Exploring tree diversity and stand structure of savanna woodlands in southeastern Sudan

Savanna woodlands in Sudan host great biodiversity, provide a plethora of ecosystem goods and services to local communities, and sustain numerous ecological functions. Although the importance of the Acacia trees in these areas is well known, up-to-date information about these woodlands' diversity is limited and changes in their woody vegetation composition, density, diversity and relative frequency are not monitored over time. This study explored tree diversity and stand stage structure in Nuara Reserved Forest, a typical savanna woodland ecosystem in southeastern Sudan. A total of 638 circular sample plots (1000 m² for each) were established using a systematic sampling grid method. The distance between plots was 200 m. In each plot, all living trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥5.00 cm were identified and counted, and their DBH values were recorded. From these data, tree composition, diversity, density and stage structure were assessed. There were 12,259 individual trees representing four species (Acacia seyal, Balanites aegyptiaca, Acacia Senegal and Acacia mellifera) that belong to two families. The dominant species was Acacia seyal. Average tree density was 191 trees/hm² and the Shannon-Weiner index for trees diversity was 0.204. Overall, young trees comprised 86.30% of the forest. The state of tree richness and density in the study area was low compared to other similar environments in the region and around the world. We recommended adoption of a proper management system that includes monitoring of woody vegetation diversity in this forest, and management actions to enhance tree diversity and sustain ecosystem services to local communities. In addition to care for the dominant Acacia seyal stands, more attention and conservation should be devoted to reestablishing Acacia senegal and Acacia mellifera trees because of their high ecological and economic values for local communities.     

水肥一体化对山地鲜桑椹商品性状的影响

为探索不同为微地形条件下水肥一体化工程技术对干热河谷区桑园果桑商品性状的影响,以盐边县刚成熟、正成熟和过成熟的鲜桑椹为研究对象,对比坡面雨养区(DN)、沟道两旁雨养区(WN)、坡面（水肥一体化）灌溉施肥区(DF)和沟道两旁（水肥一体化）灌溉施肥区(WF)桑椹的果长、果径、体积、质量、密度、果形指数和糖度的差异。结果表明：（1）灌溉施肥可以影响桑椹结果的物候特征,加速桑椹成熟。（2）灌溉施肥、微地形、灌溉施肥和微地形的交互作用对鲜桑椹的果长、果径、体积和果形指数具有极显著影响。（3）成熟度可以显著影响鲜桑椹的果长、果径和体积,但对鲜桑椹果形指数的影响不显著。 （4）在灌溉施肥条件(DF、WF)下,桑椹的成熟度越高,其密度和质量越高;在DN区,过成熟桑椹的密度和质量显著高于刚成熟和正成熟的桑椹;而在WN区,正成熟桑椹的密度质量显著高于过成熟和刚成熟的桑椹密度。（5）平均糖度最高的为WF区的过成熟桑椹,平均糖度高达18.01%,而最低的为WN区的刚成熟桑椹,平均糖度仅为11.76%。（6）DN区和WN区桑椹的商品性状的差异主要是外形和糖度的差异,WN区的桑椹比DN区糖度低、外形大。（7）WF区桑椹与DF区桑椹的商品性状差异不大。上述结果揭示了水分和养分供给调控桑椹商品性状的内在机制,即水分供应可促进鲜桑椹变大变重,施肥可让鲜桑椹口味更甜。     

Tackling fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) outbreak in Africa: an analysis of farmers’ control actions

Abstract

Since its emergence in Africa in 2016, fall armyworm (FAW) has spread rapidly and poses a severe threat to the food security and livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers in the continent. Using survey data from Ghana and Zambia, we examined FAW prevention and control methods implemented by farm households and their impacts on maize output and household consumption of self-produced maize. The main control methods used included pesticide application and handpicking of larvae, while access to information on FAW was a key driver behind the implementation of the control methods. Results from an endogenous switching regression showed that the implementation of a FAW management strategy significantly enhanced maize yield and households’ own maize consumption. When disentangling the impacts of the main control methods, we found that the combination of pesticide application and handpicking of larvae produced the highest yield gain of 125%. We concluded that the current interventions put in place by farmers to tackle FAW infestations are providing positive outcomes, but successful management of the pest will require more actions, including raising awareness to enhance the adoption of control interventions and exploring other control options.     

