Seed chemical variation in Prosopis chilensis from Argentina

Ten Prosopis chilensis populations from different phytogeografic areas of Argentina were analyzed chemically in their proximate and fatty acid composition. Oil and protein contents varied between 2.5–6.6% and 29.2–38.6%, respectively. Ash content ranged from 3.1 to 4.6%. The seed lipids contained a relatively large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic acid as predominant. The results showed that: (a) There was a significant variation among populations in their chemical components, (b) moisture, ash and protein contents, and saturated fatty acids had not significant correlation with geographic parameters analyzed; (c) some unsaturated fatty acids correlated significantly with altitude. The variability observed might indicate that there is sufficient intraspecific differences to permit improvement by selection and breeding.     

The use of a water budget model and yield maps to characterize water availability in a landscape

Crop yield maps may contain substantial corollary information regarding the distribution of yield related soil properties across a landscape. One of these properties is water holding capacity (WHC). Since WHC is an important parameter for crop models and is also critical for crop yield, our objective was to determine if WHC could be estimated by matching simulated yield with yield map data. We collected soil cores for water retention measurements and recorded plant phenological stages from 60 plots on four transects over two growing seasons (1997 and 1998). Soil cores were also sampled on 40 other locations set out on a grid pattern. We utilized a simple water budget model that uses the relative transpiration ratio to calculate relative yield from available water in the soil profile. Rainfall, potential evapotranspiration and soil water holding capacity are input. An optimization program varies the WHC to produce a grain yield similar to the one from the yield map at a particular location. This analysis was carried out over several scales by averaging yields over 55 m×71 m, 27 m×35 m, and 11 m×14 m areas. Yield data from 2 years were used. Yields from the transects in both years were significantly related to measured WHC in the surface 0–10 cm of soil. The calculated stress indices from the water budget model and estimated available WHC calculated for the 1997 data were similar to those calculated for the 1998 data where data were aggregated in 27 by 35 m or larger blocks. The contour map of estimated WHC was similar to the map of measured WHC for some features though there were also some differences. Use of multiple years of yield data are required to give stable results for estimated water holding capacities.. This information could be used in a farm management plan by allowing a producer to classify a field into areas that are buffered against drought and areas more susceptible to drought.     

黄土丘陵区退耕地土壤养分变异特征

在延安、安塞和吴旗选择典型黄土丘陵不同植被类型区的不同年限退耕地为试点,通过S型方法采集土样,应用土壤养分系统研究法进行了养分分析,并应用传统统计学对土壤养分变异进行了研究。结果表明,不同植被类型区土壤养分性质均存在着空间变异。受传统农业影响的有机质、全N、有效N和速效K的变异较大;而全P和速效P的变异相对较小。不同退耕年限的土壤养分含量及其变异系数存在着明显差别。退耕初期,受耕作和施肥影响,土壤养分含量较高,植被特征指数呈显著上升趋势且变异性较大;随着耕作施肥活动的停止和植被恢复对土壤养分的消耗,使土壤养分含量有一个降低的过程,土壤养分的变异也较大;而随着植被恢复和群落演替的继续,植被枯落物逐步增多,土壤也逐步发育,植被指数与土壤养分均呈增长趋势,并在退耕地20年左右时达到稳定状态,但土壤的发育往往滞后于植被特征的变化。     

土壤速效养分空间变异研究

选择山西省一年两作和一年一作两种种植制度下的两个自然村作为试点,通过网格方法采取土样,应用土壤养分系统研究法进行了养分分析,并应用传统统计学和半方差函数对土壤养分变异进行了研究。结果表明,不同种植制度下,土壤养分性质均存在着空间变异,受农业传统施肥措施影响较大的N、P和OM,变异相对较大;而Ca、Mg、K、Cu、Fe、Mn等养分,传统施肥投入较少,土壤变异相对较小;土壤养分性质存在半方差结构,拟合模型包括球型、线型和指数型,但同一养分拟合半方差模型不尽相同。即使模型一致,最大相关距离也不一样,而且空间变异性强弱程度也不尽相同。Ca、N、Mn显示有较强的空间相关性,K、P、S显示具有中等的空间相关性。     

农田土壤养分变异与大豆分区施肥技术研究

采用全球卫星定位系统（GPS）和地理信息系统（GIS）技术,对沈阳军区通北一场土壤进行了空间变异特征和分区施肥研究。结果表明,黑龙江省北部大豆主产区黑土养分含量比较丰富,氮、磷、钾含量较高,硼和锌含量较低。土壤中有机质、N、P、K、S、B、Zn等元素含量的空间分布具有明显的变异性。土壤养分偏斜程度与土壤养分变异系数之间存在较密切的线性相关关系,相关系数R=0.57。大豆分区平衡施肥取得了显著效果,较习惯施肥平均增产243 kg/hm^2,增产12.1%,增收696元/hm^2。     

