Potential for greenhouse gas emissions from soil carbon stock following biofuel cultivation on degraded lands

Consequent to the interest in converting degraded lands for cultivation of biofuel crops, concerns have been expressed about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from changes in soil‐carbon (C) stock following land conversions. A literature‐based study was undertaken for estimating the magnitude of emission of GHGs, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), following an assessment of the extent and causes of land degradation and the nature of CO₂ emission from soils. The study estimated the potential for CO₂ emission resulting from changes in soil‐carbon stock following land conversions, using oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) as a case study. The analysis indicated that, overall, the magnitude of CO₂ emission resulting from changes in soil C stock per se following opening up of degraded land would be low compared with other potential sources of CO₂ emission. However, lack of data on critical aspects such as baseline soil C status was a limitation of the study. Soil respiration is the single best measure of GHG emission from soils. Fixation of C in additional biomass will compensate, over time, for C loss through soil respiration following a change in land use or land management, unless such changes involve conversion of existing large C stocks. Therefore, any net CO₂ emission from soils resulting from changes in soil C stock following opening up of degraded land is likely to be a short‐term phenomenon. The estimations used in the study are based on various assumptions, which need to be validated by experimental field data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Glacial survival of boreal trees in northern Scandinavia

It is commonly believed that trees were absent in Scandinavia during the last glaciation and first recolonized the Scandinavian Peninsula with the retreat of its ice sheet some 9000 years ago. Here, we show the presence of a rare mitochondrial DNA haplotype of spruce that appears unique to Scandinavia and with its highest frequency to the west-an area believed to sustain ice-free refugia during most of the last ice age. We further show the survival of DNA from this haplotype in lake sediments and pollen of Tr?ndelag in central Norway dating back ~10,300 years and chloroplast DNA of pine and spruce in lake sediments adjacent to the ice-free And?ya refugium in northwestern Norway as early as ~22,000 and 17,700 years ago, respectively. Our findings imply that conifer trees survived in ice-free refugia of Scandinavia during the last glaciation, challenging current views on survival and spread of trees as a response to climate changes.     

诃子总多酚恒温超声辅助提取与过程动力学研究

采用三频恒温数控超声辅助提取技术优化了诃子总多酚提取工艺;通过比较试验和扫描电镜分析了该技术高效提取的原因;从Fick第一定律出发建立了诃子总多酚扩散动力学方程,并进行了验证。结果表明,恒温超声提取诃子总多酚最佳工艺条件为:乙醇体积分数60%、超声频率80 k Hz、超声功率180 W、提取温度70℃;该工艺提取效率显著高于水浴振荡提取工艺(P0.001);扫描电镜观察发现,恒温超声提取技术对原料粉末微观结构破坏更严重。结合Fick第一定律及超声提取动力学推导了恒温超声辅助提取诃子总多酚动力学方程;验证试验表明,在相应的范围内,提取时间对数和提取功率对数均与诃子总多酚浓度对数呈正比关系。结果表明:恒温超声辅助技术可用于诃子总多酚高效提取。     

超声波对鱿鱼墨黑色素成分和物理结构的影响

为了提高鱿鱼综合利用价值,以加工废弃物中的鱿鱼墨黑色素为原料,研究超声波处理对黑色素成分和物理结构的影响。采用超声功率15 W/mL、超声时间2 s、间歇时间1 s、总工作时间20 min的工作条件对黑色素进行处理。结果表明：鱿鱼墨黑色素在超声波处理后,波长为224 nm和267 nm附近的两个峰吸光值显著增加,黑色素在环己烷中的溶解性显著增加,样品中没有新的具有紫外可见吸收特性物质生成;黑色素中蛋白质在超声波处理后的没有发生显著变化,而脂质含量显著减少;超声波后Ca、Mg、Na、K、Fe、Cu、Cd和Pb等8种金属元素含量均显著降低;电镜图片显示黑色素微球颗粒在超声过程中发生了爆炸,产生更为细小的碎片和碎末。     

