Conservation of Northern European plant diversity: the correspondence with soil pH

Effective biodiversity conservation requires an analysis of the existing reserve system. In temperate and boreal regions, plant diversity has a strong positive association with soil pH. Consequently, in order to protect plant diversity effectively, a relatively large proportion of protected areas should be on high pH soils. Since biodiversity data are never complete for all taxa, biodiversity indicators, e.g., threatened species, should be used. We studied soil pH distributions in protected areas in Northern Europe and tested whether soil pH requirement differs between threatened and non-threatened bryophyte and vascular plant species. As result, the proportion of high pH soils in protected areas was significantly greater than the proportion of these soils in general. This ensures that a large regional pool of plant species preferring high pH soils is relatively well protected. Threatened and non-threatened species in Northern Europe did not differ in their soil pH requirements, but threatened species required a narrower soil pH range than non-threatened species. Consequently, threatened species diversity can be used for indicating overall plant diversity.     

Rainfall and tillage effects on soil structure after alfalfa conversion to maize on a clay loam soil in New York

Soil degradation is accelerated when perennial crops are converted to annual row crops, primarily due to increased soil disturbance from tillage. Subsequent heavy rainfall may induce soil settling, reduce macroporosity and increase hardsetting upon drying. An experiment involving plow and no-tillage and two simulated rainfall treatments (‘wet’ and ‘dry’) was conducted on Kingsbury clay loam soil in northern New York in 1992 and 1993 to study their effects on soil structure under maize (Zea mays L.) after conversion from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and to evaluate the use of spectral analysis of micropenetrometer observations for studying soil aggregation. Undisturbed soil cores were collected from the row and trafficked and non-trafficked interrow positions at the 0.05 and 0.15 m depths and used for laboratory measurement of soil strength and pore system properties. These well-structured soils show a high contribution (up to 0.15 m³ m⁻³) of macropores to the total porosity of the soil. Soil strength was generally slightly higher for no-till (NT) than plow till (PT), although only significant in 1992. Soil strength in the surface layer did not change significantly with drying. Spectral density patterns did not show strong treatment effects, although distinct peaks reflect 3.0–3.5 mm stable structural units within macroaggregates. Simulated rainfall treatments and tillage treatments generally did not strongly affect measured soil properties, presumably due to stable soil structure. Structurally stable clay loam soils show little effect of tillage or settling on soil physical properties in the first years after alfalfa to maize conversion, and have good potential for long-term annual crop production if properly managed.     

皖南紫红色砂石岩上发育土壤的系统分类研究

对皖南不同时期紫红色砂石岩上发育的8个土壤剖面,按中国土壤系统分类体系,进行鉴别、检索、分类定名。阐述发生分类紫色土的2个亚类级土壤类型在中国土壤系统分类中归为3个土纲,即均腐土、雏形土和新成土;3个亚纲,即湿润均腐土、湿润雏形土和正常新成土;4个土类和6个亚类。提出按中国土壤系统分类的紫色土分类系统;并与美国土壤系统分类、国际土壤分类参比基础进行了参比。讨论了皖南紫红色砂石岩上发育为均腐土的成土环境条件,同时对发生分类紫色土在中国土壤系统分类类别检索提出修订建议。     

珠江三角洲土壤中氯丹的残留特征

对珠江三角洲三种主要类型的土壤(水稻土、菜园土和非耕作土),共计74个样品进行了顺式氯丹(CC)和反式氯丹(TC)的GC-MS的定量分析.结果显示珠江三角洲土壤中氯丹的检出率较高,CC和TC皆为100%.反式氯丹(TC)和顺式氯丹(CC)的浓度范围分别为＜0.01～13.70 ng g-1和＜0.01～15.70 ng g-1,其中多数样品中该类化合物浓度集中在0.1～1.0 ng g-1浓度段.在定量分析的基础上,利用手性色谱柱对这两种手性化合物的对映体值进行了测定.通过化合物浓度与其对映体比值的对比,认为个别高值点主要受氯丹使用的影响,其手性化合物对映体比值(EF)接近原始值(0.5).氯丹在土壤中的浓度值与土壤中的有机碳含量无相关性.     

Modelling local-scale determinants and the probability of microarthropod species occurrence in Antarctic soils

Soil fauna in the extreme conditions of Antarctica consists of a few microinvertebrate species patchily distributed at different spatial scales. Populations of the prostigmatic mite Stereotydeus belli and the collembolan Gressittacantha terranova from northern Victoria Land (Antarctica) were used as models to study the effect of soil properties on microarthropod distributions. In agreement with the general assumption that the development and distribution of life in these ecosystems is mainly controlled by abiotic factors, we found that the probability of occurrence of S. belli depends on soil moisture and texture and on the sampling period (which affects the general availability of water); surprisingly, none of the analysed variables were significantly related to the G. terranova distribution. Based on our results and literature data, we propose a theoretical model that introduces biotic interactions among the major factors driving the local distribution of collembolans in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.     

