Profitability of Carbon Sequestration in Western Rangelands of the United States

Concerns over climate change have increased interest in carbon sequestration in agricultural lands. While the per-hectare carbon capture potential of rangelands is less than either cropland or forests, existing research suggests modest changes in carbon storage on rangelands can potentially alter the global carbon cycle. This paper examines the potential firm-level revenues from voluntary carbon offset programs, such as the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) Rangeland Soil Carbon Offset program. We estimate revenues for short-term voluntary offsets given historical prices and prices projected with potential cap-and-trade legislation. We also estimate revenues assuming 100-yr offsets are required to meet international sequestration standards. Simulation results indicate a relatively wide range of modest revenues from recent CCX contracts and carbon prices. The analysis suggests that recent carbon prices or low-end projected prices from cap-and-trade legislation are not likely to encourage producer participation. Medium and high carbon price projections for cap-and-trade legislation may make carbon sequestration a more attractive option for rangeland managers, but given potential requirements for projects to meet international guidelines for greenhouse gas offset projects, many issues remain before range managers may be interested in carbon sequestration as an enterprise.     

模拟降水和不同载畜率对荒漠草原生态系统碳交换的影响

[目的] 探究不同降水梯度和不同载畜率对生态系统碳交换的影响。[方法] 试验依托内蒙古乌兰察布市四子王旗短花针茅荒漠草原不同载畜率（对照、低载畜率、中载畜率、高载畜率）平台,增设模拟降水试验（减水50%、自然降水、增水50%、增水100%）。在2017年植物生长季,采用Li-6400便携式光合仪和密闭式箱法测定生态系统净碳交换（net ecosystem carbon exchange,NEE）、生态系统呼吸（ecosystem respiration,ER）和生态系统总初级生产力（gross ecosystem productivity,GEP）对不同降水梯度和不同载畜率的响应。[结果] ①降水单因素处理对NEE、ER、GEP均产生极显著（P<0.001）影响。②高载畜率处理的ER显著（P<0.05）低于对照处理。③降水与载畜率的交互作用只对GEP产生显著（P<0.05）影响。相同载畜率处理下,降水量的增加对NEE、ER、GEP均有促进作用;相同降水处理下,对照区的ER、GEP显著（P<0.05）高于高载畜率区。ER、GEP在低载畜率条件下与土壤体积含水量的线性回归模型斜率的绝对值最大。[结论] 随着土壤含水量的增加,NEE、ER、GEP呈显著增加的趋势;随着载畜率的增加,ER显著降低,降水与载畜率的交互作用只对GEP产生显著影响,尽管水分的增加促进生态系统碳交换,但中、高载畜率条件下荒漠草原生态系统碳交换对土壤水分变化的敏感性减少。     

放牧对草地生态系统CO2净气体交换影响研究概述

陆地生态系统与大气之间的CO2净气体交换(net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide,NEE)被称为生物圈的呼吸,它是陆地生态系统碳循环的重要组分,是全球气候变化研究的重点.草地生态系统是陆地生态系统的主体,约占陆地表面的40％,是气候变化的敏感区域.放牧是草地生态系统的主要利用方式,伴随着气候变化,放牧利用强度不同,对草地生态系统NEE的影响也不同.本文以放牧草地生态系统NEE组成为基础,从放牧干扰途径出发,综述了放牧对草地生态系统CO2净气体交换特征的影响.放牧主要干扰草地土壤-植被界面,通过影响植物群落组成、地上净初级生产力、地下净初级生产力来影响植被群落的光合作用和呼吸作用,使草地生态系统的NEE发生变化;放牧也可通过影响土壤包括土壤呼吸、土壤养分以及土壤温度和水分来影响NEE.放牧干扰途径的研究亦可应用于草地开垦和刈割等利用方式中,这对了解和研究草地不同利用方式下生态系统的CO2交换特征、草地碳源或碳汇的转换状态,以及草地碳贮存功能的强弱具有重要意义.     

