黄羊滩风蚀沙地地表风蚀量的研究

该文通过对黄羊滩不同类型风蚀沙地的地表风蚀的观测表明,地表风蚀量受地表植被盖度影响较大,地表风蚀量以植被盖度10%以下的沙化林草地为最大,沙化农田次之,这两者为主要沙尘来源,其风蚀沙化量远高于植被盖度10%以上的沙化林草地,是当前防沙治沙工程实施的重点。     

土壤风蚀与植被防护研究

在收集总结国内外土壤风蚀与植被防护相关研究文献的基础上,从土壤风蚀原理、风蚀影响因素、风蚀预报模型、土壤风蚀容忍量、植被覆盖防风蚀效应等方面评述了国内外土壤风蚀与植被防护的研究现况,据此指出了研究中存在的问题,提出了今后的研究方向。     

免耕留茬控制风蚀机理

通过对四种不同高度、不同密度的向日葵留茬地的观测,发现:留茬高度越大、密度越大,对地表风速的降低和粗糙度的增大作用越明显,反之则越弱;茬高、密度大的留茬,控制风蚀作用也十分显著,反之,其作用弱,而在没有留茬时,风蚀加重,地表收集到的风蚀物含量增加。     

乌兰察布盟后山地区风蚀沙化的防治措施

乌兰察布盟后山区风蚀沙化面积大，严重威协着该区人民生活、生存，已引起各方面的关注，为此文章就乌盟后山地区风蚀沙化状况进行了分析，并提出了以生物工程为主的防治措施，供生产中参考。     

经营方式对风蚀沙土地力影响的研究

该文对宣化县黄羊滩风蚀沙土地力因子进行了野外调查与室内分析,结果表明:不同经营方式对风蚀沙土地 力因子影响显著不同,营林方式对风蚀沙土的改良进程非常缓慢,必须人工促进调节地力因子。同时,将粘粒、胶粒及有 机质这3个因子确定为风蚀沙土的特征因子,作为地力调节的指标因子。     

风沙源区应注重风蚀治理

2000年国家紧急启动了京津周边地区风沙源治理工程,至今已运行了三年,其中风沙源项目的水土保持项目比重较大,本文试从风蚀治理与水蚀设计思路上提一点建议。因害设防,正确区分水蚀与风蚀。水利部公布目前全国水土流失面积比1990年减少11万平方公里,而风蚀面积却呈上升趋势。内蒙古自治区的水土流失面积中水蚀面积15万平方公里,风蚀面积是59万平方公里,约占水土流失面积的80%。如果用单一水蚀的防御标准可能得不偿失,因为在内蒙古水蚀不常遇而风蚀年年遇,春天甚至月月都能遇。因此在内蒙古这样的风蚀强烈地区进行水土保持治理,应由单一水蚀…     

引黄灌渠沿岸沙丘土壤风蚀的研究

选择引黄灌渠清淤形成的沙丘作为研究对对象，采用标尺法分别观测了有林地及裸露地的土壤风蚀情况，同时分析了土壤机械组成、土壤物理性状及水文状况，结果证明，植树造林能显著地改良土壤，减弱土壤风蚀，有林地比裸露地土壤贮水量增加９．９８－３１．８５ｔ／ｋｍ＾２，土壤风蚀深度降低４０％以上。     

浅论干旱、半干旱地区土壤风蚀发生机理及防治措施

土壤风蚀是导致干旱半干旱地区土地沙漠化与沙尘暴的主要原因之一。本文分析了我国荒漠化现状、土壤风蚀发生机理、影响土壤风蚀的自然因素和人为因素以及土壤风蚀的防治措施。并根据以上分析，对土壤风蚀治理提出了几点建议。     

半干旱区沙质农田土壤风蚀防治的效应研究

本文研究了不同作物留茬和建设农田防护林对遏制农田土壤风蚀的效应。结果表明：不同作物残茬留量对农田土壤风蚀具有一定的控制作用,但仅留茬措施不能根本性遏制农田土壤风蚀;高积沙农田的风蚀深度和土壤风蚀量均高于平沙地农田,其中〉10m高积沙农田的风蚀深度和土壤风蚀量分别为2．9cm和289．5t／hm2;农田防护林带内的平均风蚀深度和平均土壤风蚀量分别为0．38cm和38．85t／hm2,仅为林带外的18．10％和18．49％,说明在该区建立农田防风林（网）是遏制农田土壤风蚀的有效途径。     

