The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Mineralogical Evaluation of Some Soils Representing The Geomorphic Units in The Northwestern Coast of Egypt3833971971410.21608/ejss.2018.5594.1213ENNabil MohamedBahnasawyEgyptJournal Article20181016Fifteen soil samples from successive strata were collected for five soil profiles representing assimilated four geomorphology units in the northwestern coast of Egypt. To find minerals structure, of the soil samples was microscopic and X-ray.<br />The polarized microscopic examination of the sand fraction between 0.125 and 0.063 mm showed that. Light minerals were dominated by quartz then by feldspar minerals. The presence of feldspars indicates that the soils are young from the pedological view point. Heavy minerals were the dominion of the total opaque minerals. The predominant minerals in non-opaque minerals were: Pyroxene minerals, Parametamorphic minerals. High-resistance mineral for weathering was predominant with zircon mineral. <br />Distributions of the resistant minerals indicate that the soils are generally of multi-origin and/or multi-depositional regime and are thus young.<br />X-ray diffraction of clay minerals showed the predominance of kaolinite, followed by montmorillonite, then mica trioctahedral, halloysite, vermiculite, palygroskite, regularly interstratified minerals (vermiculite + mica), talc mineral and regularly interstratified minerals (montmorillonite + mica or chlorite + vermiculite ), regularly interstratified minerals (chlorite + montmorillonite or saponite) chlorite, mica dioctahedral. The accessory minerals were dominated by quartz mineral. The study showed that the variable content of clay minerals in the geomorphic units in the study soil is essentially inherited from the parent materials, with some modification during the spatial deposition system and a slight change if there is any effect of the weathering factors on the studied soilsThe National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Assessment of Environmental Sensitivity to Desertification, Soil Quality and Sustainability in An Area of The North Nile Delta, Egypt3994152155310.21608/ejss.2018.4741.1192ENHebaElbasiounyDepartment of environmental and biological science, home economy Faculty, Al-Azhar university, Egypt.0000-0002-7245-6483Journal Article20180806There is growing concern about interconnected environmental issues such as environmental changing, degradation, and desertification. Therefore, the integration assessment studies of environmental sensitivity, soil quality and sustainability is very important in planning and decision making in degraded and vulnerable areas to degradation, especially when associated with spatial distribution of such issues. Therefore, this study aims to: assess environmental sensitivity to desertification in the study area, in addition to assess both of soil quality and sustainability in an area of North Nile Delta as a vital and fertile area that subjected to many challenges; as well, to utilize the GIS tools and capability for mapping the previous mentioned assessments. MEDALUS scheme is used to assess environmental sensitivity. In this scheme four factors (soil, climate, vegetation, and management) are considered to assess this sensitivity. On the other hand, nine soil properties were considered to evaluate the soil quality and sustainability. The results of this study revealed that all study area is classified as critical or fragile environmentally sensitive areas. The most critical part is the southern part of the study area. As well, the results demonstrated lowering in soil quality in the study area and extension in unsustainable parts especially in the degraded, salt-affected and barren parts in the northern and most of the western part of the study area. It is also observed that although all southern part in the study area is sensitive to degradation, the was a particular part is considered as high quality and sustainable. Such assessment studies provide a frame for systematically and subjectively evaluating the potential for significant environmental impacts which should considered in the strategic planning in this area.The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Impact of Organic Manure Combinations on Performance and Rot Infection of Stressed-Jerusalem Artichoke Plants4174332279410.21608/ejss.2018.6151.1216ENAhmed Abd El-AzizAwadSoils&amp;Natural Resources Dept., Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Aswan UniversityHoda MohamedAhmedBotany department (Plant pathology), Faculty of agriculture, Fayoum universityJournal Article20181109This investigation was carried out for two summer seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 to investigate the influence of three types of organic manures; farmyard (FYM), poultry (PLM) and pigeon manures (PGM) and their combinations on southern blight disease incidence (caused by Sclerotium rolfsii), some vegetative growth characters, chemical