Fate of Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157 in soils and drainage water following cattle slurry application at 3 sites in southern Scotland

Abstract. Slurry from farm animals may contaminate water supplies, rivers and bathing waters with faecal coliforms, such as Escherichia coli . Where animals harbour the O157 strain the hazard to human health is particularly high, but both the hazard level, and the low incidence and sporadic nature of the excretion of E. coli O157 make it difficult to study this strain under field conditions. The survival of total E. coli and of E. coli O157 were compared in the laboratory for two soils under controlled temperature and moisture. E. coli O157 die-off rate was the same as or quicker than for total E. coli . This result meant that field experiments studying the fate of total E. coli should give a satisfactory evaluation of the risk of water contamination by the O157 strain. In four field experiments at three sites, slurry containing total E. coli numbers of 2.2 × 10⁴ to 5.7 × 10⁵ colony forming units per mL (c.f.u. mL^–1) was applied to drained field plots. Field die-off was faster than expected from laboratory experiments, especially in one experiment where two weeks dry weather followed application. In all but this experiment, the first drain flow events after slurry application led to very high E. coli concentrations in the drains (10³ to 10⁴ c.f.u. mL^–1). E. coli O157 was present in the slurry used for two of the experiments (33 c.f.u. per 100 mL in each case). However the proportion of E.coli O157 was very low (about 1 in 10⁵) and it was not detected in the drainage water. After the first week E. coli drainage water numbers decreased rapidly but they were 1–10 c.f.u. mL^–1 for much of the sampling period after slurry application (1–3 months).     

Influence of Low Light Irradiance on Grain Filling in Rice (Oryza saliva L.) cultivars

Time course of grain filling pattern in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, grown under normal and low light intensities, was studied. The number of spikelets, partially filled grains and high density grains were monitored at a 5 day interval during grain filling period from uniform panicles tagged at anthesis. The low light tolerant cultivar Swarnaprabha had more high density grains and less partially filled grains throughout the grain filling period and at harvest compared to cultivar Ratna under both normal and low light intensities. Further, the opening of spikelets in two flushes in Swarnaprabha seemed to result in a more efficient resource allocation and hence better yield as compared to Ratna, in which the opening of spikelets was in a single flush on day 10.     

Physiological Basis of Irrigation Scheduling for Seed Production in Egyptian Clover Syn. Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) Crop

A field experiment was conducted to find out the critical physiological stages of irrigation schedules inducing better growth, physiological efficiency and seed yield potential of berseem ( Trifolium alexandrinum L., Var. S-99-1). For this purpose eight irrigation treatments were made comprised of four treatments of three irrigation (W₁, W₂, W₃ and W₄), three treatments of four irrigation (W₅, W₇ and W₈) and one treatment of five irrigation (W₆) at various physiological stages i. e. regeneration, flower initiation, full bloom, seed initiation and advance seed development stage.
Thus based on the experimental results the physiological role of watering in berseem seed production could be discussed as:
With-holding of irrigation either at regeneration or at full bloom stage developed potential water stress in plants as indicated by high proline content of irrigation treatments — W₄, W₁ and W₇; and further brought out disturbance on the formation of carotene, synthesis of water soluble sugar and translocation of sugar towards reproductive organs during grain development stage. These stresses adversely affected the plant growth and flowering behaviour. The irrigation at seed initiation stage increased the seed yield. Continuous irrigation did not appear to be useful. Thus it can be concluded that irrigation at three critical physiological stages i. e. regeneration, full bloom and seed initiation was found to be essential for obtaining potential seed yield of berseem.     

In situ radiometric mapping of soil erosion and field-moist bulk density on cultivated fields

Abstract. Recent developments in in situγ ray spectrometry offer a new approach to measuring the activity of radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K in soils, and thus estimating erosion or deposition rates and field moist bulk density (ρ_m). Such estimates would be rapid and involve minimal site disturbance, especially important where archaeological remains are present. This paper presents the results of a pilot investigation of an eroded field in Scotland in which a portable hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector was used to measure γ ray spectra in situ. The gamma (γ) photon flux observed at the soil surface is a function of the ¹³⁷Cs inventory, its depth distribution characteristics and ρ_m. A coefficient, Q_Cs, derived from the forward scattering of ¹³⁷Cs γ ray photons within the soil profile relative to the ¹³⁷Cs full energy peak (662 keV), was used to correct the in situ calibration for changes in the ¹³⁷Cs vertical distribution in the ploughed field, a function of tillage, soil accumulation and ρ_m. Based on only 8 measurements, the agreement between in situγ ray spectrometry and soil sample measurements of ¹³⁷Cs inventories improved from a non significant r²=0.05 to a significant r²=0.62 (P<0.05). Erosion and deposition rates calculated from the corrected in situ¹³⁷Cs measurements had a similarly good agreement with those calculated from soil cores. Mean soil bulk density was also calculated using a separate coefficient, Q_K, derived from the forward scattering γ photons from ⁴⁰K within the soil relative to the ⁴⁰K full energy peak (1460 keV). Again there was good agreement with soil core measurements (r²=0.64; P<0.05). The precision of the in situ¹³⁷Cs measurement was limited by the precision with which Q_Cs can be estimated, a function of the low ¹³⁷Cs deposition levels associated with the weapons testing fallout and relatively low detector efficiency (35%). In contrast, the precision of the in situ ρ_m determination was only limited by the spatial variability associated with soil sampling.     

