Infiltration measurements with double-ring infiltrometers and a rainfall simulator under different surface conditions on an Oxisol

Measurements of infiltration rate were carried out with double-ring infiltrometers and a rainfall simulator in a field experiment with different mulch covers and tillage systems on an Oxisol in Paraná, Brazil.Both methods of infiltration measurement showed the infiltration rate under black oats (Avena strigosa Schieb.) to be the highest of the mulches tested, and to correlate significantly with mulch rate. Infiltration rates measured with double-ring infiltrometers were highest under conventional tillage and lowest under no-tillage, whereas the rainfall simulator produced inverse results. Final infiltration rates (after 2 h) obtained with the infiltrometers were 5.4, 3.2 and 2.2 times higher than those obtained with the rainfall simulator, for conventional, chisel plough and no-tillage systems, respectively.     

The influence of gel strength on aroma release from pectin gels in a model mouth and in vivo, monitored with proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry

The course of events from taking a food into the mouth to the perception of the food's flavor involves many steps, from dilution with saliva, mastication, and transportation of the compounds to the olfactory epithelium to transformation into signals that go to the brain. In addition, there are also the effects of the food's structure and properties. In this study, a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) was used to investigate how four pectin-containing systems with different structures and strengths affected the release of aroma compounds in a model mouth and in the nose of an assessor. Both the model mouth and the in-nose measurements showed that the strength and structure of pectin-containing systems are important with regard to the quantity of aroma compounds that are released. Mastication and saliva were also shown to have a large influence on how much of the aroma compound is released from the mouth to the nose.     

MINErosion 4: Using measurements from a tilting flume-rainfall simulator facility to predict erosion rates from post-mining catchments/landscapes in Central Queensland,Australia

The use of draglines to remove overburden in Queensland opencut mines, results in landscapes that consist of long parallel tertiary overburden spoil-piles that are generally highly saline, dispersive, and highly erodible. The height of these spoil-piles may exceed 50–60 m above the original landscapes and the slopes are at the angle of repose of around 75% or 37°. Legislation and public opinion require that these highly disturbed open-cut post-mining landscapes should be satisfactorily rehabilitated into an approved post-mining land use with acceptable erosion rates. Therefore, these slopes must be reduced before the landscape can be rehabilitated. The most expensive component of the rehabilitation process is the re-shaping and preparation of the overburden to create a suitable landscape for vegetation growth. As soils and overburden varies greatly in their erodibilities, the extent and cost of earthworks can be minimized, and rehabilitation failures avoided, if soil erosion from designed landscapes can be predicted using laboratory-based parameters prior to construction of these landscapes. This paper describes the development of a model for that purpose.A catchment or landscape erosion model MINErosion 4 was developed by upscaling the existing hillslope model MINErosion 3 (So, et al., 2018) and integrate it with both ESRI ArcGIS 10.3 or QGIS 3.16 (freeware), to predict event based and mean annual erosion rate from a postmining catchment or landscape. MINErosion 3 is a model that can be used to predict event and annual erosion rates from field scale hillslopes using laboratory measured erodibility parameters or routinely measured soil physical and chemical properties, and to derive suitable landscape design parameters (slope gradient, slope length and vegetation cover) that will result in acceptable erosion rates. But it cannot be used to predict the sediment delivery from catchments or landscapes. MINErosion 4 was validated against data collected on three instrumented catchments (up to 0.91 ha in size) on the Curragh mine site in Central Queensland. The agreement between predicted (Y) and measured (X) values were very good with the regression equation of Y = 0.92X and an R² value of 0.81 for individual storm events, and Y = 1.47X and an R² value of 0.73 for the average annual soil loss. This is probably the first time that a catchment scale erosion is successfully predicted from laboratory measured erodibility parameters.     

Determination of erodibility of a subtropical clay soil: a laboratory rainfall simulator experiment

Erodibility of tropical soils changes according to land use and management. It is important to monitor these changes so that farming practices can be designed to conserve the soil. On a fersiallitic clay soil in Zimbabwe, the mean weight diameter of water-stable aggregates was highly significant in explaining variations in both soil loss and runoff. Percent water-stable aggregates > 2 mm diameter was also significant and had the practical advantage of being easier to measure. Organic carbon in the soil largely explains the proportion of water-stable aggregates. These indices will aid management decisions on arable and grazing lands on this soil type, within the limits of the ranges tested.     

