Influence of non-cellulose structural carbohydrate composition on plant material decomposition in soil

The C mineralisation pattern during the early stage of decomposition of plant materials is largely determined by their content of different carbohydrates. This study investigated whether detailed plant analysis could provide a better prediction of C mineralisation during decomposition than proximate analysis [neutral detergent solution (NDF)/acid detergent solution (ADF)]. The detailed analysis included sugars, fructans, starch, pectin, cellulose, lignin and organic N. To determine whether differences in decomposition rate were related to differences in hemicellulose composition, the analysis particularly emphasised the concentrations of arabinose and xylose in hemicelluloses. Carbon dioxide evolution was monitored hourly in soil amended with ten different plant materials. Principal component and regression analysis showed that C mineralisation during day 1 was closely related to free sugars, fructans and soluble organic N components (R ² = 0.83). The sum of non-cellulose structural carbohydrates (intermediate NDF/ADF fraction) was not related to C mineralisation between days 1 and 9. In contrast, a model including starch and protein in addition to the non-cellulose structural carbohydrates, with the hemicelluloses replaced by arabinose and xylose, showed a strong relationship with evolved CO₂ (R ² = 0.87). Carbon mineralisation between days 9 and 34 was better explained by xylan, cellulose and lignin (R ² = 0.72) than by lignocellulose in the ADF fraction. Our results indicated that proximate analyses were not sufficient to explain differences in decomposition. To predict C mineralisation from the range of plant materials studied, we propose a minimum set of analyses comprising total N, free sugars, starch, arabinose, xylan, cellulose and lignin.     

Potential chemical time bombs in the schelde estuary

The Schelde estuary is heavily polluted with many different (micro)pollutants. This results in high concentrations in the abiotic and biotic compartments of the Schelde estuary and in various effects. the present day suboxic and anoxic conditions in the upper estuary are probably responsible for the high distribution coefficients for some trace metals in the lower Schelde estuary (Western Schelde). a future reduction in discharges with a high biological oxygen demand will therefore not only result in higher oxygen concentrations, but probably also in lower distribution coefficients for trace metals in the Western Schelde. Simulations show that lower trace metal distribution coefficients will probably result in higher concentrations of dissolved (bioavailable) trace metals, even with substantially reduced discharge rates, due to the desorption of trace metals from resuspended bottom sediments.     

河套灌区麦后复种毛叶苕子与化学氮肥减量配施对 作物产量和土壤肥力的影响

研究河套灌区春小麦后复种毛叶苕子还田条件下,小麦季不同施氮水平对小麦 - 绿肥轮作体系产量、土 壤肥力及经济效益的影响,旨在为河套灌区绿肥还田下小麦氮肥减量提供科学依据。2018—2020 年在内蒙古巴彦 淖尔市农牧业科学研究所园子渠试验站进行田间定位试验,采用随机区组试验设计,以麦后夏休闲 + 小麦常规施 氮为对照(CK),设置麦后复种毛叶苕子 50% 翻压还田 + 小麦减氮 10%(GN90)、减氮 20%(GN80)和减氮 30% (GN70)。与 CK 相比,2019 年 GN80 处理显著提高春小麦产量 12%,2020 年 GN90、GN80 显著增加了春小麦产量, 增幅分别为 16% 和 13%。春小麦季减氮对复种毛叶苕子鲜草产量没有影响,2020 年毛叶苕子产量仅为 2019 年的 52%。麦后复种毛叶苕子结合氮肥减量 10% ～ 30% 显著增加了春小麦穗粒数及千粒重,实现增产稳产。与 CK 比 较,2019 年不同处理对土壤全量及速效养分含量影响不显著;2020 年 GN90 处理显著提高了土壤有机质含量,增 幅为 37%。GN90、GN80、GN70 处理的土壤全氮含量分别显著增加了 40%、23%、17%,GN90、GN80 处理显著提 高了有效磷含量,增幅分别 21%、23%。2019 年 GN90、GN80、GN70 经济效益较 CK 分别增加 39%、33%、29%; 2020 年由于毛叶苕子牧草收益大幅降低,导致 GN80、GN70 处理的纯增收益较 CK 分别低 3%、5%。河套灌区麦后 复种毛叶苕子 50% 翻压还田,后茬小麦季减氮 10% 可以提高小麦产量、培肥土壤,同时具有较高经济生态效益,是一种适宜河套地区春小麦种植的绿色高效栽培模式。     

