海南橡胶园土壤持续利用措施的研究

This research was designed to help solve existing sustainable use problems such as soil nutrient loss and soil fertility decline in natural rubber plantations located in the hilly land of the south central mountainous area of Hainan Island,China. Two different land management practices, sustainable and traditional, were adopted in a four-year experiment.Contour terraced fields and deep ditches for green manure were built in a sustainable way with a balanced, need-based application of complex fertilizer. Results of the four-year experiment showed that these sustainable measures compared to traditional measures improved available P and available K; had a 47.8% less soil erosion (an average of 3663 t km^-2 year^-1) and a 15.9% lower runoff coefficient of 0.53; increased the dry rubber yield by 42.4%; and improved the economic benefit by 2.4 times. The sustainable land management scheme not only improved land utilisation efficiency, hut also helped maintain soil fertility while increasing production in rubber plantations. It thereby offered a reasonable and sustainable use for land resources in the tropical mountainous areas.     

耕作、残茬及施肥管理对土壤有机质动态变化影响的情景分析

Based on data from 10-year field experiments on residue/fertilizer management in the dryland farming region of northern China, Century model was used to simulate the site-specific ecosystem dynamics through adjustment of the model＇s parameters, and the applicability of the model to propose soil organic carbon （SOC） management temporally and spatially, in cases such as of tillage/residue/fertilization management options, was identified v/a scenario analysis.Results between simulations and actual measurements were in close agreement when appropriate applications of stover,manure and inorganic fertilizer were combined. Simulations of extreme C/N ratios with added organic materials tended to underestimate the measured effects. Scenarios of changed tillage methods, residue practices and fertilization options showed potential to maintain and enhance SOC in the long run, while increasing inorganic N slowed down the SOC turnover rate but did not create a net C sink without any organic C input. The Century model simulation showed a good relationship between annual C inputs to the soil and the rate of C sequestration in the top 20 cm layer and provided quantitative estimations of changes in parameters crucial for sustainable land use and management. Conservation tillage practices for sustainable land use should be integrated with residue management and appreciable organic and inorganic fertilizer application, adapted according to the local residue resource, soil fertility and production conditions. At least 50% residue return into the soil was needed annually for maintenance of SOC balance, and manure amendment was important for enhancement of SOC in small crop-livestock systems in which crop residue land application was limited.     

土地质量评估与监测: 土壤科学面临的新挑战

Sustainable land management (SLM)is the key to harmonizing environmetal and ecolgical concerns of society with the economic realities of producing adequate food and fiber of high quality and ensuring a absi minimal quality of life.The aim of SLM is to maintain the integrity of the biophysical land resource base,but it can only be realized if land users understand the impacts of land management options on their lands but also on other off-site areas and can optimize the socioeconomic and environmetal benefits of their choice.To Facilitate this,the Contribution of soil suvery organizations would be through the assessment and monitoring of land quality.Land quality is a measure of the ability of land to perfor specific functions and is derived by an integration of soil survey information with other environmental,and if necessary,socioeconomic information.The desired reliability influences the operational scale of the assessment,Such an assessment would assist in:1) locating homologous areas for research sites or for transferring technologies;2) providing the geographic basis for systems analysis(e.g.modeling);3) serving as a basis for local,natinal and global resource assessment and monitoring;4) providing an ecosystem context for land use,assessments of temporal and spatial variability,and impact of human interventions;5)serving as a framework for more detailed assessment for all levels of interest;and 6) evaluating global issues such as food security,impacts of climate change,biodiversity montoring,and addressing desertification.Based on an evaluation of the progress made in soil resource inventories and considering the demands of the environment focused world,the paper considers the need for counteries to mount such a program.The authors believe that this is the next demand of soil science and that we can fulfill our soical contract by periodically providing such information on the state of a nation‘s land resource.     

