Assessing the effects of vegetation and precipitation on soil erosion in the Three-River Headwaters Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Soil erosion in the Three-River Headwaters Region (TRHR) of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China has a significant impact on local economic development and ecological environment. Vegetation and precipitation are considered to be the main factors for the variation in soil erosion. However, it is a big challenge to analyze the impacts of precipitation and vegetation respectively as well as their combined effects on soil erosion from the pixel scale. To assess the influences of vegetation and precipitation on the variation of soil erosion from 2005 to 2015, we employed the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to evaluate soil erosion in the TRHR, and then developed a method using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index model (LMDI) which can exponentially decompose the influencing factors, to calculate the contribution values of the vegetation cover factor (C factor) and the rainfall erosivity factor (R factor) to the variation of soil erosion from the pixel scale. In general, soil erosion in the TRHR was alleviated from 2005 to 2015, of which about 54.95% of the area where soil erosion decreased was caused by the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor, and 41.31% was caused by the change in the R factor. There were relatively few areas with increased soil erosion modulus, of which 64.10% of the area where soil erosion increased was caused by the change in the C factor, and 23.88% was caused by the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor. Therefore, the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor were regarded as the main driving force for the decrease of soil erosion, while the C factor was the dominant factor for the increase of soil erosion. The area with decreased soil erosion caused by the C factor (12.10×10³ km²) was larger than the area with increased soil erosion caused by the C factor (8.30×10³ km²), which indicated that vegetation had a positive effect on soil erosion. This study generally put forward a new method for quantitative assessment of the impacts of the influencing factors on soil erosion, and also provided a scientific basis for the regional control of soil erosion.     

Control of lettuce big-vein disease by application of fungicides and crop covers

One of the economically important diseases of lettuce is lettuce big-vein disease (LBVD), which leads to severe yield losses. LBVD is associated with a complex of two viruses, Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV) and Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV). These viruses are transmitted by motile zoospores of Olpidium spp. fungi, which persist in the soil for decades through resting spores. In greenhouse and field experiments, this study tested whether changing plant and soil temperatures together with fungicide application would have a significant effect on controlling LBVD in lettuce. Soil fumigation with metam sodium was not effective at controlling the disease, as opposed to treatment with chloropicrin and methyl bromide. Moreover, the fungicides carbendazim and fluazinam were effective in reducing the incidence of Olpidium virulentus. Nevertheless, control of the fungal vector did not seem to be sufficient to control the disease due to the transition ability of the virus under low vector abundance. Crop covers, which affect the favourable environmental conditions for the viruses by lowering soil temperature and raising air temperature, reduced the disease symptoms. Combining fungicides with crop cover had a synergistic effect on reducing disease symptoms, thus providing a sustainable solution for LBVD.     

雪灾对农业影响的损失评估

为了分析雪灾对宁波市农业影响的损失,并对其进行评估。本研究选取宁波市2014年一次降雪过程,基于自然灾害理论,综合考虑形成雪灾损失的危险性、暴露性、脆弱性和防灾减灾能力,将遥感、地理信息技术与雪灾损失相结合构建雪灾损失评估模型。结合土地利用类型图,提取农业用地,将雪灾对农业影响的损失区域划分为低损失、中损失和高损失,并进行分区评述。结果表明:余姚市的积雪覆盖面积最大,且雪灾各损失等级所占面积均最大,受灾最严重;海曙区、江东区和江北区无积雪覆盖,无雪灾损失。雪灾高损失区域主要位于海拔较高的余姚南部和鄞州西部山区。     