constituents, yield and its components of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) plants grown under saline and calcareous soils. The results indicated that T8 (75% PGM + 25% FYM) treatment recorded the highest values for plant height, number of lateral shoots, number of leaves, leaf fresh and dry weights, stem fresh dry weights and leaf area plant-1 in 2016/2017 growth season. However, T2 (100% PLM) treatment showed the highest values for the previous characters except the number of leaves and leaf area plant-1. Superior values were obtained by T4 (75% FYM + 25% PLM) followed by T3 (100% PGM) treatments regarding relative chlorophyll content in both seasons. Treatments T9 (75% PGM+25% PLM) for cadmium and T7 (75% PGM+25% PLM) for nickel showed the lowest values of tuber Jerusalem artichoke in both seasons, in addition T3 (100% PGM) and T4 (75% FYM + 25% PLM) treatments for lead content in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, respectively. The treatment T2 had the highest significant reduction of the disease incidence (DI) percentage. While, the best treatment conferred highest leaf contents of NPK, as well as tuber fresh and dry weights, dry matter, and total yield and lowest tuber content of nickel were T7 (75% PLM + 25% PGM) and tuber cadmium content was T9 (75% PGM + 25% PLM). The same treatment T7 had the highest significant reduction rate of DI and area under disease progress curves (AUDPC).The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Sustainable Land Management Using Spatial Analyst in North Nile Delta soil, Egypt4354422540710.21608/ejss.2018.5378.1210ENFarahatSaad MoghanmSoil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516, EgyptAhmedDarwishSoil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516, EgyptEkhlaseEl WakeelSoil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516, EgyptMohamedElshahawy3Soil, Water and Environment Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Kafr El-Sheikh, EgyptAdelShalabyNational Authority for Remote Sensing and Space SciencesJournal Article20181001Sustainable land management (SLM) in agriculture is a complex topic that incorporates many features, including biophysical, socioeconomic and environmental factors. To integrate land productivity, security, protection, economic viability and social acceptability indices, spatial analysis (ordinary kriging) functions in a geographic information system (GIS) were employed to estimate the sustainability index. A SLM model was designed in ArcGIS to evaluate SLM, promote production services (productivity), reduce production risks (security), reduce the pressure on natural resources and protects soil and water degradation (protection). The model was designed to be economically viable (feasibility) and to be acceptable (susceptibility).<br />This study aimed to evaluate sustainable agricultural land in Desouk district, north Nile Delta, Egypt, through a combination of five indices. The sustainability index data indicate that the area can be classified into three classes i.e., low and high class II areas above the threshold of sustainability and class III areas below the threshold of sustainability, representing 64%, 34% and 2% of the investigated area, respectively. It was found that most of the agricultural land in the study area tends to be marginally higher than the threshold for sustainability.The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Implementation of climate change strategies in Hungary4434552517110.21608/ejss.2018.6362.1224ENEmőkeKissDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryDánielBallaDepartment of Computer Graphics and Image Processing,Faculty of Informatics, University of Debrecen, HungaryTamásMesterDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryIstvánFazekasDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryJournal Article20181125According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its implementation framework, Hungary is obligated to compile a National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS). The first and the reviewed version (NCCS-2) were completed for the period of 2008-2025 and 2017-2030, respectively, with an outlook until 2050. The objectives of the UN and the EU determine the planning and interventional tasks and they are in accordance with them. As part of the Environmental and Energy Efficiency Operative Program (EEEOP), the European Union and Hungary support the development of county-level and local climate strategies. Since for the adaptation to be successful, the collaboration between different planning levels is of paramount importance, in our study we aim to investigate how well the documents compiled in the Hungarian planning levels are integrated and whether they are in accordance with the international objectives. Furthermore, we also investigate the degree to which the compiled strategies focus on locally arising problems. The county-level climate strategies