Potential effect of conservation tillage on sustainable land use: A review of global long-term studies

Although understood differently in different parts of the world, conservation tillage usually includes leaving crop residues on the soil surface to reduce tillage. Through a global review of long-term conservation tillage research, this paper discusses the long-term effect of conservation tillage on sustainable land use, nutrient availability and crop yield response. Research has shown several potential benefits associated with conservation tillage, such as potential carbon sequestration, nutrient availability, and yield response. This research would provide a better perspective of the role of soil conservation tillage and hold promise in promoting application of practical technologies for dryland farming systems in China.     

间作作物及其还田时间对土壤碳素状况和相关酶活性的影响

Catch crops that are cultivated for green manure play an important role in improving soil properties. A 3-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of catch crop(pea, Pisum sativum L.) management, i.e., incorporation of catch crop in October/November(autumn) and March(spring), and without catch crop(control), on soil organic carbon(SOC), microbial biomass carbon(MBC) and the activities of carbon(C)-cycle enzymes, including cellulase(Cel), β-glucosidase(Glu) and invertase(Inv). Additionally, soil total nitrogen(TN) and p HKClwere investigated. The catch crop was cultivated from August to October each year during 2008–2010. Soil samples were collected from the field of spring barley(Hordeum vulgare L.) that had been grown after the catch crop. Soil samples for microbial activity determination were taken in March, May, June and August in 2009, 2010 and2011, while SOC and TN contents as well as p HKClwere determined in March and August. The chemical properties studied did not show significant changes as influenced by the experimental factors. The use of catch crop significantly increased the MBC content and the activities of C-cycle enzymes compared to the control. When the catch crop was incorporated in spring, a significantly higher MBC content was noted in March and May compared to autumn incorporation. Moreover, the spring incorporation of the catch crop significantly increased the Glu activity(except March), while the activities of Cel and Inv as well as the rate of soil basal respiration were usually unaffected by the time of catch crop incorporation. Greater microbial biomass and higher enzyme activities in the catch crop-treated soil, compared to the control, indicated that the application of the catch crop as a green manure could be recommended as a promising technique to increase the biological activity of the soil. Since there was no significant effect or no consistent results were obtained related to the time of catch crop incorporation, both spring and autumn applications can be recommended as a management tool to improve the status of soil properties during the growth of a subsequent crop.     

应用危险确认模型评估土地管理的可持续发展

New Zealand is highly dependent on its soil resource for continued agricultural production.To avoid depleting this resource,there is a need to identify soils and associated land management practices where there is a risk of soil degradation.Environmental integraity and ecosystem services also need to be maintoained.Accordingly,to ensure sustainable production,The on -and off-site environmental impacts of aldn management need to be identified and managed.We developed a structural vulnerability index for New Zealand soils.This index ranks solis according to their inherent susceptibility to physical degradation when used for agricultural (pasture,forestry and cropping) Purposes.We also developed a rule-based model to assess soil sompaction vulnerability by characterising the combined effects of resistance and resilience,Other soil attributes have been approatised using seven chemical,physical and biological indicators of soil quality.These indicators have been applied in a nation -wide project involving data collection from over 500 sites for a range of land uses.These soil quality data can be interpreted via the World Wide Web -through the in teractive decisionsupport tool SINDI,The land-use impact model is a framework to assess agricultural land management and environmental sustainability,and may be applied to land units at any scale.Using land resource data and information the model explicitly identifies hazards to land productivity and environmental integrity,It utilises qualitative expert and local knowledge and quantitative model-based evaluations to assess the potential environmental impacts of land-management pratices.The model is linked to a geographic information system(GIS),allowing model outputs.such at the environmental impacts of site-specific best management practices,to be identified in a spatially explicit manner,The model has been tested in New Zealand in an area of pastoral land use.Advantages of this risk identification model include:utilising current knowledege of the causes and effects of land-management practices on soil degradation;linking land management practice to both on-and off-site environmental consequences;identifying important gaps in local knowledge,and providing spatially explicit information on the environmental impact of land-management practices.     

