Using farmers' criteria to assess profitability of fodder shrubs in the desert margins of West Africa

This paper presents the results of a study carried out in the Ségou region of Northern Mali to analyse the use of fodder shrubs. The farmer‐level fodder banks consisted of three perennial legumes (Gliricidia sepium, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Pterocarpus lucens). The main question addressed is whether this new type of fodder was more profitable for smallholder farmers compared to alternative fodder options. To test hypotheses for profitability, farmers were grouped in two different ways. The first grouping was based on the different village communities the farmers belonged to. The second grouping consisted of three user groups based on individual (non‐) use patterns of the fodder banks. ‘Passives’ were non‐users because of apparent disinterest. ‘Actives’ were the group of users whose fodder banks performed well and who harvested in time while ‘Unfortunates’ were non‐users unable to harvest fodder mostly through high mortality rates of the shrubs. Profitability was measured by increases in income or increases in the productivity of labour spent on feeding livestock. Profitability was shown to be dependent on the use pattern of the fodder shrubs. In the actual situation no user group had gained any concrete financial benefits. The several scenarios in which other use modalities were modelled, did show gains of using fodder shrubs, but only under conditions where alternative options were expensive. The perceived value of this technology was high. The use patterns indicated that this did not necessarily reflect farmers' long term interest in the technology itself. Rather, farmers were motivated by perceived opportunities to gain short term material and social benefits from the project promoting the shrubs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

民勤绿洲边缘区不同生境沙拐枣种群特征研究

沙拐枣(Calligonum mongolicum)是分布于中国北方干旱荒漠区的一种主要固沙植物,研究沙拐枣种群在沙漠不同生境中的群落特征、空间分布格局及幼苗更新,对绿洲边缘区的生态恢复和重建具有重要的意义。本研究以石羊河流域下游民勤沙井子荒漠绿洲过渡带为研究区域,采用野外调查与室内测定相结合的方法,对3种不同地貌类型（半固定沙丘、流动沙丘、丘间地）和6种微地型（半固定沙丘迎风坡、顶部、背风坡和流动沙丘迎风坡、顶部、背风坡）沙拐枣种群特征、更新苗的数量特征与土壤水分的对应关系及分布格局进行了调查分析。结果表明：（1）沙拐枣种群密度、覆盖度表现为：半固定沙丘＞丘间地＞流动沙丘,半固定沙丘和丘间地与流动沙丘之间存在显著差异(P＜0.05),株高在流动沙丘最大,丘间低地最小,它们之间存在显著差异(P＜0.05);而种群地径、新梢长无显著差异(P＜0.05)。（2）流动沙丘各部位密度、株高、覆盖度差异不显著(P＜0.05),而半固定沙丘则表现为差异性显著(P＜0.05),顶部大于迎风坡和背风坡。（3）不同立地条件下,沙拐枣幼苗数量为流动沙丘＞半固定沙丘＞丘间地,且与5~ 30 cm土壤水分含量大小相对应。（4）在民勤荒漠绿洲过渡带,沙拐枣种群呈聚集分布。     

长期不同施肥下新疆灰漠土土壤呼吸特征研究

[目的]探讨长期不同施肥下新疆灰漠土的土壤呼吸变化特征,为西北干旱区灰漠土农田土壤碳通量的计算以及灰漠土固碳潜力的评估提供依据.[方法]在连续定位施肥22 a灰漠土长期试验的12个处理中选择5个处理,利用英国ACE土壤碳通量测量仪,对其呼吸速率进行24 h的连续监测.同时监测试验区气温和5 cm地表温度等相关气象数据.[结果]长期施用有机物料(NPKM、M、S)的土壤呼吸速率总体高于不施用有机物料(NPK、CK)的处理,以单施有机肥(M)处理对土壤呼吸速率的影响最为显著,秸秆还田处理其次.NPKM处理的土壤呼吸速率小于M和S,说明化肥配合有机肥的施肥方式能够减缓农田CO2的释放,长期施用有机物料处理的土壤呼吸速率对环境温度的敏感性大于不施用有机物料的土壤,陈NPKM处理外,其余处理与地表温度间存在线性关系.[结论]从农业固碳减排和土壤肥力培育的角度,有机无机配合施用是实现新疆农田地力提升和环境友好双赢的重要培肥措施.     

