Interpretation and presentation of cone resistance data in tillage and traffic studies

Recommendations are made regarding the analysis and presentation of cone resistance data. Methods for eliminating extreme readings due to stones are compared and the effects of stones on variability and treatment comparisons are discussed. Results showed very high variability between positions, even at 100 mm separation. Measurements separated by more than 1 m were independent of each other except where trends in other soil properties influenced cone resistance. The assessment of compaction under wheels is described for cone resistance measurements made under the rut centre-line. Parameters are derived from measurements made on two-dimensional, vertical grids to quantify the depth, extent and intensity of compaction and loosening. The usefulness of penetrometers in tillage and traffic studies is discussed.     

Identifying declines in waterbirds: The effects of missing data, population variability and count period on the interpretation of long-term survey data

To manage and conserve wildlife populations effectively it is necessary to use methods that identify the often non-linear trends in populations, have an inbuilt assessment of trend quality and can analyse count data from a range of spatial scales. We present a method of trend analysis using generalised additive models. These produce smoothed indices of abundance that can be used to assess population change from one or more sites or time periods, with any number of estimates of abundance per index period. We apply this method to count data collected under the Wetland Bird Survey, a national scheme that monitors waterbirds in the United Kingdom. To highlight declining populations, ‘alerts’ were raised if the population decline was equal to or greater than 50%. Significance was determined using bootstrapped confidence intervals for analyses that included many sites, or a novel Monte-Carlo method for single site analyses. The impact of missing data, species count variability and the number of months used to calculate the population change was greater at individual sites than for national datasets, which were relatively insensitive to changes in the above parameters. For single sites it is essential that three or more counts be made per index period if reliable estimates of population change are required. We propose that the method presented could be applied to a wide range of national or other monitoring schemes for a variety of taxa.     

Analysis of wheat disease resistance data originating from screenings of Gatersleben genebank accessions during 1933 and 1992

Erratum to: Genet Resour Crop Evol (2006) 53: 453–465 DOI 10.1007/s10722-004-1158-8 In the online version of Genet Resour Crop Evol 53 pages 453–465 uncorrected proofs were published instead of the final version of the article.The creditline should read; (2006) 53: 453–465. In Table 1, under the fourth heading; 5, 36 (447) should read 536 (447). Under the heading Leaf rust, page 456, (1071 accessions) should read (1,071 accessions).The online version of the original article can be found at     

A simulation study on tests of hypotheses and confidence intervals for fixed effects in mixed models for blocked experiments with missing data

This article considers the analysis of experiments with missing data from various experimental designs frequently used in agricultural research (randomized complete blocks, split plots, strip plots). We investigate the small sample properties of REML-based Wald-type F tests using linear mixed models. Several methods for approximating the denominator degrees of freedom are employed, all of which are available with the MIXED procedure of the SAS System (8.02). The simulation results show that the Kenward-Roger method provides the best control of the Type I error rate and is not inferior to other methods in terms of power.     

Analysis of toxicology data with covariates specific to each observation

The standard approach for analysis of teratology studiesis to use a population-averaged model with primary interest on evaluating dose-response effects. For example, generalized estimating equations (GEEs) have become popular for analysis of both developmental toxicity and reproducti vestudies (Ryan 1992). Such an approach is typically appropriate since the covariate of interest—exposure level—is constant for each litter of animals. Recently, however, there has been growing interest in evaluating effects of covariates that can vary between individuals within a cluster. This article explores several opportunities generated by teratology studies with individual-level covariates both in terms of modeling approaches and in decomposition of litter effects into genetic and environmental components.     

Analysis of water quality data using spectral analysis

Considerable effort has been expended by many State, Federal and private agencies in collecting data by installing automatic water quality monitoring stations on many streams and estuaries. This work discusses techniques for analyzing the data and presents some results based on the analysis of monitoring stations along the Ohio, Detroit, Missouri, and Coosa Rivers. Autocorrelation, spectral estimates, cross correlation, amplitude of transfer function and coherence square have been evaluated to correlate a water quality variable measured at different positions or different variables measured at the same location. Results from the different rivers have been compared and some conclusions have been drawn.     

