The effects of within-species and between-species variation in wood density on the photodegradation depth profiles of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

Low density wood is more rapidly eroded than denser wood when exposed to the weather, possibly because it is more susceptible to photodegradation. Fourier transform infrared microscopy was used to examine: (1) the depth of photodegradation in earlywood and latewood of sugi (Japanese cedar) and earlywood of hinoki (Japanese cypress) exposed for up to 1500 h to artificial sunlight emitted by a xenon lamp (375 W/m² within the 300 to 700 nm spectral range); and (2) the relationship between the density of wood tissues and depth of photodegradation. The depth of photodegradation varied between species (sugi and hinoki) as well as within a growth ring (sugi earlywood and latewood), and there was an inversely proportional relationship between depth of photodegradation and wood density. These findings may explain why low density earlywood is more rapidly eroded than latewood during weathering, and more generally, why there is an inverse relationship between the density of wood species and their rate of erosion during artificial and natural weathering. Part of this work was presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Sapporo, August 2004     

基于深度相机的玉米株型参数提取方法研究

提出了一种基于骨架提取的改进算法,可实现在大田环境下,使用PMD深度相机快速、无损测量玉米株型参数。首先利用深度图像RGB伪彩色和深度距离信息,提取深度图像的骨架,排除复杂背景干扰,得到单株玉米的二值骨架图像;然后利用基于角点检测的改进归类算法提取骨架图像特征点;最后建立骨架图像中特征点与深度图像的对应关系,利用空间几何数学方法,结合特征点计算出玉米的3种株型参数,即株高、茎粗、叶倾角。农田实验对比分析表明,所提方法的株高测量结果与人工测量结果的相关系数 r 为0.986,最大相对误差小于2 cm,农田作物育种抗逆性分析还表明玉米株型参数与抗倒伏性具有显著相关性。     

弧型齿残膜捡拾滚筒捡膜的机理

对弧型齿残膜清理滚筒捡膜齿的轴向排列、滚筒转速、捡膜齿运动轨迹和各相关参数进行分析研究,初步找出弧型捡膜齿满足要求的排列布置、滚筒转速和合理的入土深度,确定了残膜回收机具的运动参数λ范围,为残膜清理滚筒的设计提供了理论依据。试验表明,所设计的残膜回收机具运动参数是合理的,在保证膜土分离效果好和较高残膜捡拾率的前提下可显著提高工作效率。     

Solvent-extractable lipids in an acid andic forest soil; variations with depth and season

Total lipid extracts from an acid andic soil profile located on Madeira Island (Portugal) were analysed using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The profile was covered mainly by grass. Bulk soil characteristics determined included soil pH (H₂O) ranging from 4.5 to 4.0 and TOC, ranging from 84 to 30 g kg⁻¹. A decrease of the contribution of lipids per TOC with depth was observed. The absence of typical bacterial markers might be an indication for reduced bacterial activity, most likely related to the low soil pH and the presence of Al and Fe (oxides). The distribution observed in the top layer with a dominant C₂₆n-alkanol, steroids and triterpenoids, reflected mainly an input by grass leaves. A strong decrease in both relative and absolute concentration of these leaf-derived compounds was observed when comparing the litter layer with the mineral soil. The presence of C₂₂-C₃₂n-alkanoic acids, C₂₂-C₂₆ ω-hydroxy acids, C₃₁n-alkane and C₂₂-C₃₂n-alkanols observed in the sub-soil is indicative of an important contribution by (grass) roots. In summer, a signal most likely reflecting the leaching of microbially derived products from the litter and/or aerial vegetation at the surface was observed.     

Development of on-line measurement system of bulk density based on on-line measured draught, depth and soil moisture content

On-line measurement of soil compaction is needed for site specific tillage management. The soil bulk density (ρ) indicating soil compaction was measured on-line by means of a developed compaction sensor system that comprised several sensors for on-line measurement of the draught (D) of a soil cutting tool (subsoiler), the soil cutting depth (d) and the soil moisture content (w). The subsoiler D was measured with a single shear beam load cell, whereas d was measured with a wheel gauge that consisted of a swinging arm metal wheel and a linear variable differential transducer (LVDT). The soil w was measured with a near infrared fibre-type spectrophotometer sensor. These on-line three measured parameters were used to calculate ρ, by utilising a hybrid numerical–statistical mathematical model developed in a previous study. Punctual kriging was performed using the variogram estimation and spatial prediction with error (VESPER) 1.6 software to develop the field maps of ρ, soil w, subsoiler d and D, based on 10 m × 10 m grid. To verify the on-line measured ρ map, this map was compared with the map measured by the conventional core sampling method.

The spherical semivariogram models, providing the best fit for all properties was used for kriging of different maps. Maps developed showed that no clear correlation could be detected between different parameters measured and subsoiler D. However, the D value was smaller at shallow penetration d, whereas large D coincided with large ρ values at few positions in the field. Maps of ρ measured with the core sampling and on-line methods were similar, with correlation coefficient (r) and the standard error values of 0.75 and 0.054 Mg m⁻³, respectively. On-line measured ρ exhibited larger errors at very dry zones. The normal distribution of the ρ error between the two different measurement methods showed that about 72% of the errors were less than 0.05 Mg m⁻³ in absolute values. However, the overall mean error of on-line measured ρ was of a small value of 2.3%, which ensures the method accuracy for on-line measurement of ρ. Measurement under very dry conditions should be minimised, because it can lead to a relatively large error, and hence, compacted zones at dry zones cannot be detected correctly.     

基于三维重建的动物体尺获取原型系统

为提高现有动物体尺获取技术的效率和自动化程度,提出双深度摄像头动物实时三维重建系统,进而进行动物体尺获取。基于随机采样一致性算法的圆球标定方法对摄像头外参数进行自动标定,再利用外参数将同步获取的点云数据进行配准达到实时重建,最后采用优化拾取机制后的交互式测量方法得到体尺。选取Xtion PRO作为点云数据采集设备并以猪标本作为重建对象,利用高精度激光扫描仪的重建数据与该系统重建结果进行了对比试验,结果表明圆球标定算法能够全自动快速地获取摄像头外参数,用该参数配准后的数据平均误差在7.50 mm以内,该系统以15帧/s的速度重建猪体全身,获取误差在4%以内的体尺信息,达到农业上动物体尺测量的一般要求,该系统可用于动物体尺测量。     

加拿大糖槭嫩枝扦插技术

2014年6月上旬到7月下旬,选择生长健壮、无病虫害的加拿大糖槭嫩枝为材料,剪取直径(d)和长度(l)分别为4 mm≤d≤6 mm和10 cm≤l≤15 cm的插穗,比较激素种类、激素质量浓度、基质含水量、扦插深度、扦插时间等对生根的影响。结果表明:外源激素能显著提高加拿大糖槭插穗生根能力,以1 000 mg·L-1的吲哚丁酸(IBA)处理10 s根系效果指数可达0.69,生根效果最佳,其次为100 mg·L-1的IBA浸泡插穗6 h,根系效果指数为0.55。加拿大糖槭对高温比较敏感,当温室环境的温度超过32℃,大面积的插穗开始失水枯亡。在含水量为50%的轻基质中,扦插深度为5 cm时,6月初的扦插效果为最佳,生根率可达52.2%。     

Effect of the Depth of Insertion of the Thermometer on the Rectal Temperature of Donkeys During the Hot-Dry Season in a Tropical Savannah