诃子抗氧化活性物质提取工艺与抗氧化活性研究

对诃子抗氧化活性物质提取工艺、抗氧化活性及其初步物质基础进行了研究。结果表明,最佳提取工艺为：乙醇体积分数50%、液料比20、提取温度60℃、提取次数4次、提取时间7min;总还原力、FRAP法抗氧化能力和DPPH自由基清除能力的结果均显示诃子粗提物具有很强的抗氧化活性。生物活性追踪结果发现,诃子抗氧化活性物质主要由存在于乙酸乙酯相的弱极性化合物组成,该相质量浓度为25、50μg/mL样品的总还原力OD700值分别为0.197±0.002和0.380±0.006,FRAP法抗氧化能力OD593分别为0.272±0.023和0.631±0.002,DPPH自由基清除率分别为(86.838±0.600)%和(90.318±0.917)%。相关关系表明,诃子抗氧化活性的主要物质基础为总黄酮和总多酚。     

Soil aggregation and water holding capacity of soil amended with agro-industrial byproducts and poultry litter

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Soil organic matter (SOM) addition has been shown to be effective for improving physicochemical and hydrological properties, but its effectiveness may be improved...     

Epidemiology of nematode parasites of sheep around Jimma,southwestern Ethiopia

An investigation was made into the epidemiology of nematode infections of sheep in two districts of Jimma zone, southwestern Ethiopia. We used two approaches—long-term monitoring of identified sheep for nematode infection and abattoir or market survey for analysis. In the first monitoring regime, we used 80 lambs [40 sheep (20 per sex) from each district (Dedo and Yebu)] averaging 4–5 months of age. Faecal egg counts (FEC), packed cell volume (PCV) and body weight changes were monitored over a period of 1 year. Additionally, faecal samples were collected (on a weekly basis) from sheep brought to abattoir/market for 1 year to monitor faecal egg counts. The nematode parasite burden, as judged by FEC and PCV, was generally low indicating that the climatic conditions are not conducive to the development and survival of nematode eggs and the free-living stages; hence, little transmission occurred. In the experimental flocks, the highest FEC and lower PCV were recorded during the long rainy season (June to September) with peak in August and September. Faecal samples collected from abattoir/market also followed the same trend. Results from experimental sheep indicated that location had a significant (P < 0.01) effect on FEC, PCV and average daily body weight gain. The FEC and PCV for sheep in Yebu (mid-altitude) district were 126 ± 3.33 and 30.6 ± 0.26, whereas the values for Dedo (highland) were 93 ± 4.35 and 32.0 ± 0.21, respectively. The results indicate that the highland areas are comparatively less favourable to the survival and development of nematodes. Female lambs had lower FEC and higher PCV compared to male lambs (P < 0.05). The overall nematode parasite challenge in the area, however, is low. We, therefore, recommend rotational grazing management combined with monitoring parasite load and selective treatment to reduce productivity loses and pasture contamination.     

Induced resistance to foliar diseases by soil solarization and Trichoderma harzianum

The effect of soil solarization and Trichoderma harzianum on induced resistance to grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) was studied. Plants were grown in soils pretreated by solarization, T. harzianum T39 amendment or both, and then their leaves were inoculated with the pathogens. There was a significant reduction in grey mould in cucumber, strawberry, bean and tomato, and of powdery mildew in cucumber, with a stronger reduction when treatments were combined. Bacillus, pseudomonad and actinobacterial communities in the strawberry rhizosphere were affected by the treatments, as revealed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting. In tomato, treatments affected the expression of salicylic acid (SA)‐, ethylene (ET)‐ and jasmonic acid (JA)‐responsive genes. With both soil treatments, genes related to SA and ET – PR1a, GluB, CHI9 and Erf1 – were downregulated whereas the JA marker PI2 was upregulated. Following soil treatments and B. cinerea infection, SA‐, ET‐, and JA‐related genes were globally upregulated, except for the LOX genes which were downregulated. Upregulation of the PR genes PR1a, GluB and CHI9 in plants grown in solarized soil revealed a priming effect of this treatment on these genes' expression. The present study demonstrates the capacity of solarization and T. harzianum to systemically induce resistance to foliar diseases in various plants. This may be due to either a direct effect on the plant or an indirect one, via stimulation of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere.