竹粉/聚丙烯发泡复合材料加速老化性能的研究

为改善木塑复合材料密度大、韧性差的缺陷,采用注塑法制备竹粉/聚丙烯(polypropylene,PP)发泡复合材料;同时为加强木塑材料的生产和质量管理,采用氙灯加速老化方式,研究老化对发泡复合材料力学性能、材色、流变性能的影响,并采用环境扫描电镜(environmental scanning electronic microscopy,ESEM)和傅里叶红外光谱(Fourier transform infrared spectrum,FTIR)对材料进行分析。结果表明:历时1 200 h氙灯加速老化后,材料的弯曲强度、弯曲模量和缺口冲击强度的保留率仅分别为79.4%、68.3%和75.6%;产生的色差ΔE*和白度变化值ΔL*分别为49.0和48.4。频率扫描结果显示,老化后,复合材料的模量和黏度下降。ESEM显示,老化后材料表面出现孔洞和裂缝,且部分竹粉暴露在材料表面。FTIR结果表明,老化过程中,复合材料发生了光氧化降解反应。该研究可为进一步探索竹塑发泡复合材料的老化规律,制定产品标准提供试验数据和理论参考。     

竹粉热处理改善竹粉/聚丙烯复合材料的防霉性能

为改善竹粉/聚丙烯(polypropylene,PP)复合材料的防霉性能,该文通过对竹粉进行热处理,处理温度为150~190℃、处理时间为60~240 min,研究热处理对竹粉化学成分、失重率及吸湿性的影响,测试热处理竹粉对竹粉/PP复合材料颜色、力学性能、表面润湿性及防霉性能的影响。结果表明:随着热处理温度的升高和热处理时间的延长,竹粉综纤维素含量逐渐降低,木质素含量逐渐增加,失重率增大,吸湿性降低;与未热处理的竹粉/PP复合材料相比,热处理复合材料的色差最大值为7.54,弯曲强度和弯曲模量分别下降9.79%和5.37%,但表面润湿性降低,防霉性能增强,防霉被害值由3.75降至2.25,防霉效力为40%。该研究结果可为防霉型竹(木)塑复合材料的研发和应用提供试验数据和理论参考。     

茶粉/聚丙烯复合材料加速老化性能

为高值化利用茶产业剩余物资源,拓宽木塑复合材料中植物纤维来源,以废弃茶梗(tea stalk,TS)为有机填料,与聚丙烯(Polypropylene,PP)制备了TS/PP复合材料;同时为研究其户外应用和老化机制,考察了冻融循环老化对TS/PP复合材料力学性能、材色及热性能的影响,并用傅里叶红外光谱(Fourier transform infrared spectrum,FTIR)、扫描电镜(scanning electronic microscopy,SEM)等分析了复合材料的化学结构、表面形貌及老化机制。结果表明:在经历12次冻融循环老化后,复合材料的弯曲强度、缺口冲击强度、弯曲模量及硬度值保留率分别为28.9%、40.1%、34.5%和86.5%,复合材料的亮度变化值(△L*)、红绿轴色品指数变化值(△a*)、黄蓝轴色品指数变化值(△b*)及色差值△E分别为16.41、2.80、9.03和18.93;复合材料维卡软化点(vicat softing point,VSP)下降了2.9℃,茶粉组分的最快热降解温度降低了4℃;茶粉中木素苯环结构红外吸收峰强度减弱甚至消失,表明在冻融循环老化中茶粉中木素成分发生了降解。SEM显示随冻融循环次数增加,TS/PP复合材料表面裂纹数量增多,裂纹深度和宽度增大,甚至出现交叉裂纹。该研究结果可为进一步探索茶塑复合材料制备及老化规律,提供试验数据和理论参考。     

适宜共混速度改善低密度聚乙烯/竹粉复合材料力学与流变性能

该文主要研究共混速度对(low density polyethylene,LDPE)/竹粉木塑复合材料、流变性能和吸水率的影响。采用熔融共混方法制备LDPE/竹粉复合材料,通过旋转流变仪、扫描电镜(scanning electron microscope,SEM)和材料试验机等详细研究了共混速度(40,75和100 r/min)对LDPE/竹粉复合材料的复合材料动态力学性能、形态、吸水率和力学性能的影响。在LDPE/竹粉复合材料,LDPE、增容剂马来酸酐接枝聚乙烯(maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene,MAPE)和竹粉的质量比控制在65∶5∶30。共混温度和时间分别设定为170℃和10 min。结果表明,添加竹粉可有效增强LDPE的力学性能。LDPE/竹粉复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度随着共混速度的增加而呈现下降趋势,但是与纯LDPE相比,LDPE/竹粉复合材料(40 r/min)的拉伸强度和弯曲强度分别增加了28%和115%;弯曲模量从48.45 MPa降低到40.75 MPa。与LDPE相比,LDPE/竹粉复合材料(40 r/min)的弯曲模量最高增加了238%;缺口冲击强度则从12.8 k J/m2提高到18.27 k J/m2,但仍低于纯LDPE。在相同频率下(1.0 Hz),随着共混速度的增加,LDPE/竹粉复合材料的储能模量和复数黏度也逐渐下降,加工性能得到了改善;同时复合材料的吸水率也从0.89%(40 r/min)下降至0.59%(100 r/min)。SEM结果表明,竹粉能均匀分布在LDPE中,提高共混速度使得竹粉表面被大量树脂覆盖,改善了界面性能,使得材料断裂面产生大量的塑性形变,提高了材料韧性和冲击强度。试验结果证实共混速度为100 r/min时,LDPE/竹粉复合材料具有较好的冲击强度和较低的吸水率,这为木塑复合材料力学性能和吸水率的改善提供有意借鉴。     

抗老化剂改善竹粉/聚丙烯发泡复合材料的自然老化性能

为探索木塑复合材料的老化规律,改善木塑产品的老化性能,该文以化学发泡法制备的竹粉/聚丙烯(polypropylene,PP)发泡复合材料为研究对象,采用户外自然老化方式,研究自然老化对发泡复合材料材色、弯曲蠕变性能、流变性能的影响;同时为改善发泡复合材料的老化性能,研究了抗老化剂对发泡复合材料自然老化性能的影响。结果表明:抗氧化剂B225和抗紫外线剂UV770均可改善复合材料的自然老化变色,减缓复合材料的老化褪色,提高复合材料老化后的弯曲蠕变性能和流变性能。在提高复合材料材色稳定性和初始刚性方面,添加质量分数为0.6%B225的效果较优,其次是添加0.3%B225+0.3%UV770、最后是添加0.6%UV770;而添加0.3%B225+0.3%UV770的复合材料,其流变性能稳定性较佳。自然老化12个月后,未添加抗老化剂的复合材料产生的色差△E*为22.8,而添加0.6%B225、0.6%UV770、0.3%B225+0.3%UV770的复合材料,其△E*分别为14.2、17.6和16.8。自然老化12个月后,添加抗老化剂的复合材料,其产生的蠕变应变减小且弯曲性能保留率增大。动态频率扫描结果显示,自然老化会降低复合材料的储能模量、损耗模量、复数黏度和平均分子量,缩短松弛时间;添加抗老化剂不仅可提高复合材料的初始流变性能,而且可改善复合材料的流变性能稳定性。研究结果为进一步探索木(竹)塑发泡复合材料的老化规律及木塑生产实践提供数据和理论参考。     

竹粉/聚丙烯发泡复合材料的增韧效果

为研发可代替聚丙烯(polypropylene,PP)应用于汽车内饰件的木塑复合材料,减少白色污染,节约化石能源,同时提高木塑复合材料的附加值,拓宽其应用领域。该文以注塑法制备竹粉/聚丙烯发泡复合材料,并分别采用乙烯-1-辛烯共聚物(polyolefin elastomer,POE)和马来酸酐接枝POE(maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin elastomer,POE-g-MAH)增韧复合材料。研究了增韧填料对发泡复合材料力学性能的影响,用环境扫描电镜(environmental scanning electronic microscopy,ESEM)对复合材料的冲击断面进行观察,并进行了频率扫描的动态流变测试。结果表明:添加POE和POE-g-MAH在略微降低材料拉伸和弯曲强度的同时,可明显提高材料的缺口冲击强度,二者最佳用量分别为15%和8%;8%POE-g-MAH增韧的复合材料的缺口冲击强度为8.55kJ/m2,提高了35.7%,可很好地应用于汽车内饰件。ESEM显示,增韧后,复合材料的断裂形式转变为韧性断裂。动态频率扫描结果显示,POE对复合材料流变性能的影响较小,而POE-g-MAH增韧的复合材料的储能模量和复数黏度明显增大,且"第二平台"现象更为明显。     

含氢硅油改性稀土荧光竹塑复合材料的耐水性

为提高稀土荧光竹塑复合材料的耐水性能,拓宽其应用范围。利用含氢硅油改性竹粉和铝酸锶荧光粉表面,熔融共混,注塑成型的方法制备稀土荧光竹塑复合材料。通过接触角测量仪、荧光分光光度计、电子万能试验机、扫描电镜等仪器研究含氢硅油改性对复合材料接触角、吸水性能、发光性能和力学性能的影响。结果表明：未改性复合材料表面具有亲水性,改性复合材料表面具有疏水性。相比于未改性复合材料,改性复合材料的吸水率和吸水厚度膨胀率较低。经11 d水浸泡,改性复合材料的相对发光强度下降28.82%显著低于（P＜0.05）未改性复合材料的46.40%,改性复合材料的发光性能耐水性更好。随着浸水时间的延长,复合材料的弯曲强度、弯曲模量、拉伸强度均下降并趋于稳定,冲击强度先增大后减小,然后趋于稳定,与未改性复合材料相比,改性复合材料的弯曲强度、弯曲模量、拉伸强度的下降率较低（P＜0.05）,改性复合材料的力学性能遇水更稳定。扫描电镜显示,改性复合材料中荧光粉和竹粉在基体中分散较均匀、团聚减少、界面黏合强度改善。复合材料经含氢硅油改性后,游离羟基数量减小,羟基吸收峰向低波数移动,在1 387.75 cm-1处出现Si-CH3的特征吸收峰,表明含氢硅油与竹纤维和荧光粉表面羟基发生了化学反应,研究结果对提高稀土荧光竹塑复合材料的耐水性具有实际意义。     

竹粉/不饱和聚酯复合材料力学性能与断面图像特征

为探明粒径对竹粉/不饱和聚酯复合材料力学性能的影响以及力学性能与拉伸断面图像特征之间的关系,采用平板模压法制备了竹粉/不饱和聚酯复合材料并测试了其力学性能,应用局部二元模式直方图的傅立叶特征算法提取复合材料拉伸断面电子显微镜图像特征。结果表明:与20～30目竹粉比较,>30～40目竹粉/不饱和聚酯复合材料的拉伸强度、弯曲强度与弯曲模量分别提高32.9%、34.4%、25.4%;>100～120目的复合材料拉伸强度、弯曲强度与弯曲模量则比>30～40目的分别降低10.6%、20.8%、12.9%;200目竹粉/不饱和聚酯复合材料的拉伸强度与弯曲强度比>100～120目的分别提高11.7%与18.3%。不同粒径竹粉复合材料拉伸断面图像特征存在差异,具有相似力学性能的复合材料断面图像纹理特征有一定相似性。本文通过拉伸断面图像特征来表征复合材料微观形貌与力学性能的差异,为建立复合材料断面微观形貌与力学性能之间的定量关系提供参考。     

