Deriving river networks and catchments at the European scale from medium resolution digital elevation data

The extraction of drainage networks and catchment boundaries from digital elevation models (DEMs) has received considerable attention in recent years and is recognized as a viable alternative to traditional surveys and the manual evaluation of topographic maps. However, most studies have covered limited areas due to the lack of detailed information and/or the lack of highly efficient algorithms. In this paper we present an application that delineates river networks and catchment boundaries across the European continent from a medium resolution (250 m) DEM. We exploit novel algorithms based on the concepts of mathematical morphology and implement a landscape stratification for drainage density.A flow direction grid is computed using an efficient algorithm for the removal of spurious pits. River networks are then derived by imposing a variable threshold for the minimum contributing area needed to form and maintain a channel. This is achieved through a landscape stratification that reflects the ability of the terrain to develop different drainage densities. It is shown that the analysis of environmental characteristics coupled with the analysis of local slope versus contributing area enables river network mapping with a spatially varying drainage density. The result has been validated by comparing the derived data to digital river and catchment data from other sources and with varying scales of observation.     

种植密度氮肥互作对棉花产量及氮素利用效率的影响

种植密度和氮肥投入是棉花生产中重要的管理措施,为提高棉花产量与氮素利用效率,于2013-2014年以转Bt+Cp TI品种中棉所79为材料,在河南省安阳市中棉所试验农场设置了3个种植密度(分别为3.00,5.25,7.50株/m~2),4个氮肥用量(分别为0,112.5、225.0、337.5 kg/hm~2,以N计),探讨种植密度与氮肥对棉花产量及氮素利用效率的影响,结果表明:棉花的叶面积指数、生物量与氮吸收量随种植密度和氮肥用量的增加而增加,而收获指数随种植密度和氮肥用量的增加而下降,中密中氮处理(种植密度5.25株/m~2、施氮量225.0 kg/hm~2)单位面积成铃数较多,籽棉和皮棉产量、氮肥回收利用率优于其他处理,高密低氮处理(种植密度7.50株/m~2、施氮量112.5 kg/hm~2)氮肥农学利用效率、氮肥偏生产力、氮生理利用率高于其他处理,而籽棉、皮棉产量与中密中氮处理较接近,研究表明增密减氮可实现棉花的高产高效。     

植被分布对地表糙率影响

[目的]分析在植被淹没或非淹没状态不同植被覆盖密度影响下,地表糙率的变化规律与特征,为进一步研究植被对地表糙率的影响提供参考。[方法]试验以塑料棒模拟植被分布,模拟出不同密度,分别进行放水试验。[结果]在植被淹没与非淹没状态下地表糙率的变化不同,在非淹没状态时,地表糙率随着平均水深的增加呈减小的趋势,在淹没水深小时,地表糙率随着平均水深的增加而先增大后减小,而当淹没水深很大时,地表糙率趋向于一个稳定值。[结论]地表糙率取值随植被覆盖密度的增大而增大;同一下垫面情况下,不同的水流方向,地表糙率取值不相同。     

Increased plant density with reduced nitrogen input can improve nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat while maintaining grain yield

ABSTRACT

Plant density and nitrogen (N) input level have notable effects on root development, distribution in the soil profile, and in turn, N-uptake of winter wheat. Our study objectives were to identify whether a high yield can be maintained with a reduced N input by increasing plant density. Field studies were conducted during four successive seasons (2014–2015, 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018) using a widely planted cultivar, Tainong18. Two regimes of N fertilization (180 kg ha^?1 and 240 kg ha^?1) and three planting densities (135, 270, and 405 plants per m²) were used. Higher plant density led to increased root length density (RLD) and enhanced N uptake from the whole soil profile. The RLD in the soil profile at 0–1.2 m, 0–0.4 m, and 0.4–0.8 m decreased while in the 0.8–1.2 m layer it increased in response to reduced N input. The combined effects of higher plant density and lower N input resulted in reduced N uptake, a lower nitrogen nutrition index (NNI), unchanged grain yield, and improved N use efficiency. In conclusion, it is possible and sustainable to maintain a high wheat yield with reduced N input by increasing plant density.     

