Tree species composition influences differences in water use efficiency of upland forested microwatersheds

Water use efficiency (WUE) was compared in three upland South Moravian forested microwatersheds in the light of effects of global climate change on forest ecosystems (GCC). The experimental catchments were characterized as upland headwater forested microwatersheds of similar size and morphology and silvicultural system, but each with different dominant tree species in the stands (over 50% of forest stand composition in living stock): Norway spruce, European beech and mixed forest. WUE was evaluated according to mean daily streamflow reduction, measured at the discharge points of the recipients of the individual catchments in precipitation-free periods lasting more than 5 days. During these times, streamflow dynamics are mainly influenced by evapotranspiration processes occurring in the forest stands. Four precipitation-free periods were observed, two in the middle of the growing season and two at its end. Two of these periods were long (15 days or more), and two were shorter (6 days). The results indicated that WUE of upland forested catchments can be very different, depending upon the dominant tree species and the seasonal phase. Highest WUE at the catchment scale (never decreasing below 80%) was exhibited by beech predominating site. WUE of mixed forest was high as well, never decreasing below 69%. The lowest WUE was exhibited by spruce predominating site, especially during a long precipitation-free period in the summer where it decreased down to 39%. In the context of the landscape, upland microwatersheds with pure spruce stands could cause its accelerated dry out in the summer and pose a significant threat to sustainable water and forest management of these areas. In comparison, mixed forests stands where spruce is not the dominant species or beech stands should still be a viable option even under the effects of GCC.     

Enzyme activities and microbial biomass in topsoil layer during spontaneous succession in spoil heaps after brown coal mining

Changes in the activity of extracellular enzymes (cellobiohydrolase, β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, chitinase, arylsulfatase and phosphatases) and the changes in microbial community and abiotic properties in the topsoil layer, as well as soil abiotic properties during primary succession were investigated in a brown coal mine deposit area near Sokolov, Czech Republic. The study considered the chronosequence of 4 post-mining plots, 4-, 12-, 21- and 45-year old. The 4-year old site had no vegetation cover. Herbs and grasses (mainly Calamagrostis epigeios) were present on the 12-year old plot, shrubs (Salix caprea) occurred on the 21-year old plot and tree cover (Betula spp. and Populus tremuloides) developed on the 45-year old plot. Soil pH gradually decreased with site age, while the content of P, K, C and N peaked in the 21-year old site, being significantly lower in the 45-year old site and much lower in the 4- and 12-year old sites. Phosphatase activities were strongly affected by seasonality while the activities of all the other enzymes measured were more influenced by the effects of succession age and soil layer than by seasonality. Succession age was also the most important factor affecting the total and bacterial PLFA contents, followed by the effects of soil layer and season while for the fungal biomass content-related properties (ergosterol, fungal PLFA and the fungal/bacterial PLFA ratio), season was the most important. Activities of individual enzymes in the topsoil (0–5 cm depth) were significantly affected by both site age and season. Cellobiohydrolase and β-xylosidase were more affected by site age while chitinase and phosphatases were more affected by season. Enzyme activity increased with succession age. Comparison of the effect of site and season on enzyme activity showed that season played a principal role in the enzyme activity of the entire 0–5 cm component of topsoil, as well the soil layers when evaluated separately.     

Wheat genetic resources enhancement by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) acts as a catalyst and leader in a global maize and wheat innovation network that serves the poor in the developing world. Drawing on strong science and effective partnerships, CIMMYT researchers create, share, and use knowledge and technology to increase food security, improve the productivity and profitability of farming systems and sustain natural resources. This people-centered mission does not ignore the fact that CIMMYT’s unique niche is as a genetic resources enhancement center for the developing world, as shown by this review article focusing on wheat. CIMMYT’s value proposition resides therefore in its use of crop genetic diversity: conserving it, studying it, adding value to it, and sharing it in enhanced form with clients worldwide. The main undertakings include: long-term safe conservation of world heritage of both crop resources for future generations, in line with formal agreements under the 2004 International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, understanding the rich genetic diversity of two of the most important staples worldwide, exploiting the untapped value of crop genetic resources through discovery of specific, strategically-important traits required for current and future generations of target beneficiaries, and development of strategic germplasm through innovative genetic enhancement. Finally, the Center needs to ensure that its main products reach end-users and improve their livelihoods. In this regard, CIMMYT is the main international, public source of wheat seed-embedded technology to reduce vulnerability and alleviate poverty, helping farmers move from subsistence to income-generating production systems. Beyond a focus on higher grain yields and value-added germplasm, CIMMYT plays an “integrative” role in crop and natural resource management research, promoting the efficient use of water and other inputs, lower production costs, better management of biotic stresses, and enhanced system diversity and resilience.     