黑龙江省西部土壤风蚀风洞试验研究

针对黑龙江省西部地区2种主要易蚀土壤风沙土和黑钙土,对其风蚀过程中的主导因子对风沙流结构特征及风蚀量的影响特征进行风洞试验。结果表明:土壤风沙流多分布在30cm的高度范围内,风沙土与黑钙土风蚀量分别占总风沙量的99.80%和96.89%;在70cm高度范围内,风沙土风蚀量与高度的关系遵循多项式规律,黑钙土风蚀量与高度关系遵循对数函数规律关系;风沙土风蚀临界土壤含水量为2%,黑钙土风蚀临界含水量为6%,土壤含水量大于临界含水量时土壤风蚀会得到有效控制;相同风速下,2种土样的风蚀量均随含水量的增加而减小,风沙土呈负指函数关系,黑钙土呈二次函数关系。     

Growth of Phlebiopsis gigantea in wood of seven conifer species

Heterobasidion parviporum and Heterobasidion annosum are widely distributed root‐rot fungi that infect conifers throughout Europe. Infection of conifer stumps by spores of these pathogens can be controlled by treating fresh stumps with a competing non‐pathogenic fungus, Phlebiopsis gigantea. In this study, growth of three Latvian strains of P. gigantea and the biological control agent ‘Rotstop’ strain was evaluated in stem pieces of Norway spruce, Scots pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas‐fir, Weymouth pine, Siberian larch and Sitka spruce. The growth rates of one H. parviporum and one H. annosum isolate were also measured in the same stem pieces. The growth rate of P. gigantea varied greatly in wood of different conifer species. It was higher in the three pine species, lower in Norway spruce and lowest in Sitka spruce and Siberian larch, and in Douglas‐fir, this fungus did not grow. The largest area of wood occupied by P. gigantea was in lodgepole pine. Growth of Latvian isolates of P. gigantea in the wood of Pinus and Picea species was comparable to that of the Rotstop isolate. Consequently, stump treatment with local P. gigantea isolates should be recommended. However, our results suggest that Douglas‐fir stump treatment against Heterobasidion by P. gigantea may be ineffective and other stump treatment methods should be considered.     

Growth of Mixed Birch-Coniferous Stands in Relation to Pure Coniferous Stands at Similar Sites in South-eastern Norway

Mean age, mean and top heights and yield were studied in 20 mixed stands of birch ( Betula pubescens Ehrh. and B. pendula Roth) and Picea abies (L.) Karst. and nine mixed stands of birch and Pinus sylvestris L. in south-eastern Norway. Each mixed stand and the adjacent pure coniferous stand (control) were growing under the same site conditions and had not been commercially thinned. There were no significant differences in mean age at breast height or in top heights between birch and conifers in the mixed stands, while mean height was significantly higher for birch than for spruce. A growth index was calculated based on total volume and age at breast height. For the spruce sites the growth in young mixed stands (birch < 17 m) was superior to that of pure spruce, while the difference was insignificant in older stands. The growth index correlated positively with the ratio between generatively and vegetatively regenerated birch trees, and negatively with the age of the oldest species in the mixture and with site quality. For the pine sites there was no significant difference in the growth index between mixed birch-pine and pure pine stands. A mixture effect of birch on the volume yield of spruce or pine could not be demonstrated.     

Defoliation by the Needle-shortening Pine Gall Midge,Thecodiplosis brachyntera,on Pines in Central Sweden

An outbreak of the needle-shortening pine gall midge, Thecodiplosis brachyntera , occurred on Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris (L.) and lodgepole pine, P. contorta (Dougl.) in central Sweden during 1995-1998. The larval feeding of T. brachyntera kills current-year needles and heavy infestation causes severe defoliation. A pattern of fluctuating defoliation among years and sites was found on both pine species. Defoliation was evenly distributed in the crown of P. sylvestris during years of high as well as low infestation; apical whorls had as much defoliation as basal whorls. In P. contorta , however, there was a tendency for defoliation to be concentrated on branches in the most apical whorls. Growth ring increments on P. sylvestris with high levels of defoliation (71%) did not differ from trees with moderate levels (26%) of defoliation. Shoot lengths were significantly shorter, however, on heavily infested trees the year after defoliation.     

