Climate change impacts and potential benefits of drought and heat tolerance in chickpea in South Asia and East Africa

Using CROPGRO-Chickpea model (revised version), we investigated the impacts of climate change on the productivity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) at selected sites in South Asia (Hisar, Indore and Nandhyal in India and Zaloke in Myanmar) and East Africa (Debre Zeit in Ethiopia, Kabete in Kenya and Ukiriguru in Tanzania). We also investigated the potential benefits of incorporating drought and heat tolerance traits in chickpea using the chickpea model and the virtual cultivars approach. As compared to the baseline climate, the climate change by 2050 (including CO₂) increased the yield of chickpea by 17% both at Hisar and Indore, 18% at Zaloke, 25% at Debre Zeit and 18% at Kabete; whereas the yields decreased by 16% at Nandhyal and 7% at Ukiriguru. The yield benefit due to increased CO₂ by 2050 ranged from 7 to 20% across sites as compared to the yields under current atmospheric CO₂ concentration; while the changes in temperature and rainfall had either positive or negative impact on yield at the sites. Yield potential traits (maximum leaf photosynthesis rate, partitioning of daily growth to pods and seed-filling duration each increased by 10%) increased the yield of virtual cultivars up to 12%. Yield benefit due to drought tolerance across sites was up to 22% under both baseline and climate change scenarios. Heat tolerance increased the yield of chickpea up to 9% at Hisar and Indore under baseline climate, and up to 13% at Hisar, Indore, Nandhyal and Ukiriguru under climate change. At other sites (Zaloke, Debre Zeit and Kabete) the incorporation of heat tolerance under climate change had no beneficial effect on yield. Considering varied crop responses to each plant trait across sites, this study was useful in prioritizing the plant traits for location-specific breeding of chickpea cultivars for higher yields under climate change at the selected sites in South Asia and East Africa.     

An assessment of subsoil organic carbon stocks in England and Wales

It is estimated that half the soil carbon globally is in the subsoil, but data are scarce. We updated estimates of subsoil organic carbon (OC) in England and Wales made by Bradley et al. (2005) using soil and land‐use databases and compared the results with other published data. We estimated that the soils of England and Wales contained 1633, 1143 and 506 Tg of OC at 0–30, 30–100 and 100–150 cm depths, respectively. Thus, half of the soil OC was found below 30 cm depth. Peat soils accounted for the largest proportion, containing 44% of all the OC below 30 cm despite their small areal extent, followed by brown soils, surface‐water gley soils, ground‐water gley soils and podzolic soils. Peat soils had more than 25% of their profile OC per unit area in the 100–150 cm depth, whereas most other soils had <8% at this depth. The differences between soil types were consistent with differences in soil formation processes. Differences in depth distributions between land uses were small, but subsoil OC stocks in cultivated soils were generally smaller than in soils under grassland or other land uses. Data on subsoil OC stocks in the literature were scarce, but what there was broadly agreed with the findings of the above database exercise. There was little evidence by which to assess how subsoil OC stocks were changing over time.     

Conservation implications of establishment success of the Critically Endangered Twee River redfin ‘Pseudobarbus’ erubescens (Skelton, ) in an artificial impoundment in South Africa

1. This study reports the first known record of breeding of the Critically Endangered Twee River redfin ‘Pseudobarbus’ erubescens in an artificial impoundment. This followed an introduction of 48 individuals into a 10 ha impoundment within the species' native range more than a decade ago.
2. Sampling the impoundment using three fyke nets set overnight yielded 2838 P. erubescens, which included both juveniles and adults capable of spawning. Fork length measurements of a subsample of 250 individuals ranged from 29 to 125 mm with length cohorts indicating multiple spawning events.
3. This demonstrates that this species can successfully reproduce in lentic environments and suggests that artificial impoundments could be stocked to provide refugia for P. erubescens and other highly threatened small cyprinids while conservation strategies are developed to mitigate against habitat loss resulting from alien fish invasions, increased human use of water, and from climate change in rivers.