Efficiency and energy use in puddling of lowland rice grown on Vertisols in Central India

Transplanting of rice seedling in puddled soil is one of the most widely used cultivation practices. The present research is aimed at determining what specific implements are needed to obtain optimal puddle bed for transplantating. Puddling experiments were carried out by the use of pair of bullocks with traditional country plough (T₁), pair of bullocks with lug wheel puddler (T₂), power tiller with rotary puddler (T₃), tractor with cage wheel and 9-tine cultivator (T₄) and tractor with cage wheel and rotavator (T₅). One summer ploughing was done at friable moisture condition (18.6% db) and then tilled soil was flooded to saturation (24 h) for preparation of puddled bed. Weeding efficiency, puddling depth, percentage increase in bulk density, puddling index, percolation rate and grain yield of paddy were studied for the above treatments. Puddling performance by different implements in comparison to the traditional animal drawn country plough (T₁) shows that there is a definite reduction in time requirement for field preparation. Increase in weeding efficiency, bulk density, grain yield and puddling index were also observed. The highest values of weeding efficiency and puddling index were found 98.6% and 79.3, respectively, for rotavator (T₅). The total time requirement for preparation of puddle field for treatment T₄ (tractor with cultivator) was found to be the lowest (9.4 h ha⁻¹) with 67% weeding efficiency and 62.7 puddling index as compared to all other alternatives tested. Energy requirement for preparation of puddle field was found highest (2390 MJ ha⁻¹) for rotavator (T₅) followed by T₃, T₄, T₁, and T₂ treatments.     

黄土高原半干旱区水土保持植被恢复限度——以人工柠条林为例

为了确定水资源不足地区植被恢复潜力和水土保持林建设目标,在黄土丘陵半干旱区宁夏固原上黄试区,对相同立地条件的16年生人工柠条林进行疏伐,建立不同密度林地,进行林分密度、森林植被水土保持效益和土壤水分关系的定位实验。结果表明：平均基径随密度的增加而减少,二者为线性关系;盖度随密度的增加而增大,盖度与密度为对数关系;林冠截留随密度的增加而增大,二者为指数关系;地表径流随密度的增加而减少,二者为对数关系;泥沙含量随密度的减少而增加,二者关系可用倒S形曲线描述。虽然密度增加,盖度增加,森林植被水土保持效益增强,但是受土壤水资源的限制,柠条林有一个最大恢复限度。当超过限度时,势必会引发或加剧土壤旱化。     

A new approach for modelling vertical stress distribution at the soil/tyre interface to predict the compaction of cultivated soils by using the PLAXIS code

Soil compaction by agricultural machines can have adverse effects on crop production and the environment. Different models based on the Finite Element Method have been proposed to calculate soil compaction intensity as a function of vehicle and soil properties. One problem when modelling soil compaction due to traffic is the estimation of vertical stress distribution at the soil surface, as the vertical stress is inhomogeneous (non-uniform) and depends on soil and tyre properties. However, uniform stress distribution at the soil/tyre interface is used to predict the compaction of cultivated soils in most FEM compaction models. We propose a new approach to numerically model vertical stress distribution perpendicular to the driving direction at the soil/tyre interface, employing the FEM models of PLAXIS code. The approach consists of a beam (characterised by its geometric dimensions and flexural rigidity) introduced at the soil surface and loaded with a uniform stress with the aim to simulate the action of a wheel at the soil surface. Different shapes of stress distribution are then obtained numerically at the soil surface by varying the flexural rigidity of the beam and the mechanical parameters of the soil. PLAXIS simulations show that the soil type (soil texture) modifies the shape of the stress distribution at the edges of the contact interface: a parabolic form is obtained for sand, whereas a U-shaped is obtained for clay. The flexural rigidity of the beam changes the shape of distribution which varies from a homogenous (uniform) to an inhomogeneous distribution (parabolic or U-shaped distribution). These results agree with the measurements of stress distributions for different soils in the literature. We compared simulations of bulk density using PLAXIS to measurement data from compaction tests on a loamy soil. The results show that simulations are improved when using a U-shaped vertical stress distribution which replaces a homogenous one. Therefore, the use of a beam (cylinder) with various flexural rigidities at the soil surface can be used to generate the appropriate distribution of vertical stress for soil compaction modelling during traffic.     

