Productivity of intensified crop—fallow rotations in the Trenbath model

Management of crop—fallow rotations should strike a balance between exploitation, during cropping, and restoration of soil fertility during the fallow period. The Trenbath model describes build-up of soil fertility during a fallow period by two parameters (a maximum level and a half-recovery time) and decline during cropping as a simple proportion. The model can be used to predict potential crop production for a large number of management options consisting of length of cropping period and duration of fallow. In solving the equations, the model can be restricted to sustainable systems, where fallow length is sufficient to restore soil fertility to its value at the start of the previous cropping period. The model outcome suggests that the highest yields per unit of land can be obtained by starting a new cropping period after soil fertility has recovered to 50–60% of its maximum value. This prediction is virtually independent of the growth rate of the fallow vegetation. The nature of the fallow vegetation (natural regrowth, planted trees, or cover crops) mainly influences the crop yield by modifying the required duration of fallow periods. Intensification of land use by shortening fallow periods will initially increase returns per unit land at the likely costs of returns per unit labor. When fallows no longer restore soil fertility to 50% of the maximum, overall productivity will decline both per unit land and per unit labor, unless external inputs replace the soil fertility restoring functions of a fallow.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

马尾松飞播林土壤肥力研究

湖南省马尾松飞播林林地土壤肥力低下是制约其林分生长和发育的重要因素.通过土壤养分主成分分析,对马尾松飞播林土壤肥力级别进行了排序和分类,在此基础上,运用方差分析和灰色关联分析对土壤养分含量和土壤肥力水平进行了分析和评价.将湖南省马尾松飞播林地土壤肥力分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ类,全K、全N,微量元素Zn、Fe,以及土壤有机质含量在各肥力级别土壤中均存在显著差异,Ca、Mg、全P在各类土壤中的含量相差不大,全P在土壤中的含量极低,同时研究结果也表明,林分所处立地条件越好,土壤肥力水平就越高,这为马尾松飞播林林分施肥提供了科学依据.     

Effects of organic and mineral fertilizer inputs on maize yield and soil chemical properties in a maize cropping system in Meru South District, Kenya

Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs is a major challenge in the highlands of Kenya. An experiment was set up in Meru South District, Kenya in 2000 to investigate the effects of different soil-incorporated organic (manure, Tithonia diversifolia, Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena leucocephala) and mineral fertilizer inputs on maize yield, and soil chemical properties over seven seasons. On average, tithonia treatments (with or without half recommended rate of mineral fertilizer) gave the highest grain yield (5.5 and 5.4 Mg ha⁻¹ respectively) while the control treatment gave the lowest yield (1.5 Mg ha⁻¹). After 2 years of trial implementation, total soil carbon and nitrogen contents were improved with the application of organic residues, and manure in particular improved soil calcium content. Results of the economic analysis indicated that on average across the seven seasons, tithonia with half recommended rate of mineral fertilizer treatment recorded the highest net benefit (USD 787 ha⁻¹) while the control recorded the lowest (USD 272 ha⁻¹). However, returns to labor or benefit-cost ratios were in most cases not significantly improved when organic materials were used.     

秦岭南坡不同海拔土壤肥力的空间分异规律

对秦岭南坡土壤肥力状况、空间分异规律及其与海拔的关系进行研究.结果表明,秦岭南坡土壤肥力指标在整个土壤剖面空间分异范围分别为:土壤pH值5.97～6.89,有机质含量6.6～50.1 g·kg-1,土壤全N含量0.5～3.8 g·kg-1,碱解N含量33.6～257.3 mg·kg-1,速效P含量0.81～5.8 mg·kg-1,速效K含量38.9～262.4 mg·kg-1,粘粒含量11.3%～18.1%,阳离子代换量68.5～310.2 mmol·kg-1;其空间分异程度以速效P、有机质和土壤全N含量较大,土壤粘粒含量和土壤pH值较小;随着土层的加深,土壤pH值、有机质、速效P、土壤粘粒含量和阳离子代换量空间分异程度减小,而土壤全N、碱解N和速效K含量空间分异程度增大.土壤速效K、速效P含量和阳离子代换量水平空间分异程度受海拔的影响较大,而土壤pH值和粘粒含量水平空间分异程度受海拔影响较小.随着海拔的升高,土壤pH值降低,有机质和速效P、K含量增大,土壤肥力空间分异程度减小,这可能与随着海拔升高人为干扰强度降低及林分类型趋向单一有关.     