六倍体小黑麦萌发期抗旱性分析

利用20%PEG-6000(-0.975 MPa)为渗透介质室内模拟干旱,分析六倍体小黑麦萌发期发芽率、发芽势、胚芽鞘长、根长、根数的变化,采用模糊隶属函数与抗旱系数相结合的方法对品种萌发期的抗旱性进行综合分析,并利用灰色关联分析法分析各个形态指标与抗旱性的关系,结果表明:干旱胁迫下,小黑麦各品种的发芽率、发芽势、胚芽鞘长、根长都比对照不同程度地降低或缩短,不同品种之间的差异达显著或极显著水平,但根数却增减不一,表明根数对水分胁迫的反应方向不一致;品种"Tornado"(S9)萌发期综合抗旱性强,为小麦抗旱育种提供了种质资源;发芽率与六倍体小黑麦萌发期抗旱性的关联度最大,可作为形态指标加以利用。     

Analysis of phenological observations on barley (Hordeum vulgare) using the feekes scale

Phenological observations on cereals using the Feekes scale are made in many crop growth studies, although this data collection is very time consuming and labour intensive. Despite the investment in time and labour, quantitative comparison of crop development rates among environments with different thermal, photoperiod, or moisture stress conditions is often difficult because of the non-linearity of the Feekes scale with time. Furthermore, as a result of this non-linearity, it is common for some phenological stages to be missed, even when frequent (e.g., three times weekly) observations are made. In this study, several approaches were taken to quantifying phenological development rates of barley under different growth conditions. First, all stages were expressed as a function of growing degree days (GDD) with a base temperature of 5°C. Missing phenological observations were then interpolated using a linear technique and an iterative procedure that included information from development rates of replicate plants to calculate the GDD associated with missing stages. Finally, a non-linear least squares algorithm was used to fit phenological observations to a function of GDD modified by photoperiod. Statistical analysis of function coefficients provided a quantitative basis for comparison of phenological development rates among different environments. In addition, the non-linear function could be used to predict phenological stage according to the Feekes scale as a function of GDD and photoperiod.     

基于DEM的县域土地利用空间自相关格局分析

为了研究地形变化对土地利用空间自相关格局的影响,该文首先以谷城县行政村土地利用变量为基础,运用全局Moran’sI系数、Moran散点图和Anselin局部Moran’sI系数分析了县域尺度土地利用空间自相关格局,揭示土地利用空间局部聚集和局部异常特征;后基于DEM地形分析提取海拔、坡度、坡向、地形起伏度及地表粗糙度5种地形因子,并对各种用地0.05显著性水平下局部聚集和异常区域的地形特征做了统计分析。结果表明,典型山地、丘陵和平原地形对土地利用自相关分布结构影响明显,其容易导致土地利用在局部空间显著性聚集特征的形成;而土地利用局部显著性异常区域的出现主要源于特殊地形或人为干扰。该研究可为区域土地利用结构调整和格局优化实践提供参考依据。     

风积沙混凝土的抗冻性与冻融损伤机理分析

为探讨沙漠沙(又名风积沙)替代河砂对低温环境下混凝土的耐久性能影响,按照风积沙替代河砂质量的20%、40%、60%、80%、100%共设计了5种强度等级为C25的风积沙混凝土(aeolian sand concrete,ASC)。采用加速试验方法研究了风积沙混凝土在冻融条件下的损伤失效规律,借助环境电镜扫描(environmental scanning electron microscope,ESEM)、应变监测和核磁共振(nuclear magnetic resonance,NMR)等测试手段得到了风积沙混凝土的损伤机理。研究发现风积沙掺量80%以上的混凝土冻融次数超过200次,冻融损伤残余应变小,内部封闭小孔隙数量多对冻融损伤的抑制阻碍作用增强。结果表明风积沙混凝土的抗冻性能随着风积沙掺量的增加而提高,掺量为100%的风积沙混凝土的抗冻性最好。该研究可为风积沙混凝土大范围应用于寒区渠道衬砌及水利设施建设提供理论依据。     

Scaling analysis of soil water storage with missing measurements using the second‐generation continuous wavelet transform