河北省贯彻落实农药经营许可制度的实践与探索

农药经营环节是整个农药管理链条当中极其重要的一环,是连接农药生产与使用的桥梁和纽带。为更好地落实农药经营许可相关制度,便于操作,河北省制定了配套的规范性文件,并在工作实践中不断探索完善,进一步完善审查审批流程,以解决实际问题,有效推进了全省农药经营许可制度的落实。     

国内土壤环境污染防治进程及展望

综述以中国2005—2019年土壤污染防治进程的3个阶段为主线,总结土壤污染防治发展过程中管理模式、治理体系、管控要求、机构改革、立法支持等5个方面重要转变,分析国家和地方土壤环境保护标准、法律法规政策和主要土壤污染治理成效。针对国内土壤污染防治未来发展趋势,从完善土壤环境标准及管理制度、建设监测及预警大数据平台、加强土壤生态环境国际合作、持续推进土壤修复技术攻关和先行区经验推广等方面提出建议,以期为生态环境高水平保护和经济社会高质量发展提供参考。     

Uncertainty assessment of soya bean yield gaps using DSSAT‐CSM‐CROPGRO‐Soybean calibrated by cultivar maturity groups

Soya bean yield gap can be caused by different factors resulting in uncertainties when the objective is to use such information for farm decision‐making and reference yield determination. Thus, this study aimed to quantify the soya bean yield gap for four sites, located in Southern and Midwestern Brazil, as well as the uncertainties of that related to cultivars, sowing dates, soil types and reference yields. The crop simulation model DSSAT‐CSM‐CROPGRO‐Soybean was calibrated for cultivars with similar maturity groups, based on the data obtained from the best farmers at the county level. The yield gap by water deficit (YG_WD) was obtained through the difference between potential and attainable yields, and that one caused by sub‐optimum crop management (YG_CM) by subtracting actual yield of each county, obtained from official statistics between 1989/90 and 2014/15 growing seasons, from the estimated attainable yield. The yield was simulated using four sowing dates, three soil types and two soya bean maturity groups by county. The reference yield uncertainty was quantified using yield reference from crop model and regional winners of the soya bean yield context, conducted by CESB (Brazilian Soybean Strategic Committee), for the growing seasons from 2013/14 to 2015/16. The crop model showed a good agreement between measured and simulated crop development and growth using calibration by maturity group, with low root mean square error (347 kg/ha). Southern sites had a mean YG_WD of 1,047 kg/ha, while in the Midwest, it was lower than 100 kg/ha. The YG_CM was 1,067, 528, 984 and 848 kg/ha, respectively, for Castro, PR, Mamborê, PR, Montividiu, GO and Primavera do Leste, MT, representing the opportunity for yield gain when having the best farmers as reference. The maturity groups, sowing dates and soil types showed to be an important source of uncertainty for yield gap determination, being recommended to investigate the farms in detail for an appropriate quantification. The reference yield showed expressive uncertainties, with some farmers presenting conditions to increase their soya bean yields by more than 3,000 kg/ha, when considering as reference the yields obtained by the winners’ farmers. These results show that uncertainties must be reduced when assessing farm yield gaps, in order to ensure that expected rate of soya bean yield growth could be reached by adopting the same technologies from CESB winners and best farmers in the county as a reference.     

Ecosystems say good management pays off

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of alternative assessment methods, harvest strategies and management approaches are an important part of operationalizing single‐species and ecosystem‐based fisheries management. Simulations run using two variants of a whole‐of‐ecosystem model for the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) area shows that (a) data‐rich assessments outperform data‐poor assessments for target species and that this performance is reflected in the values of many system‐level ecosystem indicators; (b) ecosystem and multispecies management outperforms single‐species management applied over the same domain; (c) investment in robust science‐based fisheries management pays dividends even when there are multiple jurisdictions, some of which are not implementing effective management; and (d) that multispecies yield‐oriented strategies can deliver higher total catches without a notable decline in overall system performance, although the resulting system structure is different to that obtained with other forms of ecosystem‐based management.