Cause and Consequence in Maize Planting Dates in Germany

An important part of agricultural adaptation is the timing of crop sowing dates, affecting yields and the level of risk incurred during a particular season. Cold stress is especially relevant in maize, Zea mays L., so that the timing of planting in the spring is a tactical response to short‐term weather, but is also subject to strategic planning with regard to longer‐term climate. Both factors compare the potential implications of cold stress to the additional yield obtainable through earlier planting. New cultivars suited to growing conditions in Europe and generally increasing spring temperatures have enabled earlier planting, but it is still dependent on short‐term weather during the planting period. In the context of field‐level decision‐making, a panel regression is used to estimate the relationship between weekly local temperature and precipitation and planting dates at specific sites throughout Germany. Next, localised weather data and planting behaviour are linked to yields at the district (Landkreis) level to show the effects of planting date on yield. Based on these relationships optimal planting dates are explored with some associated costs and benefits. Results show a trend towards earlier planting that follows observed increasing spring temperatures and the availability of more cold‐tolerant cultivars but this advance is buffered by the increasing severity of minimum temperatures during a critical period. Earlier planting potentially increases yield but this is offset by additional management costs and risk. A robust and simple depiction of farmer behaviour in climatic, technological and economic context can help to understand trends in crop management and productivity that effect agricultural landscapes.     

Managing soil quality for humanity and the planet

Rather than a human-centric, the basic strategy of achieving Sustainable Development Goals must be focused on restoring and sustaining planetary processes. The urgency of meeting the demands of the humanity must be reconciled with the necessity of enhancing the environment. Increasing and restoring soil organic matter content of the degraded and depleted soils is critical to strengthening planetary processes.     

Foliage‐applied sodium nitroprusside and hydrogen peroxide improves resistance against terminal drought in bread wheat

Terminal drought is threatening the wheat productivity worldwide, which is consumed as a staple food by millions across the globe. This study was conducted to examine the influence of foliage‐applied stress signalling molecules hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; 50, 100, 150 μm ) and nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 50, 100, 150 μm ) on resistance against terminal drought in two bread wheat cultivars Mairaj‐2008 and BARS‐2009. These stress signalling molecules were applied at anthesis stage (BBCH 61); drought was then imposed by maintaining pots at 35% water holding capacity. Terminal drought caused significant reduction in grain yield of both tested bread wheat cultivars; however, foliage application of both stress signalling molecules at either concentration improved the performance of both bread wheat cultivars. Maximum improvement in 100‐grain weight (12.2%), grains per spike (19.7%), water‐use efficiency (WUE; 19.8%), chlorophyll content index (10.7%), total soluble phenolics (21.6%) and free leaf proline (34.3%), and highest reduction in leaf malondialdehyde contents (20.4%) was recorded when H₂O₂ was foliage‐applied at 100 μm . Foliage application of SNP enhanced the grains per spike, 100‐grain weight and grain yield by 14.9%, 11.3% and 20.1%, respectively, than control. The foliage‐applied stress signalling molecules improved the accumulation of soluble phenolics, proline and glycine betaine with simultaneous reduction in malondialdehyde contents, which enabled wheat plants to sustain the biological membranes under stress resulting in better stay green (high chlorophyll contents) under drought. This helped improving the grain number, grain weight, grain yield, WUE and transpiration efficiency. In crux, foliage‐applied H₂O₂ and SNP, at pre‐optimized rate, may be opted to lessen the drought‐induced yield losses in bread wheat in climate change conditions.     

半地下带保温夹套发酵罐的应用

通过对半地下带保温夹套的发酵罐与普通发酵罐24 h的温度变化和6 d的产气量的对比试验分析,结果表明:采用半地下带保温夹套发酵罐发酵,24 h的温度变化缓慢,受外界温度变化影响小,高温持续的时间较长,利于微生物发酵;产气总量多,持续时间长。     

Dietary plasticity in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in response to long‐term environmental change