秸秆带状覆盖对旱地冬小麦土壤温度及产量的影响

为探明秸秆带状覆盖对西北半干旱雨养农业区冬小麦土壤温度和产量的影响，以露地不覆盖为对照（CK），设置秸秆带状覆盖4行（SM₁）、秸秆带状覆盖5行（SM₂）、黑膜覆盖（PM₁）和白膜覆盖（PM₂）共5个处理，利用大田试验研究了不同覆盖处理冬小麦土壤温度及产量相关指标的异同。结果表明，与CK相比，秸秆覆盖处理（SM₁、SM₂）显著降低了冬小麦全生育期0~25 cm土层温度，返青期和灌浆期降温幅度最大，平均降温2.0 ℃；越冬期降温幅度最小，平均降温0.1 ℃；上层土壤(0~10 cm)的降温幅度大于下层土壤(15~25 cm)，SM₁降温效应大于SM₂。地膜覆盖在不同生育时期存在增温和降温的双重效应，成熟期增温幅度最大，较CK增加2.4 ℃；灌浆期5 cm土层降温幅度最大，降低1.8 ℃；无论增温还是降温，PM₁效应均高于PM₂。覆盖处理一天中，表层土壤温度以中午14:00变化最大，晚19:00次之，早7:00变化最小，且中午14:00均表现为降温效应；秸秆覆盖降温效应(4.9 ℃)大于地膜覆盖(0.8 ℃)。覆盖降低土壤有效积温，地膜覆盖有效积温显著高于秸秆覆盖。秸秆覆盖平均增产9.6%，SM₂增产率高于SM₁；地膜覆盖显著增产（20.8%），PM₂增产率高于PM₁。产量三要素中，穗粒数受温度影响最大，与各生育时期0~25 cm土层土壤温度、阶段土壤有效积温均呈显著或极显著正相关。综合考虑土壤温度、土壤有效积温、产量、千粒重和穗数等，SM₂处理更有利于旱地冬小麦产量的形成。     

Quality assessment of three warm-season turfgrasses growing in different substrate depths on shallow green roof systems

In an effort to increase the accessibility and functionality of shallow green roof systems, the ability of warm-season grasses to provide acceptable growth needs to be further investigated. In the current study, which was conducted during 2011 and 2012, three warm-season grasses (hybrid bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy ‘MiniVerde’; seashore paspalum, Paspalum vaginatum Swartz ‘Platinum TE’ and zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steud. ‘Zenith’) were established in outdoor lysimeters. The lysimeters were equipped with all necessary green roof layers placed below a coarse-textured substrate that comprised pumice, thermally treated attapulgite clay, peat, compost and zeolite. Half of the lysimeters had a substrate depth of 15 cm, while the other half had a substrate depth of 7.5 cm. Irrigation was applied at crop evapotranspiration (ET_c). Measurements included determination of substrate moisture content, green turf cover (GTC) and leaf stomatal resistance. Significant differences were observed in the values of GTC among the three turfgrass species and the two substrate depths. Zoysiagrass exhibited the best adaptation at the lower depths of shallow green roof systems. At 15 cm substrate depth, zoysiagrass managed to sustain green coverage for the two study periods. In addition, it was the only turfgrass species that managed to perform well at the substrate depth of 7.5 cm. Seashore paspalum exhibited limited green cover at both substrate depths, while hybrid bermudagrass could provide acceptable green coverage only at 15 cm substrate depth.     

Effects of cover crop growth and decomposition on the distribution of aggregate size fractions and soil microbial carbon dynamics

Although the effects of cover crops (CC) on various soil parameters have been fully investigated, less is known about the impacts at different stages in CC cultivation. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of CC cultivation stages and residue placement on aggregates and microbial carbon (C_mic). Additionally, the influence of residue location and crop species on CO₂ emissions and leached mineralized nitrogen (N_min) during the plant degradation period was also investigated. Within an incubation experiment, four CC species were sown in soil columns, with additional columns being kept plant‐free. After plant growth, the columns were frozen (as occurs in winter under field conditions) and then incubated with the plant material either incorporated or surface‐applied. With CC, concentrations of large and medium macroaggregates were twice that of the fallow, confirming positive effects of root growth. Freezing led to a decrease in these aggregate size classes. In the subsequent incubation, the large macroaggregates decreased far more in the samples with CC than in the fallow, leading to similar aggregate size distributions. No difference in C_mic concentration was found among the CC cultivation stages. CO₂ emissions were roughly equivalent to the carbon amounts added as plant residues. Comparison of columns with incorporated or surface‐applied residues indicated no consistent pattern of aggregate distribution, CO₂ emission or C_mic and N_min concentrations. Our results suggest that positive effects of CC cultivation are only short term and that a large amount of organic material in the soil could have a greater influence than CC cultivation.     

基于SWAT模型的大安市降水入渗量变化的模拟研究

针对近年的研究热点,通过SWAT模型对半干旱、盐碱化严重的吉林省大安市进行降水入渗模拟。以2000、2004和2008年遥感影像解译得到的土地利用数据为基础,结合SWAT模型的模拟结果,讨论LUCC与降水入渗量的相关关系。2008年与2000年相比,难利用地的面积有所降低,旱地、草地等发生了大面积的增加,研究区内土地状况有所好转。通过SWAT模型运行得到的结果显示:2008年的平均降水入渗量为56.27 mm,比2000年的值高。利用降水入渗系数法进行计算,也得到了2008年的降水入渗量高于2000年的结果,这与SWAT模型模拟得到的结果有着相同的趋势,且平均降水入渗量的标准偏差为5.27,说明SWAT模型对于研究区有良好的适应性。同时,根据土地利用数据和SWAT模型模拟数据可以得知,LUCC对研究区的降水入渗量存在着一定的相关性。     

Effects of Shading on Chlorophyll Content,Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Photosynthesis of Subterranean Clover

A field‐experiment (2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons) was conducted in the coastal plain of south‐eastern Sicily (37°03′N, 15°18′E, 15 m a.s.l.), on a Calcixerollic Xerochrepts soil, aimed at quantifying the effect of shading on chlorophyll (Chl) content, Chl fluorescence, photosynthesis and growth of subterranean clover. Four levels of photosynthetically active radiation reduction (from 0 % to 90 %) were tested on Trifolium brachycalycinum cv. ‘Clare’ and Trifolium subterraneum ecotype ‘Ragalna’. In both species shading progressively increased F_v/F_m, internal CO₂ concentration, diffusive leaf resistance and specific leaf area (up to 8 %, 34 %, 18 % and 68 %, respectively), and decreased Chl content, T_max, photosynthetic rate and plant dry weight (up to 9 %, 24 %, 79 % and 39 %, respectively). As plants aged, characteristic bell‐shaped trends were evident for photosynthetic parameters, with F_v/F_m increasing up until the onset of flowering, and thereafter declining. This implies that F_v/F_m may be a useful indicator of earliness in subterranean clover genotypes. The aboveground dry biomass response to shading was both genotype‐ and season‐dependent, but was predictable from the measurement of relative leaf Chl content. Moreover, our results suggest that an improvement in the interaction between host‐rhizobium may represent a major potential breeding target for enhancing subterranean clover tolerance to shading.     

不同地被物处理方式对红壤坡地养分状况的影响

选择3种不同水保措施的径流小区,即百喜草(Paspalum natatu)全园覆盖处理、全园敷盖处理和全园裸露处理,分析和测定了不同坡位和深度土层中土壤有机质、全N和全P空间异质性之间的关系。结果表明:(1)有机质含量随着土层增加整体呈先增加后减少的趋势,在自上而下坡面上,有机质含量全园覆盖区无明显变化,全园敷盖区有递增趋势,全园裸露区则先增加后减少;(2)全N含量随着深度加深均呈下降趋势,各处理间无显著性差异。在坡面上,全N含量大小为:全园覆盖区全园敷盖区全园裸露区,且全园敷盖处理在坡面中部有富集作用,全园覆盖和全园裸露处理自上而下呈下降趋势;(3)全P含量随着土层加深,全园覆盖区逐渐减少,全园敷盖区和全园裸露区先增加后减少。在坡面上,全P含量大小为:全园敷盖区全园覆盖区全园裸露区,且在坡面中部有富集作用。该研究可为亚热带地区红壤坡地养分恢复途径提供科学依据。