Observations on the rooting patterns of some agroforestry trees in an arid region of north-western India

The present study deals with root architecture of 6-year-old trees of 9 indigenous and 3 exotic species growing in arid climate of north-western India. Observations, made on excavated root systems (3 tree replicates of each species) showed large variation in horizontal and vertical spread of roots. In Morus alba, Melia azedarach and Populus deltoides, the roots were confined to 80 cm, while in Prosopis cineraria, Acacia nilotica and Eucalyptus tereticornis, roots penetrated more deeply to 233 cm. The number of total roots ranged from 103 in Acacia catechu to 1932 in Eucalyptus tereticornis, and 62 to 80% of the roots were less than 2 mm in diameter. The primary roots were more horizontal than the secondary roots. The total root biomass varied from 2.2 kg in Acacia catechu to 30.6 kg^–1 tree in Populus deltoides, and top 30 cm soil contained 42 to 78% of the total biomass. The implications of the results are discussed in the context of the ecological niche of the species, and its usefulness in agroforestry systems.     

长江中上游马尾松水土保持林生长过程模型研究

将乔木、灌木和草本层次结构合理、郁闭度为0．68左右，蓄水固土功能最优的林分定义为马尾松水土保持林的优良林分，从制表单元、编表样本、模型建立到数表编制，系统地论述了长江中上游马尾松水土保持林优良林分生物量生长过程表的制表过程．为长江中上游水土保持林的经营提供了决策依据．     

Effect of pruning intensities of three woody leguminous species grown in alley cropping with maize and cowpea on an alfisol

Field trials were carried out on an Oxic Paleustalf in the humid zone of southwestern Nigeria withLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit,Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud. andSesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. alley cropped with maize and cowpea. The three leguminous woody species were grown in hedgerows spaced at 2 m. Trials were carried out one year after establishment of the hedgerows using a split-plot design with four replications. TheLeucaena trial had twenty pruning combinations consisting of five pruning heights (25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 cm) and four pruning frequencies (monthly, bi-, tri- and six-monthly). TheGliricidia andSesbania hedgerows were subjected to nine pruning intensities consisting of three pruning heights (25, 50 and 100 cm) and three pruning intensities (monthly, tri- and six-monthly). For the three woody species, biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yield from the hedgerow prunings increased with decreasing pruning frequency and increasing pruning height. Biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yields were in the following orderLeucaena >Gliricidia >Sesbania. The various pruning intensities had no effect on survival ofLeucaena plants. Pruning frequency had a larger effect than pruning height on survival ofGliricidia andSesbania plants. With monthly pruning, about 25 percent of theGliricidia and all of theSesbania plants died within six months of repeated pruning. Even with lower pruning frequencySesbania plants showed lower survival rates thanGliricidia orLeucaena. The various pruning intensities of all the hedgerow species had more pronounced effects on the grain yield of the alley cropped cowpea than on maize grain yield. Higher maize and cowpea yields were obtained with increasing pruning frequency and decreasing pruning height. IITA Journal paper number 335     

Establishment and early growth characteristics of six Paulownia genotypes for goat browse in Raleigh, NC, USA

Meat goat production in the eastern USA is increasing as a result of growing demand from various ethnic groups. Because goats naturally prefer a high proportion of browse in their diets, research was initiated to investigate various silvopastoral production systems. The genus Paulownia contains several species which exhibit rapid juvenile growth and other characteristics that justify research into their potential use in meat goat feeding systems. In May 1997, six Paulownia genotypes were planted in a randomized complete block experiment with six replications. Trees were between 6 and 12 cm in height at planting. Genotypes included: P. fortunei seedlings, P. tomentosa seedlings, P. elongata seedlings and three P. elongata clones. Each 4-m wide plot contained a single row of 12 trees with an intra-row spacing of 1 m. Plant measurements included height, root collar diameter (RCD) at 3 cm above soil surface, and the number of main branches. Leaf samples were collected from all six replications for estimates of herbage quality. During 1998, trees were browsed with goats on two occasions to assess palatability of the herbage and to determine any preference for specific genotypes by the animals. Compared with seedling trees of all three species, the three P. elongata clones were taller (clones: 79.7 cm, seedlings: 55.9 cm; P < 0.01), had larger RCDs (clones: 18.4 mm, seedlings: 13.9 mm; P < 0.01) and had a higher branching frequency (clones: 4.9, seedlings: 1.5; P < 0.01) by the end of the first growing season. Mortality averaged 4.8% across all treatments and ranged between 0 and 8%. Early in the 1998 growing season before trees were browsed, P. elongata clones grew more rapidly than seedlings (clones: 116.4 cm, seedlings: 84.1 cm; P < 0.01). Estimates of herbage quality indicated favorable concentrations of energy and protein for lamina. In vitro true dry matter disappearance ranged from 85.4 (blades) to 71.5% (petioles) and crude protein from 25.1 (blades) to 4.9% (petioles). Animals readily browsed the lamina during two separate sessions, but no clear preference trends were observed among the different Paulownia genotypes.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