沙漠地区滴灌条件下地膜覆盖对玉米生长的影响

Plastic cover, as a method to minimize soil water evaporation and improve water use efficiency, was used for corn during the whole growing period in a desert area. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of plastic covering management on corn growth and rooting pattern and its relationship with changes in climate. Four treatments, 0) bared soil without cover, 1) covering one side of the crop, 2) covering both sides of the crop, and 3) covering the surface totally, were established on a sandy loam soil. Results showed that treatment 0 was significantly different from others and revealed that plastic covering was not always good to corn growth. Improper usage of plastic cover might weaken root development and thereafter lower the total yield of the crop. Suitable practices combining different methods discussed could not only improve water use efficiency but also increase the crop yield.     

热带地区不同香蕉长期轮作体系对土壤微生物和生物化学性质的影响

Soil microbiological and biochemical properties under various field crop rotations such as grains, pastures and vegetables have been studied intensively under short-term period. However, there is limited information about the influence of banana-based rotations on soil organic C, total N(TN), microbial biomasses and enzyme activities under long-term crop rotations. A field experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates was carried out at the Wanzhong Farm in Ledong(18?37′–18?38′N, 108?46′–108?48′E), Hainan Province, China, to compare the responses of these soil parameters to long-term(10-year) banana(Musa paradisiaca)-pineapple(Ananas) rotation(AB), banana-papaya(Carica) rotation(BB) and banana monoculture(CK) in a conventional tillage system in the Hainan Island. Soil p H, total organic C(TOC), dissolved organic C(DOC), TN, total P(TP) and available P(AP) were found to be significantly higher(P 0.01) in AB and BB than CK at 0–30 cm soil depth. Microbial biomass C(MBC) and N(MBN) were observed 18.0%–35.2% higher in AB and 8.6%–40.5% higher in BB than CK at 0–30 cm. The activities of urease(UA), invertase(IA), dehydrogenase(DA) and acid phosphatase(APA) showed a mean of 21.5%–59.6% increase in AB and 26.7%–66.1% increase in BB compared with CK at 0–30 cm. Higher p H, TOC and DOC at 0–10 and 10–20 cm than at 20–30 cm were obtained despite of the rotations. Soil MBC and MBN and activities of UA, IA and DA decreased markedly(P 0.01) with increasing soil depth in the different rotation soils as well as the monoculture soil. In general, soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activities were more sensitive to changes in banana-based rotations than soil chemical properties, and consequently they were well-established as early indicators of changes due to crop rotations in the tropics.     

Field-scale spatial variability of soil calcium in a semi-arid region: Implications for soil erosion and site-specific management

Excess calcium(Ca) in soils of semi-arid and arid regions has negative effects on soil structure and chemical properties, which limits the crop root growth as well as the availability of soil water and nutrients. Quantifying the spatial variability of soil Ca contents may reveal factors influencing soil erosion and provide a basis for site-specific soil and crop management in semi-arid regions. This study sought to assess the spatial variability of soil Ca in relation to topography, hydraulic attributes, and soil types for precision soil and crop management in a 194-ha production field in the Southern High Plains of Texas,USA. Soils at four depth increments(0–2, 0–15, 15–30, and 30–60 cm) were sampled at 232 points in the spring of 2017. The Ca content of each sample was determined with a DP-6000 Delta Premium portable X-ray fluorescence(PXRF) spectrometer. Elevation data was obtained using a real-time kinematic GPS receiver with centimeter-level accuracy. A digital elevation model(DEM) was derived from the elevation data, and topographic and hydraulic attributes were generated from this DEM. A generalized least-squares model was then developed to assess the relationship between soil Ca contents of the four layers and the topographic and hydraulic attributes. Results showed that topographic attributes, especially slope and elevation, had a significant effect on soil Ca content at different depths(P 0.01). In addition, hydraulic attributes, especially flow length and sediment transport index(STI), had a significant effect on the spatial distribution of soil Ca. Spatial variability of soil Ca and its relationships with topographic and hydraulic attributes and soil types indicated that surface soil loss may occur due to water or wind erosion, especially on susceptible soils with high slopes. Therefore, this study suggests that the application of PXRF in assessing soil Ca content can potentially facilitate a new method for soil erosion evaluation in semi-arid lands. The results of this study provide valuable information for site-specific soil conservation and crop management.     

