Food-crop-based production systems as sustainable alternatives for Imperata grasslands?

Purely annual crop-based production systems have limited scope to be sustainable under upland conditions prone to infestation by Imperata cylindrica if animal or mechanical tillage is not available. Farmers who must rely on manual cultivation of grassland soils can achieve some success in suppressing Imperata for a number of years using intensive relay and intercropping systems that maintain a dense soil cover throughout the year, especially where leguminous cover crops are included in the crop cycle. However, labour investment increases and returns to labour tend to decrease in successive years as weed pressure intensifies and soil quality declines.Continuous crop production has been sustained in many Imperata-infested areas where farmers have access to animal or tractor draft power. Imperata control is not a major problem in such situations. Draft power drastically reduces the labour requirements in weed control. Sustained crop production is then dependent more solely upon soil fertility management. Mixed farming systems that include cattle may also benefit from manure application to the cropped area, and the use of non-cropped fallow areas for grazing. In extensive systems where Imperata infestation is tolerated, cassava or sugarcane are often the crops with the longest period of viable production as the land degrades.On sloping Imperata lands, conservation farming practices are necessary to sustain annual cropping. Pruned tree hedgerows have often been recommended for these situations. On soils that are not strongly acidic they may consistently improve yields. But labour is the scarcest resource on small farms and tree-pruning is usually too labour-intensive to be practical. Buffer strip systems that provide excellent soil conservation but minimize labour have proven much more popular with farmers. Prominent among these are natural vegetative strips, or strips of introduced fodder grasses.The value of Imperata to restore soil fertility is low, particularly compared with woody secondary growth or Compositae species such as Chromolaena odorata or Tithonia diversifolia. Therefore, fallow-rotation systems where farmers can intervene to shift the fallow vegetation toward such naturally-occurring species, or can manage introduced cover crop species such as Mucuna utilis cv. cochinchinensis, enable substantial gains in yields and sustainability. Tree fallows are used successfully to achieve sustained cropping by some upland communities. A variation of this is rotational hedgerow intercropping, where a period of cropping is followed by one or more years of tree growth to generate nutrient-rich biomass, rehabilitate the soil, and suppress Imperata. These options, which suit farmers in quite resource-poor situations, should receive more attention.     

The Imperata grasslands of tropical Asia: area, distribution, and typology

The rehabilitation or intensified use of Imperata grasslands will require a much better understanding of their area, distribution, and characteristics. We generated estimates of the area of Imperata grasslands in tropical Asia, and suggested a typology of Imperata grasslands that may be useful to define the pathways toward appropriate land use intensification. We conclude that the area of Imperata grasslands in Asia is about 35 million ha. This about 4% of the total land area. The countries with the largest area of Imperata grasslands are Indonesia (8.5 million ha) and India (8.0 million ha). Those with the largest proportion of their surface area covered with Imperata are Sri Lanka (23%), the Philippines (17%), and Vietnam (9%). Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh evidently all have similar proportions of their land area infested with Imperata (about 3 to 4%). Malaysia (< 1%), Cambodia (1%), and the southern part of China (2%) have but a minor proportion of their total land area in Imperata. The species was found widely distributed on the full range of soil orders. It occupied both fertile (e.g. some of the Inceptisols and Andisols) and infertile soils (Ultisols and Oxisols) across a wide range of climates and elevations. Imperata lands fall into four mapping scale-related categories: Mega-grasslands, itmacro-grasslands, meso-grasslands, and micro-grasslands. The mega-grasslands are often referred to as sheet Imperata. They are the large contiguous areas of Imperata that would appear on small-scale maps of say 1:1,000,000. We propose that this basic typology be supplemented with a number of additional components that have a key influence on intensification pathways: land quality, market access, and the source of power for tillage. The typology was applied in a case study of Indonesian villages in the vicinity of Imperata grasslands. We propose an international initiative to map and derive a more complete and uniform picture of the area of the Imperata grasslands. This should include selected studies to understand conditions at the local level. These are critical to build the appreciation of change agents for the indigenous systems of resource exploitation, and how they relate to local needs, values and constraints.     

