黄河三角洲不同土地利用方式对土壤的改良效应

通过对黄河三角洲地区棉田、果园、林地和荒地4种不同土地利用方式下土壤样品的采集与理化指标的分析,研究了该区域不同土地利用方式对轻度盐渍化土壤的改良功能。结果显示:果园土壤的容重、pH值和全盐含量等物理性状要优于其它3种用地方式;棉田土壤有机质与全N、全P和全K含量超过果园与林地土壤,而速效N和速效P含量以果园土壤最高,速效K含量以棉田最高,果园土壤最低;果园土壤C/N比值明显高于其它3种用地方式,以荒地土壤的C/N比值最低。综合分析认为:种植果树对土壤的物理性状改良效果较好,种植棉花对土壤的化学性状具有较好的改良效果。     

Nitrous oxide emissions from grazed grassland

Abstract. Grazing animals on managed pastures and rangelands have been identified recently as significant contributors to the global N₂O budget. This paper summarizes relevant literature data on N₂O emissions from dung, urine and grazed grassland, and provides an estimate of the contribution of grazing animals to the global N₂O budget.
The effects of grazing animals on N₂O emission are brought about by the concentration of herbage N in urine and dung patches, and by the compaction of the soil due to treading and trampling. The limited amount of experimental data indicates that 0.1 to 0.7% of the N in dung and 0.1 to 3.8% of the N in urine is emitted to the atmosphere as N₂O. There are no pertinent data about the effects of compaction by treading cattle on N₂O emission yet. Integral effects of grazing animals have been obtained by comparing grazed pastures with mown-only grassland. Grazing derived emissions, expressed as per cent of the amount of N excreted by grazing animals in dung and urine, range from 0.2 to 9.9%, with an overall mean of 2%. Using this emission factor and data statistics from FAO for numbers of animals, the global contribution of grazing animals was estimated at 1.55 Tg N₂O-N per year. This is slightly more than 10% of the global budget.     

Blood pressure response to phenylephrine infusion in halothane-anesthetized dogs given acetylpromazine maleate

To quantitate acetylpromazine-induced alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade, phenylephrine was infused into dogs. The amount of phenylephrine necessary to increase the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) 50% above base line, with or without the prior administration of acetylpromazine, served to quantify the degree of acetylpromazine-induced alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade. Seven dogs were anesthetized with thiopental, maintained on halothane in oxygen, and mechanically ventilated. All infusions were made through a catheter in the cephalic vein. Continuous recordings were made of MAP and a lead II ECG. After induction of anesthesia, instrumentation, and stabilization of heart rate, MAP, and ventilation, 6 group I dogs were infused with phenylephrine until a 50% increase in MAP was recorded (phenylephrine control). On subsequent research days, each dog was anesthetized, instrumented as described, and given (IV) 1 of 3 dosages of acetylpromazine in the following order--0.05, 0.125, and 0.25 mg/kg. The dose of phenylephrine necessary to increase MAP 50% in the presence of acetylpromazine was recorded. Five group II dogs were studied as in group I, but each dog was given (IM) atropine (0.04 mg/kg) before anesthetization. Two dosages of acetylpromazine were studied in the following order--0.05 and 0.25 mg/kg. Group I dogs, when compared with their phenylephrine controls, were given significantly more phenylephrine to raise MAP 50% at each dose of acetylpromazine studied. The same trend was observed in group II dogs, but at smaller doses of phenylephrine, probably as a result of the positive chronotropic effect of atropine on the heart.     

Transpiration increases during the dry season: patterns of tree water use in eucalypt open-forests of northern Australia

Australian savannas exhibit marked seasonality in precipitation, with more than 90% of the annual total falling between October and May. The dry season is characterized by declining soil water availability and high vapor pressure deficits (up to 2.5 kPa). We used heat pulse technology to measure whole-tree transpiration rates on a daily and seasonal basis for the two dominant eucalypts at a site near Darwin, Australia. Contrary to expectations, transpiration rates were higher during the dry season than during the wet season, largely because of increased evaporative demand and the exploitation of groundwater reserves by the trees. Transpiration rates exhibited a marked hysteresis in relation to vapor pressure deficit, which was more marked in the dry season than in the wet season. This result may be attributable to low soil hydraulic conductivity, or the use of stored stem water, or both. Tree water use was strongly correlated with leaf area and diameter at breast height and there were no differences in transpiration between the species studied. These results are discussed in relation to scaling tree water use to stand water use.     