have been already completed in the framework of the EEEOP tender, while the development of strategies for the settlements is currently in progress. The county-level climate strategies completely cover the national objectives, which are in accordance with the objectives of the EU. The county-level climate strategies contain specific objectives regarding the given county, depending on how the climate change is expected to impact the region, as well as the economic, social and natural attributes of the counties.The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Evaluation of Groundwater Quality Changes Following The Establishment of A Sewage Network4574622517210.21608/ejss.2019.6421.1227ENTamasMesterDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Egyetem t&eacute;r 1. H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryDanielBallaUniversity of Debrecen, Faculty of Informatics, Department of Computer Graphics and Image ProcessingEmőkeKissDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryGyorgySzaboDepartment of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1. H-4032 Debrecen, HungaryJournal Article20181128Domestic wastewater is the most significant source of pollution in Hungarian settlements. In order to eliminate this pollution the construction of sewage networks is ongoing in the country. The investments have a significant impact on the local environment, especially on groundwater resources. In the present case study changes in groundwater quality are evaluated after the construction of the sewage network. In the summers of 2013 and 2017 water samples were collected from 40 ground water wells. The comparative investigations were performed using a contamination index. The following parameters were used to calculate the contamination index: pH, EC, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, PO43-, CODps, Na+. The degree of contamination (Cd) of the groundwater was classified into 4 categories: Cd>3 very heavy contamination, 3>Cd>2 heavy contamination, 2>Cd> 1 moderate contamination, 1>Cd low contamination. The results show strong groundwater contamination. In 2013, in 67.5% of the examined wells, the water quality was very heavily or heavily contaminated. Only 15% of the water samples had a low degree of contamination. Three years after the sewage network was set up, significant changes were observed. In 2017 the proportion of highly or heavily contaminated wells dropped to 50%, thus the number of moderately contaminated wells more than doubled. The number of low-polluted wells also grew, but their proportion did not reach 20% in 2017. On the basis of the results, it can be concluded that the purification process has started, but it may takes several years. Further environmental measures are needed in order to eliminate these pollutants.The National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) affiliated to Academy of Scientific Research and Technology(ASRT)Egyptian Journal of Soil Science0302-670158420181201Shallow Water Table-induced Soil Degradation of a Lacustrine Cultivated Soil4634732622310.21608/ejss.2019.6138.1217ENOsamaAbd El-kawySoil and Water Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria UniversityRamzyHediaSoil and water science, Alexandria UniversityJournal Article20181111Land degradation is a world challenge for sustainable agricultural production and food security. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of shallow water table conditions on the soil degradation rate of Abis Experimental Research Station, Alexandria governorate, Egypt. Soil salinization, sodication and water logging conditions were assessed through collecting surface (0-30 cm) and subsurface (30-60 cm) soil samples and water table samples in 2016. The data obtained were compared with a previous survey study in 2007 and the salinization, sodication and water logging index rates were calculated. Generally, mean values of EC (dS m-1) and ESP (%) increased and water table depth decreased with high spatial variability and more areas suffered from salinity and sodicity in 2016 compared to 2007. Within a period of nine years, 46% and 47% of the cropland area were converted from “non to slightly saline” to “moderately to highly saline” soil in the surface and subsurface layers, respectively. About 45% and 46% of the area were deteriorated and turned into sodic soils in the surface and subsurface layers, respectively. The water-table intruded much more to the soil surface where 95% of the cropland area had water-table depth of 50-100 cm. The salinization rate index was < 2 dS m-1/year (Non to slight) for the all observations. 35% of the area showed moderate sodication rate (1-2 increase in ESP/year) and only 4% with high sodication rate (2-3 increase in ESP/year). A moderate (1-3 cm decrease/year) and high (3-5 cm decrease/year) water logging rates were observed in 46% and 28% of the area, respectively, which were mostly found in the Eastern part of Abis farm.