CO2浓度增加对草地生态系统及碳平衡的影响

陆地生态系统碳平衡是全球变化科学中的核心问题之一,也是目前生态科学中的前沿与热点问题,而草地生态系统的复杂性与不确定性决定了对陆地生态系统碳平衡估测的复杂性和不确定性.概述了全球气候变化中CO2浓度增加对草地生态系统及碳平衡的影响,阐明了种间和种内对CO2浓度增加的响应差异性,强调这种差异不仅影响物种的生理和生化过程.而且对高层次生物互作和生存适应性产生影响,最终导致新生态系统的装配,碳的生物地球化学循环过程受到影响.因而.草地生态系统中物种或基因型的特性以及它们之间的相互关系对CO2浓度增加的响应,在全球变化过程中碳平衡的预测是一个重要的考虑因素.     

Influence of Ecosystem Services on Management Decisions by Public Land Ranchers in the Intermountain West,United States

Ecosystem services are benefits humans obtain as a result of ecosystem processes and conditions. In the western United States, public rangelands are managed for a spectrum of ecosystem services on behalf of multiple stakeholders. Decisions of ranchers who hold public land grazing allotments must balance operational needs for forage with societal expectations for other ecosystem services. To better understand their choices regarding ecosystem services, we interviewed ranchers to learn about the bases for their management decisions and identify services they believe rangelands provide. A total of 19 services were identified, many of which reflected ranchers’ recognition that they manage within the context of a broader social-ecological system (e.g., maintaining open space). We then conducted a mail survey of Bureau of Land Management grazing permittees in six states to understand the importance they personally place on different services, as well as the extent to which they manage with those services in mind. Fourteen of the 19 ecosystem services identified in interviews were reported by at least 50% of the survey sample (N = 435) as influencing their management decisions. Most respondents reported trying to manage deeded and leased land to the same standard. Aside from forage for livestock (ranked #1), ranchers were less likely to report managing for provisioning services than for cultural, supporting, and regulating services. Importance ratings for ecosystem services followed a similar pattern, although there were a few differences in rank order. Ranchers tended to report managing for more ecosystem services if they had larger operations, earned at least 50% of their income from ranching, spent more time out on the ranch, and relied on multiple sources for information about range management. Results indicate public land ranchers believe they are managing for multifunctionality, balancing their own operational needs with those of society.     

红砂对大气CO_2浓度升高及降水变化的生长响应

以荒漠植物红砂(Reamuria soongorica)为试材,采用开顶式CO_2控制气室模拟CO_2浓度变化(350,550和700μmol·mol–1),研究了降水变化(-30%,-15%,0,+15%,+30%)及其与CO_2的协同作用对红砂生长特性的影响。结果表明:在6、7、8月份,CO_2浓度增加对5种降水下红砂的株高、地上生物量、根生物量和总生物量均有增肥效应,且降水增加时的增肥效应大于降水减少时的。6、7月份,红砂的根质量分数和根冠比在5种降水下均随CO_2浓度的升高而降低;而在8月份仅降水为-15%时,CO_2浓度增加可促进红砂的根质量分数和根冠比。综上所述,未来降水增多时,CO_2浓度升高可促进红砂地上生物量积累来获取更多资源;降水减少,CO_2浓度增加可促进地下生物量的分配来适应干旱环境,但这种调节作用与降水的多少及处理时间长短有关。     

高寒湿地旱化过程及其对CO2交换的影响

为研究青藏高原高寒湿地旱化对碳通量的影响,探讨高寒湿地旱化碳通量变化规律,本研究于7-8月生长高峰期以高寒湿地、沼泽化草甸和高寒草甸为研究对象,利用TARGAS-1静态箱法,比较高寒湿地不同退化阶段碳交换的动态差异。结果表明：与高寒湿地相比,沼泽化草甸与高寒草甸植被群落光合速率、生态系统呼吸速率、净生态系统碳交换显著提高（P<0.05）;不同退化阶段土壤温湿度及植被群落生物量存在显著差异（P<0.05）,土壤电导率差异不显著;相比于土壤湿度和土壤电导率,土壤温度对CO₂交换的影响更大,其与净生态系统碳交换呈显著负相关（P<0.05）,高寒草甸的碳交换对土壤温度的敏感性要大于高寒湿地和沼泽化草甸的碳交换对土壤温度的敏感性;在植物生长高峰期,高寒湿地旱化过程土壤温度显著上升,土壤湿度和植物群落生物量显著下降,导致其碳汇功能呈下降趋势。     

