关注西北地区生态安全,实现经济可持续发展

西北地区生态环境十分脆弱,水土流失、荒漠化、水资源枯竭、自然灾害频繁、环境污染严重、生物生存安全等问题,已经在很大程度上对生态安全造成严重威胁.针对西北地区主要生态问题,提出了保证生态安全、实现可持续发展的战略和对策,对搞好西北生态环境建设、维护国家生态安全、实现可持续发展有重要的现实意义.     

我国治理水土流失的系统思考

我国严重的水土流失造成江河泛滥、土地荒漠化、沙尘暴和生态失衡，这与我国当前重经济发展忽视环境保护有很大关系，贯彻落实科学发展观，建立水土保持的管理、投入机制，实现人与自然的和谐，是建立社会主义新农村的重要内容。本文对我国水土保持的现状以及水土流失产生的严重问题进行了探讨，分析水土保持的制约因素：管理体制、投入机制、经济发展与水土保持，并提出系统解决水土流失问题的一些建议。     

宁夏农业生态环境保护投融资环境初步研究

农业生态环境保护投融资能力,以及优化的投融资环境将成为解决“三农”问题,落实科学发展观,建设环境友好型社会对环保要求的重要因素。系统分析了宁夏农业生态环境保护投融资环境的基本特征:即金融环境初步改善,但金融抑制依然突出;经济发展较快,但市场化水平低下;农业发展对金融支持的依赖性不断增强,但农业支持保护体系不完善;自然灾害频繁,农业生态环境呈干旱化发展态势;土地荒漠化严重,水资源严重短缺;农用化学品逐年增加,农产品安全形势严峻;自然保护区建设成绩突出,但土壤侵蚀状况依然十分严重。研究结果表明,非持续的农业生态环境保护投融资环境已经很难适应市场经济条件下农业生态环境保护的客观需求。进一步探讨了优化农业生态环境保护投融资环境的机制框架,即建立持续的农业生态环境保护投融资体系;建立市场经济条件下的农业生态环境保护公私合营投融资机制;建立持续的农业生态环境保护补偿和激励制度;加强农业生态环境保护规划及实施;解决“三农”问题,推进区域经济快速健康发展。     

陕西黄河生态环境存在的问题与对策

陕西是我国水土流失最严重的省份之一,生态环境存在的主要问题是林草覆盖率低,水土流失严重,土地沙化、荒漠化问题突出,水资源严重短缺且地区分布不均,自然灾害频繁,投入严重不足,边治理、边破坏现象时有发生。其主要对策:一是植树种草,涵养水源,营造区域良好环境;二是理顺思路,调整结构,大力发展生态农业;三是加强管理,增加投入,提高小流域综合治理水平;四是全面规划,分类指导,确保退耕还林的质量和效果;五是加强管护,强化监督,实现有序开发和综合利用。     

陕西省生态环境现状及防治对策

从水土流失、土地荒漠化、水资源、工业污染等几个方面对陕西省生态环境现状进行了初步分析 ,通过分析大量数据指出了制约陕西省经济社会发展的因素之所在。同时 ,针对陕西省目前的生态环境现状 ,从调整土地利用结构 ,发展生态产业 ;加强水资源管理 ,建立节水社会 ;加速林草建设 ,保护生物资源 ;优化城乡能源结构 ,优化工业和城镇布局 ;建立环境影响评价制度 ;建立健全环境法律法规政策 ;从加速环境科学技术研究等方面对改善和促进陕西省环境状况 ,加速经济发展提出了对策     

吉林省农业生态环境障碍性因素及综合调控措施

吉林省农业生态环境障碍性因素主要包括土地退化、水资源水环境问题突出、区域生态系统的服务功能下降等,应采取如下综合调控措施:加强农业和农村发展规划,因地制宜、科学合理地开发利用水土资源,通过合理耕作和水土保持措施减少水土流失,养地培肥、增加土壤有机质,解决土地荒漠化问题;依托水利工程和灌区建设,结合农业节水措施,提高水资源利用效率,解决农业用水与生态用水矛盾问题;推广精准农业、减少面源污染,结合生态拦截型沟渠系统和人工湿地建设,加大环境容量,解决水污染问题;结合区域生态环境现状,构建起生态要素多样化、结构相对稳定、功能相对完善的复合生态系统,以提高区域农业生态系统的稳定性和自我调节能力。     