Imperata management strategies used in smallholder rubber-based farming systems

A large proportion of global natural rubber production takes place in Southeast Asia. The majority of this rubber is produced by smallholders. Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia are the three principal countries involved. In Malaysia and Indonesia the smallholder sector accounts for 72% and 84% of total rubber production respectively. In other countries rubber plays a significant role on a more local basis. Imperata is a serious problem for the smallholder rubber farmer in most of Southeast Asia in three respects: the high cost (labour and/or capital) of opening Imperata-infested land, its competitive effect on rubber and annual intercrops, and the fire hazard that it poses during the dry season as a major source of combustible material. The costs of Imperata to smallholders are substantial in terms of a direct loss through fire and revenue foregone or delayed as a result of competition. Most smallholders intercrop their rubber during the first 1–3 years after planting it, and during this period Imperata is reasonably well controlled. Intercropping is only feasible for a limited period because of limited soil fertility and/or the shading effect of the rubber trees. After intercropping, Imperata tends to establish itself for a few years until it too is shaded out by the rubber. This is the problem period, during which farmers practise only limited weed management, if any.A large amount of research has been done on methods of controlling Imperata, but the recommended methods have been generally spurned by smallholders unless they have been given subsidies to apply them. This paper describes the precise nature of the Imperata problem, with reference to some of the smallholder rubber-based farming systems within Southeast Asia; the different Imperata control strategies currently practised in these farming systems; and some of the constraints on the adoption of currently and recently recommended practices. It then proposes a ten-point agenda for research on Imperata control, including two ways in which current research programmes could be usefully reoriented: first, they need to take greater account of smallholder farming systems and constraints; and second they should shift their emphasis from single-method to integrated control systems.     

Imperata economics and policy

Should policymakers — or anyone else — care about millions of ha of Imperata grasslands? The answer depends on the balance between costs of conversion to other uses and the net benefits produced in economic growth, poverty alleviation, and protection of the environment. The first section on Imperata economics sets up the analytical framework to address this question and draws on the wider development economics literature to consider whether growth and poverty alleviation are conflicting or complementary objectives. Although evidence is limited, it suggests smallholder-based agroforestry could provide the same economic growth with greater poverty alleviation than large-scale forestry estates. There is, however, no substitute for project appraisal for specific settings. The second section on Imperata policy reviews whether policy distortions and market failures provide a sufficient rationale for direct policy intervention to promote tree planting on Imperata grasslands. Estimates of imputed values of carbon sequestration to alleviate global warming are presented for Acacia mangium and rubber agroforestry. The conclusion summarizes the policy research agenda and examines the desirability and feasibility of policy intervention to promote carbon sequestration through Imperata grassland conversion to tree-based systems.     

Topography affected landscape fire history patterns in southern Arizona, USA

Fire histories contribute important information to contemporary fire planning, however, our knowledge is not comprehensive geographically. We evaluated the influence of topography on fire history patterns in two contrasting landscapes within the Santa Catalina Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Multiple fire-scarred trees from randomly selected 2-ha plots were used to develop plot composite mean fire intervals (PCMFIs) within the Butterfly Peak (BP) and Rose Canyon (RC) landscapes. BP is dominated by steep, northerly aspects and presence of potential fire spread barriers (exposed rock bluffs and scree slopes). RC is dominated by more gentle and southerly aspects with relatively few fire barriers. Within each landscape, PCMFIs did not differ significantly between aspect classes from A.D. 1748 to 1910 (BP: p = 0.73 and RC: p = 0.57). Pooled PCMFIs in the gentler RC landscape were, however, significantly shorter (p < 0.001) than in the steeper BP landscape. The frequency of relatively widespread fires (i.e., number of fire years when ≥2 plots scarred) was similar between landscapes, but fires in the gentler RC landscape were significantly larger (p = 0.033). The higher frequency of large fires (i.e., fires that burned >75% of the landscape) in RC resulted in more area burned over time and shorter fire intervals at individual plots. Conversely, smaller fires in the dissected BP landscape resulted in less area burned and longer periods between fires at individual plots. The different topographies in the two landscapes likely result in different wind intensities, fuel moistures, and fuel/vegetation types—and consequently, different historical fire spread patterns. Our conclusion is that fire history patterns are not influenced primarily by stand-scale topography, but rather by the topographic characteristics of the broader, surrounding landscape.     