Short-Term Response of Two Beneficial Invertebrate Groups to Wildfire in an Arid Grassland System,United States

Rangeland invertebrates contribute greatly to biodiversity and provide important services including pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling. As wildfire frequency increases across these areas of the United States, it is imperative to understand how these disturbances affect beneficial invertebrate communities. We examined bee (Hymenoptera), spider (Araneae), and vegetative communities 1 yr before and 1 yr after a large wildfire swept across an intact grassland in eastern Oregon. Several sites were left unburned after the fire, and a before-after-control-impact study design was used to assess changes within the communities. Fire had no effect on bee or spider abundance, or spider diversity or richness; however, fire significantly increased native bee diversity and richness. In addition, composition of both native bee and spider communities differed significantly between burned and unburned areas 1 yr after the fire. Sheet web spiders (Linyphiidae) and several bee species (primarily large, generalist species) were associated with burned sites. Invasive annual grass and biological soil crust cover decreased significantly in burned sites, but maximum vegetation height and litter cover did not differ significantly among treatments. Forb abundance increased in burned sites; however, species richness of forbs in burned and unburned sites did not differ significantly 1 yr after the fire. Several forbs were indicative of burned areas including non-native species, such as Douglas’ knotweed (Polygonum douglasii) and Russian thistle (Salsola tragus), and native species such as Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis), hoary tansyaster (Machaeranthera canescens), and tall willowherb (Epilobium brachycarpum). This study demonstrates that both invertebrate and plant communities show strong short-term responses to wildfire, and our results can be used to inform management of rare habitat and biodiversity in rangelands impacted by wildfire in arid grasslands.     

中国潜在自然植被NPP时空分布格局变化及其对气候和地形的响应

综合顺序分类系统(Comprehensive and Sequential Classification System,CSCS)作为一种开放式、能划分全世界潜在自然植被类型的分类系统,对全球自然植被的宏观认知和自然植被资源的适度利用与科学管理有着重要的指导意义。研究基于CSCS理论,利用中国1982-2012年的气象数据(温度和降水量)和MODIS(Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)数据以及改进型CASA(Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach)模型模拟中国潜在自然植被NPP及其时空分布格局,并分析其对气候和地形的响应模式。研究结果表明:31年来中国潜在自然植被NPP总体上随着时间的推移呈现递增趋势,其在空间上的分布格局体现了明显的异质性,各CSCS类及类组的NPP差异较大;中国潜在自然植被NPP基本与温度、降水量和太阳辐射的时空变化保持一致,且随着高程、坡度和坡向的增加呈现出增加、降低和增加的趋势;各CSCS类型的NPP总体上体现了自然植被所需水热条件的水平和垂直地带性分布规律,与CSCS分类检索图保持一致性。研究结果对CSCS和全球变化的交叉研究具有一定的促进作用。     

Variation amongst the neutralizing epitopes of bluetongue viruses isolated in the United States in 1979-1981.

