LTSER platforms as a place-based transdisciplinary research infrastructure: learning landscape approach through evaluation

Landscape Ecology - Place-based transdisciplinary research involves multiple academic disciplines and non-academic actors. Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform is one concept with ~...     

Main ecological and environmental factors affecting forage yield and quality in alpine summer pastures (NW-Italy,Gran Paradiso National Park)

Summer pastures in the European Alps play a crucial role in providing high quality forage for grazing livestock and encompass a wide variety of vegetation communities. The main issue of their management is the optimal exploitation of the available forage in relation to environmental constraints, aiming at obtaining the highest forage yield and quality from each vegetation community. In this work, we monitored six different vegetation communities characterized by contrasting topographic features and species compositions throughout the grazing season for two years. We performed botanical and phenological surveys, climate-related measurements, and herbage samplings to assess forage quantity and quality (i.e., digestibility and proximate composition, estimated by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy). We analysed the influence of climatic, topographic, and vegetation variables on pasture herbage through univariate and multivariate analyses. The cover of wide-leaf grasses primarily promoted biomass production, which was in turn lowered by increasing elevation and slope. On the other hand, a minor effect on forage yield was observed for an increasing cover of sedges and rushes and mean temperatures. Climatic variables (especially water deficit) and advanced phenological stages were the main degrading factors of forage quality in terms of crude protein and digestibility, while enhancing fibre contents. At increasing cover of legumes, fibre content declined and digestibility increased consequently, while the abundance of other non-legume forbs played a significant role in lowering fibre content. Multivariate analysis highlighted the differing influence of single plant species on forage features even within the same functional species pool. However, attention should be paid to the toxicity and low palatability of some plants, especially forbs. Eutrophic vegetation communities, rich in wide-leaf grasses and legumes, could be maintained and enhanced through pastoral management to increase alpine pasture production and quality.     

Oued Bouhlou: A new hope for the Moroccan pearl mussel

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Pricing of irrigation water under alternative charging methods: Possible shortcomings of a volumetric approach

The European water framework directive aims to protect the environmental quality of water and encourage its efficient use. EU member states are required to implement efficient water management systems and appropriate water-pricing methods. This paper examines the economic effects that may arise given the introduction of two different methods for pricing irrigation in the Mediterranean area. The considered pricing methods charge farmers for the costs incurred by water user associations (WUAs) in managing water distribution networks. The first method, based on the metered use of water by farms, is known as the volumetric pricing method. The second is an area-based pricing method, whereby fees are charged per hectare according to the estimated average water use for each crop. The economic effects and the impacts on the water usage of these two schemes are analyzed using a mathematical model that represents the farm sector in a Mediterranean area that relies on a dam for irrigation. The possible effects are analyzed under two scenarios: first, the methods are applied to the observed water-pricing conditions, second, an additional charge is introduced to recover unaccounted costs of the water supply system (e.g., long-term costs related to infrastructure, and the operational and maintenance costs of dams) in line with the water framework directive principle of cost recovery. The results show that the introduction of an additional charge via the volumetric pricing method could stimulate the substitution of water provided via collective networks with groundwater. This could adversely affect the financial situation of the WUA and have negative environmental consequences. This negative outcome does not arise in the case that an additional charge is applied via the area-based pricing method.     

不同消毒剂及清洗温度对番茄货架期腐烂率的影响

针对番茄采后腐烂率较高的问题,研究了不同清洗温度〔果温（28±5）℃〕下消毒剂（100  mg·kg^-1 NaClO和5 mg·kg^-1 ClO₂）和自来水清洗处理对番茄货架期（PE包装,室温28～30 ℃,7 d）腐 烂率的影响。结果表明,与不清洗对照相比,清洗后番茄果实腐烂率由47 %下降到9 %～26 %;清洗温度 对自来水和ClO₂处理的番茄果实腐烂率影响不大,但高于果温（28 ℃）5 ℃的NaClO处理的番茄果实腐 烂率较低于果温5 ℃的NaClO处理显著降低,其货架7 d番茄果实腐烂率仅为9 %,是各清洗处理中效果最 好的。     

From waste to resource: mycoremediation of contaminated marine sediments in the SEDITERRA Project

Purpose

Port-dredging activities produce large volumes of contaminated sediments. Dredged sediments are considered a waste by national laws, but recently the desire to consider them a resource has become widespread and remedies for their contamination are being searched to allow their reuse. In this work, we studied, developed, and tested a method for remediate marine-dredged sediments contaminated by heavy metals using native fungi and a microporous membrane, in order to achieve the sediment quality and allow their reuse.