Agroforestry techniques for the rehabilitation of degraded salt-affected lands in India

The development of appropriate technologies for the judicious use of India's 8.11 million ha of salt-affected lands would give increased food, fodder and fuelwood production. A sizeable portion of the salt-affected lands of the Indo-Gangetic plain have been reclaimed through chemical amendments and are being commercially used for arable farming. However, large areas of salt-affected common lands, village and government lands and waste lands near cities, along railway tracks and roads do not have any productive use. Owing to their sparse vegetative cover such lands are vulnerable to further degradation and can be a source of runoff causing floods, especially where cows congregate. Research at the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal has generated agroforestry techniques which could enable the economic exploitation of such marginal lands. This paper deals with various aspects of these techniques, which have been applied to over 50 000 ha by 1994. Based on eight to ten years of growth and biomass figures, the most salt-tolerant woody species identified were: Prosopis juliflora, Acacia nilotica, Casuarina equisetifolia, Tamarix articulata, Leptochloa fusca (a palatable forage grass which was found to be a promising primary colonizer of salt lands). Agronomic practices for the successful establishment of trees such as planting methods, amendment use, irrigation, spacing and lopping schedules are discussed. A Prosopis juliflora-leptochloa fusca silvipastoral model was found to be excellent for fuelwood and forage production and for the amelioration of high pH soils. This system, when followed for little more than four years, reclaims alkali soils to such an extent that normal agriculture crops such as Trifolium alexandrinum and T. resupinatum can be grown successfully. A ridge-trench system of tree planting was found to be helpful in alkali soils, the in situ rainwater conservation it led to assisting biomass production. Eucalyptus tereticornis, Populus deltoides and Tectona grandis based agroforestry were promising for reclaimed salt-affected lands. The short- and long-term effects of various tree plantations on the physicochemical properties of the soil and on soil-water relations are also discussed. Agroforestry options for the development of salt-affected lands found in various agroclimatic zones of India are explored.     

Influence of the Structural Features of Carrageenans from Red Algae of the Far Eastern Seas on Their Antiviral Properties

The structural diversity and unique physicochemical properties of sulphated polysaccharides of red algae carrageenans (CRGs), to a great extent, determine the wide range of their antiviral properties. This work aimed to compare the antiviral activities of different structural types of CRGs: against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and enterovirus (ECHO-1). We found that CRGs significantly increased the resistance of Vero cells to virus infection (preventive effect), directly affected virus particles (virucidal effect), inhibited the attachment and penetration of virus to cells, and were more effective against HSV-1. CRG1 showed the highest virucidal effect on HSV-1 particles with a selective index (SI) of 100. CRG2 exhibited the highest antiviral activity by inhibiting HSV-1 and ECHO-1 plaque formation, with a SI of 110 and 59, respectively, when it was added before virus infection. CRG2 also significantly reduced the attachment of HSV-1 and ECHO-1 to cells compared to other CRGs. It was shown by molecular docking that tetrasaccharides—CRGs are able to bind with the HSV-1 surface glycoprotein, gD, to prevent virus–cell interactions. The revealed differences in the effect of CRGs on different stages of the lifecycle of the viruses are apparently related to the structural features of the investigated compounds.     

Amelioration of a highly degraded tropical alfisol by planting I. Changes in soil physical and chemical properties 1989-91

This paper examines soil amelioration by planting 15 leguminous and graminaceous plant species, including herbaceous annuals, perennials and biennials, and woody perennials and biennials. Disturbed and undisturbed natural regrowth were planted with leguminous species, in some cases with fertilizer applied at planting (400 kg ha⁻¹ of 15:15:15 NPK). The studies were made on two highly degraded sites in southwestern Nigeria which had been subjected to intensive mechanized cropping for a period of 10 years. Changes in soil physical and chemical properties were monitored from 1989 to 1991. Acacia difficilis, Brachiaria lata and Mucuna utilis had the lowest survival rates by the following growing season. Soil fertility and compaction levels differed between sites. Planting had no effect on the latter. The decreases in compaction (i.e. macroporosity) between 0.00 and 0.10 m depth at both sites one month before and five and 17 months after planting were 43, 59 and 61 per cent, respectively were attributed to exclusion of heavy machinery from the sites. Large decreases in fertility occurred at both sites and were attributed to a combination of nutrient extraction and to leaching. Between fallow species, exchangeable Ca, pH and the cation-exchange capacity (CEC) were greater and total acids lower for herbaceous cover compared with woody perennials, and was attributed to a higher Ca demand by the latter. Highest and lowest values of Ca, CEC and pH occurred in plots where plant material was returned to the soil (i.e. by cutting or die-back) and in cropped plots, respectively. Natural regrowth was as effective or better than planted species in improving soil physical and chemical properties. Therefore the use of exotic plant species for ameliorating highly degraded alfisols is unnecessary. Amelioration of highly degraded alfisols may be best effected by allowing natural regrowth to occur while excluding all mechanized traffic from the site.     