热带农业生态系统土壤肥力与植物养分综合管理研究进展

The greatest challenge for tropical agriculture is land degradation and reduction in soil fertility for sustainable crop and livestock production.Associated problems include soil erosion,nutrient mining,competition for biomass for multiple uses,limited application of inorganic fertilizers,and limited capacity of farmers to recognize the decline in soil quality and its consequences on productivity.Integrated soil fertility management(ISFM) is an approach to improve crop yields,while preserving sustainable and long-term soil fertility through the combined judicious use of fertilizers,recycled organic resources,responsive crop varieties,and improved agronomic practices,which minimize nutrient losses and improve the nutrient-use efficiency of crops.Soil fertility and nutrient management studies in Ethiopia under on-station and on-farm conditions showed that the combined application of inorganic and organic fertilizers significantly increased crop yields compared to either alone in tropical agro-ecosystems.Yield benefits were more apparent when fertilizer application was accompanied by crop rotation,green manuring,or crop residue management.The combination of manure and NP fertilizer could increase wheat and faba bean grain yields by 50%–100%,whereas crop rotation with grain legumes could increase cereal grain yields by up to 200%.Although organic residues are key inputs for soil fertility management,about 85% of these residues is used for livestock feed and energy;thus,there is a need for increasing crop biomass.The main incentive for farmers to adopt ISFM practices is economic benefits.The success of ISFM also depends on research and development institutions to provide technical support,technology adoption,information dissemination,and creation of market incentives for farmers in tropical agro-ecosystems.     

碱性肥料对香蕉枯萎病发生及土壤微生物群落的影响

【目的】针对我国香蕉主产区蕉园土壤酸化、 微生物环境恶化,香蕉枯萎病严重泛滥和肆虐,严重威胁产业等问题,通过施用碱性肥料改善蕉园土壤酸性及微生物环境,从而降低香蕉枯萎病发病率,促进香蕉健康生长。【方法】以重病区蕉园土壤为对象,采用盆栽试验,研究碱性肥料对土壤微生物及香蕉枯萎病发生情况的影响。试验设碱性肥料(AF)和常规肥料(CCF)2种肥料处理,每种肥料设低量(L1)、 中量(L2)和高量(L3)3个施肥量,同一施肥量处理的氮、 磷、 钾总用量相等。于2013年3月6日移栽香蕉苗到营养钵, 130 d后待各处理香蕉发病明显时采集土壤及植株样品进行各项指标测定。【结果】 1)施碱性肥料能显著降低香蕉枯萎病的发病率,常规肥料处理的香蕉发病率为78%,而碱性肥料处理的仅为33%。2)碱性肥料对土壤微生物群落有明显的影响,土壤中的真菌数量AF处理明显少于CCF处理,而细菌、 放线菌数量则显著高于CCF处理,因此AF处理土壤的香蕉尖孢镰刀菌明显减少。3)试验期间碱性肥料能显著提高土壤pH值,较常规肥料处理提高了0.75个pH单位,而土壤EC值比常规肥料处理低47.76 μS/cm。4)土壤pH值与土壤中古巴专化型尖孢镰刀菌(FOC)的数量及香蕉发病率呈显著负相关; 细菌数量与FOC数量、 香蕉枯萎病发病率、 病情指数之间呈显著的负相关; 土壤中FOC和真菌数量与香蕉发病率呈显著正相关。5)香蕉生物量随着碱性肥料和常规肥料用量的增大而增加,但碱性肥料的效果更加明显。【结论】应用碱性肥料不仅可以为香蕉提供氮、 磷、 钾养分,而且能改良蕉园土壤酸性从而改善土壤微生物群落结构及环境,有效防控香蕉枯萎病的发生。     

