Formalizing agro-ecological engineering for future-oriented land use studies

Agriculture faces an array of interrelated problems that call for development of new and revision of existing cropping systems towards the multiple needs of the 21st century. Agro-ecological engineering approaches aimed at design and exploration of alternative land use systems at various scales may support the identification of appropriate land use options. Engineering approaches are based on mathematical representations of well-founded agro-ecological principles while taking into account available resources and prevailing land-related objectives. The goal of this paper is to contribute to the development of a formalized approach to engineer cropping systems at the land unit level that can be used as building blocks for systematic explorations of land use options at farm or regional scale. The approach for engineering cropping systems at the land unit level consists of three steps: (i) goal-driven design of cropping systems, (ii) quantification of biophysical production targets and (iii) definition of the optimal mix of inputs required to realize production targets. This paper describes the approach and illustrates it with examples from the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali. Explicit attention is paid to the required numerical tools and their application to analyze consequences of uncertainty in the performance of engineered cropping systems. Using numerical tools, uncertainty is made explicit with the aim to better manage or reduce it. Identification of uncertainty at the designer's desk allows taking uncertainty into account before applying engineered land use systems in regional model studies or testing such systems in practice. Problems related to the application of numerical tools are discussed, including the future role of agro-ecological engineering as independent discipline within agricultural science.     

中国东南部红壤地区不同植被对土壤侵蚀和土壤养分的影响

The effect of different vegetation systems including bamboo plantation (BP), forest ecosystem (CF), citrus orchard (Ctr) and farmland (FL) on erosion and nutrients of red soil were investigated in hilly region of southeastern China to find effective control measures for soil erosion. The results showed that all the vegetation systems could significantly reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses compared to bare land (Br). The ability of different vegetation systems to conserve soil and water was in the order of Ctr > BP > CF > FL > Br. Vegetation could also improve soil fertility. The soil organic matter, total N and total P contents were much higher in all the vegetation systems than in bare land, especially for the top soils. Vegetation systems improved soil physical properties remarkably. Compared to the bare land, soil organic matter, TP, TK and available K, especially soil microbial biomass C, N and P, increased under all the vegetation covers. However, they were still much lower than expected, thus these biological measurements are still needed to be carried out continuously.     

安徽省生态高标准农田建设规范初探

为促进农业现代化发展,保障国家粮食安全,依据国家有关规定及技术标准,提出安徽省生态高标准农田建设规范。规范内容涵盖了生态高标准农田的定义、建设条件、高标准农田中生态建设和管理技术措施、农业清洁生产、农产品质量安全、农田管护等制度方面的要求。     

黄土塬面农林复合系统的生态位特征

 以黄土塬区农林复合系统为对象,通过调查研究林带(杨树为主)与农作物界面附近土壤中树木和小麦根系的空间分布,利用树木吸收根和小麦根系生物量计算生态位宽度、生态重叠指数和生态位相似性比例,并据此分析林木和农作物种群在水分和养分资源轴的生态位特征。小麦在40cm以上具有较大的生态位宽度,而林木在距林带1H处20cm以上土层到0.5H处60cm以上土层至林下100cm以上土层内具有较大的生态宽度,但林木在1H以内100cm土层其他空间土壤中也具有一定的生态位宽度。树木具有较大的生态位宽度,虽可利用深层土壤中的水分和养分资源,在一定程度上有助于缓解农林间作对水分和养分资源的利用性竞争,但树木居于竞争的优势者地位,形成对农作物的胁地负效应,距林带1H内林木对农作物生态位重叠,且在0.5H以内重叠较大,竞争剧烈,在此集流补水增肥有利于缓解林木胁地。     

三峡库区农村宅基地复垦耕地地力评价*--以重庆市涪陵区为例

农村宅基地复垦后补充的耕地应兼顾数量和质量,对其进行耕地地力评价可以为全面掌握复垦后耕地地力情况,为复垦耕地的后续培肥、利用及管理提供依据。本文以三峡库区的涪陵区为研究对象,随机采集665个宅基地复垦片块的土壤样品,选取16项参评指标,运用层次分析法、模糊数学法并结合GIS地统计学空间分析功能,综合评价了宅基地复垦后的耕地地力水平及空间分布。结果表明:耕地地力平均等级为3.03等,处于中等水平;3等地最多,占总样本数的52.18%;其次为4等地和2等地,1等地和5等地分布最少。从空间分布来看,由于区域内存在地形地势、自然条件、土壤类型的差异,样点乡镇内部各等级耕地均有分布;沿江、坪上、后山区的平均耕地等别为2.82等、3.15等和3.19等,耕地地力基本沿地形地势、海拔高度的增高呈沿江、坪上、后山区域依次递减的趋势。在提升耕地地力上沿江区应着重改善耕地的灌排和路沟条件;坪上区应注重调整土壤的p H和提高有效磷含量;后山区需增加耕层厚度,提高宅基地拆除物的利用,减少土壤中砾石含量。     

江阴市耕地重金属污染及其评价

江阴市在2004年对全市耕地和灌溉水的主要污染物质─重金属进行了较为全面的调查,对土壤和灌溉水进行了多种评价分析。结果显示:全市90%以上的耕地安全、清洁,97%以上的耕地没有受到重金属污染。并对调查结果进行了分析,提出了初步的对策与建议。     

