• Advances in environmental research
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.247-262
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• 2015

The few lignin biomarker studies conducted in tropical environments are hampered by having to use references signatures established for plants and soils characteristic of the temperate zone. This study presents a lignin biomarker analysis (vanillyls (V), p-hydroxyls (P), syringyls (S), cinnamyls (C)) of the dominant plant species and soil horizons as well as an analysis of the interrelated terrigenous organic matter (TOM) dynamics between vegetation and soil of the $Tapaj{\acute{o}}s$ river region, an active colonization front in the Brazilian Amazon. We collected and analyzed samples from 17 fresh dominant plant species and 48 soil cores at three depths (0-5 cm, 20-25 cm, 50-55 cm) from primary rainforest, fallow forest, subsistence agriculture fields and pastures. Lignin signatures in tropical plants clearly distinguish from temperate ones with high ratios of Acid/aldehyde of vanillyls ((Ad/Al)v) and P/V+S. Contrary to temperate environments, similarly high ratios in tropical soils are not related to TOM degradation along with pedogenesis but to direct influence of plants growing on them. Lignin signatures of both plants and soils of primary rainforest and fallow forest clearly distinguish from those of non-forested areas, i.e., agriculture fields and pastures. Attalea speciosa Palm trees, an invasive species in all perturbed landscapes of the Amazon, exhibit lignin signatures clearly distinct from other dominant plant species. The study of lignin signatures in tropical areas thus represents a powerful tool to evaluate the impact of primary rainforest clearing on TOM dynamics in tropical areas.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.547-558
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• 2018

Studies of soil dynamic properties in Malaysia are still very limited. This study aims to investigate the dynamic properties of two selected tropical residual soils (i.e., Sandy Clay and Sandy Silt) and a sand mining trail (Silty Sand) in Peninsular Malaysia using 1g shaking table test. The use of 1g shaking table test for soil dynamic testing is often constrained to large strain level and small confining pressure only. Three new experimental setups, namely large laminar shear box test (LLSBT), small chamber test with positive air pressure (SCT), and small sample test with suction (SSTS) are attempted with the aims of these experimental setups are capable of evaluating the dynamic properties of soils covering a wider range of shear strain and confining pressure. The details of each experimental setup are described explicitly in this paper. Experimental results show that the combined use of the LLSBT and SCT is capable of rendering soil dynamic properties covering a strain range of 0.017%-1.48% under confining pressures of 5-100 kPa. The studied tropical residual soils in Malaysia behaved neither as pure sand nor clay, but show a relatively good agreement with the dynamic properties of residual soils in Singapore. Effects of confining pressure and plasticity index on the studied tropical residual soils are found to be insignificant in this particular study.

• 한국토양비료학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.260-264
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• 1985

Ferrallitique 토는 Orchric A층(層), Oxic B층(層)을 갖고 토색이 황갈색내지 적갈색을 띠고 풍화가 심히 진전되어 이 풍화광물이 매우 적은 토양이다. 염기가 용탈되어 토양비옥도가 매우 낮은 것이 특징이며 주점토광물은 케오리나이트이고 토양의 물리성이 양호한 토양이다. 농업적(農業的)인 면(面)에서는 앞으로 이용(利用) 가능성(可能性)이 높다.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.116-124
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• 2013

Differences in rates and patterns of nitrogen cycling have been correlated with nitrogen stable isotope measurements in forest ecosystems of tropical and temperate regions, but limited similar work has been conducted in sub-tropical forests. This study investigated patterns in stable N isotopic composition in a subtropical forest in Taiwan by sampling three soil profiles and overstory and understory foliage. Soil ${\delta}^{15}N$ in the forest floor ranged from -1.8 to -1.8‰. Mineral soils had higher ${\delta}^{15}N$ (4.1 to 6.0‰). Foliage ${\delta}^{15}N$ in overstory trees ranged from -6.6 to -2.0‰, and understory foliage ${\delta}^{15}N$ ranged from -5.0 to -1.2‰. There was a weak correlation between foliar % N and ${\delta}^{15}N$ ($r^2=0.214$). Compared to results from similar surveys in tropical and temperate forests, foliar ${\delta}^{15}N$ values were generally lower. These results help highlight the need for improved knowledge regarding the relationships between patterns in N stable isotopes and processes affecting rates of N cycling, especially as related to wider scale patterns in forest ecosystems within the east-Asia region.