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Soils of Northeastern Brazil Converted to Irrigated Agriculture

The productivity of agricultural areas in semi‐arid regions can be improved through the use of irrigation. However, the intensive cropping of such soils can have detrimental effects, especially with regard to soil organic matter (SOM) pools. The goal of this work was to evaluate soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks of different irrigated agricultural systems and compare these to preserved natural ecosystems adjacent to each of the cropping systems. We selected four cropping systems: banana, a maize/bean succession (MB), pasture (P) and guava (G), as well as areas covered by native vegetation. Stocks of total soil organic carbon (TOC), amounts of unprotected and protected soil organic carbon, carbon and nitrogen in microbial biomass and microbial respiration were quantified. Surface soil TOC stocks under banana, G and P grass were significantly greater than under native vegetation and MB system. The most intensive management system was the MB, and the least intensive systems were P and G. The least intensive cropping systems were grouped on the basis of similarities in TOC, POC, total soil nitrogen and N in microbial biomass stocks. These results show that the degree of soil degradation resulting from changes in land use systems increases with the intensity of the land use systems themselves. This confirms the established hypothesis that the extent of degradation of soil properties and changes in some SOM fractions depend on the intensity of soil use. Furthermore, the adoption of conservation practices may remediate soil degradation and increase SOM stocks, mainly at the soil's surface. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

碱性肥料调节香蕉园土壤酸度及防控香蕉枯萎病的效果

【目的】我国香蕉主产区蕉园土壤酸化严重、 香蕉营养失衡、 巴拿马病（枯萎病）严重泛滥和肆虐,造成香蕉严重减产甚至绝收。中性碱性土壤条件可有效抑制引发巴拿马病（枯萎病）细菌（Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense）的感染。本研究在长期从事香蕉营养与施肥研究的基础上,研制了碱性肥料,并在海南乐东（香蕉枯萎病重灾区）进行了3年碱性肥料田间试验,研究碱性肥料以及其他肥料与其混合使用在改良蕉园土壤酸性的同时,防控香蕉枯萎病及其营养效果。以期通过施用碱性肥料改善我国蕉园土壤状况,降低枯萎病的发生,促进香蕉增产。【方法】试验采用5因素完全方案,分别为碱性肥料（AF）+长效肥料（CRF）+速效肥料（CCF）、 AF+CRF、 AF+CCF、 CRF+CCF、 CCF 5个处理,每个处理的氮、 磷、 钾总量相等,香蕉整个生育期内施氮（N）、 磷（P2O5）、 钾（K2O）分别为200、 80、 400 g/plant,每个处理重复3次,随机排列。在每次施肥后15~20 d采集表层15 cm的土壤并测定土壤pH值。分别在香蕉孕蕾期、 抽蕾期、 果实膨大期、 收获期调查枯萎病发病率、 病情指数。【结果】土壤pH值分别和香蕉枯萎病发病率、 病情指数间呈极显著的负相关,即土壤酸性越强,香蕉枯萎病越严重;黄叶率和香蕉枯萎病发病率、 病情指数间呈显著或极显著的正相关,说明香蕉枯萎病发病率和病情指数越高,香蕉黄叶数越多,绿叶数越少。通过4次施肥,碱性肥料在香蕉生长期供应适量足量氮、 磷、 钾养分的同时,还能有效地提高土壤pH值,使土壤pH值维持在7.0~7.4之间,并且能有效降低香蕉黄叶率、 发病率和病情指数,对防控香蕉枯萎病有显著效果。从香蕉孕蕾期开始,枯萎病呈现加重趋势,到收获期时香蕉发病最严重,但在这期间碱性肥料能明显降低香蕉枯萎病的发病率。香蕉收获期,常规肥料处理的枯萎病发病率在62%以上,而碱性肥料处理的发病率降低到了18%以下;并且碱性肥料能明显减轻发病香蕉病情,常规对照处理香蕉病情指数达到了21%,而碱性肥料处理的只有5%。香蕉黄叶率从营养期开始逐渐增大,碱性肥料处理香蕉黄叶率显著低于常规对照处理的黄叶率。碱性肥料处理的香蕉经济收获率由对照的56%增加到了72%,每公顷增产13267 kg,单株增产3.43 kg。【结论】碱性肥料增产的原因在于一方面提高了土壤pH值而降低了香蕉枯萎病发病率及其病情指数,减少了香蕉的黄叶数量,使香蕉有较多的绿叶进行光合作用而高产;另一方面香蕉生长期土壤处于中性偏碱环境能有效地抑制尖孢镰刀菌的萌发和致病,而有利于其他有益微生物的生长,从而为香蕉健康生长营造良好的土壤环境。由此可见,应用碱性肥料不仅是改良蕉园土壤酸性、 均衡土壤养分、 平衡香蕉营养的施肥技术,而且是防控香蕉枯萎病的有效措施。     