子午岭植被恢复过程中土壤团聚体有机碳含量的变化

土壤有机碳是土壤团聚体形成的重要胶结剂之一，土壤团聚体分布影响有机碳含量及其稳定性。对子午岭植被恢复过程中团聚体有机碳含量变化的研究结果显示：相对于农田，植被恢复可增加土壤各个粒径团聚体有机碳含量．同时增加不同层次土壤团聚体有机碳含量。就粒径而言，虽然各个植被下〈0．25mm土壤团聚体有机碳含量最低，植被类型变化对土壤团聚体有机碳含量影响最大的是〈0．25mm粒径，辽东栎林地〈0．25mm土壤团聚体有机碳含量是农田〈0．25mm团聚体有机碳含量的3倍；其次，植被类型对〉5mm团聚体有机碳含量影响较大，辽东栎、早期森林、灌丛、草地和弃耕地土壤〉5mm团聚体有机碳含量比农田土壤〉5ram团聚体有机碳含量高149％，209％，104％，62％，10％。说明植被演替可增加土壤团聚体有机碳含量，但首先是增加较大粒径团聚体的有机碳含量；随着植被的进一步演替，小粒径团聚体有机碳含量也相应的增加，这部分有机碳是稳定的，说明植被恢复增强了土壤的碳汇功能。     

土壤环境质量指导值与标准研究 Ⅱ.污染土壤的健康风险评估

快速城市化进程与工业发展，使得土壤污染日益严重。污染物进入土壤后，经水、气、生物等介质传输，通过饮水、呼吸、饮食、皮肤吸收等途径引起人体暴露，带来健康风险。污染土壤健康风险评估是制定土壤环境质量标准的基础，是一项新的环境管理技术与手段。我国污染土壤的健康风险评估还非常欠缺，为了推动其发展，本文讨论了其研究进展、方法、存在问题与发展趋势。当前，还缺乏准确定量的风险表征方法，评估过程中还具有较大不确定性。污染土壤的健康风险评估正在向多介质、多途径以及多种污染物暴露的方向发展，模型模拟的方法将会得到更多的应用。为了建立准确定量风险评估方法，在未来研究中需要加强对风险评估相关机理研究。这包括污染物的迁移传输规律、污染物的剂量一效应关系和人群生活方式等。     

Effect of tillage and mode of straw mulch application on soil erosion in the submontaneous tract of Punjab, India

The submontaneous tract of Punjab comprising 10% of the state, is prone to soil erosion by water. Soils of the area are coarse in texture, low in organic matter and poor in fertility. High intensity rains during the monsoon season result in fertile topsoil removal. There is an urgent need to control soil erosion in this region so as to improve soil productivity. A field study was conducted to estimate the effect of tillage and different modes of mulch application on soil erosion losses. Treatments comprised two levels of tillage, viz. minimum (T_m) and conventional (T_c) in the main plots and five modes of straw mulch application, viz. mulch spread over whole plot (M_w), mulch spread on lower one-third of plot (M_1/3), mulch applied in strips (M_s), vertical mulching (M_v) and unmulched control (M_o), in subplots in a replicated split plot design. Rate of mulch application was 6 t ha⁻¹ in all modes. Compared with M_o, M_w reduced runoff by 33%. Runoff and soil loss were 5 and 40% higher under T_c than under T_m. Though other modes of straw mulch application (M_1/3, M_s and M_v) controlled soil loss better than M_o, their effectiveness was less than M_w. T_m was more effective in conserving soil moisture than T_c. Compared with M_o, M_w had 3–7% higher soil moisture content in the 0–30 cm soil depth under T_m. Minimum soil temperature of the surface layer was 1.4–2.4 °C lower under M_w than under M_o. Straw mulching reduced maximum soil temperature and helped in conserving soil moisture. Minimum tillage coupled with M_w was highly effective in reducing soil erosion losses, decreasing soil temperature and increasing moisture content by providing maximum surface cover.     

Changes in the properties of a Mexican Fluvisol following 30 years of sugarcane cultivation

A study to evaluate the changes in the fertility of Fluvisols under continuous cultivation of sugarcane was conducted in the vicinity of the Santa Rosalía sugar refinery. About 4000 ha of Fluvisols have been under sugarcane cultivation for more than 30 years. Three representative plots under monoculture for 5, 10, 20 and 30 years, were selected under on-farm conditions. Several samples were obtained from crop row and inter-row zones, at 0–30 cm soil depth, and composited into four samples for each plot. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, organic matter, total organic C, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, calcium and magnesium, cation exchange capacity, texture and bulk density. There were significant changes in the soil chemical properties due to 30 years of monoculture, except for OM, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and CEC. Total soil organic C, total N and P declined by 17, 21 and 37%, respectively, by 30 years of monoculture of sugarcane. These losses mainly occurred during the first 20 years of cultivation. However, the adverse effect of decline in soil fertility was not reflected in the sugarcane yields. The 67% increase in yields observed between 5 and 30 years of monoculture may be attributed to the adoption of recommended cultural practices and to farmer's experience. Soil physical properties were not affected by the intensive sugarcane cultivation. A complete adoption of recommended practices by SR among farmers and a revision of the N and P fertilization rate are necessary to maintain the fertility of sugarcane soils.     

Terrestrial ecosystem processes of Victoria Land, Antarctica

Terrestrial environments of Victoria Land, Antarctica are ideal systems to test hypotheses about the sensitivity of ecosystem processes to climate variability, and the relationships between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning because of their high sensitivity to climate change and their limited diversity. This region is also considered among the most pristine of ecosystems, and therefore may serve as an indicator for detecting the response of other ecosystems to global environmental change. Rates and controls over key ecosystem processes remain poorly documented over much of Victoria Land, but it is generally held that the distribution and functioning of soil communities are most limited by the availability of liquid water and organic carbon. Here we review examples of ecosystem processes from several sites in North and South Victoria Land and develop a regional synthesis accounting for variation in the availability of soil resources (i.e. liquid water, organic matter, inorganic nutrients). Variation in soil microclimate, organic matter, moisture and salinity encountered over gradients of coastal to interior sites, latitude, and soil chronosequences are the primary controls over the structure of soil communities and their functioning. Imbalanced stoichiometric nutrient ratios frequently encountered in Victoria Land ecosystems also contribute to limited distribution of soil biota, and where they occur these elemental imbalances indicate lower biological activity and little biotic control over bulk element ratios in soils. Priorities and future directions of Victoria Land soil and ecosystem research are also discussed.