• 한국지반공학회지:지반
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.115-130
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• 1996

Laterite 또는 laterite성토의 정의는 열대.아열대의 기후조건에서 논의 되었고 그 풍화 지표 는 화학적 조성에 의해 표시하고 있다. 열대.습윤온난지역의 적황색토화한 화강암질 풍화잔적토는 화학적 조성에서 laterite성토와 같은 정의의 지표로서는 전체성분에 대한 $(A1_2O_3+Fe_2O_3)$의 비가 0.2~0.5를 나타낸다. 본 연구에서의 전주아중지역의 화학적 비는0.28정도, 홍성 및 대천의 서해연안지역은 0.33정도이다. 비laterite치 화학적 비는 0.2미만이며 경주불국사지역은 0.17 정도로 확인되었다. 적황색토의 X-Ray 회절 분석결과 점토광물은 kaolinite화 되어 있는 것은 다른지역의 화강암질 풍화잔적토와 같은 특징이다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.337-348
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• 2020

Tropical organic soils having more than 65% of organic matters are named "peat". This soil type is extremely soft, unconsolidated, and possesses low shear strength and stiffness. Different conventional and industrial binders (e.g., lime or Portland cement) are used widely for stabilisation of organic soils. However, due to many factors affecting the behaviour of these soils (e.g., high moisture content, fewer mineral particles, and acidic media), the efficiency of the conventional binders is low and/or cost-intensive. This research investigates the impact of different constituents of cement-sodium silicate grout system on the compressibility behaviour of organic soil, including settlement and void ratio. A microstructure analysis is also carried out on treated organic soil using Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results indicate that the settlement and void ratio of treated organic soils decrease gradually with the increase of cement and kaolinite contents, as well as sodium silicate until an optimum value of 2.5% of the wet soil weight. The microstructure analysis also demonstrates that with the increase of cement, kaolinite and sodium silicate, the void ratio and porosity of treated soil particles decrease, leading to an increase in the soil density by the hydration, pozzolanic, and polymerisation processes. This research contributes an extra useful knowledge to the stabilisation of organic soils and upgrading such problematic soils closer to the non-problematic soils for geotechnical applications such as deep mixing.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권7호
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• pp.978-987
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• 2015

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the greatest limitations to agriculture in acid soils, particularly in tropical regions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can supply plants with nutrients and give protection against Al toxicity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of soil liming (i.e., reducing Al saturation) on the AMF community composition and structure in the roots of maize lines contrasting for Al tolerance. To this end, we constructed four 18S rDNA cloning libraries from L3 (Al tolerant) and L22 (Al sensitive) maize lines grown in limed and non-limed soils. A total of 790 clones were sequenced, 69% belonging to the Glomeromycota phylum. The remaining sequences were from Ascomycota, which were more prominent in the limed soil, mainly in the L3 line. The most abundant AM fungal clones were related to the family Glomeraceae represented by the genera uncultured Glomus followed by Rhizophagus and Funneliformis. However, the most abundant operational taxonomic units with 27% of the Glomeromycota clones was affiliated to genus Racocetra. This genus was present in all the four libraries, but it was predominant in the non-limed soils, suggesting that Racocetra is tolerant to Al toxicity. Similarly, Acaulospora and Rhizophagus were also present mostly in both lines in non-limed soils. The community richness of AMF in the non-limed soils was higher than the limed soil for both lines. The results suggest that the soil Al saturation was the parameter that mostly influences the AMF species composition in the soils in this study.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2018