Verification of organic feed identity by fatty acid fingerprinting

The origin and authenticity of feed for laying hens is an important and fraud-susceptible aspect in the production of organic eggs. Chemical fingerprinting in combination with chemometric methods is increasingly used in conjunction with administrative controls to verify and safeguard the authenticity of food commodities. On the basis of fatty acid fingerprinting data of 36 organic and 60 conventional feeds, we have developed a chemometric classification model to discriminate between organic and conventional chicken feed. A two-factor partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model was developed using 70% of the original data. External validation of the model with the remaining 30% of the data showed that all of the organic feeds and 90% of the conventional feeds (18 of 20) were correctly identified by the model. These results indicate that the PLS-DA model developed in this study could be routinely used to verify the identity of unknown or suspicious feed for laying hens.     

Multiple measurements constrain estimates of net carbon exchange by a Eucalyptus forest

Net ecosystem exchange of carbon (F_NEE) was estimated for a temperate broadleaf, evergreen eucalypt forest ecosystem at Tumbarumba in south-eastern Australia to investigate the processes controlling forest carbon sinks and their response to climate. Measurements at a range of temporal and spatial scales were used to make three different estimates of F_NEE based on: (1) the difference between fluxes of carbon input by photosynthesis and output by autotrophic plus heterotrophic respiration, (2) changes over time in the carbon pools in the above- and below-ground biomass, soil and litter, and (3) micrometeorological flux measurements that provide a continuous estimate of the net exchange. A rigorous comparison of aggregated component fluxes and the net eddy fluxes within a flux tower source area was achieved based on an inventory of the site and a detailed sampling strategy. Measurements replicated in space and time provided mean values, confidence limits and patterns of variation of carbon pools and fluxes that allowed comparisons within known limits of uncertainty. As a result of comparisons between nighttime eddy flux and chamber measurements of respiration, a revised micrometeorological method was developed for estimating nighttime carbon flux using flux tower measurements. Uncertainty in the final estimate of F_NEE was reduced through mutual constraints of each of these measurement approaches. F_NEE for the period October 2001–September 2002, with average rainfall, was an uptake of 6.7 (5.1–8.3) tC ha^?1 yr^?1 estimated from component fluxes, and 5.4 (3.0–7.5) tC ha^?1 yr^?1 estimated from the revised eddy flux method. Biomass increment was 4.5 (3.7–5.4) tC ha^?1 yr^?1 and the remaining 0.9–2.2 tC ha^?1 yr^?1 could represent a carbon sink in the soil and litter pools or lie within the confidence limits of the measured fluxes. F_NEE was reduced to ?0.1 to 2.4 tC ha^?1 yr^?1 during a period of drought and insect disturbance in October 2002–September 2003, with biomass increment being the main component reduced. The forest is a large carbon sink compared with other forest ecosystems, but this is subject to high-annual variability in response to climate variability and disturbance.     

Effect of copper on the volatility of aroma compounds in a model mouth system

Copper is thought to influence aroma perception by affecting volatility of aroma compounds in the mouth through interaction with salivary components, especially proteins. Our objective was to identify the effect of copper on the volatility of aroma compounds and the role of copper-protein interaction in volatile chemistry in the mouth. Copper (2.5 mg/L) and four aroma compounds (hexanal, butyl acetate, 2-heptanone, and ethyl hexanoate, 0.5 microL/L each) were added to model systems containing water, electrolytes, and artificial saliva at different pH levels. Headspace concentration of each volatile was measured using SPME-GC analysis. Copper in the model systems increased headspace concentration of volatiles at pH 6.5, but no change in volatility was observed at pH 7.0. At pH 7.5, the presence of copper in the artificial saliva system containing mucin and alpha-amylase decreased headspace volatile concentration, whereas histatin did not cause any changes in volatility. Effect of copper on volatiles at pH 6.5 may be due to increased solubility of copper at lower pH. Salivary proteins seem to interact with copper at pH 7.5. The interaction may change configuration of binding sites for aroma compounds in mucin.     

