Assessment of Boron Application in Chestnuts: Nut Yield and Quality

A field trial was conducted between 2006 and 2009 in order to quantify the effect of boron (B) application on the yield and quality of chestnuts. The trial was established in an acid soil derived from siliceous schist and two levels of B were applied. Fruit abortion and nut yield per tree were measured, and nut quality parameters and chemical composition of the kernel were determined. Foliar B concentration was 8.6 mg kg^?1 in the control trees and 48.4 mg kg^?1 in fertilized chestnuts. Boron improved fruit setting and promoted nut production by 77%. In 2008, the occurrence of cold temperatures enhanced the effect of B on fruit setting, which was four-fold, whereas with the normal temperatures of 2009 the increase was lower. The drought of 2009 was responsible for the ruinous chestnut caliber and shell cracking. Boron induced a significant increase in the crude fat of chestnut kernel.     

Factors controlling nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in forest ecosystems in New Mexico

Summary Forest floor and mineral soil from ponderosa-pine, Douglas-fir, aspen and spruce-fir ecosystems located along a rising gradient in New Mexico were tested with laboratory assays for factors controlling N mineralization and nitrification. We concluded that low pH in combination with factors associated with organic quality controlled N mineralization and almost completely limited nitrification in spruce-fir soils, while N mineralization in the forest floor of ponderosa-pine was limited by low nutrient availability (other than N). Organic quality of the substrate and temporal changes in organic quality appeared to control N-mineralization and nitrification processes in forest-floor and mineral soils from all other sites.     

Mineralization and volatile loss of nitrogen from soils treated with coal combustion byproducts

There is an increasing need to find a suitable means for disposal of coal combustion byproducts because of the increasing world-wide production of these byproducts. This need has prompted interest in the use of land disposal, but there are concerns that this use may degrade the quality of soil. To determine the influence of coal combustion byproducts on the transformation and fate of soil N and assess the potential impact of land disposal on soil quality, we studied the effects of two combustion byproducts (fly ash and bed ash) applied at rates of 22.5, 45, 90, and 180 Mg ha^-1 on mineralization and volatile loss of N from soil. Studies comparing the influence of the byproducts on these processes showed that whereas fly ash had little influence on the fate of soil N, bed ash caused substantial mineralization of organic soil N and volatile loss of this N as NH₃. Studies monitoring the pH of soils treated with bed ash showed that soil pH increased immediately after this treatment, with values reaching as high as 12.8. These studies indicated that such extreme alkaline conditions caused chemical degradation and volatile loss of as much as 10% of the organic N in soil, and they provide strong evidence that the improper disposal of bed ash on land can have a substantial negative impact on soil quality.     

不同间伐方式对密植苹果园生理生态的影响

为了选择最适宜黄土高原成龄‘红富士’苹果郁闭园采用的间伐方式,本文以18年生‘红富士’苹果树为试验材料,研究了隔行间伐(T1)、隔株间伐(T2)、隔2伐1(T3)等3种间伐方式对‘红富士’果园光照分布、叶片质量、叶片结构、果实分布、品质、产量及效益等的影响。结果表明:与未间伐对照(CK)相比,T1、T2和T3间伐方式株间透光率分别提高108.59%、191.98%和57.45%,行间透光率分别提高259.20%、220.11%和64.86%,冠下透光率分别提高102.80%、155.32%和37.43%,树冠光合有效辐射分别提高38.02%、45.18%和18.43%,单果重分别提高25.03%、34.83%和9.81%,着色指数分别提高6.00%、6.26%和3.30%,可溶性糖含量分别提高35.98%、39.14%和22.98%,果皮花青苷含量分别提高104.41%、101.47%和30.88%,可滴定酸含量分别降低15.38%、23.08%和17.95%。间伐有效改善了叶片的质量与结构,T1和T2显著提高了叶片的厚度、叶绿素含量、氮含量和钾含量;T2提高叶片的叶绿素a、叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素含量的幅度最大;T2的叶片栅栏组织较其他处理的排列更整齐紧密。T1、T2及T3每公顷产量分别下降7 601.89 kg、5 219.45 kg及6 056.80 kg,但其产值分别增加14 959.54元、34 363.70元及9 081.13元,T2增加幅度最大,是郁闭果园改造的首选间伐方式。     

不同氮素形态及比例对烤烟长势、产量及部分品质因素的影响

在湖南浏阳,运用田间小区试验研究了硝态氮、铵态氮比例(RN)对烤烟田间长势与产量以及部分品质因素的影响。结果表明:1)RN对烤烟的农艺性状、产量、产值、均价等没有明显影响,而对烤烟的等级结构、内在化学成分含量、氮、钾、氯的吸收量有着显著影响,可以用显著的二次多项式模型或直线相关方程描述产值、均价、上等烟产量、下等烟产量等经济性状以及烟碱、总氮、钾、还原糖、氯、淀粉、挥发碱等内在化学成分的含量与铵态氮份额之间的关系;2)RN为75%∶25%时,中上等烟比例、烟碱、总氮、钾、钾氯比、氮吸收量最高,挥发碱含量最低。RN为25%∶75%时,挥发碱含量最高,总氮、淀粉含量最低。100%铵态氮时,还原糖、氯含量、淀粉的含量最高,碱、钾、钾氯比最低,同时显著地降低烤烟的等级结构。100%硝态氮时,总氮、钾、氯在烟叶中的含量最低,吸收总量也最少,同时产量、产值、均价也处于最低水平;3)本试验的任何RN下,烟碱、总氮、钾、氯、淀粉的含量均符合优质烟叶要求,而还原糖相反。综合考虑经济效益、养分利用率和烟叶内在化学成分的协调性,整体上RN为54%∶46%～50%∶50%较好。     