Information on the spatial variability of soil water storage (SWS) at different scales is important for understanding various hydrological, ecological and biogeochemical processes in the landscape. However, various obstructions such as roads or water bodies may result in missing measurements and create an irregular spatial series. The wavelet transform can quantify spatial variability at different scales and locations but is restricted to regular measurements. The objective of this study was to analyse the spatial variability of SWS with missing measurements using the second‐generation continuous wavelet transform (SGCWT). Soil water content (converted to SWS by multiplying with depth) was measured with a neutron probe and time‐domain reflectrometry along a transect of 128 points. Because there were missing measurements, I used SGCWT to partition the total variation into different scales and locations. Whilst there were some small‐scale variations (< 20 m) along the transect, the medium scale variations (20–70 m with an average of about 30–45 m) were mainly concentrated within the depressions along the transect. The strongest variations were observed at around 90–110 m scale, representing the variations resulting from alternating knolls and depressions. Similar spatial patterns at different scales were observed during different seasons, indicating temporal stability in the spatial pattern of SWS. Among the controlling factors, the wavelet spectra of relative elevation (RE) and organic carbon (OC) were very similar to that of SWS. The wavelet covariance was also large between SWS and RE and OC at all seasons. As the OC reflects the long‐term history of water availability and might be controlled by topographic setting or elevation, it can be concluded that elevation is an important controlling factor of SWS irrespective of seasons in this type of landscape. The SGCWT provides a new way of analysing the spatial variability of regularly measured soil properties or those with missing measurements.     

聚氯乙烯球阀水流阻力特性及流动规律分析

为了研究排灌工程管网中PVC球阀水流阻力及流动规律,对2种PVC球阀DN75和DN50进行了试验,采用角位移传感器监测阀门开度,同时采用Realizablek-ε紊流模型对2种球阀进行了数值模拟并分析验证,在此基础上对3种规格球阀DN110、DN90和DN63进行了数值模拟研究,得到5种规格球阀的阻力系数计算表达式。比较试验与数值模拟结果,DN75和DN50球阀模拟的阻力系数值与试验吻合的较好。DN75球阀流场特征显示相对开度为0.91时流态比较稳定,无明显漩涡;相对开度为0.36时压力、速度梯度较大,在球阀YZ截面出现大小相当、方向相反的对称漩涡,造成了较大的水头损失。研究结果可为管网的水力计算提供参考。     

Optimised use of data fusion and memory-based learning with an Austrian soil library for predictions with infrared data

Infrared spectroscopy in the visible to near-infrared (vis–NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) regions is a well-established approach for the prediction of soil properties. Different data fusion and training approaches exist, and the optimal procedures are yet undefined and may depend on the heterogeneity present in the set and on the considered scale. The objectives were to test the usefulness of partial least squares regressions (PLSRs) for soil organic carbon (SOC), total carbon (C_t), total nitrogen (N_t) and pH using vis–NIR and MIR spectroscopy for an independent validation after standard calibration (use of a general PLSR model) or using memory-based learning (MBL) with and without spiking for a national spectral database. Data fusion approaches were simple concatenation of spectra, outer product analysis (OPA) and model averaging. In total, 481 soils from an Austrian forest soil archive were measured in the vis–NIR and MIR regions, and regressions were calculated. Fivefold calibration-validation approaches were carried out with a region-related split of spectra to implement independent validations with n ranging from 47 to 99 soils in different folds. MIR predictions were generally superior over vis–NIR predictions. For all properties, optimal predictions were obtained with data fusion, with OPA and spectra concatenation outperforming model averaging. The greatest robustness of performance was found for OPA and MBL with spiking with R² ≥ 0.77 (N), 0.85 (SOC), 0.86 (pH) and 0.88 (C_t) in the validations of all folds. Overall, the results indicate that the combination of OPA for vis–NIR and MIR spectra with MBL and spiking has a high potential to accurately estimate properties when using large-scale soil spectral libraries as reference data. However, the reduction of cost-effectiveness using two spectrometers needs to be weighed against the potential increase in accuracy compared to a single MIR spectroscopy approach.     

Some observations on the desorption and distribution behaviour of copper with soil components

The ability of copper adsorbed by soil components to desorb back into solution was studied by means of experiments using radioactive ⁶⁴Cu. It was demonstrated that the amounts of copper which can be readily desorbed from soil components are very small. A dialysis equilibration technique was used to examine the distribution of adsorbed copper between individual materials in a multi-component system. Where only adsorption of copper was involved, the distribution of copper between soil materials was found to agree with predictions based on adsorption studies with individual materials. However, where desorption was involved, as in the experiments on the redistribution of copper between components after an initial adsorption, the results were strongly governed by the poor reversibility of copper adsorption. It is clear that desorption or lack of desorption is very important in affecting plant availability of indigenous or added soil copper and in controlling the distribution of copper added to soils.