     

Soil protection for a sustainable future: options for a soil monitoring network for Ireland

The increased recognition of the importance of soil is reflected in the UN Post‐2015 Development Agenda with sustainable development goals that directly and indirectly relate to soil quality and protection. Despite a lack of legally binding legislation for soil protection, the European Commission remains committed to the objective of soil protection. However, the achievement of a legally binding framework for soil protection relies on the implementation of a soil monitoring network (SMN) that can detect changes to soil quality over time. As beneficiaries do not pay for the provision of soil information, the options for soil monitoring are limited. The use of existing data sets should be considered first. Using Ireland as an example, this research explored the opportunities for a SMN for Ireland considering three existing national data sets. The options for a SMN are considered in terms of their spatial and stratified distribution, the parameters to be measured and an economic analysis of the options proposed. This research finds that for Ireland, either a 10 or a 16 km² grid interval stratified by land use and drainage class offers the best potential in relation to the spatial distribution of existing data sets to reflect local data at a national level. With existing data, the stratified SIS data using the 16 km² grid offers the best value for money, with baseline costs for analysis, excluding field costs, of between €706 481 and €2.8 million. Acknowledging the impossibility of measuring all parameters with ideal frequency, this study proposes a two‐tier system for optimized monitoring frequency. Parameters must anticipate future policy requirements. Finally, the implementation of a SMN must be accompanied by standardized methods, defined thresholds and action mandates to maintain soil quality within allowable limits.     

昆明长水国际机场鳞翅目昆虫种群初探

对2018年1~12月昆明长水国际机场东西跑道外侧草坪的鳞翅目昆虫进行了调查,结果发现:该目昆虫具有明显季节差异,种类和数量均是夏季最多,秋季其次,冬、春季相对较少。生境分析表明,鳞翅目昆虫对生境依赖有一定差异,故提出了清除草坪内开花植物或种植不开花植物,从而减少昆虫多样性,降低鸟类到草坪觅食及鸟击概率的建议。     

棉铃发育过程中不同组织IAA含量变化特点

为了解IAA与棉纤维品质形成间的关系及棉铃各部位IAA积累转运特点,本研究分析了棉铃各部分在发育过程中IAA含量的变化特点。通过选择陆地棉标准系TM-1、长纤维种质‘母35’和短纤维种质‘208’3个纤维长度差异较大的陆地棉材料,利用酶联免疫法对浙江杭州、海南三亚两地田间试验的各材料不同发育阶段的棉仁、棉籽壳、棉纤维、棉铃壳进行了IAA含量的测定。结果表明,不同参试材料的棉仁IAA含量存在明显差异,棉籽壳、棉纤维与棉铃壳的IAA含量峰值出现时间晚于棉仁,棉铃各个组织IAA含量具有随棉铃组织从内向外逐渐降低的趋势。研究表明,IAA可能是棉纤维发育的正效应因子,且棉铃发育过程中IAA可能呈初期在棉仁富集、随发育进程沿棉铃组织由内向外运输的规律。     

Variation in glomalin in soil profiles and its association with climatic conditions,shelterbelt characteristics,and soil properties in poplar shelterbelts of Northeast China

Glomalin-related soil protein(GRSP)sequesters large amounts of carbon and plays important roles in maintaining terrestrial soil ecosystem functions and ecological restoration;however,little is known about GRSP variation in 1-m soil profiles and its association with stand characteristics,soil properties,and climatic conditions,hindering GRSP-related degraded soil improvement and GRSP evaluation.In this study,we sampled soils from 1-m profiles from poplar(Populus spp.)shelterbelts in Northeast China.GRSP contents were 1.8–2.0 times higher in the upper 40 cm soil layers than at 40–100 cm.GRSP-related soil organic carbon(SOC)sequestration in deeper soil layers was*1.2 times higher than in surface layers.The amounts of GRSP-related nutrients were similar throughout the soil profile.A redundancy analysis showed that in both surface and deeper layers,soil properties(pH,electrical conductivity,water,SOC,and soil nutrients)explained the majority of the GRSP variation(59.5–84.2%);the second-most-important factor in GRSP regulation was climatic conditions(temperature,precipitation,and altitude),while specific shelterbelt characteristics had negligible effects(<5%).Soil depth and climate indirectly affected GRSP features via soil properties,as manifested by structural equation model analysis.Our findings demonstrate that GRSP is important for carbon storage in deep soils,regardless of shelterbelt characteristics.Future glomalin assessments should consider these vertical patterns and possible regulating mechanisms that are related to soil properties and climatic changes.     