海南岛农业台风灾害风险评估与可持续发展对策

海南岛是中国台风频发地区之一,开展海南岛农业台风灾害风险评估研究,可为海南岛优化农业种植布局和加强农业防灾减灾提供技术支撑。该研究基于自然灾害系统理论和方法,结合海南岛气象、自然地理与社会经济等要素,综合考虑致灾因子危险性、孕灾环境暴露性、承灾体脆弱性,研究构建了海南岛农业台风灾害风险评估方法与指标体系,并基于2001-2020年历年海南岛台风发生数据进行了海南岛农业台风灾害风险评估,在此基础上提出了农业台风灾害防灾减灾与可持续发展对策。结果表明,海南岛农业台风灾害风险指数处于0.40～0.80之间,平均0.61,整体上呈现出北部及沿海地区的灾害风险高于中部山区的趋势;致灾因子危险性、孕灾环境暴露性在全岛北部和沿海地区指数较高,承灾体脆弱性在琼海、陵水和三亚等市县指数较高。同时提出了3种农业台风防灾减灾与可持续发展对策,包括调整农业种植布局、提升风险监测预警能力和加强农业政策保险投入等。海南岛各市县农业台风灾害风险的差异以及相应的对策,可支撑相关部门为不同灾害风险程度区域建立防灾方法提供指导依据。     

Enhancement of area‐specific land‐use objectives for land development

Maps of land‐use classes and soil series were analysed to identify areas having specific priorities with respect to agricultural land‐use analysis. Remote sensing data supported by field investigations was used to generate land‐use and soil maps. Present relationships between soils and associated land cover/use are analysed and patterns in these relationships are identified using GIS techniques. Relationships observed on the basis of a priori knowledge of the area and the available statistics are compared and these relationships in the field and through interviews with farmers are correlated. This allows three land‐use analysis objectives to be formulated: crop management improvement; crop selection; and conservation. The results can be used to focus the efforts of planning and extension services in the area. The method was tested using a participatory rural appraisal in eighteen villages in which the areas for the three land‐use analysis objectives were identified. The findings are that the areas identified for crop management improvement require knowledge about management practices for a specific crop to optimize yield and water use. Most areas identified for crop selection are occupied by smallholder subsistence farmers with insufficient water for irrigation, and a lack of contact with the extension service. In these areas, identifying suitable crops to minimize risk and allow subsistence for the resource‐poor farmers may be the priority. In areas identified for conservation the question to be addressed is whether to grow a crop at all, or to encourage alternative activities. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring biophysical potential and sustainability of wheat cultivation in Uruguay at the national level