The dynamics of Imperata: historical overview and current farmer perspectives, with special reference to South Kalimantan, Indonesia

The paper reviews modern attitudes to and uses of imperata grasslands in parts of Southeast Asia, including government and NGO efforts at reforestation. It is argued that the perspective of small farmers has usually been inadequately considered in planning the rehabilitation of Imperata. A historical overview of the impact of changes in land use, population, vegetation dynamics and human adaptation on the creation, disappearance or persistence of Imperata provides a context for the present concerns and emphasizes the wide variability of the situation at the local level. Nine questions are proposed as needing consideration whenever changes are planned to a grassland-based system. They cover three main areas: 1) the origins, past and present uses of the grasslands (including the present land tenure position and variations in uses by ethnic group, socio-economic status and gender); 2) perceptions by farmers of the opportunities and constraints provided by local micro-environments, particularly vegetation types; 3) farmer suggestions for ways of improving their economic status and the potential benefits of agroforestry innovations. These questions are applied to one case study area, the Riam Kiwa valley of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.     

Early effects of four fast-growing tree species and their planting density on ground vegetation in Imperata grasslands

Ground vegetation development was studied under young plantations of Acacia mangium, A. crassicarpa, Gmelina arborea and Paraserianthes falcataria on an Imperata grassland site in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The study was based on two separate trials: 1) a species trial with a spacing of 3×3 m, and 2) a spacing trial with progressively decreasing planting density. Both trials were established by use of intensive site preparation, NPK-fertilization, and weeding during the first year. Two years after planting and one year after the last weeding, ground vegetation in the first trial was dominated by Imperata cylindrica grass and shrubs Chromolaena odorata and Clibadium surinamense. In the open area (control) only Imperata grass appeared. Significant differences in total ground vegetation biomass (t ha^–1) between the tree species were as follows: G. arborea (0.2) A. mangium (1.4) A. crassicarpa (4.2) < P. falcataria(9.6) open area (11.4). The early results from the spacing trial showed similar trends in the hardwood species' abilities in Imperata suppression. Highly significant linear relationships existed in regression analysis between the distance between planted trees and the ground vegetation biomass as follows: G. arborea (r²=0.75), A. mangium (r²=0.95), A. crassicarpa (r²=0.97), P. falcataria (r²=0.96). Tree species and their planting density should thus be critically considered in forest plantation establishment on Imperata grasslands, since ground vegetation development plays a decisive role in fire susceptibility, maintenance requirements and the promotion of native species in plantations.     

Soil fertility management for reclamation of Imperata grasslands by smallholder agroforestry

Imperata cylindrica grasslands are widely believed to indicate poor soil fertility. Soil fertility improvement may have to be an important component of a reclamation strategy. Data for Sumatra, Indonesia indicate, however, that Imperata occurs on a broad range of soil types and is not confined to the poorest soils. A direct role of Imperata in soil degradation cannot be ascertained. In many instances, however, Imperata soils are low in available P and effective N supply. The use of rock phosphate in combination with erosion control (fertility traps) and legume cover crops can be effective in restoring soil fertility. Case studies for a number of sites in Sumatra have confirmed the practical possibility of reclaiming grasslands for food and tree crops.     