基于三角模型的喀斯特地区土地利用系统健康评价

喀斯特地区作为一种典型的土地生态环境区域,对其土地利用系统健康状态和趋势进行评价是诊断由人类活动引起的土地利用系统破坏和退化程度的重要手段。该文在界定土地利用系统健康评价概念的基础上,通过土地利用系统的结构性指数、功能性指数和效益指数构建评价指标体系,建立土地利用系统健康评价的三角模型,并对2005-2012年贵阳市土地利用系统的健康状态和趋势进行了分析和评价,提出了优化土地利用系统健康状态的路径。结果表明:贵阳市土地利用系统的健康水平先后经历了不健康、亚健康、初级健康和中级健康4个状态阶段,具有逐渐向高级健康状态发展的趋势,在未来应该优化土地资源配置,提升经济建设基础保障水平并结合自然优势,充分利用土地发展绿色生态经济,充分利用先进信息技术水平,建立土地利用系统健康状态预警系统以优化土地利用系统的健康水平。该研究能够为生态脆弱区的土地利用及保护提供理论和实践参考。     

石羊河流域河流系统生态环境需水量概算

通过探讨流域生态环境需水量概念及分析方法,概算了石羊河流域河流基础生态环境需水量、河流输沙需水量、流域湖泊湿地生态环境需水量和下游地下水合理补给需水量。结果表明:石羊河流域河流系统基础生态环境需水量为2.458 6×108m3,约占流域地表水资源来水量的16.93%;输沙需水量为5.30×108m3;流域湖泊湿地需水量为1.53×108m3,下游地下水补给需水量为1.758 6×108m3。生态环境需水量整合后,适宜的生态需水量约占水资源总量的36.49%~48.60%。     

Enzyme activities and microbial community structure in semiarid agricultural soils

This study investigated the effect of management on -glucosidase, -glucosaminidase, alkaline phosphatase, and arylsulfatase activities and the microbial community structure in semiarid soils from West Texas, USA. Surface samples (0–5 cm) were taken from a fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and loam that were under continuous cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) or in cotton rotated with peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.), sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), rye ( Secale cereale) or wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), and had different water management (irrigated or dryland), and tillage (conservation or conventional). The enzyme activities were higher in the loam and sandy clay loam than in the fine sandy loam. Soil pH was not affected by management, but the soil organic C and total N contents were generally affected by the different crop rotations and tillage practices studied. The trends of the enzyme activities as affected by management depended on the soil, but in general crop rotations and conservation tillage increased the enzyme activities in comparison to continuous cotton and conventional tillage. The soil enzyme activities were significantly correlated with the soil organic C ( r -values up to 0.90, P< 0.001), and were correlated among each other ( r -values up to 0.90, P <0.001). There were differences in the fatty acid methyl ester profiles between the fine sandy loam and the sandy clay loam and loam, and they reflected the differences in the enzyme activities found among the soils. For example, a 15:0 ranged from 1.61±0.25% in cotton-peanut/irrigated/no-till in the fine sandy loam to 3.86±0.48% in cotton-sorghum/dryland/conservation tillage in the sandy clay loam. There were no differences due to management within the same soil.Trade names and company names are included for the benefit of the reader and do not infer any endorsement or preferential treatment of the product by USDA-ARS     

Effects of 4-amino 1,2,4-triazole, dicyandiamide and encapsulated calcium carbide on nitrification inhibition in a subtropical soil under upland and flooded conditions

 Nitrification inhibition of soil and applied fertilizer N is desirable as the accumulation of nitrates in soils in excess of plant needs leads to enhanced N losses and reduced fertilizer N-use efficiency. In a growth chamber experiment, we studied the effects of two commercial nitrification inhibitors (NIs), 4-amino 1,2,4-triazole (ATC) and dicyandiamide (DCD), and a commonly available and economical material, encapsulated calcium carbide (CaC₂) (ECC) on the nitrification of soil and applied NH₄ ⁺-N in a semiarid subtropical Tolewal sandy loam soil under upland [60% water-filled pore space (WFPS)] and flooded conditions (120% WFPS). Nitrification of the applied 100 mg NH₄ ⁺-N kg^–1 soil under upland conditions was retarded most effectively (93%) by ECC for up to 10 days of incubation, whereas for longer periods, ATC was more effective. After 20 days, only 16% of applied NH₄ ⁺-N was nitrified with ATC as compared to 37% with DCD and 98% with ECC. Under flooded soil conditions, nitrates resulting from nitrification quickly disappeared due to denitrification, resulting in a tremendous loss of fertilizer N (up to 70% of N applied without a NI). Based on four indicators of inhibitor effectiveness, namely, concentration of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N, percent nitrification inhibition, ratio of NH₄ ⁺-N/NO₃ ^–-N, and total mineral N, ECC showed the highest relative efficiency throughout the 20-day incubation under flooded soil conditions. At the end of the 20-day incubation, 96%, 58% and 38% of applied NH₄ ⁺-N was still present in the soil where ECC, ATC and DCD were used, respectively. Consequently, nitrification inhibition of applied fertilizer N in both arable crops and flooded rice systems could tremendously minimize N losses and help enhance fertilizer N-use efficiency. These results suggest that for reducing the nitrification rate and resultant N losses in flooded soil systems (e.g. rice lowlands), ECC is more effective than costly commercial NIs. Received: 25 May 2000