Materials and methods

Activity was carried out on port sediments from Genoa, Leghorn, Pisa, and Cagliari (Italy). Autochthonous fungi were isolated from each sediment and employed in mycoremediation tests. Two plastic boxes were prepared (for each Port) with 5 kg of sediment in each box, employed for metal bioaccumulation using a sterile polyester membrane inoculated with fungi. Membranes were analyzed at 15, 30, and 60 days after inoculums, and sediments were analyzed after 60 days at the end of the experiment to verify metal contamination degree. Recovery efficiency (RE%) and difference recovery efficiency (DRE%) were calculated for each experiment: the first shows the absorption capability of the membrane-fungi consortium; the second evidences only the fungal contribution to the metal absorption. To assess sediment contamination before and after the mycoremediation treatment, we considered chemical levels of reference L1 (the lowest chemical level of reference) and L2 (the highest chemical level of reference), and the evaluation of chemical hazard (HQ) for the chemical contaminants defined by the Italian Ministerial Decree 173/2016.

Results and discussion

Fungi from Genoa sediments increase the membrane absorption of Cu and Zn. Regarding Leghorn results, RE (%) increases and reaches the maximum value after 60 days of treatment for each considered metal. Cr tot, Ni, and Mn appear to be hyper-bioaccumulated. DRE values of Pisa sediments show that Mn is excluded by fungi and it does not bioaccumulate, while other metals and in particular Cd, Cr tot, Zn, and Sb are bioaccumulated. Cagliari DREs show that fungi are not able to bioaccumulate Cr tot, Ni, and Mn and their accumulation is due to the membrane, while As and Cd are bioaccumulated.

Conclusions

Our work evidenced that selected fungi are able to grow on a microporous support and actively reduce metal concentrations in the sediments, achieving their quality. This biomembrane system may represent an important instrument for the remediation of the residual metal contamination of port sediments.

     

Modeling farm-level adoption of deficit irrigation using Positive Mathematical Programming

Irrigated agriculture in the European Union (EU) is currently adapting to new conditions including the principle of the full recovery of water service costs, the reduction of water availability and the increasing variability in the prices of agricultural products. This has fostered an increasing number of economic analyses to investigate farmers’ behaviour by means of mathematical programming techniques including Positive Mathematical Programming (PMP) models.However PMP models generally consider only activities observed in the reference period even if, under new policies and market conditions, farmers can adopt irrigation techniques they have not used previously. In particular, under increasing water costs or decreasing water availability, farmers can introduce Deficit Irrigation (DI) techniques that might not have been profitable earlier.We propose an extension of the PMP approach to include DI techniques not observed in the reference period. These alternative techniques are identified by means of a crop growth model developed by the FAO. We apply our methodology to a Mediterranean area using three sets of simulations involving: increases in water costs, reductions in water availability, and changes in the prices of the products obtained from irrigated crops.Lacking observations of alternative irrigation techniques, our approach captures potential technology adjustments and assesses the impact of changes in water policy and market conditions in a better way.Simulation results show that increasing water costs do not motivate adoption of DI techniques. Rather, farmers are induced to save water by switching from full irrigation to deficit irrigation when water availability is reduced or the prices of irrigated crops are increased.     