Decomposition and nutrient loss from prunings of different contour hedgerow species in tea plantations in the sloping highlands of Sri Lanka

Contour hedgerows of multipurpose tree species in the sloping tea lands of Sri Lanka are expected to reduce soil erosion and also add significant amounts of plant nutrients to the soil via periodic prunings. The objective of this experiment was to characterize the biomass decomposition pattern and quantify the amount of nutrients added through prunings of six tree species (Calliandra calothyrsus, Senna spectabilis, Euphatorium innulifolium, Flemingia congesta, Gliricidia sepium and Tithonia diversifolia) currently being used in hedgerows associated with tea. Withered leaf and stem prunings (50 g) were enclosed in 2-mm litter bags, placed at 5-cm depth and retrieved after one, three, six, nine and 12 weeks. Loss of initial dry weight, N, P and K was measured. Single exponential decay function adequately described both dry weight and nutrient loss. Tree species differed significantly in their rate of breakdown with decomposition constants (k) varying from 0.0299 to 0.2006 week⁻¹ for leaves and from 0.0225 to 0.0633 week⁻¹ for stems. Gliricidia showed the highest k for leaves with the rest in the following descending order: Senna > Tithonia ≥ Euphatorium > Calliandra > Flemingia. A similar pattern was observed for loss of all nutrients with Calliandra and Flemingia always having lower k values than the rest. Although N immobilization was not observed, immobilization of P and K was observed during the first week of incubation in some species, particularly in stem prunings. Annual biomass of prunings differed significantly between tree species in the following descending order: Calliandra > Senna > Flemingia > Tithonia > Gliricidia > Euphatorium. Calliandra added the greatest amount of nutrients annually to the soil with Euphatorium adding the least. Calliandra prunings provided the annual total K requirement and 49% of the N requirement of mature tea. However, none of the species provided more than 5% of the P requirement. It is concluded that among the tree species tested, Calliandra and Flemingia are the most suitable for contour hedgerows in tea plantations of this agroclimatic region because of their higher soil nutrient enrichment capacity and slower decomposition rates which would minimize leaching losses. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Seed Weight and Seed Type on Early Seedling Growth of Pinus sylvestris under Harsh and Optimal Conditions

The effects of seed weight and seed type on seedling growth of Pinus sylvestris (L.) were studied by seeding individually weighed orchard and stand seed in different mixtures under harsh (direct seeding in field) and optimal (seeding in nursery) conditions. In the nursery experiment an increase in the seed weight from 3 to 7 mg increased the seedling height by 10-27% and total weight by 27-113%, and decreased the height/diameter ratio by 5-6% after 2 yrs. With elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 2% taller than stand seedlings in year 2. Without elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 7-13% taller. In the field experiment an increase in the seed weight from 3 to 7 mg increased seedling height by 18-65%, stem volume by 81-274% and the number of top-buds by 23-34% in year 5. After elimination of seed weight effects, orchard seedlings were 7-13% taller than stand seedlings and without elimination of seed weight effects 20-21% taller after 5 yrs. Even after elimination of both seed weight and genetic effects orchard seedlings were 3-9% larger than stand seedlings in the field experiment. In conclusion, the influence of seed weight and seed type on growth traits and slenderness is highly significant and the influence seems to be greater in harsh conditions.     

Modelling of adequate pretwist for obtaining straight timber

Abstract

Wood in general and wooden studs in particular are often distorted owing to uneven shrinkage during the drying process in the sawmill. Twist is often the most detrimental of all types of distortion, and it is caused by spiral grain in combination with variations in moisture content. For sawmills, the objective is to produce dried, straight boards, and one method of dealing with boards with excessive spiral grain is to sort them out and then dry them in a pretwisted position to obtain straight boards after drying. A model using the finite element (FE) method for the simulation of drying twist distortions was first calibrated against laboratory experiments in which boards were dried with and without restraints and pretwists. After the calibration, the FE results were compared with industrial test results for boards that were dried without restraints or with restraints with zero pretwist, i.e. straight restraints. The FE model used an elastic–ideally plastic material model to obtain permanent deformations. The calibration was to set the yield stresses so that there was a good match between FE results and results from the laboratory experiments. The comparison between the industrial test results and the FE results showed that the FE model is capable of realistic simulations of drying boards with and without restraints and presumably also pretwists.     