Neutralizing epitopes present on field isolates of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes 10, 11, 13 and 17 were evaluated with a panel of polyclonal and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). A total of 91 field isolates were evaluated, including 15 isolates of BTV-10, 29 isolates of BTV-11, 26 isolates of BTV-13, and 21 isolates of BTV-17. The viruses were isolated from cattle, goats, sheep, elk and deer in Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska and, predominantly, California, in the years 1979, 1980 and 1981. The isolates were analyzed and compared using a panel of neutralizing MAbs which included five MAbs raised against BTV-2, seven against BTV-10, five against BTV-13, and six against BTV-17. Neutralization patterns obtained with the MAb panel and individual field isolates were compared to those obtained with prototype viruses of each serotype. All field isolates were neutralized by at least some of the MAbs raised against the prototype virus of the same serotype. All field isolates of BTV-10 were neutralized by the seven MAbs raised to BTV-10, whereas the field isolates of BTV-11, BTV-13 and BTV-17 were not consistently neutralized by all of the MAbs raised against the prototype virus of the same serotype. Variation in neutralizing epitopes recognized by the MAb panel was most pronounced amongst the field isolates of BTV-17. A one-way cross neutralization was evident between BTV-10 and BTV-17 as all field isolates of BTV-17 were neutralized by four of the MAbs raised against BTV-10. In contrast, no BTV-10 isolates were neutralized by the MAbs raised against BTV-17. Differences in the MAb neutralization patterns of field isolates of BTV-11, BTV-13 and BTV-17 suggest that the immunogenic domain responsible for their neutralization is plastic, such that individual epitopes within the domain may vary in their significance to the neutralization of different viruses, even of the same serotype. The apparent conservation of neutralizing epitopes on field isolates of BTV-10 suggests that the field isolates may be derived from the modified-live vaccine strain of BTV-10.     

Occurrence of canine parvovirus type 2c in the United States.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) type 2 (CPV-2) emerged around 1978 as a major pathogen of dogs worldwide. In the mid-1980s, the original CPV-2 had evolved and was completely replaced by 2 variants, CPV-2a and CPV-2b. In 2000, a new variant of CPV (named CPV-2c) was detected in Italy and now cocirculates with types 2a and 2b in that country. The CPV-2c has also been reported from single outbreaks in Vietnam and Spain. This study was conducted to determine if CPV-2c occurs in the United States. Thirty-three fecal samples were collected from dogs in 16 states between April 2006 and April 2007 and were tested for CPV using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive samples were further tested using conventional PCR and minor-groove binding TaqMan PCR assays to determine the viral type and to differentiate vaccine strains from field strains. Twenty-seven samples were positive for CPV, 7 of which were CPV-2c from 5 states: Arizona, California, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas. Of the 7 isolates, 4 differed from European CPV-2c isolates by 2 additional single-nucleotide mutations at positions 4076 and 4104, the latter of which produces a ThrAla change at residue 440 located near a major antigenic site. The coast-to-coast geographic distribution of the states in which CPV-2c was detected strongly suggests that this new CPV variant is probably widespread in the United States. The continuous evolution of CPV requires that monoclonal antibody-based and nucleic acid-based diagnostic assays should be periodically checked for sensitivity on prevalent CPV strains.     

两个生态型羊草对CO2浓度倍增的光合生理响应

对松嫩草原黄绿型和灰绿型两个生态型羊草,进行光合生理特性测定。结果表明,在高CO₂浓度条件下灰绿型羊草的光量子利用率高于黄绿型,光合能力较强。在弱光条件下,前者光合速率高于后者,在强光下二者相差不大。随着CO₂浓度的升高,二者光补偿点和饱和点均升高。与灰绿型相比,黄绿型羊草呼吸较弱而光饱和点和水分利用率高,因此比前者更适应向阳、干旱的生境条件。二者气孔导度差异显著,灰绿型羊草的气孔导度起点较高,对光钝感,黄绿型起点较低,随着光照强度的增加,气孔导度随之增加,甚至在CO₂浓度等于700μmolmol^-1时的强光条件下高于前者。气孔导度和光量子利用率的差异是导致二者光合作用曲线不同的原因。酶系统活性是导致高CO2浓度时光合速率降低的主要因素。     