Southeast Tibet Forest Fire Environment and Fire Behavior

With the influence of the world scope human being to the forest and climatic anomalies, forest fires in the world show the trend of escalation. US, Australia, Russia and Indonesia one after another had forest fires that were above 1 million hectares (ha). Impacted by the whole world forest fires situation, forest fires in China are very serious in the recent years. Forest fires in northeast and southwest China are unceasing, and the distribution of forest fires has the tendency to move south…     

Soil properties of Imperata grasslands and prospects for tree-based farming systems in Northeast Luzon, The Philippines

Ambiguity in the potential of soils under Imperata cylindrica grass contributes to the slow pace of grassland development in Northeast Luzon. The aim of this study is to investigate the soil properties of Imperata grassland and the prospects for tree-based farming systems in northeastern Luzon. Soils are developed over Miocene-Pliocene sedimentary rock and Plio-Pleistocene volcanic and fluvial deposits. There is a clear distinction between relatively well-developed fertile soils (Cambisols, Luvisols) along hill slopes, clayey soils in lowlands (Vertisols) and inferior leached soils (Planosols) restricted to palaeo terraces and elevated surfaces. Low soil organic matter content is a regional constraint to grassland development. Other constraints mainly occur on a local level and are associated with soil physical, rather than soil chemical, properties such as low infiltration, surface crusting, gully formation, limited soil depth, and stony surfaces. It is argued that variable soil conditions and topography are inadequately considered in regional attempts to develop and rehabilitate grasslands. Fertile, low-angle foot slopes are most suitable to permanent cultivation with crop rotation and husbandry practices such as mulching of crop residues, efficient use of animal manure and inclusion of nitrogen-fixing plants. Enrichment of natural forest patches is proposed, together with mixed tree plantations on rocky and steep terrain, field boundaries and stream banks in cultivated areas. Less fertile palaeo terraces, watersheds and upper slopes are most suitable to silvipastoral systems.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

火干扰对森林水文的影响

Fire is quite a common natural phenomenon closely related to forest hydrology in forest ecosystem. The influence of fire on water is indirectly manifested in that the post fire changes of vegetation, ground cover, soil and environment affect water cycle, water quality and aquatic lives. The effect varies depending upon fire severity and frequency. Light wildland fires or prescribed burnings do not affect hydrology regime significantly but frequent burnings or intense fires can cause changes in hydrology regime similar to that caused clear cutting.     

Shade-based control of Imperata cylindrica: tree fallows and cover crops

Imperata is shade-intolerant, although little is known of the relative roles of competition for light, water and nutrients in suppressing its growth. Shading of Imperata results in reduced carbohydrate storage, reduced rhizome and tuber-bulb production, reduced shoot dry weight, increased susceptibility to competition, increased susceptibility to herbicides and decreased vigor/regeneration. Herbaceous cover crops in the genera Calapogonium, Crotoleria, Mucuna and Pueraria have been shown to effectively suppress Imperata growth and can be used to prevent and in some cases eradicate Imperata. Tree fallows with fast-growing species such as Sesbania sesban, Acacia nilotica and Leucaena leucocephala can improve soil physical and chemical properties and suppress weed growth. Forest plantations have been successfully used, particularly with the use of moderate to high tillage, weeding and fertilizer inputs to suppress Imperata growth. These plantations produce marketable wood and reclaim the site for other uses. Additional research is needed to evaluate the specific nature of competition and allelopathic effects from Imperata. Continued evaluation of tree species and provenances for Imperata suppression, forms of tillage after woody fallow crops and the constraints to adoption of cover crops and trees as Imperata control measures are also needed.     

Performance of an improved fallow system in the Peruvian Amazon—modelling approach