Effect of a Probiotic on Prevention of Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens Shedding in Foals

Background

Up to 60% of foals develop diarrhea within 6 months after birth. Preventive measures are limited but potentially probiotics could be used.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of a newly designed probiotic on the incidence of foal diarrhea in a randomized field trial.

Animals

Seventy‐two healthy neonatal foals.

Methods

Randomized, placebo‐controlled field trial. Foals were administered a placebo or probiotic for 3 weeks and monitored for an additional week. A total of 3 fecal samples were taken from each foal at biweekly intervals. Statistical modeling was applied for comparison of incidence and duration of diarrhea and fecal shedding of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile between treatment and age groups.

Results

The overall incidence of diarrhea was 41 of 72 (59%) and did not differ (P = 0.37) between treatment groups. Foals treated with probiotics were more likely to develop diarrhea requiring veterinary intervention (P = 0.007). Age had a significant effect on incidence of diarrhea (P < 0.001); foals 8–15 days old having the highest probability of developing diarrhea. Duration of diarrhea and soft feces were not significantly different between groups. The prevalence of C. perfringens shedding was 55% with no difference between treatment groups (P = 0.23). The prevalence of C. difficile shedding was 11%.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

There was no benefit of administering a 3‐week course of probiotics, but potential adverse effects were noted. Whether the probiotics lacked a clinical effect, or the choice of strains or dose was inadequate, is unknown. Clostridial shedding was not influenced by probiotics despite in vitro activity of probiotics.     

Endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium sp in a dog

Mitral valve bacterial endocarditis, caused by Corynebacterium sp, was diagnosed in a dog. The bacteria had characteristics unlike those commonly recognized for most species of Corynebacterium. The primary source of bacteremia was suspected to be a pilonidal cyst of the sacrum. The dog was treated with a first-generation cephalosporin for 6 weeks, and the pilonidal cyst was surgically removed. Physical examination 1 year after initial examination revealed no abnormalities other than a cardiac murmur. On echocardiographic examination 1 year after treatment, the vegetative lesion was still present; however, chamber dimensions had returned to normal. Wall thickness and contractility remained increased.     

Effect of tillage and mode of straw mulch application on soil erosion in the submontaneous tract of Punjab, India

The submontaneous tract of Punjab comprising 10% of the state, is prone to soil erosion by water. Soils of the area are coarse in texture, low in organic matter and poor in fertility. High intensity rains during the monsoon season result in fertile topsoil removal. There is an urgent need to control soil erosion in this region so as to improve soil productivity. A field study was conducted to estimate the effect of tillage and different modes of mulch application on soil erosion losses. Treatments comprised two levels of tillage, viz. minimum (T_m) and conventional (T_c) in the main plots and five modes of straw mulch application, viz. mulch spread over whole plot (M_w), mulch spread on lower one-third of plot (M_1/3), mulch applied in strips (M_s), vertical mulching (M_v) and unmulched control (M_o), in subplots in a replicated split plot design. Rate of mulch application was 6 t ha⁻¹ in all modes. Compared with M_o, M_w reduced runoff by 33%. Runoff and soil loss were 5 and 40% higher under T_c than under T_m. Though other modes of straw mulch application (M_1/3, M_s and M_v) controlled soil loss better than M_o, their effectiveness was less than M_w. T_m was more effective in conserving soil moisture than T_c. Compared with M_o, M_w had 3–7% higher soil moisture content in the 0–30 cm soil depth under T_m. Minimum soil temperature of the surface layer was 1.4–2.4 °C lower under M_w than under M_o. Straw mulching reduced maximum soil temperature and helped in conserving soil moisture. Minimum tillage coupled with M_w was highly effective in reducing soil erosion losses, decreasing soil temperature and increasing moisture content by providing maximum surface cover.