LAND-USE INTENSIFICATION TRENDS IN THE RIO DE LA PLATA REGION OF SOUTH AMERICA: TOWARD SPECIALIZATION OR RECOUPLING CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

• Current intensification trends in the Rio de la Plata need urgent re-direction.•Integrated crop-livestock systems reconcile food production with ecosystem services.•Case studies validate recoupling as a sustainable way to ecological intensification.The Rio de la Plata region comprises central Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Modern agriculture developed around 1900 with recent decades being characterized by the advance of cropping areas over native grasslands. Highly specialized agriculture has decoupled crop and livestock production but has succeeded in intensifying yields. However, significant losses of ecosystem services have been reported. Thus, questions have been raised on the sustainability of this pathway. A glance at world regions that have experienced similar trends suggests that an urgent course correction is needed. A major concern has been the lack of diversity in regions with highly specialized agriculture, promoting renewed interest in integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS), not only because ICLS are more diverse than specialized systems, but also because they are rare examples of reconciliation between agroecosystem intensification and environmental quality. Consequently, this paper discusses alternatives to redesign multifunctional landscapes based on ICLS. Recent data provide evidence that recoupling crop and animal production increases the resilience of nutrient cycling functions and economic indicators to external stressors, enabling these systems to face climate-market uncertainty and reconcile food production with the provision of diverse ecosystem services. Finally, these concepts are exemplified in case studies where this perspective has been successfully applied.     

不同退化程度高寒草甸土壤磷素含量与碱性磷酸酶活性研究

为探讨高寒草甸退化对土壤磷素、碱性磷酸酶活性及其季节动态的影响，分别在春季、夏季和冬季以典型围封草地(FG)、轻度(LD)、中度(MD)和重度退化草甸(HD)为研究对象，对不同季节不同类型草地 0~10，10~20，20~30 cm 土层全磷、有效磷和碱性磷酸酶活性进行了研究。结果表明，春季高寒草地退化对土壤磷素含量没有明显影响；相比 FG，夏季退化高寒草地 0~10 cm 土层全磷含量显著升高(P＜0. 05)，但 LD、MD 和 HD 间差异不显著；退化导致 10~20 cm 土层全磷含量显著降低(P＜ 0. 05)。同一类型草地同一土层全磷含量冬季最高，夏季最低，与夏季相比，冬季 0~10 cm 土层土壤全磷含量从 FG 到 HD 依次增加了 308. 33%、150. 00%、176. 20%、177. 30%。FG 春季 0~10 cm 土层有效磷含量为 30 mg/kg，随退化程度加剧，从 LD 到 HD 含量依次升高。FG 和 HD 季节与土层交互效应有效磷含量差异极显著，而 LD 和 MD 不显著。LD 和 MD 的土壤有效磷含量夏季最高，冬季最低，HD 则春季最高，冬季最低。春季同一退化程度高寒草地 0~10 cm 土层碱性磷酸酶活性最低，剖面 10~30 cm 土层土壤碱性磷酸酶活性在春夏两季显著升高(P＜0. 05)。相关性分析结果表明，仅在冬季土壤碱性磷酸酶活性与有效磷含量呈显著正相关，表明冬季土壤碱性磷酸酶活性可以表征土壤有效磷状况。     

拉萨河中下游原生动物群落物种分布格局及其驱动因素

了解拉萨河中下游原生动物群落物种分布格局及其驱动因素，为拉萨河中下游生物多样性保护及可持续利用提供基础资料。选取了拉萨河中下游17个样点，于2015年5月、8月和2016年11月进行原生动物定性和定量样品采集，共采集水样153份，分析物种组成、生物多样性及其与环境因子之间的关系，确定该流域原生动物类群组成中稀有种、偶见种和常见种对物种多样性的贡献、生物多样性格局及群落与理化因子相关性，结果表明：（1）3个季节，稀有种80种，占总物种的40%；偶见种95种，占总物种的48%；常见种21种，占总物种的11%；恒见种1种，占总物种的0.5%。（2）拉萨河中下游原生动物物种类群组成中偶见种是原生动物群落物种多样性格局的重要贡献者。（3）多样性指数表明，Richness指数和Margalef指数春季和夏季高于秋季，Shannon-Wiener指数和Simpson指数春季高于秋季高于夏季。（4）基于Bray-Curtis距离的主坐标分析和相似性分析结果表明，拉萨河中下游原生动物群落结构在不同季节和不同流域均具有显著差异，且流域差异相比季节差异较大。（5）根据Mantel检验分析原生动物与环境因子的相关性，结果表明，在所测定环境因子中，水温（WT）、总溶解性固体（TDS）、盐度（Salt）、电导率（EC）、总磷（TP）及溶解氧（DO）是影响原生动物群落结构的主要环境因子。