As traditional slash-and-burn systems with prolonged fallow periods are no longer feasible in most parts of the tropics, improved agroforestry systems have high potential to increase the productivity of farming systems and sustain continuous crop production. Our objective was to assess biophysical and economic performance of planted leguminous tree fallow (using Inga edulis) compared to the traditional slash-and-burn farming system, practiced by farmers on fields infested with noxious weedy grass Imperata brasiliensis around the city of Pucallpa, Peru. An existing agroforestry model SCUAF was used to predict biophysical factors, such as changes in soil characteristics and farm outputs (crop and tree yield). While a cost–benefit analysis spreadsheet, which uses the output from SCUAF and economic data on input/output levels and prices, calculates economic performance of the systems. The Inga fallow system can provide improvements to a range of soil biophysical measures (C, N, P content). This enables higher levels of farm outputs to be achieved (higher cassava yields). However, for smallholders the improved system must be more economically profitable than the existing one. At prices currently encountered, the Inga fallow system is more profitable than the Imperata fallow system only in the long-term. In adopting the Inga fallow system, smallholders will incur lower profits in the first years, and it will take approximately 10 years for smallholders to begin making a profit above that achievable with the Imperata fallow system. Unless smallholders are capable of accepting the lower profitability in first years, they are less likely to adopt the new system.     

Southeast Tibet Forest Fuel Types and Flammability

Southeast Tibet forest is in east subtropical zone. This region natural environment is unique, influenced by the southwest monsoon, so forest fires are very easy to occur in the dry season. Forest in this region is over mature forest, and accounts for much proportion. Fire season in this area is winter and spring. But in the special year, forest fires can also occur in the hot summer. Fire season lasts from October to next February,but to April in an individual arid year. Most of the fires in this area are surface fires, crown fire, can occur after long time drought. Ground fires do not occur in the region.     

Livestock production systems for Imperata grasslands

With or without human intervention, animals are important components of grassland and forest ecosystems. When settlers occupy and cultivate land, they invariably bring animals with them. Livestock integrated in the production system convert crop residues and weeds into valuable products while most plant nutrients are retained. As animal feed, Imperata has low nutritional value, especially with advancing maturity. Supplemental feeding of ruminants with urea-molasses-mineral blocks or introduction of fodder species, especially legumes, have significantly improved production under smallholder farm systems. Fodder species for fallow improvement, modified alley cropping or hedgerow systems, and plantations integrating livestock production, all hold promise for future use of Imperata grasslands. Diversified systems may help settlers reach self-sufficiency while increasing the sustainability of the system. Research and development interventions towards improved livestock productivity in smallholder farms may have low economic but high social benefit. These benefits are especially attainable if the farm families participate in the design and implementation of innovations. Security of land tenure, provision of credit, and mechanisms marketing of produce are issues that need to be addressed in more innovative ways.     

Low- to moderate-severity historical fires promoted high tree growth in a boreal Scots pine forest of Norway

Abstract

Fire is the most important ecological factor governing boreal forest stand dynamics. In low- to moderate-severity fires, the post-fire growth of the surviving trees varies according to fire frequency, intensity and site factors. Little is known about the growth responses of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) following fires in boreal forests. We quantified changes in tree growth in the years following 61 historical forest fires (between 1210 and 1866) in tree-ring series collected from fire-scarred Scots pine trees, snags and stumps in Trillemarka nature reserve in south-central Norway. Basal area increment 10 years pre-, 5 years post-, and 11–20 years post-fire were calculated for 439 fire scars in 225 wood samples. We found a slight temporary growth reduction 5 years post-fire followed by a marked growth increase 11–20 years post-fire. Beyond 20 years post-fire, the long-term tree growth declined steadily up to approximately 120 years. Our results indicate that recurring fires maintained high tree growth in remnant Scots pines, most probably due to a reduction in tree density and thus decreased competition.     

The effects of fire on the regeneration of a Quercus douglasii stand in Quail Ridge Reserve, Berryessa Valley (California)