尾叶桉幼林地上部分生物量及养分循环的研究*

论述了２－３年生尾叶桉幼林地上部分生长、生物量积累和生物量在树木各器官及各径阶中的分配，林分净生产量，树木各器官及凋落物的养分含量和林分的养分循环。２年生时林分的生物量为２２．９ｔ／ｈｍ＾２，其中干材占６０．２％，皮占８．９％，枝占１４．７％，叶占１６．２％。３年生时林分生物量为４０ｔｈｍ＾２，其中干材占６３．６％，皮占７．７％，枝占１４．１％，叶占１４．６％。年净生产量为２０．５ｔ／ｈｍ＾２，约     

马尾松,大头茶针阔混交林森林结构的研究

典型选样调查测定,分析马尾松、大头茶常绿针阔混交林的森林特征、种群结构、林分结构、生物量结构及生态功能。结果表明:1.该混交林是亚热带常绿阔叶林前一阶段的过渡性森林类型,在干扰状态下保持其相对的稳定性。2.复层、异龄现象是该混交林的主要特征。建群种充分利用了林地空间营养面积,发挥了林地的生产潜力。叶面积指数达6.86～8.83,林分木材蓄积量达160～222m~3/ha,林分总生物量达114～163t/ha。其中,乔木层生物量达105～154t/ha。光照充足的林下,草本层生物量可达2.5t/ha,对庇护地表起到了最直接、最明显的作用,而调节林冠密度,可控制或促进草本层生物量的增长。3.此种混交林改善了森林立地的蓄水功能和贮水方式。林地土壤最大贮水量达2645～4100t/ha,降水贮存量达565～1256t/ha,林地枯枝落叶层饱和持水量达4589～8702kg/ha。该类型达到了生态与经济效益兼顾,可在我国南方亚热带山地各类工程造林中推广应用。     

河南省森林碳储量及动态变化研究

利用河南省1949—2003年间8次森林资源清查资料,建立不同优势树种生物量与蓄积量之间的回归方程,对河南省54a来森林的碳储量进行了推算。结果表明:河南省54a间森林的总碳储量虽然存在一定的波动现象,但总体呈上升的趋势。全省森林的总碳储量由1949年的2 863.91万t C增加到2003年的4 673.43万t C,共增加1 809.52万t C,年均增加33.51万t C。阔叶林占全省各时期森林总碳储量的80%以上,栎类和杨树两个树种占主导地位。河南森林幼、中龄林占的比重较大。全省森林平均碳密度为22.86~23.64t C/hm2,远低于全国、世界的平均水平。     

Microbial biomass in subtropical forest soils： effect of conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation

Conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation is a common management practice in subtropical China. In this study, we compared soil physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass in one natural secondary broad-leaved forest and two C. lanceolata plantation sites to estimate the effects of forest conversion on soil microbial biomass at the Huitong Experimental Station of Forestry Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Concentrations of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, NH4^＋-N and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were much lower under C. lanceolata plantations as compared to natural secondary broad-leaved forest. Soil microbial biomass C in the first and second rotation of C. lanceolata plantations was only 53%, 46% of that in natural secondary broad-leaved forest, and microbial biomass N was 97% and 79%, respectively. The contribution of microbial biomass C to soil organic C was also lower in the plantation sites. However, the contribution of microbial N to total nitrogen and NH4^＋-N was greater in the C. lanceolata plantation sites. Therefore, conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to C. lanceolata plantation and continuous planting of C. lanceolata led to the decline in soil microbial biomass and the degradation of forest soil in subtropical China.     

Storage of biomass and net primary productivity in desert shrubland of Artemisia ordosica on Ordos Plateau of Inner Mongolia, China

Biomass and net primary productivity （NPP） are two important parameters in determining ecosystem carbon pool and carbon sequestration. The biomass storage and NPP in desert shrubland of Artemisia ordosica on Ordos Plateau were investigated with method of harvesting standard size shrub in the growing season （June-October） of 2006. Results indicated that above- and belowground biomass of the same size shrubs showed no significant variation in the growing season （p〉0.1）, but annual biomass varied significantly （p〈 0.01）. In the A. ordosica community, shrub biomass storage was 699.76-1246.40 g.m^-2 and annual aboveground NPP was 224.09 g-m^-2·a^-1. Moreover, shrub biomass and NPP were closely related with shrub dimensions （cover and height） and could be well predicted by shrub volume using power regression.     

生物质基光学材料研究进展

近年来由于不可再生资源的日益枯竭,以及全球能源危机等问题,生物质资源的研究和利用受到人们的广泛关注。以往材料的制备与合成往往以石油及其衍生物为原料,过程繁琐、成本高昂、原料不可再生,且对生态环境造成了不可逆转的破坏,而生物质基材料因绿色、可再生、环境友好等,其设计与构筑已成为基础科技研究的前沿与热点。在过去的研究中,国内外学者以相关生物质为基础构筑“基石”,利用其本征结构及特性原位合成或与异质单元复合,构筑了大量的功能光学材料。功能光学材料的应用领域包括但不限于催化、光动能转换、生物成像、光电器件、海水淡化、信息防伪等。笔者对生物质基光学功能性材料方面的代表性成果进行梳理与总结,主要包括林木芳香生物质荧光材料、多糖生物质荧光材料、林木生物质光热材料、纳米纤维素光子晶体材料、生物质基光热材料,以及以上材料在食品检测、生物成像、加密打印、发光器件、光 热 动能转换领域中的应用,并且对该领域内存在的问题及未来发展方向作了展望。