Common flaws in the analysis of river sediments polluted by risk elements and how to avoid them: case study in the Ploučnice River system,Czech Republic

Journal of Soils and Sediments - River channel sediments have been widely used to trace current and historical pollution in fluvial systems, although they are not the only media employed for that...     

Estimation of the base line imagined as a muscular background for myoglobin determination by reflectance spectrometry

Liquid extraction method for determination of myoglobin in muscle is not suitable because of changes in the derivatives and time required. Optical reflectance method is useful as a non‐destructive and real‐time measurement. However, the base line of reflectance method, the muscular reflectance background (MRB) imagined as colorless structural elements, has been unknown because of non‐existence. The spectrum of the base line was analyzed as the analogy of bleached meat. A formula was derived for reflectance that had a linear relationship to the reciprocal of wavelength to the power 4. The reflectance characteristic of the MRB was not constant and the curve tended to rise with increasing wavelength. The reflectance at 700 nm was estimated to be 50%. By the characteristic analysis on Commission Internationale l’Eclairage color values and reciprocal reflectance, it was concluded that the reflectance spectrum of the muscular background obtained in this research was fitted as a base line for the reflectance spectrometry.     

Fenoxycarb,an insect growth regulator with juvenile hormone activity: A candidate for Heliothis virescens (F.) control on cotton

Tobacco budworm eggs, deposited on cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.) treated with fenoxycarb, do not produce viable larvae. The insects die either at the end of embryonic development or during 1st-2nd larval instars, even when the larvae hatching on the treated leaves are transferred to untreated plants. This ovo-larvicidal activity and indications of good foliar persistence make fenoxycarb a promising candidate for the control of tobacco budworm on cotton. This type of application could open new aspects for the control of lepidopterous pests with this novel compound.     

Suction air traps vs. crops in monitoring Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdj.) in Central Europe (Hom., Aphididae)

Summary The Russian wheat aphid (=RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Kurdj.) is an exotic expansive aphid on the small grains determined in the Czech republic since 1993 (1995). Determination of RWA flight patterns by suction air traps (= SATs) between 1994-1998 indicated some banker, less important, or indicated RWA distribution areas. A comparison of the RWA monitoring by SATs and by crop samples in areas more or less distant from individual SAT locations manifested a high silmilarity of RWA evidence in its overall distribution and area-influenced population numbers. Owing to geographic area-dependent features of its life-cycle (holocycly) and host plant preferences, RWA seems to be most injurious to spring barley. In spite of the role of SATs in aphid forecasting, RWA samples are recommended to be taken also from the crops at the early ripening stage as the respective SAT evidence reflects only the emigration of the alate aphids originating from the decreasing populations. In general, RWA detection by SATs was either simultaneously or successively found to reflect the RWA presence in the more or less distant crops. The 30km perimeter of a SAT is agreed to be representative for mon-toring RWA populations in a sampled area.     

Arthropod pests and their natural enemies in stored crops in northern Namibia

A survey of stored product pests, their natural enemies, grain storage and pest management approaches in northern Namibia was conducted. The survey revealed five types of crop commodities (pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, maize, feed mixture) stored in four types of grain stores (baskets, bag stags-flat stores, concrete bin, metal containers). No synthetic pesticides or plastic sheeting was recorded. Wooden-ash natural pesticide is the only protectant used. Ten insect pest species were found affiliated to the orders of Coleoptera (Attagenus fasciatus, Callosobruchus subinnotatus, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium castaneum), Lepidoptera (Corcyra cephalonica, Sitotroga cerealella), Psocoptera (Liposcelis paeta) and Blattodea (Blattella germanica). Out of these, seven species were recognized as new stored-products pests for Namibia. Although listed for southern Africa region, no storage pest-mites (Acari) and Sitophilus spp., Prostephanus sp. or Trogoderma sp. beetles were traced. We found four new species of natural enemies of storage pests recruiting from insects (Habrobracon hebetor, Cephalonomia wattersoni, Brachymeria sp.) and mites (Blattisocius tarsalis). The occurrence of natural enemies indicates a potential for pest bio-control in Namibian grain stores.