多菌灵对灰漠土土壤微生物的影响

[目的]选择西北干旱半干旱地区具有代表性土壤灰漠土,在室内模拟条件下,初步研究施用多菌灵对土壤微生物的影响,为多菌灵的安全使用提供科学依据.[方法]应用稀释平板计数法和氯仿熏蒸- K2SO4提取法分别测定土壤微生物种群及生物量碳、生物量氮.[结果]在整个培养期间(47 d),施用多菌灵处理土壤的生物量碳和生物量氮显著降低,且抑制作用随着多菌灵浓度的增加而增大,其EC25分别为11.39和10.44 mg/kg.多菌灵对放线菌作用不明显,但促进了细菌数量的增加;抑制了真菌的数量,且抑制作用随着多菌灵浓度的增加而增大,其EC50为7.73 mg/kg.[结论]可以用土壤生物量碳和量氮来指示多菌灵在土壤中的残留状况,用真菌数量来指示多菌灵对土壤的作用情况.     

Ambient TSP concentration and dustfall variation in Urumqi,China

Total suspended particulate(TSP, particle diameter≤100 μm) was the dominant air pollutant and significantly influenced local air quality. In this paper, we investigated the interannual and seasonal variations of TSP and dustfall of the atmosphere over Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, northwestern China, basing on environmental monitoring records and meteorological data from 1986–2012. The results showed that during the study period, annual average TSP concentration decreased from 716 to 260 μg/m3, with an average level of 422.9 μg/m3, while dustfall intensity reduced from 350.4 to 166.6 t/(km2?a), with an average level of 259 t/(km2?a). Over 50% of the annual pollution days were induced mainly by TSP. Spring and winter had relatively higher dustfall intensities, and dense traffic and residential areas had the highest dustfall intensities in the Urumqi metropolitan area. With an annual average precipitation of less than 300 mm, atmospheric particulates in Urumqi could be hardly removed through wet deposition. During spring and summertime prevailing winds from northwest and northeast could carry aeolian dust particles from sandy deserts to Urumqi. Aeolian dusts from deserts would remain to be a priority regarding air pollution control in arid oasis cities.     

Spatial pattern of soil organic carbon in desert grasslands of the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains

The soil properties in arid ecosystems are important determinants of vegetation distribution patterns.Soil organic carbon(SOC)content,which is closely related to soil types and the holding capacities of soil water and nutrients,exhibits complex variability in arid desert grasslands;thus,it is essentially an impact factor for the distribution pattern of desert grasslands.In the present study,an investigation was conducted to estimate the spatial pattern of SOC content in desert grasslands and the association with environmental factors in the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains.The results showed that the mean values of SOC ranged from 2.76 to 5.80 g/kg in the soil profiles,and decreased with soil depths.The coefficients of variation(CV)of the SOC were high(ranging from 48.83%to 94.67%),which indicated a strong spatial variability.SOC in the desert grasslands of the study region presented a regular spatial distribution,which increased gradually from the northwest to the southeast.The SOC distribution had a pattern linked to elevation,which may be related to the gradient of climate conditions.Soil type and plant community significantly affected the SOC.The SOC had a significant positive relationship with soil moisture(P<0.05);whereas,it had a more significant negative relationship with the soil bulk density(BD)(P<0.01).However,a number of the variations in the SOC could be explained not by the environmental factors involved in this analysis,but rather other factors(such as grazing activity and landscape).The results provide important references for soil carbon storage estimation in this study region.In addition,the SOC association with environmental variables also provides a basis for a sustainable use of the limited grassland resources in the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains.     

