Amazonian deforestation and global warming: carbon stocks in vegetation replacing Brazil''s Amazon forest

Carbon stocks in vegetation replacing forest in Brazilian Amazonia affect net emissions of greenhouse gases from land-use change. A Markov matrix of annual transition probabilities was constructed to estimate landscape composition in 1990 and to project future changes, assuming behavior of farmers and ranchers remains unchanged. The estimated 1990 landscape was 5.4% farmland, 44.8% productive pasture, 2.2% degraded pasture, 2.1% ‘young’ (1970 or later) secondary forest derived from agriculture, 28.1% ‘young’ secondary forest derived from pasture, and 17.4% ‘old’ (pre-1970) secondary forest. The landscape would eventually approach an equilibrium of 4.0% farmland, 43.8% productive pasture, 5.2% degraded pasture, 2.0% secondary forest derived from agriculture, and 44.9% secondary forest derived from pasture. An insignificant amount is regenerated ‘forest’ (defined as secondary forest over 100 years old). Average total biomass (dry matter, including below-ground and dead components) was 43.5 t ha⁻¹ in 1990 in the 410 × 10³ km² deforested by that year for uses other than hydroelectric dams. At equilibrium, average biomass would be 28.5 t ha⁻¹ over all deforested areas (excluding dams). These biomass values are more than double those forming the basis of deforestation emission estimates currently used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Although higher replacement landscape biomass decreases net emissions from deforestation, these estimates still imply large net releases.     

高温闷棚技术在大棚辣椒连作生产上的应用

为研究大棚辣椒土传病害绿色防控技术,选择不同的高温闷棚杀菌方法,以本地传统的高温炕地杀菌方法为对照,调查不同处理对地温和土壤pH值的影响,调查不同处理大棚辣椒的根结线虫、疫病、枯萎病、青枯病和根腐病的发生为害情况,测量大棚辣椒产量。结果表明,应用石灰氮、覆盖地膜和大棚膜进行高温闷棚对大棚辣椒土传病害有较好的防治效果。     

基于氮梯度加载下的温室核桃砧木苗生长生理特性变化

【目的】探究新疆核桃砧木苗生长特征及生理特性对氮梯度的响应,为核桃砧木苗施氮标准化的探究奠定基础。【方法】以阿克苏厚皮农家种质核桃砧木苗为研究对象,进行不同梯度的氮素诱导,测定核桃砧木苗生长及生理指标。【结果】基于氮梯度加载下的核桃砧木苗株高、地径、叶片数、叶长、光合色素含量、可溶性蛋白质含量、可溶性糖含量、硝酸还原酶活性、谷氨酰胺合成酶活性均呈上升趋势,并在15 g.a^-1.m^-2处理下达到最高值。【结论】适量地增施氮肥有利于核桃砧木苗的生长、提高砧木苗体内营养物质含量以及促进氮代谢能力。     

Temperature modeling of a land-based aquaculture system for the production of Gracilaria pacifica: Possible system modifications to conserve heat and extend the growing season

Temperature control is a major cost for numerous aquaculture systems. Solar thermal engineering techniques can be used to identify inexpensive methods for conserving and capturing heat. Gracilaria pacifica, also known as the culinary ingredient ogo, is currently grown in land-based tanks at a site in Goleta, CA where influent sea water temperatures infrequently reach the 21–28 °C range that provides for optimal growth. The major objective of this study was to explore various designs of a G. pacifica tank culture system that maintain optimal water temperature year round to maximize growth. A model was constructed and calibrated by comparing results to a one-third scale pilot system operated in Davis, CA. For model calibration the most sensitive parameter such as cover optical properties were adjusted first and less sensitive parameters were adjusted later. The pilot system consisted of six tanks, three insulated with foam and a clear polyethylene cover (experimental), and three uninsulated and uncovered (controls). The model had weather data inputs including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The model was then compared to a full-scale system operated in Santa Barbara during the winter. The experimental pilot system was 4.93 °C warmer than the control pilot system under optimal weather conditions. The full-scale experimental system was 2.80 °C warmer than the control system under non-ideal conditions. The model demonstrated predictive accuracy under most weather conditions. Furthermore the model is robust enough to accept estimated values for many inputs and still produce accurate results, this suggests a simpler model may be feasible. A polyethylene cover and insulation are not sufficient in general for raising the water temperature to the optimum range during the winter; they may be during other times of the year when more solar energy is available, thereby extending the growing season.     

Environmental performances of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) cultivated in fertile and marginal lands: A case study in the Mediterranean

Perennial rhizomatous grasses (PRGs) tend to have a high yield combined with a low environmental impact. Cultivation in marginal or poorly cultivated land is recommended in order not to compromise food security and to overcome land use controversies. However, the environmental impacts of using different types of soil are still unclear. We thus assessed the environmental impact of two giant reed (GR) systems cultivated in a fertile soil (FS) and in a marginal soil (MS) through a cradle-to-plant gate LCA. We analyzed energy balance, GHG emissions (including LUC, not including iLUC), and the main impacts on air, water and soil quality. In both systems the annualized soil carbon sequestration was more than twofold the total GHG emitted, equal to −6464 kg CO₂eq ha⁻¹ in FS and −5757 kg CO₂eq ha⁻¹ in MS. Overall, soil characteristics affected not only GR yield level, but also its environmental impact, which seems to be higher in the MS system both on a hectare and tonne basis. The production of GR biomass in marginal soil could thus lead to higher environmental impacts and a more extensive land requirement.     