Non-native marine species in British waters: effects and controls

1. The occurrence of non-native marine macro fauna and flora, which have become established in the wild British waters, are summarized. The effects of these non-natives on the native fauna and flora and on commercial and recreational interests are reviewed. 2. Sixteen species of marine algae (11 rhodophytes, three chromophytes and two chlorophytes), five diatoms, one angiosperm and 31 invertebrates were identified as non-native. The majority of these species are red algae, polychaete worms, crustaceans and molluscs. 3. Species were introduced directly from primary sources within their natural range, or from secondary sources to which they had previously been introduced. They have only become established where introduced from similar latitudes of both hemispheres. 4. More than half the total number of species are considered to have been introduced to Britain in association with shipping, whilst half of the non-native marine algae are believed to have been introduced in association with deliberate introductions for mariculture. 5. Of the species that had spread, the marine plants did so fairly rapidly, while the invertebrates tended to spread more slowly. The methods of spread were often the same as their method of introduction for both flora and fauna. 6. The direct effects of non-native species on the marine environment in British waters are not as detrimental as those reported from elsewhere in the world. Some commercially important species have been introduced, but some associated pests and parasites have accompanied them. 7. Control methods, where applied to populations of nuisance species, are fairly ineffective and no non-native marine species have been deliberately eradicated from British waters. Ways of avoiding introduction of further non-natives by mandatory and voluntary means are discussed. ©1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Disturbance of benthic species by fishing activities: a sensitivity index

1. Preliminary estimates of the relative sensitivity of sea bed types and benthic species to physical disturbance, particularly fishing activity, have been made in order to identify areas where further studies are required and to help formulate management plans for sites of marine conservation importance. 2. Physical disturbance is considered in the context of a single encounter with fishing gear followed by a recovery period during which there is no fishing, but with a view to qualifying, in the future, the effect of multiple fishing events. Disturbance is considered in terms of the physical action of the gear on the sea bed and the unit area over which this action occurs. 3. The effects of a wide range of gears are considered. Static gears, which can be employed on a variety of substrata, generally result in low level impacts for single fishing events and impacts are localized compared with the effects of mobile gears, which can extend over considerable areas. 4. The theoretical sensitivity of individual species is assessed on the basis of how well they cope with an encounter with fishing gear and on their likely recovery from destruction in terms of their reproductive strategies. 5. Species considered of key importance in the structuring of communities are suggested and examples of particularly sensitive species, which are therefore likely indicator species of physical disturbance, are listed. 6. Fragile, slow recruiting animals are considered to be most susceptible to disturbance, while the least sensitive species are generally fast growing and have good recruitment. ©1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metal contamination from open-cast copper and sulphur mining in southeast Ireland

The metal content was determined in soil and vegetation around the eastern zone of the disused sulphur and copper mines at Avoca (southeast Ireland). A 250 m × 250 m grid survey was conducted covering a total area of 4 km². The mining belt was in the centre of the investigated site and was sampled separately. Iron, Zn, Cu and Cd concentrations in soil and plant material were determined, in addition to soil organic matter content and soil pH. Soil samples taken from the spoil showed elevated Cu and Cd concentrations, and low soil pH and organic matter content. At least 50 per cent of the agricultural sites examined around the East Avoca Mine showed elevated soil Cu and Cd concentrations, whereas Zn and Fe soil concentrations were within the range for unpolluted soils. None of the vegetation analysed had elevated Zn, Cd, Fe or Cu concentrations. Overall there was no indication of serious metal contamination in either soils or vegetation surrounding the mine in spite of extensive dust deposition during open-pit mining activity 15–30 years ago. However, a plume of elevated Cu in the soil was identified, which originated from a large spoil heap and had been spread for some 2·0 km by the prevailing wind.