放牧强度对青海海北高寒矮嵩草草甸碳交换的影响

以禁牧、轻度放牧、中度放牧和重度放牧4种不同放牧强度的高寒矮嵩草草甸为研究对象,分别于2014年和2015年植物生长季5～9月,使用LI-6400便携式光合仪和同化箱测定生态系统净CO_2交换(NEE)和生态系统呼吸(ER),并利用土壤温湿度自动记录仪测定土壤10cm处的温度和体积含水率,以研究放牧强度对青海海北高寒矮嵩草草甸碳交换的影响。结果表明:生长季5～9月,试验地10cm土壤温度的变化范围在7.21～13.23℃,随放牧强度增大而增大;体积含水率在19.68%～32.33%间波动,随放牧强度增大而减小。高寒草甸NEE在生长季表现出明显的"V"型变化,5月NEE最大,为1.43μmolCO_2/m^2·s,此时草地仍处于碳排放状态,7月最小(碳吸收速率最大),为-14.32μmolCO_2/m^2·s,吸收强度表现出随放牧强度增大而增大的趋势;ER呈倒"V"型变化规律,7月最大,为12.15μmolCO_2/m^2·s,放牧强度仅对7月的ER产生影响,其余月份4个样地差异均不显著。相关分析表明,NEE与土壤温度和绿体生物量极显著负相关,相关系数分别为-0.910和-0.559,与土壤湿度显著正相关,相关系数为0.559;ER与土壤温度和绿体生物量显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.824和0.453,与土壤有机碳含量极显著负相关,相关系数为-0.605,与土壤湿度、枯体生物量和全氮含量相关不显著。     

PRRSV2 genetic diversity defined by RFLP patterns in the United States from 2007 to 2019

The genetic diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) increases over time. In 1998, restriction-fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern analysis was introduced to differentiate PRRSV wild-type strains from VR2332, a reference strain from which a commercial vaccine (Ingelvac PRRS MLV) was derived. We have characterized here the PRRSV genetic diversity within selected RFLP families over time and U.S. geographic space, using available ISU-VDL data from 2007 to 2019. The 40,454 ORF5 sequences recovered corresponded to 228 distinct RFLPs. Four RFLPs [2-5-2 (21.2%), 1-7-4 (15.6%), 1-4-4 (11.8%), and 1-8-4 (9.9%)] represented 58.5% of all ORF5 sequences and were used for cluster analysis. Over time, there was increased detection of RFLPs 2-5-2, 1-7-4, 1-3-4, 1-3-2, and 1-12-4; decreased detection of 1-4-2, 1-18-4, 1-18-2, and 1-2-2; and different detection trends for 1-8-4, 1-4-4, 1-26-1, 1-22-2, and 1-2-4. An over-time cluster analysis revealed a single cluster for RFLP 2-5-2, supporting that sequences within RFLP 2-5-2 are still relatively conserved. For 1-7-4, 1-4-4, and 1-8-4, there were multiple clusters. State-wise cluster analysis demonstrated 4 main clusters for RFLP 1-7-4 and 1-8-4, and 6 for RFLP 1-4-4. For the other RFLPs, there was a significant genetic difference within them, particularly between states. RFLP typing is limited in its ability to discriminate among different strains of PRRSV. Understanding the magnitude of genetic divergence within RFLPs helps develop PRRSV regional control programs, placement, herd immunization strategies, and design of appropriate animal movements across borders to minimize the risk of PRRSV transmission.     

天山北坡荒漠草原土壤呼吸和生态系统呼吸对降水的响应

为揭示降水对天山北坡荒漠草原土壤呼吸和生态系统呼吸的影响,本实验以天山北坡荒漠草原为研究对象,通过测定3种模拟降水处理(CK,5 mm,18 mm,28 mm)下荒漠草原土壤呼吸速率和生态系统呼吸速率的变化特征.结果表明:不同降水处理下土壤呼吸速率和生态系统呼吸速率有明显的日变化趋势;3种降水处理下(28 m m,18...     

美国养鸡业历史进程对我国的启示

1 二战前美国养鸡业的状况 19世纪60年代,美国内战暴发,之后的半个世纪中,农业受到了持续的冲击.战争给美国带来的破坏十分严重,政府此时面临的主要工作是重建南部,扫清奴隶制的残余影响.大规模的农业活动则转向两部地区,从事农业的人口也迅速增加.