Phosphorous remains as one of the most limiting nutrients to plant growth, second only to nitrogen. Research on use of biochar as a soil amendment for available phosphorus in temperate calcareous soils has limited studies compared with to tropical acidic soils. An incubation experiment to assess phosphorous availability in a biochar amended calcareous soil under inorganic (Fused superphosphate, FSP) and organic fertilizer (bone meal, BM) and respectively, at the dose of 40, 80 and $120mg\;P\;kg^{-1}$ was carried out. Soil was incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 70 days. Results show that the rate of increase in available P was proportional to the fertilizer application rate with or without biochar amendment. Biochar did not have a significant effect on soils amended with either fertilizeron the values of available P. However, time had a significant effect (p<0.001) on the amount of available P during the incubation period. Inorganic fertilizer treatments had recorded high amount of available P with time compared to organic fertilizer treatments. Organic fertilizer treatment sample were significantly not different from control and for most of the incubation time biochar acted as a soil conditioner. Further research is required to understand the holistic and long-term effect of biochar.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.180-192
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• 2024

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are found in diverse environments, such as soils, rivers, and seas. Hence, they can be used as bioindicators to assess the water quality based solely on their presence. In this study, we determined the presence of FLA in river water by filtering water samples collected from various sites and culturing the resulting filtrates. FLA were detected in all the water samples with varying quality grades (Grades I-V). The significant increase in the size of the amoebae population with the deterioration in the water quality. Monoxenic cultures of the amoebae were performed, and genomic DNAs were isolated, among which 18S rDNAs were sequenced to identify the amoeba species. Of the 12 species identified, 10 belonged to the Acanthamoeba genus; of the remaining 2 species, one was identified as Vannella croatica and the other as a species of Vermamoeba. Acanthamoeba was detected in samples with Grades I to VI quality, whereas the Vermamoeba species was present only in Grade I water. V. croatica was found exclusively in water with Grade II quality. Following morphological observations, genomic DNA was sequenced using 16S rDNA to determine whether the species of Acanthamoeba harbored endosymbionts. Most of the isolated Acanthamoeba contained endosymbionts, among which 4 species of endogenous bacteria were identified and examined using transmission electron microscopy. This study provides evidence that the distribution of amoebae other than Acanthamoeba may be associated with water quality. However, further confirmation will be required based on accurate water quality ratings and assessments using a more diverse range of FLA.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.1-14
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• 2013

Acacia mangium is an evergreen fast-growing tropical tree, which can grow up to 30 m tall and 50 cm thick, under favorable conditions. It is a low-elevation species associated with rain forest margins and disturbed, well-drained acid soils. It is native to Papua, Western Irian Jaya and the Maluku islands in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and north-eastern Queensland in Australia. Due to its rapid growth and tolerance of very poor soils, A. mangium was introduced into some Asian, African and western hemisphere countries where it is used as a plantation tree. A. mangium has good quality wood traits, such as a comparatively low proportion of parenchymatous cells and vessels, white and hard wood, and high calorific value. Therefore, it is useful for a variety of purposes, such as furniture, cabinets, turnery, floors, particleboard, plywood, veneer, fence posts, firewood, and charcoal. It is also being used in pulp and paper making because it has good pulp traits, with high yields of pulp, quality of kraft, and produces paper with good optical, physical and surface properties. Because there are significant provenance differences in growth rate, stem straightness, heartwood formation and frequency of multiple leaders, the productivity and quality also varies depending upon environmental conditions, so genetic improvement programmes have been undertaken in countries like Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. The programme includes provenance identifications and testing, plus tree selection and clonal multiplication, establishment of seed orchards and hybridization. The phenology, reproductive biology, fruit characteristics, silvicultural practices for cultivation, pest and diseases problems, production of improved planting stock, harvesting, wood properties and utilization have been discussed in this paper.