谷子秸秆剪切力与其饲料营养特性变化规律及相互关系

为探究谷子秸秆力学性质与其饲料特性的变化规律及相互关系，选用谷物完熟期的谷子秸秆，将其分为5段（近根部、中下部、中部、中上部、上部）并每隔7 d进行秸秆节间、茎节力学性质（剪切、压缩）和饲料特性（形态指标、营养成分）测定。试验结果表明：谷物完熟后，随着时间的推进，秸秆节间、茎节剪切力、抗压强度、干物质含量、纤维素含量、半纤维素含量和木质素含量总体上呈增大趋势，而秸秆含水率、当量直径、横截面积、线性密度和粗蛋白含量总体上呈减小趋势。谷子秸秆单位直径剪切力与含水率和线性密度呈负相关关系（R2≥0.903），与其干物质、纤维素、半纤维素和木质素含量呈正相关关系（R2≥0.845），与其粗蛋白含量无显著相关关系（P>0.05）。采收期内，谷子秸秆基部起秸秆剪切力至顶部逐渐增大，且剪切力与当量直径、横截面积呈正相关关系（R2≥0.916）。试验表明谷子秸秆饲料特性指标验证试验值与预测值相对误差不大于6.48%，预测模型合理。测量秸秆剪切力可用于预测其形态指标参数和营养成分含量，进而一定程度地反映秸秆饲用价值和反刍动物择食趋向。采收期内，谷子中部及以上秸秆单位直径剪切力显著小于其近根部（P<0.05），更适合饲用；且谷物完熟后，及时采收可避免秸秆饲用价值降低。该研究可为高效利用谷子秸秆资源提供参考。     

基于CA-Markov模型的锡林河流域土地利用变化及预测分析

研究土地利用变化特征及预测未来土地利用变化的趋势，对经济平衡发展、提高生态环境质量、实现土地资源合理利用具有重要意义。以锡林河流域为研究区，对Landsat 2000、2005、2010年和2015年4期遥感数据进行目视解译，采用土地利用结构分析方法、重心迁移模型和CA-Markov模型，分析研究区16 a间土地利用演变特征，并对2030年土地利用情况进行预测。结果表明:1)2000-2015年，草地、林地和耕地呈波动变化，水域面积缓慢增加，建设用地不断扩张，未利用地面积在不断减少。建设用地、耕地和未利用地重心具有明显的方向性移动，耕地先向南后向北移动，建设用地主要向西北方向扩张，未利用土地重心持续向北移动。2)研究区综合土地利用动态度为5.70％，变化速率较快；锡林浩特市和各苏木土地利用变化速率差异较大，总体表现为中游＞下游＞上游；不同土地利用类型动态度为建设用地＞水域＞林地＞耕地＞未利用土地＞草地，即建设用地变化最快。3)研究区土地利用变化的主要方向为草地和未利用地的相互转换、耕地和草地的互相转换以及建设用地的不断扩张。4)2030年预测结果表明，耕地面积继续增加，速率有所下降，重心向西南方向移动；林地延续之前变化趋势，稳中有升；草地和未利用地面积继续减少，且未利用地重心持续向北移动；建设用地扩张明显，重心向锡林浩特市中心移动，速度减缓；水域有少量增加。CA-Markov模型与土地利用重心迁移模型相结合，实现了对未来耕地、建设用地和未利用土地的迁移方向的预测，可以为研究区提高草地退化防治效果、土地管理政策的制定和实施、城乡建设、土地利用规划等提供理论指导。