Improving preventive locust management: insights from a multi‐agent model

BACKGROUND

Preventive management of locust plagues works in some cases but still fails frequently. The role of funding institution awareness was suggested as a potential facilitating factor for cyclic locust plagues. We designed a multi‐agent system to represent the events of locust plague development and a management system with three levels: funding institution, national control unit and field teams. A sensitivity analysis identified the limits and improvements of the management system.

RESULTS

The model generated cyclic locust plagues through a decrease in funding institution awareness. The funding institution could improve its impact by increasing its support by just a few percent. The control unit should avoid hiring too many field teams when plagues bring in money, in order to ensure that surveys can be maintained in times of recession. The more information the teams can acquire about the natural system, the more efficient they will be.

CONCLUSION

We argue that anti‐locust management should be considered as a complex adaptive system. This not only would allow managers to prove to funders the random aspect of their needs, but would also enable funders and decision‐makers to understand and integrate their own decisions into the locust dynamics that still regularly affect human populations. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

民勤荒漠区主要植物的物候特性与牧草利用

通过设置样方、样点和运用物候观测,对退化荒漠植物群落进行轻度放牧利用分析,即运用植被状况与降水量的关系,分析限制植物生长的因素;运用不同稳定性沙丘的植被状况和土壤种子库资料,分析荒漠草地的可利用性和可利用程度;运用物候资料分析民勤荒漠区(灌木和草本植物)牧草利用的主要季节。结果表明:民勤荒漠草地土壤种子库中植物种子丰富,影响当地植物密度和植被盖度的关键因素是降水,可进行轻度放牧。轻度放牧时,要依据牧草展叶盛期的开始序列和果熟期的开始序列选择植物群落,实行小规模、间歇式轮牧。展叶盛期为一年中牧草的第1个利用季节,果熟期为一年中的第2个利用季节。     

阿拉善沙漠地质遗迹全球对比及保护行动规划

特殊的地理位置,区域地质背景及气候条件形成了阿拉善丰富的地质遗迹资源,主要地质遗迹有沙丘(沙山)、沙波纹,沙漠湖泊、戈壁、峡谷、花岗岩风蚀地貌、阿拉善奇石等,阿拉善沙漠地质公园是目前国内外唯一以沙漠地质遗迹为主的国家地质公园。文中对阿拉善沙漠地质遗迹资源进行了全球对比分析,结果表明:阿拉善地质遗迹主要有沙漠分布面积大、景观丰富,沙漠湖泊多、水源条件好,鸣沙区面积广,高大沙山分布密集,与文化遗产关系密切等主要特征。在全球对比分析的基础上,提出了地质遗迹保护行动规划,认为主要应从沙漠形成演化与全球变化、沙漠地质遗迹与景观、保护与开发利用研究等方面开展科学研究,从乡土科普、教学实习等方面开展科普教育活动。提出了建立世界地质公园的构想,对其拟建地质公园概况、地质遗迹分级保护开发等进行了总体规划。     

Influence of groundwater depth on species composition and community structure in the transition zone of Cele oasis

The paper analyzes the hypothesis that the distribution of dominant plant species and characteristics of plant communities are related to groundwater depth. The results showed that variations of groundwater depth impacted distributions and characteristics of dominant plant communities. However, besides groundwater depth, the community composition and species diversity were also influenced by physiognomy of the habitat. Based on the similarity coefficient, the differences between dominant plant communities were significant at different groundwater depths. Compared with other results relating to desert vegetation and groundwater depth, variations of community distribution were similar at the large spatial scale. However, in this extremely arid region, there were significant differences in community type and community succession when compared with other arid regions, especially in relationship to deep groundwater depth. With groundwater depth from deep to shallow, communities transformed with the sequence of Alhagi communities, Tamarix spp. communities, Populus communities, Phragmites communities, and Sophora communities. At groundwater depth of less than 6.0 m, the community type and composition changed, and the species diversity increased. Among these dominant species, Tamarix exhibited the biggest efficiency in resource utilization according to niche breadth, which means it possessed the best adaptability to environmental conditions at the oasis margins.