广东惠阳水稻种植中耕牛与小型拖拉机使用的能值比较

以能值理论方法为手段，从资源的投入和输出结构角度，对广东省惠州市惠阳区典型水稻种植户的耕牛和小型拖拉机这两种典型的农业驱动力产出系统的转化与生产效率，环境负载和可持续性进行比较分析与评价。研究表明：耕牛系统在单位面积水稻田上消耗的不可更新资源量是拖拉机系统的4.57倍；人力能值消耗是拖拉机系统的6.14倍。相对于拖拉机动力，耕牛产出动力处于较低的能量等级，其环境负载率(ELR)仅是拖拉机系统的24%，可持续能值指标(ESI)是拖拉机系统的4.25倍，但有巨大的优化空间和可能。而广东小型拖拉机系统产出驱动力的使用效率则稍高于典型65 kW拖拉机系统。从提高能值效率角度分析，减少耕牛系统生产过程中过多的人力投入，着力提高耕牛系统产出驱动力的利用效率比发展小型拖拉机系统更有潜力。生产过程中的人力投入和使用过程中的维护投入是农机驱动力产出系统不可忽视的能值投入项。     

Manioc peel and charcoal: a potential organic amendment for sustainable soil fertility in the tropics

In tropical areas, where crop production is limited by low soil quality, the development of techniques improving soil fertility without damage to the environment is a priority. In French Guiana, we used subsistence farmer plots on poor acidic soils to test the effect of different organic amendments, bitter manioc peel (M), sawdust (Sw) and charcoal (Ch), on soil nutrient content, earthworm abundance and yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata sesquipedalis) production. The peregrine Pontoscolex corethrurus was the only earthworm species found. Pod production and plant growth were lowest in unamended soil. The application of a mixture of manioc peel and charcoal (M + Ch) improved legume production compared with other organic mixtures. It combined the favourable effects of manioc peel and charcoal. Manioc peel improved soil fertility through its low C:N ratio and its high P content, while charcoal decreased soil acidity and exchangeable Al and increased Ca and Mg availability, thus alleviating the possible toxic effects of Al on plant growth. The M + Ch treatment was favourable to P. corethrurus, the juvenile population of which reached a size comparable to that of the nearby uncultivated soil. The application of a mixture of manioc peel and charcoal, by improving crop production and soil fertility and enhancing earthworm activity, could be a potentially efficient organic manure for legume production in tropical areas where manioc is cultivated under slash-and-burn shifting agriculture.     

Effect of different tillage systems on the quality and crop productivity of a clay–loam soil in semi-arid north-western Turkey

A 2-year study was conducted to investigate the effect of three tillage systems on the properties of clay–loam soil (EutricVertisol) planted with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Canakkale province of north-western Turkey. Crop productivity was also evaluated. The three tillage treatments were: (1) conventional tillage involving mouldboard ploughing followed by two discings (MT); (2) shallow tillage consisting of rototilling followed by one discing (RT); (3) double discing (DD). In the first year of the study, bulk density (BD) was found significantly lower under RT at both 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths with 1.24 and 1.32 Mg cm⁻³, respectively, when compared to MT treatment. However, MT at 20–30 cm provided the highest BD, at 1.49 Mg cm⁻³. In the second year of the study, DD had the lowest BD at all depths followed by RT and MT. Based on the 2-year mean, aggregate size distribution (ASD) and mean weight diameter (MWD) were significantly influenced by tillage treatments. The greatest MWD was obtained with DD, followed by MT and RT. Increasing MWD and coarse aggregates decreased seedling emergence. Organic carbon increased after RT, DD, and MT by 58%, 30%, and 18%, respectively, when compared to the amount at the beginning of the study. Similarly, the total N in the soil and straw was higher after RT than the other treatments. At 1.76 MPa, penetration resistance at 18–30 cm was significantly higher during the growing period using DD, followed by RT with 1.35 MPa and MT with 1.33 MPa. There was no significant difference between treatments at 0–18 cm. Increasing OC and total N and decreasing BD and PR under RT increased grain yield to 4611 kg ha⁻¹, followed by MT and DD at 4375 and 4163 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, according to the 2-year mean.