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the depth of insertion and environmental parameters on the rectal temperature (RT) in donkeys during the hot-dry season in a tropical savannah zone of Nigeria. The experimental subjects were comprised of thirty donkeys divided into three groups based on age: group I, 10 foals (40.67 ± 2.20 kg; 1.50 ± 0.02 months); group II, 10 yearlings (91.53 ± 0.54 kg; 1.51 ± 0.01 years); and group III, 10 adults (140 ± 0.71 kg; 8.03 ± 0.06 years). Each group was divided into 5 male and 5 female donkeys. Measurements of the RT were recorded with a digital thermometer probe (model HI935007, Hanna Instruments), which was inserted into the rectum at varying depths of 3.5, 7, 10.5, and 14 cm in the same animal in each group. There was a gradual increase in the RT in donkeys as the depth of insertion was increased from 3.5 cm (36.60°C) to 14 cm (38.40°C). Data obtained from the study were subjected to repeated-measures analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's post-hoc test to compare mean values between different depths of RT measurements. Overall, there was a variation in the RT by the depth of insertion with the shallow depth of 3.5 cm having a lower RT than the depths of 7, 10.5, and 14 cm. The variation of the RT observed in donkeys showed that there is need to standardize the probe-insertion depth in veterinary clinical practice for accurate measurement of the RT in donkeys in the Northern Guinea savannah zone of Nigeria.     

旱地全膜覆土穴播和全沙覆盖平作对小麦田土壤水分和产量的调节机理

以春小麦品种‘陇春27’为试材,采用田间试验法,以裸地平作为对照,研究半干旱区旱地全膜覆土穴播和全沙覆盖平作对小麦田土壤水分和产量的调节作用。结果表明:与裸地平作(CK)相比,全膜覆土穴播(PM)和全沙覆盖平作(SM)小麦田0~40 cm土壤水分条件明显改善,尤其在干旱年份,能满足小麦前期生长,同时促进小麦出苗后对0~200 cm土壤水分的利用;种植第1年PM在60~80 cm土层耗水量最大,SM和CK在40~60 cm土层耗水量最大;种植第2年PM以120~180 cm土层耗水量最多,SM和CK则以60~80 cm土层耗水量最多。连续种植两年后,PM耗水深度从120 cm延伸到200 cm,SM耗水深度从120 cm延伸到140 cm,CK耗水深度无变化;小麦田休闲效率PM最大,SM次之,CK最小,但是各处理休闲效率随种植年限增加而降低。可见,PM和SM能改善小麦前期生长水分环境,促进出苗后耗水,并加快小麦对土壤深层水分的利用,因而与CK相比,PM产量增加48.77%~815.79%,SM产量增加49.41%~702.24%。但随种植年限增加,耗水深度加大,休闲效率降低,多年种植可能对土壤水分生态产生不利影响。     

Surface and subsurface organic carbon, microbial biomass and activity in a forest soil sequence

The distribution of organic carbon, microbial biomass and activity, from the surface down to 70 cm, was investigated through three semiarid Mediterranean soils: (1) a Typic Calcixeroll covered with a native pinewood (NP), (2) a Typic Calcixerept under a mature pine plantation (PP) on abandoned agricultural terraces and (3) a Typic Haploxerept under a grassland (GS). NP and GS had the highest and lowest soil organic carbon (SOC) pools, respectively. Both of them had decreasing SOC contents with depth. PP, which held intermediate SOC levels, showed an increase in total organic C and humic substances C with depth due to their mineralization in the anciently ploughed topsoil layer. The soils were similarly ranked as regards their microbial biomass and activity: NP>PP>GS. In general, the microbial communities were less dense and active towards the deeper horizons. More specifically, PP and GS had a very populated and active top 20-cm layer, which was attributed to the dense root system of their grass cover. NP maintained high microbial biomass and activity levels from 0 to 70 cm, progressively diminishing along with shrub root density (e.g. microbial biomass C dropped from 2342 to 394 mg kg⁻¹ soil). The latter soil presented the sharpest drop of its microbial properties with depth, what was considered an indicator of its quality. Generally decreasing patterns of microbial biomass and activity were not always coincident with previously published gradients of microbial metabolic abilities and genetic structure. This reinforces the need of combining biomass, activity and biodiversity measurements if the ecosystem's functioning is to be fully understood and a real monitoring of degradation processes and restoration strategies is to be achieved.