温室一茄多果快速育成技术

随着嫁接技术在蔬菜育苗中的广泛应用,根据近年来兴起的一茄多果嫁接技术与园艺景观造型相结合的趋势,介绍了一种改进的一茄多果嫁接技术,技术的流程更简洁,也更易于操作,可使经济效益与人文景观效果得到共同提升。     

Dense planting with less basal nitrogen fertilization might benefit rice cropping for high yield with less environmental impacts

Dense planting and less basal nitrogen (N) fertilization have been recommended to further increase rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield and N use efficiency (NUE), respectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the integrative impacts of dense planting with reduced basal N application (DR) on rice yield, NUE and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Field experiments with one conventional sparse planting (CK) and four treatments of dense planting (increased seedlings per hill) with less basal N application were conducted in northeast China from 2012 to 2013. In addition, a two-factor experiment was conducted to isolate the effect of planting density and basal N rate on CH₄ emission in 2013. Our results show that an increase in planting density by about 50% with a correspondingly reduction in basal N rate by about 30% (DR1 and DR2) enhanced NUE by 14.3–50.6% and rice grain yield by 0.5–7.4% over CK. Meanwhile, DR1 and DR2 reduced GWP by 6.4–12.6% and yield-scaled GWP by 7.0–17.0% over CK. According to the two-factor experiment, soil CH₄ production and oxidation and CH₄ emission were not affected by planting density. However, reduced basal N rate decreased CH₄ emission due to it significantly reduced soil CH₄ production with a smaller reduction in soil CH₄ oxidation. The above results indicate that moderate dense planting with less basal N application might be an environment friendly mode for rice cropping for high yield and NUE with less GHG emissions.     

Greenhouse gas implications of water reuse in the Upper Pumpanga River Integrated Irrigation System, Philippines

Enhancing water productivity is often recommended as a “soft option” in addressing the problem of increasing water scarcity. However, improving water productivity, particularly through water reuse, incurs additional investment and may result in increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, we analysed the water productivity and GHG implications of water reuse through pumping groundwater and creek water, and compare this with gravity-fed canal irrigation in the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS) in the Philippines.Water productivity indicators show that water reuse contributes significantly to water productivity. For example, water productivity with respect to gross inflow (WP_gross) with water reuse (0.19 kg grain/m³) is 21% higher than without water reuse (0.15 kg grain/m³). However, there is a tradeoff between increasing water productivity and water reuse as water reuse increases GHG emissions. The estimated GHG emission from water reuse (pumping irrigation) is 1.47 times higher than without water reuse (gravity-fed canal irrigation). Given increasing concerns about climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions, we recommend that a higher priority be given to water reuse only in areas where water scarcity is a serious issue.     

Coordinated pest management decisions in the presence of management externalities: The case of greenhouse whitefly in California-grown strawberries

Optimal pest management can be compounded by externalities associated with management decisions among adjacent crop fields managed by agricultural producers. In this paper, a bioeconomic model is used to measure the effects of management decisions on optimal pest management. The case of the greenhouse whitefly invasion of California-grown strawberries is considered. Results show that coordinated pest management decisions among host crop growers may improve returns, but only during certain parts of the strawberry growing season. Two generalizable pest management policy implications are presented.     

Determination of comprehensive quality index for tomato and its response to different irrigation treatments

In order to investigate better irrigation scheduling with the compromise between yield and quality of greenhouse-grown tomato under limit water supply, two experiments of different irrigation treatments were conducted in the arid region of northwest China during spring to summer in 2008 (2008 season) and winter in 2008 to summer in 2009 (2008-2009 season). After measuring single quality attributes, the analysis hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) were used to determine the weight of single quality attributes and comprehensive quality index, respectively. The results show that the rank of comprehensive quality index had good fitness to that of single quality attributes, indicating that the comprehensive quality index was reliable. Compared to full irrigation, applying 1/3 or 2/3 of full irrigation amount at the seedling stage had slight improvement of comprehensive quality and limit water saving. Applying 1/3 or 2/3 of full irrigation amount at the fruit maturation and harvesting stage decreased the yield by 23.0-40.9%, but had the best comprehensive quality. However, applying 1/3 of full irrigation amount at the flowering and fruit development stage significantly reduced crop water consumption and had obvious improvement of comprehensive quality, but did not decrease the yield significantly and water use efficiency in the 2008 season. And applying 2/3 of full irrigation amount at the flowering and fruit development stage significantly decreased crop water consumption and slightly improved the comprehensive quality, but did not decrease the yield significantly in the 2008-2009 season. Considering the water saving amount, yield and comprehensive quality, applying 1/3 or 2/3 of full irrigation amount at the flowering and fruit development stage and no water stress in other growth stages appears to be a better irrigation scheduling with the compromise between yield and quality of greenhouse-grown tomato, which can be recommended for the spring to summer and winter to summer seasons in the arid region of northwest China.