水土流失引发的生态灾害及解决途径

我国水土流失区的主要生态灾害有洪涝灾害、耕地减少、土地退化、水资源短缺及污染、生物多样性减少等等,其主要对策是充分发挥生态的自然修复作用,加快水土保持综合治理,依法防治水土流失,建立科学合理的水土流失生态补偿法律体系。     

我国著名水土保持专家李锐先生论重视改善生态环境理智开发西部地区

我国实施西部大开发战略,将面临一个现实而突出的问题,即西部生态环境问题.西部,这片占我国国土近60%的广袤土地,资源相当丰富,但水土流失或土地荒漠化、水资源短缺现象严重.极其脆弱的生态环境迫使我们不得不去思考:在开发西部的过程中,生态环境保护与治理应该提到怎样的战略地位上?改善西部生态环境,从何处入手?如何协调生态保护与经济开发的关系?     

西北地区荒漠化防治与生态恢复若干问题的探讨

气候的干旱化倾向是西北地区荒漠化发生、发展的背景条件,人地关系矛盾突出是土地荒漠化加速扩展的内在根源。因此,荒漠化防治的根本措施就应该从控制人口和提高土地承载力人手,逐步缓解和消除人口对环境的压力。针对以往荒漠化防治和生态恢复中存在的问题,讨论了需要进行思路创新和制度创新的有关内容,并提出了荒漠化防治需要重视和研究解决的重大问题。     

云南省生态环境现状及其防治对策

从水土流失、土地荒漠化、石漠化、森林资源、水资源、耕地、矿业污染等几个方面对云南省生态环境现状进行了初步分析，通过分析大量数据找出了云南省生态环境存在的主要问题。同时。针对云南省目前的生态环境现状,从加强法制宣传和环保教育,提高全民参与意识;加速森林植被建设，强化生物多样性保护;发展生态农业；搞好荒漠化、石漠化区域的治理与开发;合理开发生物资源;加大科技推广力度;加强生态环境建设的执法力度等方面对改善云南省生态环境状况，经济发展提出了对策。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

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     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.     

Short-term variation in the concentration of selected ions within individual tropical rainstorms

Rainwater was collected at the campus of the University of Brunei Darussalam in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, using a funnel-in-bottle sampler. Polypropylene bottles were changed at intervals during rainstorm events. The pH and conductivity were determined immediately after collection on aliquots of the sample. Samples were refrigerated at 5°C for subsequent chemical analysis. Analyses for Na, Mg, Ca, Zn and Fe were carried out by means of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES); Cu and Mn were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS); K was analysed using flame atomic emission spectroscopy (FAES); and Cl^–, NO₃ ^– and SO₄ ^2– were analysed by ion chromatography (IC). Concentration versus time profiles are reported for three rainstorm events. All ions exhibited a decrease in concentration during the rainstorm. The first sample contained the highest concentration of ions, consistent with a first-flush effect. The contribution of the initial stages of the shower to the total quantity of ion deposited during the entire rainstorm is quite overwhelming; in many cases 20 to 30% of the mass was deposited in less than 5% of rainstorm duration. On the other hand, the pH and conductivity variation during rainstorms did not exhibit a consistent pattern.     

The 5S rRNA gene diversity in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Secale</Emphasis> and determination of its closest haplomes

We analyzed 127 rDNA sequences (5S DNA units) obtained from 23 seed accession samples from more or less 10 taxa in wild and cultivated rye, genus Secale L. The sequences fell into two known groups, here assigned to two unit classes, viz. long R1 and short R1 (designations to reflect on R haplome of rye). The different taxa could not be fully differentiated based on the 5S DNA units. We searched for 5S DNA sequences from known unit classes most closely similar to the long R1 and the short R1. One set with the long R1 unit class contained sequences of the long P1 unit class from Agropyron (P haplome) and from Kengyilia (StYP haplome), long J1 from Thinopyrum (J haplome), whereas the set with the short R1 included the long S1 from Pseudoroegneria (St haplome) and Kengyilia (StYP haplome), the short J1 from Thinopyrum (J haplome) and the short V1 from Dasypyrum (V haplome). Each of the two sets was analyzed separately by maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis from which we were able to infer that the 5S DNA units of Secale differentiated in a non-clock fashion and followed the HKY substitution model in the gene tree with the long R1 unit class and the HKY + G in the gene tree with the short R1 unit class. A complementary Bayesian analysis yielded identical tree topologies to the ML ones for each of the two sequence sets. In the tree with the long R1 units the long P1 and long J1 unit classes were closest to the long R1 unit class, whereas in the tree with the short R1 units the long S1 and short J1 unit classes were closest to the short R1 unit class, indicating possibly a close relationship between the St, J and R haplomes.     

