Increasing activity and improving nutrition through a schools-based programme: Project Energize. 1. Design, programme, randomisation and evaluation methodology

Project Energize is a through-school nutrition and activity programme that is being evaluated in a 2-year, cluster-randomised, longitudinal study. The present paper describes the background of the programme and study, the programme development and delivery, the study methodology including randomisation, measurement and analysis tools and techniques, and the mix of the study population. The programme is being delivered to sixty-two primary schools with sixty-two control schools, each limb containing about 11 000 students. The children in the evaluation cohort are 5 or 10 years old at enrolment; the randomisation protocol has achieved post-consent enrolment of 3000 evaluation participants, who are comparable by age, sex and school decile. End-point measures include body composition and associated physical characteristics, fitness, home and school environment and practice.     

The conservation impact of commercial wildlife farming of porcupines in Vietnam

Commercial farming of wildlife, particularly in Southeast Asia, is currently the subject of much debate and to date, its conservation impact has been largely unexplored. This study used semi-structured interviews to build a detailed understanding of the dynamics of the commercial farming of Southeast Asian porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) in the northwest Vietnamese province of Son La. Although farm owners are obliged by law to propagate stock solely from farm-bred animals, 58% of farm owners admitted purchasing wild founder stock, with at least 19% continuing to buy wild individuals. Despite the number of farms, the primary demand on them is to supply other farms, and wild meat restaurants were still sourcing their meat from wild populations. Lower cost was a major factor driving the trade in wild animals, with wild adult porcupines being bought for half the price of farm-bred adults. With high demand from farms and restaurants, increased targeted hunting may be the cause of a dramatic decline in the wild population of porcupines across the region.     

Man and the biosphere: An international research programme

A new international research programme entitled Man and the Biosphere (MAB) has just been launched by the General Conference of UNESCO. This programme is to focus on the structure and functioning of the biosphere and its ecological regions, on the changes brought about by Man in the biosphere and its resources, on the overall effects of these changes upon the human species itself, and on the education and information which needs to be provided on these matters. The need for the programme and the history of its development are briefly analysed. The scope and the proposed scientific content of MAB are described, including a list of the 31 research themes that are being considered on natural environments little modified by Man, on rural environments, on urban-industrial environments, and on pollution and related phenomena affecting the biosphere. An indication is given of the type of basic operations needed for such an international programme which is to include networks of observation and research stations and utilization of modern methodologies; also indicated are the education and training activities contemplated as a support to the programme, particularly in developing countries. It is emphasized that the MAB programme, which constitutes in many respects a follow-up and extension at the intergovernmental level of the International Biological Programme (IBP), will be carried out under the guidance of a 25-countries coordinating council in close cooperation with the other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations concerned. Each country has been invited to set up a National Committee through which individual scientists can influence the content of the programme.     

基于包络线消除法的油菜氮素营养高光谱评价

该文将广泛应用于岩矿高光谱分析中的包络线消除法借用至鲜叶片的光谱分析及作物氮素营养状况评价。利用油菜主要生育期的不同氮处理下鲜叶片反射光谱及全氮含量数据,对鲜叶片可见光波段反射光谱进行包络线消除处理,以及吸收特征与叶片全氮含量的统计分析。结果表明:在可见光区域,叶片反射率随着施氮量的增加而减小,包络线消除处理扩大了原始反射光谱中由氮素胁迫引起的吸收特征微小变化。在油菜的苗期、现蕾期至开花始期三个生育期中,550～750 nm波段的红光吸收峰总面积、吸收峰左面积和吸收峰右面积均随着施氮量的增加而增大,面积归一化最大吸收深度均随着施氮量的增加而减小。相关分析表明,苗期叶片全氮含量与吸收特征参量相关性最为密切。进一步基于各光谱吸收特征参数建立了油菜氮素营养的评价模型,这些评价模型除现蕾期外,其他均达到了1%的极显著性水平。研究表明,利用包络线消除法为定性和定量评价油菜氮素营养是可行的,苗期是利用光谱吸收特征来定量评价油菜氮素营养的最佳生育期。     

越南和平水电站库区不同农林复合模式的环境效益比较

为了找出最适宜于越南中部山区、预期综合环境效益最佳的、更利于生态平衡的农林复合模式,该研究以越南和平水电站库区4种主要农林复合模式：马占相思树（Acacia mangium）-玉米（Zea mays）、马占相思树-木薯（Manihot esculenta crantz）、赤桉树（Eucalyptus camandulensis）-旱稻（Oraza sativa）和马占相思树-木薯-玉米为研究对象,采用盖度、土壤理化性质、土壤蓄水能力、水土保持能力等指标进行环境效益的比较,最后得出的结论为：在4种农林复合模式中,马占相思树-木薯-玉米复合模式具有最高的水土保持效益和综合环境效益;赤桉树-旱稻复合模式的水土保持效益和综合环境效益均最低;实践中应该增加前者的种植面积,限制和减小后者的种植面积。在马占相思树-木薯-玉米复合模式的基础上加以改进,提出了预期综合环境效益更好的马占相思树-木薯-玉米-肉桂（Cinnamomum cassia）复合模式,为农林复合系统在和平水电站库区的应用提供更好的选择,同时也为世界上有类似气候环境条件的地区农林复合模式的采用提供参考。     

