumbricus terrestris ) was considerably higher under reduced tillage and positively associated with the percentage of large macroaggregates. The total amount of microbial biomass carbon did not differ between the treatments. Straw management did not have discernible effects either on soil aggregation or soil carbon stock. We conclude that although reduced tillage can improve clay soil structure, generally the chances to increase topsoil carbon sequestration by reduced tillage or straw management practices appear limited in cereal monoculture systems of the boreal region. This may be related to the already high C content of soils, the precipitation level favoring decomposition and aggregate turnover in the winter with topsoil frost.

Cardiovocal syndrome or Ortner's syndrome is hoarseness due to left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy caused by mechanical affection of the nerve from enlarged cardiovascular structures. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is extremely rarely found to cause this syndrome. We describe a case of a 56-year-old patient with sudden onset of hoarseness. The patient had known long standing severe pulmonary hypertension. Fiberoptic laryngoscopy showed left vocal cord palsy. Computed tomography of the neck and chest revealed extensive enlargement of the pulmonary arteries and excluded a malignant tumor. The diagnosis of cardiovocal syndrome was retained. It is important for the radiologist to be aware of this possible etiology causing left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and to understand its mechanism.

Soil organic matter not only affects soil properties and productivity but also has an essential role in global carbon (C) cycle. We studied changes in the topsoil C content of Finnish croplands using a dataset produced in nationwide soil monitoring. The monitoring network consisting of fields on both mineral and organic soils was established in 1974 and resampled in 1987, 1998, and 2009. Over the monitoring period from 1974 to 2009, cultivated soils showed a continuous decline in C concentration (g kg(-1) ). In organic soils, C concentration decreased at a mean rate of 0.2-0.3% yr(-1) relative to the existing C concentration. In mineral soils, the relative decrease was 0.4% yr(-1) corresponding to a C stock (kg m(-2) ) loss of 220 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) . The change in management practices in last decades toward increasing cultivation of annual crops has contributed to soil C losses noted in this study. The results, however, suggest that the C losses result partly from other processes affecting cultivated soils such as climatic change or the continuing long-term effect of forest clearance. We estimated that Finnish cropland soils store 161 Tg carbon nationwide in the topmost 15 cm of which 117 Tg is in mineral soils. C losses from mineral soils can therefore total up to 0.5 Tg yearly.

CONTEXT: Cropland soil organic carbon (SOC) stock can be increased by agricultural management, but is subject to various factors. The extent and rates of SOC sequestration potential, as well as the controlling factors, under different climate and management practices across a region or country are important for policy-makers and land managers, however have been rarely known. OBJECTIVE: We aim to investigate the extent and rates of SOC sequestration potential over 2021-2040 under different scenarios of climate change and Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) practices, and quantify the impacts of climate change and SSM practices on the SOC sequestration potential, for croplands across Finland at a spatial resolution of 1 km. METHODS: RothC model is run iteratively to equilibrium to calculate the size of the SOC pools and the annual plant carbon inputs. Then, it is applied to investigate the SOC sequestration potential over 2021-2040 under different scenarios of climate change and SSM practices. Finally, facorial simulation experiments are conducted to quantify the impacts of climate change and SSM practices, alone and in combination, on SOC sequestration potential. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Under the combined impacts of climate change and SSM practices, the SOC sequestration potential during 2021-2040 relative to 2020 will be on average -0.03, 0.007, 0.05, and 0.13 t C ha-1 yr-1, respectively, with carbon input being business as usual, 5%, 10%, and 20% increase. This is equivalent to an annual change rate of -0.04%, 0.009%, 0.07%, and 0.17%, respectively. Therefore, a 20% increase in C input to soil will not be enough to obtain a 4‰ increase per year over the 20-year period in Finland. Carbon input will promote SOC sequestration potential; however, climate change will reduce it on average by 0.28 t C ha-1yr-1. Across the cropland in Finland, on average, the relative contributions of C input, temperature, and precipitation to SOC sequestration potential in 2021-2040 will be 56%, 24%, and 20%, respectively, however there is a spatially explicit pattern. The SOC sequestration potential will be relatively high and dominated by C input in west and southwest Finland. By contrast, it will be relatively low and dominated by climate in north and east Finland, and the central part of southern Finland. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings provide the information as to where, how much, and which SSM practices could be applied for enhancing SOC sequestration at a high spatial resolution, which is essential for stakeholders to increase cropland SOC sequestration efficiently.