Wildfire is an important element in the dynamics of the blue oak (Quercus douglasii) stand. We evaluated the effect of fire in the regeneration of a stand in Quail Ridge. This protected area is located on a peninsula formed by the flooding of Berryessa Valley (California) which has helped it maintain many elements of the native flora. Major vegetation types are blue oak woodland and forest (Q. douglasii, Fagaceae), chamise chaparral (Adenostoma fasciculatum, Rosaceae), and grasslands. In the blue oak stand, 14 plots were randomly located: seven in the burned area and seven outside of the burned areas (control). The effect of fire on sexual regeneration, asexual regeneration, mortality and species composition was analyzed. The fire caused changes in canopy cover, soil cover and litter cover. Asexual regeneration was significantly favored by the fire, but the effect on sexual regeneration was not significant. Fire caused a significant reduction in the basal area of Q. wislizeni and Arctostaphylos manzanita and a reduction in the density of Heteromeles arbutifolia. We concluded that fire does not have a significant effect on the sexual regeneration of Q. douglasii or Q. wislizeni. Fire does stimulate asexual regeneration in both species of oaks, but grazing reduces the regenerative effect of fire. Fire increases regeneration of Arctostaphylos manzanita and Heteromeles arbutifolia by stimulating asexual and sexual regeneration. The occupancies of these chaparral species are further enhanced by their lower palatability compared to both species of oaks.     

遥感技术在火监测中的应用研究综述

火是地球表面频繁发生的异变现象,也是森林、灌丛、草地等生态系统中植被演替的主要动力。植被火烧释放出来的大量气溶胶颗粒物以及各种痕量气体,会引发大气环境和全球碳循环过程的深刻改变。遥感卫星能够监测和记录全球地表信息,尤其适用于地表异变现象特别强烈的火灾事件。遥感技术在野火识别和监测中的应用主要为了实现以下4个目的:1）火点精确地理位置判定;2）在燃火线的范围制图和火场发展趋势判定;3）火烧强度评价;4）火烧迹地植被恢复监测与评价。文中总结了遥感卫星技术和数据在火险评价与制图、火点识别、火烧面积统计以及火烧迹地植被恢复评价中的应用和贡献。     

Increasing rubber planting density to shade Imperata: a bioeconomic modelling approach

The profitability to smallholders of rubber production in Imperata infested areas of Indonesia was assessed using an existing bioeconomic model. An Imperata groundcover component was incorporated within the model as follows: tree girth = f(Imperata groundcover) = f(relative shading) = f(crown height, canopy width, tree spacing) = f(tree girth). The first two relationships represent extensions to the original model.Cumulative tree girth was predicted for rubber planting densities from 400 to 1000 stems/ha. At low tree planting rates, competition from Imperata restricts tree growth. At high tree planting rates, Imperata is controlled, but there are negative consequences from inter-tree competition. These two effects of higher planting rates counterbalanced, such that tree girth was approximately constant across the range of tree densities.Tree girth is a driving force in determining latex yield. Latex yield was translated into present value net economic returns within the model, by reference to prices and costs associated with rubber production in South Sumatra, Indonesia in 1995. Economic returns from planting 400 to 1000 trees/ha were calculated. Rubber growing by smallholders on Imperata infested land, was found to be profitable. Maximum profitability was obtained at 600 trees/ha. However, the sensitivity of net economic returns, with respect to tree density, was not great. This was due to the counterbalancing effects of changes in tree density.     

The agroforest alternative to Imperata grasslands: when smallholder agriculture and forestry reach sustainability

Basic prerequisites for sustainable reforestation of Imperata grasslands in Southeast Asia are presented. A theoretical forest is designed according to these prerequisites. Composed of basic units managed by local smallholders, the forest is composed of two sets of commercial tree species suited to local conditions, one set providing regular cash income and the other providing seasonal or irregular cash income. Such composition ensures economic and ecological viability of the forest in the long run, provided that clear tenurial right on the basic units are recognized. Guidelines for a transition from Imperata grasslands to forest are presented, underlining the importance of relying on natural succession processes. The theoretical forest is identified as an agroforest, a diverse forest rebuilt and managed by farmers, providing forest and agricultural products for both cash income and household consumption. Agroforests have been developed for decades by indigenous farmers in some regions of Southeast Asia. Examples from Indonesia are presented to support the theoretical analysis. They show that the agroforest alternative is a valuable unifying concept for reforestation of Imperata grasslands, for a sustainable upland agriculture, and more generally for an equitable environmentally and economically sound development of rural areas in the humid tropics. sound development of rural areas in the humid tropics.