An evaluation of the functional significance of peat microorganisms using a reciprocal transplant approach

Our current knowledge on the relevance of microbial diversity and composition for the recovery and maintenance of soil biological processes is rudimentary, partly because experimental substantiation of the importance of community composition to function is scarce. Guided by this gap, we devised a reciprocal transplant experiment to examine the functional behaviour of different microbial communities exposed to two structurally distinct peats. Sterile peat samples representing two types, one humified (sedge) and the other dominated by coarse plant material (fibric), were inoculated with a 10⁻¹, 10⁻³, 10⁻⁵, or 10⁻⁸ dilution of either the same or reciprocal peats. After 5 months of incubation, we used a nucleotide-analog technique to label the active bacterial taxa in samples receiving the 10⁻¹ and 10⁻⁸ dilutions. We assessed both the peats' functional potential (respiration and nutrient-acquiring and lignin-degrading enzyme activities) and the structures of active and total bacterial communities (PCR-DGGE). In general, we found a decline in respiration rates and increase in enzyme activities with increasing dilution level, but the effect of dilution on bacterial richness was weak. The bacterial community structure and richness depended on both the inoculum source and the peat type. The activity of enzymes involved in nutrient acquisition depended mainly on the soil type, while the lignin-degrading activity was influenced by differences in community composition between peat types. Neither active bacterial populations nor respiration were significantly influenced by peat type or inoculum source. Our results suggest that the relationship between microbial community composition and function is not only related to the taxonomic breadth of the taxa that perform a given function, but may also be shaped by interactions between microorganisms in the inoculum source and the substrate being colonized.     

Traditional versus improved agroforestry systems in Vietnam: a comparison

Combined with the diverse biophysical and social heterogeneity encountered in the northern mountains, the socioeconomic changes in Vietnam that accompanied the decollectivisation process led to complex agrarian dynamics that today challenge traditional farming and management of natural resources. Data for this study were collected from villages in and around Ba Be National Park (BNP) in the Bac Kan Province located in the northern mountains of Vietnam. Traditional slash and burn cultivation is no longer a sustainable practice in Vietnam. The main challenges in the region are to protect biodiversity, maintain the land productivity and simultaneously support local livelihoods. The study shows that improved agroforestry cultivation could provide significantly higher productivity and income per unit of land, besides decreasing pressure on natural forests. The challenge to protect biodiversity is not met, as improved agroforestry implies less tree species. From an institutional and socio‐economic perspective, it is not easy for local communities to readily adapt to improved agroforestry. New systems must be tailored site‐specific to the diverse local conditions of resource‐poor farmers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aminochelates in plant nutrition: a review

Chelates are compounds that are applied to improve nutrition, especially the micronutrients status of plant tissues. During past decades, various chelating agents have been synthesized and introduced to agricultural systems. The recent formulas are aminochelates that are synthesized using various amino acids and a single or several nutrient ions aimed at improving fertilizer use efficiency and more adaptation to environment protection. Apart from their primary use as a micronutrient source, aminochelates represent an effective nitrogen (N) fertilizer in plant nutrition that can avoid negative effects from simple N fertilizers, such as urea. In various studies, higher yield and quality as well as higher concentration of nutrient elements have been obtained by application of aminochelates rather than simple chemical fertilizers. These compounds claimed to be more natural and safer forms of chelating agents, with higher use efficiency and without environmental side effects. However, there is lack of sufficient knowledge especially regarding their detailed impacts and their fate within the soil and plant system. This review provides information concerning the role of aminochelates in plant nutrition and to summarize the previous recent studies that have been done using these fertilizers.     

高标准农田建设政策对种植结构影响的模型评估

为评估高标准农田建设政策对农业种植结构的影响与政策的传导路径，利用2005—2017年中国省级面板数据，构建连续型双重差分模型（differences-in-differences model，DID）和两阶段估计模型，检验高标准农田建设的政策效应与作用机制。结果发现：1）高标准农田建设政策对种植结构“趋粮化”有正向促进作用，平均提高7.5%的粮食作物种植比例；2）政策的动态影响分析表明，随着高标准农田建设的范围和规模扩大，政策效应随着时间推移逐渐增强；3）作用机制分析表明，政策实施通过扩大农地流转规模、新增农机总动力和提高粮食种植专业化水平3条路径，推动种植结构“趋粮化”。因此，地方政府应严格落实高标准农田建设规划，稳健发展农地流转市场，提升农业机械化和农业社会化服务水平，鼓励粮食种植专业化，以实现高标准农田建设“藏粮于地”的政策效应。     

六盘山森林保持水土生态功能评价

本文列举并论述了在六盘山林区进行的森林水文学定位观测与考察成果，包括林分特性，降水分配，流域径流量、径流调节及其它森林水文特性。讨论范围涉及到六盘山的不同地域，并对当地水土保持生物措施及森林经营方法作了深入的探讨。