Cultivation effects on soil texture and fertility in an arid desert region of northwestern China

In arid desert regions of northwestern China, reclamation and subsequent irrigated cultivation have become effective ways to prevent desertification, expand arable croplands, and develop sustainable agricultural production. Improvement in soil texture and fertility is crucial to high soil quality and stable crop yield. However, knowledge on the long-term effects of the conversion of desert lands into arable croplands is very limited. To address this problem, we conducted this study in an arid desert region of northwestern China to understand the changes in soil physical-chemical properties after 0, 2, 5, 10, 17, and 24 years of cultivation. Our results showed that silt and clay contents at the 17-year-old sites increased 17.5 and 152.3 folds, respectively, compared with that at the 0-year-old sites. The soil aggregate size fraction and its stability exhibited an exponential growth trend with increasing cultivation ages, but no significant change was found for the proportion of soil macroaggregates (>5.00 mm) during the 17 years of cultivation. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content at the 24-year-old sites was 6.86 g/kg and increased 8.8 folds compared with that at the 0-year-old sites. The total (or available) nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents showed significant increasing trends and reached higher values after 17 (or 24) years of cultivation. Changes in soil physical-chemical properties successively experienced slow, rapid, and stable development stages, but some key properties (such as soil aggregate stability and SOC) were still too low to meet the sustainable agricultural production. The results of this long-term study indicated that reasonable agricultural management, such as expanding no-tillage land area, returning straw to the fields, applying organic fertilizer, reducing chemical fertilizer application, and carrying out soil testing for formula fertilization, is urgently needed in arid desert regions.     

Measuring density effects on growth and survival of two size classes of juvenile sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) held in sea‐based holding systems and impacts on holding system design and management

Assessing density in intensive sea urchin culture systems by measuring the percentage coverage of available surface area is an effective means of calculating the available space within a holding system, the proximity of the animals in the system to each other and the probable effects of the stocking density. The results of this study show that density plays a critical role in regard to both somatic growth (increase in test diameter measured in millimetres) as well as mortality of juvenile sea urchins ranging in size from 5 mm to 26 mm test diameter (the size range tested in the current experiments). These effects appear to be greater for smaller urchins. The critical percentage coverage densities are in the order of 50%‐60% coverage for juvenile sea urchins, and the authors advise farmers growing Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis to maintain stocking densities below this point and to reduce the stocking densities as and when stocks reach these critical density points. Percentage cover must be constantly monitored as the results from this study indicate that the growth rates of juvenile urchins can alter percentage coverage rapidly and reductions in density may be required as frequently as every 3‐4 months at the early juvenile stage. Holding system design should take these factors into account and incorporate a method of rapidly reducing stocking densities with minimal stress and handling of sea urchin stocks.     

不同剥制机械对苎麻纤维产量及品质的影响

为明确不同纤维剥制机械对苎麻纤维产量和品质的影响，以苎麻品种‘中苎3号’为试验材料，研究了3种剥制机械（简易刮麻器、回拉式剥麻机、反拉式剥麻机）对原麻颜色、出麻率、单纤维强力和含胶量的影响。结果表明，不同机械剥制原麻产量与品质存在显著差异。3种机器剥制的原麻颜色均偏黄色，简易刮麻器剥制的麻纤维明度最亮，反拉式剥麻机剥制的原麻红色最深。简易刮麻器剥制麻与回拉式剥麻机剥制麻出麻率无显著差异，显著低于反拉式剥麻机剥制麻，但反拉式剥麻机出麻率较高,原因主要是总胶质含量显著较高（28.21%）。不同剥制机械所获原麻的单纤维强力也存在显著差异，由高到低依次为简易刮麻器＞回拉式剥麻机＞反拉式剥麻机。综上所述，简易刮麻器剥制原麻质量最好，回拉式剥麻机优于反拉式剥麻机。上述结果为苎麻剥麻机的选择提供理论依据。     