云南橡胶园土壤

论述云南橡胶园土壤形成的过程和特点,橡胶园人工生态系统的建立保持了森林型物质能量循环,科学的抚育管理保证了橡胶园土壤肥力在满足胶树高产、稳产的基础上保持相对稳定、平衡。     

鄱阳湖水位特征与湿地生态保护

从分析江湖关系入手，研究鄱阳湖的水位及湿地生态特征，并提出人工控湖等加强湿地生态保护的对策建议。     

杉木的受害允许水平及粗鞘双条杉天牛防治策略研究

本文在９年生人工纯林中，采用固定标准地、固定标准株连续３年对树高、胸径实测的方法，计算并比较阌 害与末受害木材积及单位面积材积的 失。     

浅议贵州森林旅游的深层次开发

在分析旅游文化与贵州森林旅游深层次开发相互关系的基础上，结合贵州森林旅游业发展的实际情况，阐述了贵州森林旅游深层次开发的必要性和可行性，提出贵州森林旅游深层次开发的设想和保障措施。     

Plant diversity of secondary forests in response to anthropogenic disturbance levels in montane regions of northeastern China

The effects of anthropogenic disturbances on forest structure and plant diversity of secondary forest ecosystems were evaluated based on the classification by site factors in the montane regions of northeastern China. Forty-five sample plots containing 720 sub-plots of overstory species (8 m × 8 m), 1,440 quadrats of understory species (2 m × 2 m), and 1,440 quadrats of herbaceous layer species (1 m × 1 m) were clustered into five groups (G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5) by site variables with Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. Meanwhile, the disturbance levels corresponding to the five groups were determined according to the factors influencing human disturbances (D0-G2, D1-G1, D2-G3, D3-G5, and D4-G4). Species diversities of overstory, understory, herbaceous layer and overall species were evaluated using species number, Margalef index, Pielou index, Shannon–Wiener index, and Simpson index; and β-diversities (Whittaker index, Cody index). Basal area of stands exhibited a decreasing trend along the disturbance level due to a gradual increase in the extraction of timber by the human disturbances. The indices of species diversity suggested that overstory and understory species were distributed evenly among the groups or disturbance levels. There were no absolutely dominant tree species in the secondary forest ecosystems. The differences in site factors and the current disturbance intensities were not intense enough to lead to loose changes in overstory and understory species. The species diversity indices exhibited the maximum values at D3 (G5) for herbaceous layer species; this may suggest that the current disturbance intensities were intense enough to lead the changes of herbaceous layer species. Three rare and endangered species (Juglans mandshurica, Fraxinus mandshurica and Acanthopanax senticosus) were found within the secondary forests. These rare and endangered species appeared in each clustered group or disturbance level, which suggested that the current disturbance intensity in the study area was not strong enough to influence the distribution of rare and endangered species. The current disturbances in the secondary forests may not lead to a decrease in stability and complexity of the overstory and understory species, but the higher disturbance level may be intense enough to change the habitat fitness for the herbaceous species. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized authors.     

Water balance and maize yield following improved sesbania fallow in eastern Zambia

Sesbania [Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.] fallows are being promoted as a means for replenishing soil fertility in N-depleted soils of small-scale, resource-poor farmers in southern Africa. Knowledge of soil water distribution in the soil profile and water balance under proposed systems is important for knowing the long-term implications of the systems at plot, field and watershed levels. Soil water balance was quantified for maize (Zea mays L.) following 2-year sesbania fallow and in continuous maize with and without fertilizer during 1998–1999 and 1999–2000 at Chipata in eastern Zambia. Sesbania fallow increased grain yield and dry matter production of subsequent maize per unit amount of water used. Average maize grain yields following sesbania fallow, and in continuous maize with and without fertilizer were 3, 6 and 1 Mg ha⁻¹ with corresponding water use efficiencies of 4.3, 8.8 and 1.7 kg mm⁻¹ ha⁻¹, respectively. Sesbania fallow increased the soil-water storage in the soil profile and drainage below the maximum crop root zone compared with the conventionally tilled non-fertilized maize. However, sesbania fallow did not significantly affect the seasonal crop water use, mainly because rainfall during both the years of the study was above the normal seasonal water requirements of maize (400 to 600 mm). Besides improving grain yields of maize in rotation, sesbania fallows have the potential to recharge the subsoil water through increased subsurface drainage and increase nitrate leaching below the crop root zone in excess rainfall seasons. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.