典型干旱荒漠绿洲区耕层土壤养分空间变异

[目的]对干旱荒漠绿洲区耕层土壤养分空间特征进行研究,为绿洲土地资源的合理开发利用,以及土壤施肥方案的科学制定提供理论依据。[方法]基于GIS与地统计学方法对新疆维吾尔自治区精河县耕层土壤养分空间变异特征及影响因素进行分析。[结果](1)研究区内有效磷的空间变异性较强(变异系数Cv为67.45%),速效钾的空间变异性最弱(Cv为40.76%)。(2)有机质、碱解氮和有效磷存在较强的空间自相关性,其空间变异主要由地形、土壤质地和土壤类型等结构性因素所引起;速效钾为中等程度的空间自相关性,其空间变异不仅受结构性因素的影响,还与随机因素(即施肥和种植结构)有关。(3)各土壤养分元素在绿洲内部具有较高含量的片状和斑块状分布,而在绿洲外缘,其含量相对较低,且呈大面积的片状分布。[结论]精河县耕层土壤养分总体呈现出有机肥含量缺乏,磷钾肥相对丰富的特点。     

Sampling saproxylic beetles: lessons from a 10-year monitoring study

We sampled saproxylic beetles using trunk window traps in two birch-dominated forests in Finland during 1990-1999. The sampling scheme, 10 traps attached to living fruiting bodies of Fomes fomentarius growing on dead birches, remained unchanged in both forests throughout the study period. Beetles belonging to 32 selected families were identified every year, whereas all species were identified during the last 4 years. Total number of identified individuals was 40,294 and number of species 583, of which 258 were saproxylic (dependent on dead wood). Species richness of rare and threatened saproxylic beetles in the samples varied a lot between the years and did not fluctuate synchronously between the forests. Variation between years was smaller when all saproxylic species were pooled together and some abundant species fluctuated synchronously in the two forests. Similarity indices and DCA-ordination did not generally suggest decreasing similarity between samples with increasing temporal isolation. Incidence-based similarities of common saproxylic species within and between forests and years were high (means 0.7-0.8), whereas those of rare saproxylics were roughly 50% smaller and much more variable. More than 75% of the common saproxylic species found during the entire 10-year period were detected already after 3 years of sampling but accumulation of rare and threatened species was much slower. Our results suggest that: (1) occurrence of rare and threatened species in samples is much less predictable than that of common species and, e.g. reserve selection based on rarities should be made cautiously; (2) estimation of total number of threatened species in a forest is very difficult, because such species accumulate slowly in the samples; (3) samples from different years can be comparable in certain cases.     

华北半干旱区土壤养分和植被特征的小尺度空间异质性研究

A field experiment was conducted at Kezuohouqi County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, which was located on the southeastern edge of the Horqin Sandy Land, to study the spatial variability of soil nutrients for a small-scale, nutrient-poor, sandy site in a semi-arid region of northern China; to investigate whether or not there were ＂islands of fertility＂ at the experimental site; and to determine the key nutrient elements that sustained ecosystem stability. Results obtained from geostatistical analysis indicated that the spatial distribution pattern of soil total nitrogen （STN） was far different from those of soil organic matter （SOM）, total phosphorus （STP）, and total potassium （STK）. Compared to SOM, STP, and STK, STN had a lower structural heterogeneity ratio and a longer range, while other elements were all similar. In addition, STN had an isotropic spatial structure, whereas the others had an anisotropic spatial structure. The spatial structure patterns of herbage species, cover, and height also differed, indicating that spatial variability was subjected to different ecological factors. Differences in the spatial variability patterns among soil nutrients and vegetation properties showed that soil nutrients for a small-scale were not the primary limiting factors that influenced herbage spatial distribution patterns. Incorporating spatial distribution patterns of tree species, namely, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv. and shrub Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. in a research plot and using fractal dimension, SOM, STP, and STK were shown to contribute to the ＂islands of fertility＂ phenomenon, however STN was not, possibly meaning that nitrogen was a key limiting element. Therefore, during restoration of similar ecosystems more attention should be given to soil nitrogen.     

渭干河灌区土壤水盐空间变异性研究

根据直线和网格布点法布置的150个取样点的测定资料,应用经典统计分析方法．探讨了垦荒地土壤电导率和重量含水率的空间变异性,并给出了不同置信水平及精度要求下两者的合理取样数目。应用自相关和半方差分析方法进一步讨论了土壤电导率及土壤重量含水率的空间变异结构和半方差函数模型。结果表明,垦荒地土壤电导率和重量含水率的空间变异都是有结构的,土壤电导率的最大相关域为9m,土壤重量含水率的最大相关域为6．4m。两者的半方差函数可用有基台的线型模型拟合。     

Neural network ensemble residual kriging application for spatial variability of soil properties

High quality, agricultural nutrient distribution maps are necessary for precision management, but depend on initial soil sample analyses and interpolation techniques. To examine the methodologies for and explore the capability of interpolating soil properties based on neural network ensemble residual kriging, a silage field at Hayes, Northern Ireland, UK, was selected for this study with all samples being split into independent training and validation data sets. The training data set, comprised of five soil properties: soil pH, soil available P, soil available K, soil available Mg and soil available S,was modeled for spatial variability using 1) neural network ensemble residual kriging, 2) neural network ensemble and 3) kriging with their accuracies being estimated by means of the validation data sets. Ordinary kriging of the residuals provided accurate local estimates, while final estimates were produced as a sum of the artificial neural network (ANN) ensemble estimates and the ordinary kriging estimates of the residuals. Compared to kriging and neural network ensemble,the neural network ensemble residual kriging achieved better or similar accuracy for predicting and estimating contour maps. Thus, the results demonstrated that ANN ensemble residual kriging was an efficient alternative to the conventional geo-statistical models that were usually used for interpolation of a data set in the soil science area.