Biomass production of Eucalyptus boundary plantations and their effect on crop productivity on Ethiopian highland Vertisols

In recent years, Eucalyptus globulus planted along field boundaries has come to dominate the central highland landscape of Ethiopia. Although evidence is scanty, there is a perception that this practice adversely affects crop productivity. An on-farm trial was conducted on Pellic Vertisol at Ginchi to determine the production potential of eucalypt boundaries and their effect on the productivity of adjacent crops of tef (Eragrostis tef) and wheat (Triticum sp.). The experiment comprised three stand ages, four field aspects and six distances from the tree-crop interface, using a split-split plot design with three replicates. Wood production rates ranged between 168 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ (four years old) and 2901 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ (twelve years). Thus eucalypt boundaries planted on a hectare of land would satisfy 50 to 75% of the annual biomass energy requirement of a rural household of five persons. Significant depression of tef and wheat yields occurred over the first 12m from the tree line: the reduction was 20 to 73% for tef and 20 to 51% for wheat, equivalent to yield losses of 4.4 to 26% and 4.5 to 10% per hectare respectively. Nevertheless, in financial terms, the tree component adequately compensated for crop yield reduction and even generated additional income. Therefore, eucalypt boundaries have great potential to satisfy the rising demand for wood, without requiring a major change in land use on the highland Vertisols. The greater availability of wood will reduce the demand for dung and crop residues for fuel, and thus may contribute to improved soil management on croplands while relieving the increasing pressure on indigenous forest and woodlands.     

Institutional performance and participatory paradigms: Comparing two groups of watersheds in semi-arid region of India

Watershed development programmes carried out in different agroclimatic conditions in India resulted in beneficial impact in terms of productivity enhancement and natural resources conservation, but less attention paid to institutional and participatory aspects. This paper explored the performance of various institutions regarding execution of watershed development programmes in semi-arid region of India. Recorded observations from documents maintained at watershed level and information collected through primary survey as well as focus group discussion with different types of stakeholders were used for analysis. The results indicated lacunae in participatory aspects during programme implementation process like monitoring activities, management of common property resources and equity. Gap in linkages and differential level of performance of various watershed level functionaries indicates the necessity for corrections in the structures and linkages pattern for sustainability of the infrastructure and institutions. The study also showed unequal priorities by the implementing agencies towards institutions, land and water resources development, production enhancement activities and fodder resources development as well as rationalities of technical, economic, financial, political and social aspects among the watersheds.     

王家沟小流域50a土地利用动态变化分析

以经过50多a水土保持综合治理的王家沟小流域为研究对象,利用其1959—2008年土地利用数据,对该流域土地利用动态变化进行分析。结果表明,调整土地利用结构是王家沟小流域水土保持综合治理的一项关键性措施。     

基于流域算法的谷物籽粒图像分割技术

为解决谷物外观品质检测过程中获取图像的籽粒粘连问题，提出了一种基于先验知识的流域分割算法。首先，设定合理的区域面积阈值Ath，标记并去除图像中的单个籽粒区域，结果记为M；然后，设定有效腐蚀次数Eth，对粘连籽粒区域进行流域分割，结果记为Mc；最后，取Ms与Mc的并集，作为分割结果。试验结果表明，该算法分割效果较好，分割精度达到95．4％。     

基于GIS的三江平原挠力河流域分析

在GIS环境下采用美国ESRI提供的水文模块,利用美国联邦地质调查局(USGS)提供的SRTM 90m DEM原始数据.以三江平原挠力河流域为例,进行了相关的流域分析,包括水流方向模拟、河网提取、流域界线划定及子流域划分等多项内容,为三江平原挠力河流域研究提供了基础的数据平台.     

Effects of urbanization on California’s fish diversity: Differentiation, homogenization and the influence of spatial scale

Human development of freshwater ecosystems has lead to drastic changes in freshwater fish faunas, including the loss of many native species and the gain of non-natives. Typically conservation ecologists view these two opposing forces as contributing to biological homogenization, and consider homogenization as one of the principle negative consequences of urbanization. However, homogenization is only one outcome out of many that can result from the loss and gain of species. In particular, it is possible for invasions and extinctions to lead to differentiation; a process whereby two (or more) regions become less similar to one another through time. Using the freshwater fishes of California, we show that urbanization is highly positively correlated to both the endangerment of native fish and the invasion of non-native fish within watersheds. Despite this, the fish faunas of California’s watersheds have differentiated from one another through time. Furthermore, the degree of differentiation is positively correlated with measures of urbanization, which is contrary to expectation. We suggest that this result reflects: (1) the haphazard manner in which non-native fishes have been introduced into California watersheds, (2) the difficulty that both native and non-native fishes have in expanding their geographical ranges, and (3) the continued presence of vestiges of formerly distinct regional faunas. This pattern of differentiation among watersheds is likely a matter of scale, as previous work on freshwater fishes has demonstrated homogenization at both larger and smaller spatial scales. In addition the observed pattern is probably a short-term (temporal) phenomena and will disappear with continued invasion and extinction. We suggest that similar patterns may occur for other taxa that have limited natural dispersal abilities and that are idiosyncratically released as non-natives via human activities (e.g. herptiles).     

水源涵养区水土资源合理利用与管理研究--以大伙房水库水源涵养区为例

水源涵养区水土资源开发利用方式直接关系到整个流域是否可持续发展。以大伙房水库水源涵养区苏子河流域为例,分析目前苏子河流域水土资源开发利用和管理中存在的问题,并提出相应的对策,以确保涵养区为水库提供良好的水源涵养环境,维护水库功能的正常发挥,推动整个流域生态环境系统的良性循环。     

浙西山区上梧溪小流域生态恢复工程效益评价研究

研究分析了浙西上梧溪小流域生态恢复工程措施,采用层次分析及模糊综合分析相结合方法,建立了该小流域生态恢复工程效益综合评价指标体系,并用欧式距离模型结合模糊聚类分析法对生态恢复工程效益进行评估。     

微型沟台阶化整治技术研究

微型沟台阶化整治工程是小流域综合治理中治沟工程的一项研究成果。以中山沟流域为研究区,介绍了适宜进行微型沟台阶化整治的沟道条件和整治技术。在整治后的台阶地种植"下曲葡萄"并进行效益评价,结果表明:微型沟台阶化整治工程是一项既能保持水土又能增加耕地面积的新型沟道治理措施。     

吴旗柴沟流域植被物种多样性研究

为了解吴旗县植被自然恢复的基本过程及其物种多样性变化,对该县柴沟流域封禁多年的植物群落进行了研究,结果表明:柴沟流域植物种主要以猪毛蒿、达乌里胡枝子、赖草、铁杆蒿为主,阳坡的植被演替规律为猪毛蒿+狗尾草+华虫实→赖草+猪毛蒿(达乌里胡枝子、铁杆蒿、隐子草)→达乌里胡枝子+赖草(百里香、冷蒿、角蒿、铁杆蒿),阴坡植被恢复的演替规律为猪毛蒿(达乌里胡枝子、赖草)→铁杆蒿(冷蒿)。柴沟流域阴坡群落的物种丰富度、多样性、均匀度都较高,阳坡较低,混交林地的丰富度最大、均匀度最小。