Leaf litter selection by detritivore and geophagous earthworms

Summary Litterbag experiments with 10 different kinds of leaf litter showed that detritivore (Lumbricus species) and geophagous (Aporrectodea species) earthworms prefer certain litter types over others, since different numbers of worms were found below the litter after 50–52 days of exposure in a pasture. The detritivores preferred Fraxinus, Tilia, and predecomposed Ulmus and Fagus litter to Fagus litter and paper, while geophages preferred Tilia litter to Alnus and Ulmus litter, so that the two groups of earthworms showed different preferences. The detritivores seemed to be more selective than the geophages. The palatability of the litter was examined in relation to the C: N ratio, the lignin concentration and the initial and final polyphenol concentration. The numbers of detritivores were significantly correlated with the C: N ratio and the final polyphenol concentration, so that selection of litter seems to be related to palatability. The numbers of geophages were not significantly correlated with any of the parameters for palatability. The disappearance of litter after 50–52 days appeared to be due to detritivore activity, since the numbers found below the litter were positively and significantly correlated with the litter disappearance. There was no significant correlation with geophage activity. This indicates that detritivores use litter as food, and therefore influence the composition of the litter layer.     

Nematode succession and microfauna-microorganism interactions during root residue decomposition

The quality of plant material affects the vigor of the decomposition process and composition of the decomposer biota. Root residues from hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), rye (Secale cereale L.) and vetch+rye, packed in litterbags were placed in pots of soil at 15 C and the content of the bags was analyzed after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Bacterial biomass did not differ between residues with contrasting composition. Among bacterivores groups of nematodes that require high bacterial production dominated in fast decomposing resources whereas flagellates with smaller requirements prevail in slower decomposing resources. Biomass of bacterial feeding nematodes correlated positively with early phase (0-2 wk) decomposition that increased in the order: rye< vetch+rye<vetch. Bacterial biomass therefore seems to be under top-down (predation) control during early decomposition. In contrast, the fungal biomass differed between resources with highest values for rye. Moreover, this increase in fungal biomass occurred later during succession and was correlated with decomposition activity for rye in that period. Fungal biomass therefore seems to be under bottom-up (resource) control. The composition of the nematode assemblages (composed of 25 taxa) showed a clear relationship to initial plant resource quality as well as decomposition phase. Early successional microbivorous nematodes vary according to resource quality with demanding bacterivores+predators (Neodiplogasteridae) dominating in vetch and less demanding bacterivores (Rhabditidae) and fungivores (Aphelenchus) being equally common in vetch and rye. Later in the succession (2-4 wk) bacterivorous Cephalobidae and fungivorous Aphelenchoides prevailed similarly on the different root materials whereas bacterivorous protozoa and the amoebal fraction thereof dominated in rye. At week 12 no species dominated the nematode assemblages that were similar between the resources. The differences between nematode assemblages among plant resources at 2 week were similar to the results of a field study sampled after 6 weeks with the same soil and plant resources. This lends support to the relevance of the successional patterns observed in this incubation study.     

Cycling of extracellular DNA in the soil environment

Upon entering the soil environment, extracellular DNA is subjected to dynamic biological, physical, and chemical factors that determine its fate. This review concerns the fate of both recombinant and non-recombinant sources of DNA. A schematic of DNA cycling coupled with genetic transformation is presented to understand its behavior in soil. Extracellular DNA may persist through cation bridging onto soil minerals and humic substances, be enzymatically degraded and restricted by DNases of microbial origin, and/or enter the microbial DNA cycle through natural transformation of competent bacteria. Lateral gene transfer may disseminate DNA through the microbial community. An understanding of DNA cycling is fundamental to elucidating the fate of extracellular DNA in the soil environment.