保水剂在桉树栽植中的应用试验

用不同含量的保水剂(浓度分别为0.05%、0.1%、0.2%)进行桉树栽植试验,分别测定苗木成活率、基质含水率及苗木的生长量。结果表明:使用保水剂的苗木成活率明显高于对照实验,各处理对苗木成活率的影响高度显著,保水剂含量0.1%的处理能得到较高的成活率及生长量。由于保水剂发挥作用的前提是必须有水可保,试验后未再补水,因此基质含水率变化的差异不大。     

永嘉早香柚授粉及保水措施试验

为探索永嘉早香柚的低产原因和降低内裂果措施。进行了授粉和保水措施试验，结果表明，通过授粉能有效提高永嘉早香柚的座果率；授粉配合保水措施能有效降低永嘉早香柚的内裂果和裂瓣率。     

Seed Maturation Indicators in Pyracantha crenulata Roxb. in Kumaun Central Himalaya

Fruits of Pyracantha crenulata were collected from two locations varying by approximately 550 m in elevation from south aspect for assessing seed maturation indicators. The mean seed size (length×diameter) across the collection dates varied between 1.61 ± 0.7 and 4.93 ± 0.06 mm² across both the locations. The seed moisture content negatively correlated with germination. The change in fruit colour from dark green to light orange, the range of fruit moisture content (30.43% ± 0.06 to 36.10% ± 0.25) and the seed moisture content between 68.8% ± 0.68 and 71.6 ± 0.62 coincided with maximum germination and appear to be major indicators of seed maturation in Pyracantha crenulata.     

湿地松林分间伐对材种结构的影响研究

根据间伐8年后的湿地松林分生长和主伐造材调查结果，建立了胸径和断面积等与林分保留密度及本底断面积的回归关系，分析比较了不同间伐强度对林木径阶分布和造材材种结构的影响效果。研究结果表明，间伐后林分保留密度对林木胸径和断面积生长以及材种结构等均产生显著影响；尾径20cm及以上规格的材种出材率随间伐强度增大而增大，而14cm及以下规格的材种出材率则随间伐强度的增大而减小。不同伐对照总的出材量虽比间伐的大，但增加的部分主要为较小规格的材种。     

香椿种子的发芽率与采种方法及贮藏技术的相关性研究

传统的采种方法与贮藏技术，导致香椿种子发芽率低、不耐贮藏、极大地影响了香椿的生产和经营。作者通过近年的试验研究，总结出一套香椿种子正确的采种与贮藏技术，可确保香椿种子的以较高的发芽率，常年供应市场需求。     

Microbial and Enzyme Activities of Saline and Sodic Soils

Salinization and sodication are abiotic soil factors, important hazards to soil fertility and consequently affect the crop production. Soil salinization is of great concern for irrigated agriculture in arid and semi‐arid regions of the world; sodicity is characterized by an excessively high concentration of sodium (Na) in their cation exchange system. In recent times, attention has been turned to study the impacts of these factors (salinity and sodicity) on soil microbial activities. Microbial activities play central role in degradation and decomposition of soil organic matter, mineralization of nutrients and stabilization of soil aggregates. To understand the ecology of soil system, therefore, it is important to be conversant with the soil microbial activities, which show quick response to little change in the soil environment. Microbial activities (generally measured as C–N dynamics, soil respiration–basal respiration, or CO₂ emission), microbial abundance, microbial biomass, quotients (microbial and metabolic) and microbial community structure, and soil enzymes have been considered as potential indicators to assess the severity of the land degradation and the effectiveness of land use management. Therefore, it is important to synthesize the available information regarding microbial activities in use and management of salt‐affected soils. The reclamation and management of such soils and their physico‐chemical properties have been reviewed well in the literature. In this review, an attempt has been made to compile the current knowledge about the effects of soil salinization and sodication on microbial and enzyme activities and identify research gaps for future research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.