Strip-till as a means of decreasing spatial variability of winter barley within a field scale

The tillage system, which joins soil tillage, fertilisation, and seed sowing in one pass of a machine, is rarely used in cereal cultivation. This research aimed to study whether strip-till and conventional tillage (post-harvest ripping and mixing of stubble, ploughing, pre-sowing fertilisation, and seedbed preparation) differ in plant density, yield components, and grain yield of winter barley cultivated on Cambisol in a region with low rainfall, the annual average is about 500?mm. To reach this aim, a two-year, large-plot experiment was conducted in a production field. The soil within the field was spatially variable in texture, moisture, and chemical and biological properties, CV 2.3% do 29.6%. Strip-till had lower within-field spatial variability of winter barley grain yield than conventional tillage. The standard deviation was 0.36?t?ha^?1, 0.67?t?ha^?1 in the first year and 0.12?t?ha^?1, 0.30?t?ha^?1 in the second year, respectively. During the period of limited rainfall, strip-till had greater uniformity of plants after emergence; after the winter with low air temperature and a low amount of snow, it had greater plant density. Thus, strip-till can reduce variability of plants and their yield within a field, especially in adverse environmental conditions.     

Tillage and crop straw methods affect energy use efficiency,economics and greenhouse gas emissions in rainfed winter wheat field of Loess Plateau in China

Data from a field experiment conducted in China's Loess Plateau (2013–2015) were used to determine the energy balance of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as affected by tillage and straw treatments. Tillage treatments included chisel plow, no tillage, and mouldboard plow. Crop straw levels included straw returning and straw removed. The energy balance was evaluated by comparing the following parameters: net energy, energy profitability, energy use efficiency, and energy intensity. The yield parameters were significantly influenced by the tillage treatments and revealed that the chisel plow entailed fewer field operations and lower energy requirements with a higher yield than mouldboard plowing tillage. The highest proportion of energy input came from a nitrogen fertiliser, followed by diesel fuel. The total energy input applied per hectare increased with an increase in the tillage intensity, and the lowest energy input was required for the no tillage case with the straw returning treatment, and the highest for the case of mouldboard plow with the straw returning treatment. The lowest average energy intensity was recorded for the no tillage case, followed by the case of chisel plow tillage in both cropping seasons. Moreover, in the case of mouldboard plough tillage, the maximum energy intensity was recorded in both cropping seasons. In the cases of the chisel plow tillage and the no tillage, we observed the maximum energy gain, while in the no tillage case, we observed the maximum energy use efficiency. The net return and the benefit/cost ratio were higher in the case of straw returning than those in the case of no straw treatment. We concluded that no tillage and chisel plow tillage with straw returning could improve the energy use efficiency and the benefit/cost ratio of winter wheat production systems.     

Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) abundance within the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary,Scotland: recent trends and extrapolation to extinction

1. Aerial surveys have detected alarming declines in counts of harbour seals in several regions across Scotland.
2. Demographic data and simple models were used to examine the recent decline in the numbers of harbour seals counted in one population within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) on the east coast of Scotland. The models suggest that the continuation of current trends would result in the species effectively disappearing from this area within the next 20 years.
3. While the cause of the decline is unknown, it must be reducing adult survival because the high rate of decline cannot be wholly accounted for by changes in other demographic parameters.
4. Recovery of the population to the abundance recorded at the time the SAC was designated (2005) is likely to take at least 40 years, even if the cause of the decline is immediately identified and removed.
5. The models suggest that partial removal of the cause can have only limited benefits to population recovery, and there are unlikely to be any long‐term benefits from introducing or reintroducing additional individuals while the underlying problem persists. Therefore, if the population of harbour seals in this area is to recover it is essential that the sources of the increased mortality are identified and measures are put in place to manage these.

Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

黔东南州天柱县植烟土壤保育与改良研究

植烟土壤是确保烤烟优质高产的关键因素之一,通过对天柱县植烟土壤烟田基本情况、土壤退化情况、土壤保育与改良情况、土地整理情况等进行调查,结果表明:该烟区地块比较破碎,有便利的排水条件或健全的排水设施,无洪涝灾害的烟田面积为420.00 hm~2,占63.0%;土壤板结发生面积为136.00 hm~2,占基本烟田的20.4%;有机质含量下降发生面积为208 hm~2,占基本烟田的31.2%;水土流失发生面积为169.33 hm~2,占基本烟田的25.4%。为此,应采取土壤改良措施,以促进天柱特色优质烤烟的发展。     

Local adaptation studies and conservation: Parasite–host interactions between the endangered freshwater mussel Unio crassus and its host fish

1. Parasite–host interactions can involve strong reciprocal selection pressure, and may lead to locally adapted specializations. The highly threatened unionoid mussels are temporary parasites on fish, but local adaptation has not yet been investigated for many species.
2. Patterns of local adaptation of one of Europe's most threatened unionoids, the thick‐shelled river mussel (Unio crassus) were investigated. Eurasian minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) from two rivers (separate drainage areas) were cross‐infested in the laboratory with sympatric and allopatric mussel larvae, while bullheads (Cottus gobio), inhabiting only one of the rivers, were infested with sympatric or allopatric mussel larvae. Larval encystment, juvenile mussel excystment and survival were measured.
3. For one river, but not the other, juvenile excystment from P. phoxinus was highest when infested with sympatric mussels. The opposite pattern was found for C. gobio in this river, where juvenile excystment and post‐parasitic juvenile survival from allopatric C. gobio were highest. The results thus cannot confirm local adaptation of U. crassus to P. phoxinus in the study rivers, as excystment was not consistently higher in all sympatric mussel–host combinations, whereas there were potential maladaptive signs of U. crassus in relation to C. gobio. There was no loss of encysted larvae 3 days after infestation until juvenile excystment. Most juveniles were excysted between 17 and 29 days after infestation, and the numbers of excysted juveniles increased with fish size.
4. The results have implications for parasite–host ecology and conservation management with regard to unionoid propagation and re‐introduction. This includes the need to (1) test suitability and adaptation patterns between U. crassus and multiple host fish species, (2) evaluate the suitability of certain unionoids and host fish strains after more than 3 days, and (3) determine whether large fish produce more juvenile mussels than smaller fish.

     

黑土地保护性耕作技术的思考

分析美国保护性耕作的起源、基本情况,对美国保护性耕作技术进行总结,对我国黑土地的演变、保护情况及保护性耕作技术问题做详细探讨,阐述中国黑土地的保护现状。针对我国黑土地未来耕作技术的发展,提出应采用和推广轮作、秸秆还田、免耕及垂直耕整等4类技术对我国黑土地实施保护性耕作。     

Conservation priorities for the different lines of Dutch Red and White Friesian cattle change when relationships with other breeds are taken into account

From a genetic point of view, the selection of breeds and animals within breeds for conservation in a national gene pool can be based on a maximum diversity strategy. This implies that priority is given to conservation of breeds and animals that diverge most and overlap of conserved diversity is minimized. This study investigated the genetic diversity in the Dutch Red and White Friesian (DFR) cattle breed and its contribution to the total genetic diversity in the pool of the Dutch dairy breeds. All Dutch cattle breeds are clearly distinct, except for Dutch Friesian breed (DF) and DFR and have their own specific genetic identity. DFR has a small but unique contribution to the total genetic diversity of Dutch cattle breeds and is closely related to the Dutch Friesian breed. Seven different lines are distinguished within the DFR breed and all contribute to the diversity of the DFR breed. Two lines show the largest contributions to the genetic diversity in DFR. One of these lines comprises unique diversity both within the breed and across all cattle breeds. The other line comprises unique diversity for the DFR but overlaps with the Holstein Friesian breed. There seems to be no necessity to conserve the other five lines separately, because their level of differentiation is very low. This study illustrates that, when taking conservation decisions for a breed, it is worthwhile to take into account the population structure of the breed itself and the relationships with other breeds.     

藏北羌塘牧民家庭人口特征和收入构成之间的关系

为探讨牧民家庭人口特征和收入构成之间的关系，通过半结构式访谈调查了藏北羌塘高寒草甸、高寒草原和荒漠草原区682户牧民，比较了其家庭规模、劳动力、抚养比、草场面积、放牧强度、家庭收入及其多样性的差异，结合多元线性回归评价了家庭人口特征对收入构成的影响。结果显示：羌塘地区牧民家庭规模大（5.3人·户^-1）、抚养比高（0.62）、劳动力充足（3人·户^-1）但受教育年限短（2.3年），高度依赖政策性收入；高寒草甸区牧民家庭规模、劳动力数量及受教育年限、抚养比和放牧强度等指标显著高于高寒草原和荒漠草原区（P<0.05），后两者之间无显著差异；荒漠草原区牧民家庭草场面积和政策性收入较高（P<0.05）；家庭规模、文盲率和抚养比是影响高寒草原和荒漠草原牧民收入构成的主要因子，人口特征对高寒草甸牧民收入影响不显著。综上所述，建议分区精准施策以提高牧民生计。     

基于PBL的协同小组分工教－学法在草地保护学实践教学中的应用

以河北农业大学动物科技学院草业科学专业两届学生(实施不同实践教学方法)为例，在拓展实验教学途径、课程实践技能比赛、校外教学实习、企业家实践教学协同指导小组、创新草地保护学实习内容、实践教学信息化改革及课程评价体系等方面进行实践教学改革，在各教学环节实施基于PBL协同小组分工教–学法，探讨产、学、研、地协同背景下，团队协作学习为主的项目导向(project-based learning，PBL)教学法在草地保护学课程实践教学中的应用效果。结果表明：这种教学方法在很大程度上提高了学生考试成绩和教学质量，增强了学生综合专业实践素养，应在草地保护学教学中广泛推广。     

旱作农田种植碳排放主要因素 及减排措施研究

农业生产是温室气体排放第二大排放源,降低农业生产的碳排放具有意义重大。本文梳理了种植生产过程中碳排放相关的文献,发现种植过程产生碳排放的主要因素之一是化肥的生产和使用。通过优化秸秆和肥料利用模式成为化肥减施和替代的重要途径,综合考虑了农田碳排放和土壤固碳,为进一步研究旱作农田减排措施提供参考。