对我国林产工业发展基本对策的思考

依据世界森林资源与国际林产品进出口的现状,把世界森林资源市场分为6大区,提出重点扶持几家已经上市、资本相对雄厚、具有与国际资本合作经验的公司为主体,背靠作为核心竞争力要素之一的庞大的国内需求市场,整合国内的资源,构成一个松散式的机动灵活的战略联盟,借世界的资源和国际林产品市场,促进我国林产工业发展的对策。     

供水工程影响下中国北方地区耕地后备资源开发潜力

灌溉水源是北方地区耕地后备资源能否有效开发的关键。当前,中国正在推动国家水网工程规划建设,为北方地区耕地后备资源开发提供了新的机遇。在以往研究基础上,该研究考虑北方地区已建、在建及规划的供水工程,基于自然适宜、利用高效、发展稳定三方面评价准则,结合三维魔方空间分类方法,开展了雨养情景和供水灌溉情景下耕地后备资源开发潜力分析。结果表明：雨养农业情景下,北方地区勉强适宜（Ⅱ级）、中度（Ⅲ级）和高度（Ⅳ级）适宜的耕地后备资源面积分别为2.9万、1.0万和0.6万km²。灌溉农业情景下,耕地后备资源面积明显增加,勉强适宜（Ⅱ级）、中度（Ⅲ级）和高度（Ⅳ级）适宜的耕地后备资源面积将分别达到5.4万、7.6万和6.5万km²,主要集中于新疆、内蒙古和甘肃3省（自治区）。该研究结果可为中国耕地后备资源开发利用及国家水网工程效益发挥提供参考。     

加热光纤法同步测定土壤水热参数误差分析

土壤水热参数是研究土壤水热传输的基本物理参数。当前热脉冲探针法（HPP）可同步测定土壤水热参数,但该方法仅限于在点尺度下测定。与其具有相同理论基础的加热光纤法（SPHP-DTS）,可将测定尺度增大至田间千米尺度,但其测定精度尚未得到有效验证。为了探知SPHP-DTS法的误差,本研究进行了SPHP-DTS法与HPP法测定土壤水热参数的对比试验。结果表明,以HPP为标准,加热光纤法测定热导率的精度RMSE为0.13 W?m-1?℃-1。SPHP-DTS法测定的热导率显著高于HPP法,主要原因在于加热光纤时产生的温度效应。通过热导率法测定土壤含水率时,在热导率测定误差的影响下,SPHP-DTS法的测定精度明显低于HPP法。SPHP-DTS法测定土壤水热参数的其他误差来源包括光纤与土壤之间多个界面的接触热阻、光纤的温度敏感性、噪音干扰以及温度梯度驱动下的水分迁移。本研究可为SPHP-DTS法提升土壤水热参数测定精度提供理论参考。     

我国南方草地资源现状及其发展前景

根据我国南方地区自然资源特点、草地类型、利用现状等,总结、分析了南方草地资源的优势、发展潜力和目前所面临的实际问题,并有针对性地提出了不同类型草地资源草产业发展模式。     

三峡水利工程对能源植物资源的影响及可持续利用对策探索

根据三峡库区特有的地理及气候特点,分析了三峡水利工程对能源植物带来的影响,初步提出了三峡库区能源植物可持续利用的对策措施,为库区发展生物能源提供决策依据。     

湖南小溪国家级自然保护区生态旅游资源的SWOT分析

对湖南小溪国家级自然保护区进行了生态旅游资源的SWOT分析,其优势是:良好的原始次森林和高品位的自然资源、森林浴的理想场所、优秀独特的人文资源、丰富的植物基因库存.但是可进入性差、知名度低、接待设施及能力较差.周边存在张家界国家森林公园和栖凤湖风景区的竞争威胁.分析了发展机会.