Abstract. A methodology is presented that explores soil survey information at the national level (1:1 M), generating sustainability indicators for wheat cultivation in Uruguay. Potential yields were calculated for simplified crop production situations under several constraints, such as limitation of water availability calculated from soil physical properties and climatic conditions, and limitation of nutrient availability calculated from soil fertility and climatic conditions. Land quality sufficiency was examined by comparing these yields with the constraint-free yield conditioned only by solar radiation, temperature and the crop's photosynthetic properties. Crop growth was simulated only for areas suitable for the defined agricultural use. Model runs were repeated with inclusion of a topsoil loss scenario over 20 years as defined from an erosion risk analysis. Comparison between crop growth simulations for the two situations, gives an indication of the changes in land quality status, which supplies an indicator for agroecological sustainability.
On the basis of crop growth simulation it is concluded that wheat production constraints in Uruguay appear to be mainly related to water availability limitations, while nutrient availability is near optimal for the suitable soils. The simulated loss of topsoil impacts most on soil physical properties, expressed in reduced water-limited yields. Soil fertility status, evaluated by change in nutrient-limited yields, was little affected by the scenario.     

Microbial community structure and abundance in the rhizosphere and bulk soil of a tomato cropping system that includes cover crops

Understanding microbial responses to crop rotation and legacy of cropping history can assist in determining how land use management impacts microbially mediated soil processes. In the literature, one finds mixed results when attempting to determine the major environmental and biological controls on soil microbial structure and functionality. The objectives of this research were to: (1) Qualitatively and quantitatively measure seasonal and antecedent soil management effects on the soil microbial community structure in the rhizosphere of a subsequent tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum) and (2) Determine phylum scale differences between the rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial community as influenced by the antecedent hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), cereal rye (Secale cereale), or black plastic mulch treatments. In this report, we use terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the 16s rDNA gene to characterize changes in microbial community structure in soil samples from a field replicated tomato production system experiment at USDA-ARS Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA. We found season of the year had the strongest influence on the soil microbial community structure of some of the major microbial phyla. Although we monitored just a few of the major microbial phyla (four Eubacteria and Archaea), we found that the effects of the tomato plant on the structural composition of these phyla in the rhizosphere differed dependent on the antecedent cover crop. Increased understanding of how agricultural factors influence the soil microbial community structure under field conditions is critical information for farmers and land managers to make decisions when targeting soil ecosystem services that are microbially driven.     

基于SOTER的海南岛土壤水侵蚀模拟

The actual and potential water erosion rates of soils with different land covers in Hainan Island,China,were estimated based on the universal soil loss equation(USLE) and a 1:200000 Soils and Terrain digital Database(SOTER) Ddatabase,from which soil water erosion factors could be extracted.92.8% of the whole island had a current erosion rate of lowerthan 500t km^-2 a^-1.Soil erosion risk was considered to be high because of its abundant rainfall.Without vegetation tcover,the potential soil erosion ratewould be extremely high and 90.8% ofthe island would have a soil erosion rate higher than 2500t km^-2a^-1.Relative erosion vulnerability of different soil zones,landform types,and lithological regions of the island was compared by introducing a relative erosion hazard parameter α.Cambosols developed from siltstone and mudstone in low hill regions were pinpointed as soils with the highest erosion risk in the island.     

Carbon sequestration and saving potential associated with changes to the management of agricultural soils in England

Abstract. The potential for soil organic carbon sequestration, energy savings and the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases were investigated for a range of changes in the management of tilled land and managed grassland. These parameters were modelled on a regional basis, according to local soils and crop rotations in England, and avoided the use of soil related indices. The largest carbon sequestration and saving contribution possible comes from an increase in the proportion of permanent woodland, such that a 10% change in land use could amount to 9 Mt C yr⁻¹ in the initial years (arable and grassland). Changes in arable management could make a significant contribution to an abatement strategy if carried out in concert with greater use of permanent conservation field margins, increased returns of crop residues and reduced tillage systems, contributing 1.3 Mt C yr⁻¹ in the initial years. It should be noted, however, that true soil carbon sequestration would be only a minor component of this (125 kt C yr⁻¹), the main part being savings on CO₂ emissions from reduced energy use, and lower N₂O emissions from reduced use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer.