Stoffbildung, CO2-Gaswechsel, Kohlenhydrat- und Stickstoffgehalt von Winterweizen bei erhöhter CO2-Konzentration und Trocken-streß

Dry Matter Production, CO₂ Exchange, Carbohydrate and Nitrogen Content of Winter Wheat at Elevated CO₂ Concentration and Drought Stress
Methods of mathematical modelling and simulation are being used to an increasing degree in estimating the effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ concentration and changing climatic conditions on agricultural ecosystems. In this context, detailed knowledge is required about the possible effects on crop growth and physiological processes. To this aim, the influence of an elevated CO₂ concentration and of drought stress on dry matter production, CO₂ exchange, and on carbohydrate and nitrogen content was studied in two winter wheat varieties from shooting to milk ripeness. Elevated CO₂ concentration leads to a compensation of drought stress and at optimal water supply to an increase of vegetative dry matter and of yield to the fourfold value. This effects were caused by enhanced growth of secondary tillers which were reduced in plants cultivated at atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Analogous effects in the development of ear organs were influenced additionally by competitive interactions between the developing organs. The content and the mass of ethanol soluble carbohydrates in leaves and stems were increased after the CO₂ treatment and exhausted more completely during the grain filling period after drought stress. Plants cultivated from shooting to milk ripeness at elevated CO₂ concentration showed a reduced response of net photosynthesis rate to increasing CO₂ concentration by comparison with untreated plants. The rate of dark respiration was increased in this plants.     

Yield, growth and mortality rate of the Thai river sprat, Clupeichthys aesarnensis, in Sirinthorn Reservoir, Thailand

The Thai river sprat, Clupeichthys aesarnensis Wongratana, is a clupeid with a short life span, and supports artisanal fisheries in a number of reservoirs in the Mekong Basin. The growth parameters, mortality rates and the status of the Thai river sprat in Sirinthorn Reservoir (28 800 ha), NE Thailand (15°N; 105°E), are presented. The fishery is based on lured lift‐nets, operated 7–14 days in the new moon period, September to April each year. It was shown that the von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) model was L_t (mm) = 78.43[1 ? exp{?0.211[t ? (?0.7996)]}] and its growth conformed to an isometric pattern. Natural mortality rate (month^?1) was 0.13 month^?1. Total mortality rates ranged from 0.69 to 1.53 month^?1 depending on the weather and the fishing season. Recruitment was continuous throughout the year but peaked in June and July. The yield per recruit model indicated that the exploitation rate of this fishery is probably too high.     

The nature,causes and consequences of desertification in the drylands of Africa

The dryland environment of Africa poses formidable problems for sustainable development. Among these are unpredictable and severe drought, desiccation or aridification due to persistent drought and dryland degradation or desertification. Because these problems overlap in their effects on the ground, often those who seek sustainable development for these drylands tend to view the problems as one and the same. Yet to facilitate the development of appropriate and effective mitigating measures it is important that the differences and interrelationships be clearly understood. This article starts by outlining the differences and interlinkages between desertification, drought, desiccation and climate change and their causal factors. The central theme is the human causes and consequences of desertification in the drylands of Africa. An attempt has been made to unravel the changing views on the human causes, this is followed by a brief outline of the intervening plans and actions to stem the problem. A significant drawback in combating desertification and drought is the failure of African governments to devolve power to the people who are affected, and to link environmental degradation to economic policy. Consequently, many programmes lack local support or are undermined by conflicting trade and agricultural policies pursued by governments. It is contended that, for sustainable development strategies to work, policies should put the welfare of the people in these drylands at the centre of the development agenda and give them the rights and the power to determine their future. They should empower the people to sustain adaptive strategies towards sustainable livelihoods. Also the threats posed to environment and sustainable development by protectionism and overconsumption in the north and structural adjustment programmes (SAPs), call for the removal of distortions created by the import barriers of developed country, the curbing of overconsumption and a fundamental revision in the structure of SAPs to help alleviate poverty and protect the environment in these African countries. It is in the interest of the global community that the environment in Africa is protected. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydro-physical responses of gypseous and non-gypseous soils to livestock grazing in a semi-arid region of NE Spain

Pasture productivity depends on soil hydro-physical properties, which in turn are deeply affected by livestock grazing. However, the comparative response of different soil types, and particularly gypseous soil types, to grazing has hardly been studied before. This paper compares the effect of grazing on the soil hydro-physical properties of silty gypseous (Gy) and non-gypseous (NGy) soils located in a semi-arid region (Middle Ebro Valley, NE, Spain). Two different soil managements were selected: ungrazed natural shrubland (N) and grazed shrubland (GR) soils. The gypsum, CaCO₃ and organic matter content (OM), soil texture, soil bulk density (ρ_b), penetration resistance (PR), saturated sorptivity (S), hydraulic conductivity (K), and the water retention curve (WRC) for undisturbed soil samples from 1 to 10 cm depth soil layer were measured. The ρ_b and PR in NGy soils were significantly higher than those observed in the Gy ones. Soil compaction due to grazing treatment tended to increase ρ_b and decrease the K and S values. While no differences in PR were observed in the Gy soils between grazing treatments, the PR measured in the NGy soils under GR was significantly higher than the corresponding values observed under N. Differences in K and S between GR and N treatments were only significant (p < 0.05) in NGy soils, where K and S values under the N treatment were almost four times greater than the corresponding values measured under GR. Overall, no differences in the WRCs were observed between soil types and grazing treatments. While the WRCs of NGy soils were not significantly affected by the grazing treatment, Gy soils under N treatment present a significantly higher level of soil macropores than under GR treatment. The hydro-physical features of Gy soils tended to be less affected by grazing than those of the NGy soils. These results suggest that livestock grazing, in both Gy and NGy soils, has a negative effect on the physical soil properties, which should be taken into account by land managers of these semi-arid regions where silty gypseous and non-gypseous areas coexist.     

长距离天然气管道干空气干燥技术及应用

阐述了长距离天然气管道干燥的必要性,介绍了目前国外天然气管道常用的干燥方法,建立了干空气干燥数学模型,分析了影响管道干燥效果的几个主要因素。针对忠武输气管道,详细介绍了干空气干燥技术及应用。