Potential to harness superior nutritional qualities of exotic baobabs if local adaptation can be conferred through grafting

Baobab leaves form an important part of the local diet in Sahel countries and elsewhere in Africa. Existing leaf nutritional data and agroforestry performance information are based solely on Adansonia digitata L., the baobab of continental Africa. The introduction potential of Adansonia species from the center of diversity in Madagascar and from Australia remains untapped. To assess this potential, the mineral contents and B₁ and B₂ vitamin levels of dried baobab leaves were determined for five-year old trees of A. digitata, A. gibbosa (A. Cunn.) Guymer ex D. Baum, A. rubrostipa Jum. & H. Perrier (syn. A. fony Baill.), A. perrieri Capuron and A. za Baill. grown in an introduction trial in Mali. Nutritional data were evaluated against survival and vigor to identify promising germplasm. Leaf vitamin and crude protein contents were highest in the Madagascar species, especially A. rubrostipa (B₁ 88 mg 100 g⁻¹, B₂ 187 mg 100 g⁻¹, protein 20.7% dry weight). However, the local species far outperformed the introductions in survival, tree height, basal diameter and resistance to termites. We suggest grafting as a way of harnessing the vigor of well-adapted local baobab varieties to the superior nutritional profiles of A. rubrostipa and others. Cross-species grafting tests in Adansonia were successful, thus creating new agroforestry possibilities with different scion/rootstock combinations.     

Boron in forest trees and forest ecosystems

This review critically examines the role of boron (B) in forests in view of recent findings on B nutrition and the continuing occurrence of B deficiency. Many perceptions about the role of B in plants and its uptake and mobility have been altered since the last review on B in forest trees in 1990. Now there is evidence for a fundamental role of B in the formation of the pectic structure in primary cell walls in plants, and further roles in membrane function are being explored. In plants, channel-mediated B uptake, active B uptake and B uptake by mycorrhizas have been shown, B transporters have been identified, and B retranslocation has been shown. We explore these findings and their consequences on forest trees and on ecosystems that they dominate. Particular emphasis is placed on B retranslocation and B in mycorrhizal symbiosis, given their importance in trees.     

Survival and Growth of Picea abies Regeneration after Shelterwood Removal with Single- and Double-grip Harvester Systems

Three stands in Sweden were followed for 7 yrs to study the survival and growth of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] regeneration after shelterwood removal with single- and double-grip harvester systems. The height of all seedlings within circular plots was recorded before and after final cutting. The tallest seedling and one randomly selected seedling on each circular plot were permanently marked and their annual height growth was measured each year during the period 1993-1999. No significant differences between single- and double-grip harvester systems were found with respect to their effects on regeneration density, survival or annual height growth. The annual height growth of the individual seedlings after shelterwood removal was significantly correlated with seedling height before shelterwood removal. Significant differences were found in annual height growth between seedlings with high and low vitality. Logging damage did not affect the annual height growth. Several practical conclusions were drawn. First, the choice of harvester system does not affect seedling height growth or survival after shelterwood removal. Secondly, the removal of a 200 m³ shelterwood with 200 stems ha^-1 does not seem to constitute a serious problem for seedling survival and growth. Finally, estimated vitality and seedling height both seem to be fairly good predictors of postrelease survival and growth.     

Development of Pinus sylvestris Main Stems Following Three Different Precommercial Thinning Methods in a Mixed Stand

Reducing competition by point cleaning may be an attractive alternative to conventional precommercial thinning in forestry. In this study, survival and development of main stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) following point cleaning were examined in a mixed stand of mainly Scots pine and birch (Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh.) in northern Sweden. Treatments studied were: no precommercial thinning, conventional precommercial thinning, point cleaning of all secondary stems, and point cleaning of only the secondary stems that were higher than the main stem, within a radius of 0.8 m from the main stem, respectively. A randomised complete block design with three replicates was used. Measurements taken 13 growing seasons after these treatments showed that conventional precommercial thinning was the best treatment for retaining Scots pines as main stems. However, conventional precommercial thinning resulted in the poorest timber quality of the remaining Scots pines in terms of stem taper, thickest branch diameter and relative live crown height. In conclusion, point cleaning has to be followed by a complementary cleaning operation if the objective is to retain Scots pines as main stems in such mixed stands.