Movement of three stream‐resident balitoroid loaches and a goby in a Hong Kong hillstream

We undertook a mark–recapture study of three pool‐dwelling balitoroid loaches and a nonmigratory goby in a Hong Kong hillstream, which extended over a 35‐week period. The target species were Pseudogastromyzon myersi and Liniparhomaloptera disparis (Balitoridae), Schistura fasciolata (Nemacheilidae) and Rhinogobius duospilus (Gobiidae). Recapture rates of tagged individuals were high (58% overall), especially for the abundant R. duospilus (70% of 412 tagged) and P. myersi (57% of 762 tagged). At the end of the study, most recaptured individuals (78% of gobies, 62% of P. myersi, 42% of L. disparis and 67% of S. fasciolata) were within the pools where they had been released. Of those that had moved elsewhere, maximum displacements ranged from 46 m (R. duospilus) to 101 m (P. myersi), giving rise to a strongly leptokurtic distribution of movement distances. Mean displacements after 35 weeks ranged from only 2.9 m (R. duospilus) to 10.0 m (L. disparis). The sedentary behaviour of these species was more marked than most other small benthic fishes, although our study excluded the breeding period and wet season when high flows might have stimulated movement. Among the mobile P. myersi individuals, most travelled upstream, whereas mobile gobies tended to move downstream. Juveniles of P. myersi and R. duospilus, as well as large adult P. myersi, were especially sedentary, while mobile adult P. myersi that travelled further showed smaller growth increments. The highly sedentary habits of all four fishes suggest that they may exert persistent local top‐down control of benthic communities within pools in Hong Kong streams.     

Effect of Enterococcus faecium AL41 and Thymus vulgaris essential oil on small intestine integrity and antioxidative status of laying hens

We investigated the effect of Enterococcus faecium on phagocytic activity, antioxidative status in vivo and the effect of E. faecium and 0.4% concentration of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (EO) on the duodenal tissue integrity in vitro in laying hens. The birds were fed the same standard diets and were divided into four groups. E. faecium was added to the drinking water for the second and fourth groups. EO was added to special chambers for measuring trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) for the third and fourth groups only. TEER was lower in groups where EO was added, but in the group with E. faecium TEER was not changed significantly. Our results show that EO at 0.4% concentration may negatively affect intestine integrity, and the probiotic strain E. faecium AL41 is able to eliminate this effect and can strengthen non-specific immunity. To confirm our findings further histopathological investigations of intestinal tissue are needed.     

Probabilistic approach to sanitation and hygiene standards for content of pollutants in soil

The probabilistic approach methodology that assesses the permissible level of heavy metal (HM) pollution of agricultural land according to sanitation and hygiene principle is developed. Application of the methodology is illustrated by using information from the database, which characterize parameters of zinc transition from the soil to agricultural plants.     

Soil nitrogen and denitrification potential as affected by land use and stand age following agricultural abandonment in a headwater catchment

Changes in vegetation and soil properties because of agricultural abandonment may affect soil nitrogen (N) and associated processes. We investigated soil N (total N: TN, inorganic N: NH₄–N and NO₃–N) and denitrification potential in cropland, pine plantations and abandoned agricultural land along a secondary succession sequence (grassland→shrubland→secondary forest) in a headwater catchment in the Qinling Mountains, northwest China. The results show that the soil denitrification potential differed significantly among the five land‐use types with the highest potential in the secondary forest, followed by grassland, shrubland, cropland and plantations. The denitrification potential of the 20‐ to 40‐cm layer was significantly lower compared with the topsoil (0–20 cm) across all land‐use types. TN, soil organic matter (SOM) and NH₄–N increased significantly with stand age, whereas there was an opposite trend in soil pH. However, the denitrification potential did not relate to stand age in a linear manner. We conclude that changes in soil TN, SOM and pH during vegetation succession following agricultural abandonment are critical controls on the denitrification potential.     

Composting and Value-Added Utilization of Manure From a Swine Finishing Facility

Swine manure and wood shavings used as a drying bed were removed from a High-Rise? hog facility following two production cycles. The manure was composted in aerated pilot-scale vessels for four weeks or a mechanically turned windrow for ten weeks. Total dry matter losses during the pilot-scale studies were 30 and 32.5 % for continuously and intermittently aerated systems, respectively. Compost from both systems was stable with emission rates of 0.07-0.11 mgCO₂ h^?1 g_vs^?1. Moisture, O₂, CO₂ and NH₃ use/losses during the process as well as chemical properties of the initial and composted manure are presented. Incorporation of the compost at a 5% amendment rate (v/v) into a standard pine bark container medium significantly (P = 0.05) increased growth of two woody plant species. Higher amendment rates were toxic to some plants due to high initial NH₄⁺ concentrations in the medium. The compost significantly (P=0.05) increased growth and suppressed Pythium root rot of poinsettia when incorporated at 10% (v/v) into a standard sphagnum peat mix. The compost can be utilized as a value-added disease-suppressive product in the ornamentals industry.     

The effect of soil texture and organic amendment on the hydrological behaviour of coarse-textured soils

To gain more insight into the hydrological behaviour of coarse-textured soils, the physical properties of artificially created soil mixtures with different texture were determined. The mixtures were prepared according to the specifications of the United States Golf Association (USGA) for constructing putting greens. In addition, the effect of 10 vol.% organic matter addition was studied. The soil moisture retention and hydraulic conductivity relationships of the different mixtures were determined and their hydrological behaviour was studied using the numerical model SoWaM. Both texture and organic matter addition substantially affected the hydraulic properties. Hydraulic conductivity significantly increased with increasing coarseness while moisture retention decreased. On the other hand, organic matter addition reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity by a factor of 10 to 100 and distinctly increased moisture retention capacity. The amounts of total available water were increased by the addition of organic matter between 144% (slightly coarse texture) and 434% (very coarse texture). Results indicate that the mixtures can contain only 2–16% plant available water and therefore need frequent irrigation to maintain plant growth. Addition of organic matter seems a good solution to reduce the irrigation water requirements but it increases the risk of ponding or runoff because of large reductions in the saturated hydraulic conductivity sometimes to below the rate of 3.6 m/day recommended by the USGA.     

Erträge,n‐entzüge und humusdynamik im statischen düngungsversuch bad lauchstädt, 18 jahre nach erweiterung der versuchsfrage∗

Im Statischen Düngungsversuch Bad Lauchstädt werden nach Erweiterung der Versuchsfrage seit 1978 die Prüffaktoren: Stalldung (2 Stufen), C_org‐Gehalt im Boden (6 Stufen) und Mineral‐N‐Mengen (5 Stufen) in der Fruchtfolge Kartoffeln, Winterweizen, Zuckerrüben, Sommergerste geprüft. Nur bei Sommergerste konnte eine Ertragswirkung des Stalldungs im Vergleich zu ausschließlicher Mineraldüngung nachgewiesen werden. Die jährlichen Veränderungen der C_org‐ und N_t‐Gehalte im Boden betrugen bei jeweils extremen Änderungen des Düngungsregimes bis zu 0, 012% C_org bzw. 0,0013% N_t.