Antioxidant potentials of flaxseed by in vivo model

The present study reports the antioxidant activity of flaxseed as measured by feeding weanling albino rats with 5.0% and 10.0% of flaxseed (constituting approximately 0.75 and 1.5 g kg(-)(1)) for 14 days followed by challenging animals with 2.0 g kg(-)(1) b.w. CCl(4) as toxin. Activity was assessed by measuring hepatic marker enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase and comparing with those from the normal group and from a group receiving toxin without flaxseed. Treatment of CCl(4) at dose of 2.0 g kg(-)(1) b.w. decreased the activities of various antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase by 35.6%, 47.76%, and 53.0%, respectively, compared to the control group, and the lipid peroxidation value increased nearly 1.2-fold compared to that of the group treated with toxin without flaxseed. Pretreatment of rats with 5.0% flaxseed followed by CCl(4) treatment caused restoration of catalase, SOD, and peroxidase by 39.7%, 181.42%, and 123.7%, respectively, as compared to control. The group treated with 10.0% flaxseed has shown the restoration of 95.02%, 182.31%, and 136.0% of catalase, SOD, and peroxidase. In the case of the group treated with toxin without flaxseed, the level of superoxide dismutase and the catalse value decreased 91.4% and 55.33%, respectively, in comparison with the control group. These results clearly indicate the beneficial effect of flaxseed components as an antioxidant as seen by restoration of hepatic enzymes, which were varied from normal to one due to toxicity induced by toxin (CCl(4)). Owing to this property, the flaxseed known for its functional properties can be further extended to exploit its possible application for various health benefits as nutraceuticals and food ingredient.     

Rainfall simulator for tillage research in the tropics

A new concept is proposed that enables rainfall simulation to be carried out in the tropics, where technical facilities and know-how are usually limited. A rainfall simulator developed on the basis of this concept produced uniform rainfall intensities (uniformity coefficient, C_u, 0.8–1.0) of 4–5, 5–6, 6–7 and 7–8 mm/h on areas of 131, 88, 25 and 8.6 m², respectively. Possibilities of using the rainfall simulator for erosion research are discussed.     

Biological measurements in a nationwide soil monitoring network

In the Netherlands soil biological measurements are undertaken in a nationwide monitoring programme. The measurements are combined in the Biological Indicator of Soil Quality (BISQ). About 300 locations were selected in a random stratified design comprising stringent combinations of land use and soil type. All locations were sampled in a six-year cycle. In this contribution we describe the monitoring network and the BISQ and present average values for biomass, abundances and taxonomic diversity of various soil dwelling organisms derived from 10 years of measurements. We further highlight some results and discuss the possibilities in soil and land management policy frameworks for improving sustainable land management.     

小麦水分状况的光反射测量

反射测量可用于对作物的水分状况进行快速而经济的评估.该研究以土壤最大持水量为标准,设65%、52%、39%、32.5%、26%和19.5%共6个水处理水平.小麦叶片光反射的测量用数码相机进行,测量结果用L*a*b*颜色系统进行评估和分析.在该三维系统中,参数a*和b*分别描述绿/红和蓝/黄颜色的比例,参数L*用来描述颜色的浅淡.结果表明,随水胁迫加剧,小麦叶片光反射参数a*(绿/红)和/或b*(蓝/黄)在9个特定波段表现出有规律的增加,植株含水率与光反射参数b*之间呈线性负相关关系,其中与510～780 nm波段的光反射参数b*之间的决定系数r2最大,达到0.95.因此光反射测量可以作为小麦水分状况测量的一个重要工具.     

Characterization of subtropical soils by mineral magnetic measurements

Abstract

This paper reports the use of mineral magnetic measurement techniques to characterize the iron oxide assemblage within soils of varying parent material type and water regime from subtropical region in Zhejiang Province, China. Results show that dryland soils formed on Quaternary red clay, limestone, arenaceous shale, and diluvium, exhibit a distinct ferrimagnetic profile with a magnetic susceptibility (χ) enhancement in surface horizon. This enhancement is interpreted as being due to pedogenic superparamagnetic (SP) ferrimagnetic grains, which is supported by a higher frequency dependent susceptibility (χ_fd) values. The χ and χ_fd have highly significant positive linear relationship with dithionite‐citrate‐bicarbonate (DCB) extractable iron (Fed) content. The upper horizon of paddy soil has extremely lower χ and χ_fd values than dryland soils formed on the same parent material. Soil with poorly‐drained condition has distinctly lower absolute χ and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) value than associated well‐drained soil. It indicates that reduction state is an important factor responsible for loss of SP ferrimagnetic minerals in soils.     

小麦水分状况的光反射测量

反射测量可用于对作物的水分状况进行快速而经济的评估。该研究以土壤最大持水量为标准，设65%、52%、39%、32.5%、26%和19.5%共6个水处理水平。小麦叶片光反射的测量用数码相机进行，测量结果用L*a*b*颜色系统进行评估和分析。在该三维系统中，参数a*和b*分别描述绿/红和蓝/黄颜色的比例，参数L*用来描述颜色的浅淡。结果表明，随水胁迫加剧，小麦叶片光反射参数a*(绿/红)和/或b*(蓝/黄)在9个特定波段表现出有规律的增加，植株含水率与光反射参数b*之间呈线性负相关关系，其中与510～780 nm波段的光反射参数b*之间的决定系数r^{2最大，达到0.95。因此光反射测量可以作为小麦水分状况测量的一个重要工具。}     

Ecological and genetic measurements of dispersal in a threatened dragonfly

Leucorrhinia caudalis is a rare dragonfly, threatened throughout its European distribution. The species was formerly widespread in the Swiss lowlands, but only a single population remained in the 1980s. However, a spread has recently been observed, with additional ponds being colonised, sometimes at considerable distance. Despite this evidence of recent long-distance dispersal, it is unknown whether L. caudalis regularly moves among ponds or whether this is a rather rare event. A combination of an ecological mark-resight and a population genetic study was applied to investigate contemporary dispersal and the genetic footprint of the recent population history of L. caudalis in Switzerland. DNA for genetic microsatellite analysis was extracted from exuviae. The mark-resight study and the genetic analysis gave congruent results. They showed that L. caudalis is mostly a sedentary species, with only a few contemporary dispersal events over distances up to 5 km being observed. The genetic analysis was in agreement with the recent population history of the Swiss populations. The oldest and largest population showed large genetic diversity and acted as source population for the recent spread of L. caudalis in Switzerland. Recurrent gene flow among this source population and close populations caused substantial local genetic variation in the latter, as well as low population differentiation. The two recently founded distant populations (?30 km distance) were genetically less diverse and highly differentiated. These distant populations and another recently colonised population also expressed signatures of genetic bottlenecks.     

Validation of a numerical method to quantify depression storage by direct measurements on moulded surfaces

Surface depression storage influences runoff, but is difficult to measure, because water infiltrates into the soil. Therefore, it is usually estimated using a numerical method. This consists of taking height measurements over a surface, constructing a digital elevation model (DEM), filling it virtually with water and subtracting the original DEM from the filled one. The aim of this study was to verify this numerical method, by comparing it to a direct measurement of water stored on a surface.To allow us to measure the amount of water on a surface directly, we needed an impermeable soil surface. We managed to create an impermeable reproduction of a soil surface in polyester, using a silicone mould. In this way we reproduced two surfaces, representing seedbeds. To obtain a DEM, we used a laser roughness meter with an original optical principle. To calculate storage, we used an existing filling algorithm.Measured depression storage values ranged from 0.36 to 51.8 mm, whereas estimated values ranged from 0.26 to 48.0 mm. Comparing these results, we conclude that the numerical method is acceptable, unless the soil surface is cloddy and contains cavities that cannot be detected by the roughness meter. Fortunately, in field situations, a cloddy soil surface usually coincides with high infiltration capacity and these situations are generally not subject to runoff, no matter what the value of surface storage.     

Effect of apple particle state on the release of volatile compounds in a new artificial mouth device

Varying the crushing parameters in a model mouth apparatus gave different crushed apple samples, which were compared to apples crushed in the human mouth by six people. An image analysis method was developed to measure the similarity between apple particles after crushing in the artificial mouth and in the human mouth. Thus, experimental conditions were determined that produced fruit in a state closest to that obtained after mastication in a human mouth. The influence of these different conditions on the quantity of released volatile compounds was then studied.     

Verification of identities in global cacao germplasm collections

The ex situ conservation of cacao genetic resources is in the form of field genebanks. Misidentified trees though, represent a serious problem to (i) curators, who need to capture genetic diversity, and (ii) users of germplasm material, who must be certain of the identities of the accessions for proper evaluation of their results. The presence of mislabelled trees was assessed from data compiled in the International Cocoa Germplasm Database (ICGD) 2000 v4.1CD-ROM, which contains the published records of cacao accessions in global holdings. Circumstantial evidence revealed that many germplasm collections, especially those in Brazil (CEPEC), Colombia (ICA), Costa Rica (CATIE), Côte d'Ivoire, Mexico, Malaysia, Togo, Trinidad (ICG,T) and Venezuela (EEC) probably possessed misidentified material. The severity of the problem ranged from 15–44 % and is suggested as an area for immediate resolution. Based upon the morphological data provided by the ICGD CD-ROM, several accessions were highly suspect, including 'EET 19 [ECU]', 'EET 48 [ECU]', 'EET 162 [ECU]', 'ICS 1', 'ICS 6', 'ICS 43', 'ICS 89', 'ICS 100', 'IMC 67', 'PA 121 [PER]', 'POUND 7 [POU]', 'SCA 6', 'SPA 9 [COL]', 'UF 29', 'UF 613' and 'UF 667'. However, the identification of mislabelled trees should depend ultimately on molecular analysis. Hence, the use of voucher specimens for verification is forwarded and the concept of a public domain database for microsatellite analyses of germplasm holdings is raised.     

摇臂上喷式降雨模拟器降雨特性分析

降雨模拟器是进行室内或野外土壤侵蚀规律研究、降雨产流及入渗过程研究等的有效手段,目前野外降雨模拟器存在喷头安装高度大、有效降雨区域较小、与天然降雨有一定差别等问题,本文针对以上问题研制出一种可广泛使用的摇臂上喷式降雨模拟器.通过率定降雨面积、降雨强度与均匀系数、雨滴中数直径、终点速度与雨滴动能六大降雨特性,探讨该降雨装置的适用性.结果表明:该装置的降雨面积可达到100 m2,降雨均匀系数为41％;当降雨面积为50 m2,供水压力为0.32 kg/cm2时,平均最大降雨强度为116.25 mm/h,最小降雨强度为61.01 mm/h,降雨均匀系数最大值为82％,最小值为46％,平均雨滴中数直径D50为1.67 mm,平均雨滴终点速度为3.656 m/s,平均雨滴动能为299.4 J/(m2·cm).该装置具有能耗小、重量轻、操作简单、便于移动等优点,符合天然降雨规律,可满足一般田间和野外试验的要求.     

Creatinine measurements in 24 h urine by liquid chromatography--tandem Mass Spectrometry

A simple, sensitive, and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determining urinary creatinine was developed and used to evaluate 24 h urine samples collected during an exposure study. Urine (1 microL) was diluted with methanol and then directly applied to LC-MS/MS. Under electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions, the transition molecules of creatinine and creatinine- d3 were observed at m/ z 114 > 44 and m/ z 117 > 47, respectively. The retention time of creatinine was 0.59 min. The linear range was 1-2000 ng/mL, with a detection limit in urine of 1 ng/mL. LC-MS/MS and colorimetric end-point methods were significantly associated ( R2 = 0.8785, p < 0.0001). The LC-MS/MS method to determine creatinine in 24 h urine samples had shorter retention times, was more sensitive, reliable, reproducible, simple, selective, and used a smaller sample size than other LC-MS/MS or commercial methods.     

黑河流域ASTER与MODIS融合生成高分辨率地表温度的验证

融合多源遥感数据生成高时空分辨率数据具有重要的应用价值。为了解决高空间分辨率数据重访周期长及云雨天气带来的数据短缺问题,该文基于增强自适应的遥感图像时空融合方法(enhanced spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model,ESTARFM),使用多时相MODIS数据提供地物时间变化信息,结合ASTER影像提供的空间细节信息,选择多波段数据(可见光近红外数据和地表温度数据)共同作为输入变量融合生成高时空地表温度。融合结果分别与地表红外辐射计观测温度和ASTER温度产品进行了验证。验证结果表明:基于ESTARFM方法降尺度地表温度影像清晰,融合结果与地表红外辐射计观测温度呈显著的线性正相关关系,相关系数均高于为0.71,预测得到的地表温度与真实测得的数据的平均绝对偏差均低于2.00 K,均方根误差均低于2.60 K。与ASTER地表温度产品的验证中,整体验证结果的R2均在0.95以上。此外,ESTARFM方法在各个地类中的融合效果较好,均表现出非植被区域的相关性高于植被和水体,尤其在2012年8月27日非植被的R2达到0.91。