Sediments in the Catchment-coast Continuum (7 pp)

-  Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Ulrich Förstner on his 65th birthdayBackground   Sediments pose problems at their deposition sites when there is too little sediment (e.g. wetlands) or too much sediment (e.g. navigable waterways) and, additionally, when they are contaminated. These problems often have their origin upstream in the river catchment. Objective   Global aspects of changes concerning sediment quantity and quality, as they affect downstream areas, are reviewed. A case study of estuarine sediments demonstrates how a holistic approach helps in understanding and predicting their present and future quality. Results and Conclusions   Globally, large reservoirs intercept between 25 and 30% of the sediment and consequently supply the coast with impacts on wetlands and coastal morphology. In estuaries, the composition of sediments is determined by the mixing of marine sediments supplied from the coast and the supply by rivers. Natural tracers can be used to predict mixing ratios of marine to fluvial sediments in estuaries, and hence their contamination. Scenarios on implementation of pollution abatement, the implementation of regulations as well as climate change are needed to predict future sediment quality in downstream areas. The results show, even for a ‘green’ scenario, that sediment quality in the Rhine catchment will pose future problems due to the temporal storage of contaminants in soils and sediments.Recommendations and Outlook   The current methods applied make use of existing models linking sediment transport with point and diffuse sources in the river catchments and scenarios on the development of strength of point and diffuse sources. However, more effort is needed to come to a uniform framework which includes land use changes and links with more advanced scenario methodology for long to medium-term management of sediment quality and quantity in river catchments.     

土壤有机质空间变异与农用地自然质量关系研究

该文以广州市花都区赤坭镇为试验区，根据典型农用地类型的土壤采样基于Cokriging方法进行土壤有机质精确插值与空间变异分析，并将结果与农用地分等成果进行相关分析。结果表明，以土壤有机质和农用地类型为协因子的球状模型Cokriging总体插值精度最高，试验区内土壤有机质分布格局是四周丘陵和水库区含量较低，巴江河两岸的平原地区、西南角的山前冲积平原含量较高，这也是灌溉水田密集的区域；试验区内土壤有机质含量菜地分布比较均匀、空间相关性很强，而水浇地分布差异较大、空间变异性较高；土壤有机质分布在南北、东北-西南两个方向相关性较强具有各向同性特征，在东南-西北、东西方向具有各向异性特征，受到随机因素的影响变异性较大。土壤有机质Cokriging插值结果与试验区内农用地自然质量等指数的相关性很显著，菜地与农用地自然质量等指数相关性最强，灌溉水田其次，旱地最差。     

Evaluating and predicting agricultural management effects under tile drainage using modified APSIM

An accurate and management sensitive simulation model for tile-drained Midwestern soils is needed to optimize the use of agricultural management practices (e.g., winter cover crops) to reduce nitrate leaching without adversely affecting corn yield. Our objectives were to enhance the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) for tile drainage, test the modified model for several management scenarios, and then predict nitrate leaching with and without winter wheat cover crop. Twelve years of data (1990-2001) from northeast Iowa were used for model testing. Management scenarios included continuous corn and corn-soybean rotations with single or split N applications. For 38 of 44 observations, yearly drain flow was simulated within 50 mm of observed for low drainage (< 100 mm) or within 30% of observed for high drain flow. Corn yield was simulated within 1500 kg/ha for 12 of 24 observations. For 30 of 45 observations yearly nitrate-N loss in tile drains was simulated within 10 kg N/ha for low nitrate-N loss (< 20 kg N/ha) or within 30% of observed for high nitrate-N loss. Several of the poor yield and nitrate-N loss predictions appear related to poor N-uptake simulations. The model accurately predicted greater corn yield under split application (140-190 kg N/ha) compared to single 110 kg N/ha application and higher drainage and nitrate-N loss under continuous corn compared to corn/soybean rotations. A winter wheat cover crop was predicted to reduce nitrate-N loss 38% (341 vs. 537 kg N/ha with and without cover) under 41-years of corn-soybean rotations and 150 kg N/ha applied to corn. These results suggest that the modified APSIM model is a promising tool to help estimate the relative effect of alternative management practices under fluctuating high water tables.     

Controls on soil respiration in semiarid soils

Soil respiration in semiarid ecosystems responds positively to temperature, but temperature is just one of many factors controlling soil respiration. Soil moisture can have an overriding influence, particularly during the dry/warm portions of the year. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the influence of soil moisture on the relationship between temperature and soil respiration. Soil samples collected from a range of sites arrayed across a climatic gradient were incubated under varying temperature and moisture conditions. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of substrate quality on short-term soil respiration responses by carrying out substrate-induced respiration assessments for each soil at nine different temperatures. Within all soil moisture regimes, respiration rates always increased with increase in temperature. For a given temperature, soil respiration increased by half (on average) across moisture regimes; Q₁₀ values declined with soil moisture from 3.2 (at −0.03 MPa) to 2.1 (−1.5 MPa). In summary, soil respiration was generally directly related to temperature, but responses were ameliorated with decrease in soil moisture.