竹粉接枝改性提高竹塑复合材料的力学性能

为提高竹粉与聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯-1,4-环己烷二甲醇酯（polyethylene terephthalate glycol,PETG）基体的界面结合力,拓宽其应用领域,该论文以2-溴异丁酰溴修饰过的竹粉为大分子引发剂,FeCl3·6H2O/三苯基膦为催化体系,抗坏血酸为还原剂,采用电子活化再生原子转移自由基聚合法在竹粉表面接枝聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯,并通过红外光谱分析竹粉改性前后的表面化学基团变化。利用熔融共混、模压成型方法制备竹粉/PETG 竹塑复合材料。研究了竹粉接枝前后竹塑复合材料的弯曲性能,考察了竹粉改性对竹塑复合材料动态热力学性能的影响,并利用环境扫描电镜对竹粉/PETG 复合材料冲击断面进行观察。研究结果表明：接枝前后竹粉的红外光谱的显著变化证实了接枝反应的发生,聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯（polymethyl methacrylate,PMMA）成功地接枝到竹粉表面;与未改性的竹粉相比,改性后竹粉填充PETG复合材料的弯曲性能有较大提高,如竹粉质量分数为30%复合材料改性后弯曲强度提高了16%;动态热机械分析可知,竹粉经改性后其复合材料玻璃化转变温度和损耗角正切均有所降低,且在升温过程中仅出现一个损耗峰,表明竹粉表面接枝的PMMA可以充当竹粉与PETG的增容剂;环境扫描电子显微镜显示,竹粉经接枝改性后,竹粉能均匀分散在PETG基体中,竹粉与PETG基体之间的相容性得到了有效改善,界面结合良好。研究结果对通过竹粉表面处理提高竹粉/PETG竹塑复合材料的性能有重要的实际意义。     

不同模压成型条件下聚丙烯木塑复合材料性能

为利用农林废弃物和环境保护,以稻秸秆粉、稻壳粉、木粉、竹粉及稻秸秆与木粉的混合粉为填充材料,以PP膜为基体材料,采用层铺模压和混炼模压2种成型方法制备不同填料PP木塑复合材料,对木塑复合材料力学性能和吸湿吸水性能进行测试和分析,用体视显微镜对复合材料拉伸断面进行观察。结果表明,混炼模压成型木塑复合材料力学性能和抗吸湿吸水性能均优于层铺模压木塑复合材料,且混炼模压PP木塑复合材料填充材料与基体之间混合均匀,两相界面之间结合良好,层铺模压PP木塑复合材料有植物纤维粉和PP基体堆积现象。稻秸秆粉制备的PP木塑复合材料综合力学性能较好,竹粉PP木塑复合材料力学性能较差,模压前混炼对PP木塑复合材料吸湿、吸水性有较大的改善作用。该研究可为利用废旧塑料膜作基体制备木塑复合材料的研究与生产提供参考。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.     

Electron donor and pH relationships for biologically enhanced dissolution of chlorinated solvent DNAPL in groundwater

Biologically enhanced dissolution offers a method to speed removal of chlorinated solvent dense non-aqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) sources such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichoroethene (TCE) from aquifers. Bioremediation is accomplished by adding an electron donor to the source zone where fermentation to intermediates leading to acetic acid and hydrogen results. The hydrogen and possibly acetic acid are used by dehalogenating bacteria to convert PCE and TCE to ethene and hydrochloric acid. Reductive dehalogenation is thus an acid forming process, and sufficient alkalinity must be present to maintain a near neutral pH. The bicarbonate alkalinity required to maintain pH above 6.5 is a function of the electron donor: 800 mg/L of bicarbonate alkalinity is sufficient to achieve about 1.2 mM TCE dechlorination with glucose, 1.7 mM with lactate, and a much higher 3.3 mM with formate. Laboratory studies indicate that in mixed culture, formate can be used as an electron donor for complete conversion to ethene, contrary to pure cultures studies indicating it cannot. Various strategies can be used to add electron donor to an aquifer for DNAPL dehalogenation while minimizing pH problems and excessive electron donor usage, including use of injection-extraction wells, dual recirculation wells, and nested injection-extraction wells.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.