Corrigan LJ, Winfield IJ, Hoelzel AR, Lucas MC. Dietary plasticity in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in response to long‐term environmental change.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2011: 20: 5–13. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract –  In the face of widespread environmental change impacts, there is a need to better understand mechanisms promoting flexibility and resilience of ecosystem components to such change to inform strategies for conservation. Glacial relict species are especially vulnerable to such changes. We investigated the behavioural responses of a native, glacial relict species, Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to long‐term environmental changes. It was hypothesised that changes in feeding behaviour would occur as a key intermediary to reduction in habitat availability (through climate change and eutrophication) or competitive interactions [with introduced roach (Rutilus rutilus)]. Stomach content analysis was used to assess the diet of 199 charr caught from Windermere, United Kingdom, in the months of March, June, September and November 2003–2007. The results were compared to data from 1940 to 1951 prior to the environmental changes and revealed a marked increase in the contribution of benthic invertebrates in the present diet. Stable isotope analysis confirms the results of the stomach analysis, suggesting that the charr have switched their diet from zooplanktivory towards benthivory. We discuss the possibility that habitat modification and roach population expansion in Windermere have contributed to changes in charr diet. Complementary studies suggest that this diet shift is more likely to be a response to the increasing roach population than to habitat modification; however, further study in Windermere would be required to elucidate the exact mechanism. Long‐term data sets such as these provide information that is useful for determining the directivity of ecological change and the capability of species to respond to change.     

Projecting future habitat quality of three midwestern reservoir fishes under warming conditions

Rising temperatures caused by climate change are likely to affect cool‐water and warm‐water fishes differently. Yet, forecasts of anticipated temperature effects on fishes of different thermal guilds are lacking, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Towards this end, we used spatially explicit, growth rate potential (GRP) models to project changes in seasonal habitat quality for a warm‐water piscivore (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides), a cool‐water piscivore (walleye Sander vitreus) and a hybrid piscivore (saugeye S. vitreus × S. canadensis) in two Midwestern reservoirs. We assessed habitat quality for two periods (early and middle 21st century) under two realistic greenhouse gas emission scenarios (a mid‐century emissions peak and a rapid continuous increase in emissions). Largemouth bass were projected to experience enhanced or slightly reduced habitat during all seasons, and throughout the mid‐21st century. By contrast, walleye habitat was projected to decline with anticipated warming, except during the spring in the smaller of our two study reservoirs and during the fall in the larger of our two study reservoirs. Saugeye habitat was projected to either increase modestly or decline slightly during the spring and fall and declines in habitat quality and quantity that were smaller than those for walleye were identified during summer. Collectively, our findings indicate that climate warming will differentially alter habitat suitability for reservoir piscivores, favouring warm‐water species over cool‐water species. We expect these changes in habitat quality to impact the dynamics of reservoir fish populations to varying degrees necessitating the consideration of climate when making future management decisions.     

基于SHPB试验的桦木压缩动力学特性

【目的】利用木材动态压缩加载试验研究热磨机研磨解离破碎阶段木材原料受动态压缩载荷的动力学特性，并研究应变率、加载方向对木材原料动力学特性的影响，旨在深化木材原料研磨解离机制的研究，为热磨法纤维分离设备及磨片的齿形结构优化设计提供理论指导。【方法】利用 Hopkinson 杆试验装置对含水率为12.65%、密度为0.50 g·cm －3的桦木试件进行应变率约为400，800，1200 s －1，加载方向为径向、弦向和轴向的动态压缩试验，获得桦木在不同应变率及方向上动态压缩加载的解离特征、动态应力－应变曲线及相应的力学特性。【结果】对比分析各组试验后试件的破坏形态发现：1)当应变率约为400 s －1时，径向、弦向和轴向加载的试件主要发生塑性变形；2)当应变率约为800 s －1时，径向加载试件被解离成几大块，并且有一些“火柴棍”状的小试件从大试件上剥离；弦向加载试件沿加载方向上产生更大的塑性变形，并且在试件上、下两端处沿加载方向产生贯穿性裂纹，试件被解离成三大块；轴向加载试件受载面边缘处的纤维大量产生压溃现象，在加载面上产生贯穿性裂纹且有片状小试件从大试件上剥离；3)当应变率约为1200 s －1时，径向加载试件被解离成大量“火柴棍”状的小试件，并且小试件的尺寸明显小于应变率为800 s －1时；弦向加载试件沿加载方向上产生的塑性变形与应变率为800 s －1时相当，但是试件上端处被解离成许多片状的小试件，并且沿加载方向试件上产生了数条贯穿整个试件的大裂纹；轴向加载试件被解离成大量短粗状的小试件，并且小试件上带有明显的褶皱。对比分析各组试验试件的应力－应变曲线发现：1)动态压缩加载条件下桦木的应力－应变曲线可以由屈服点应变分为弹性阶段和屈服后弱线性强化阶段2部分；2)桦木沿径向加载应变率约为400，800，1200 s －1时，其屈服强度和韧性模量分别为4.56，10.49，14.22 MPa 和2.88，8.32，20.70 kJ·cm －3，应变率从400 s －1增加到1200 s －1时，屈服强度和韧性模量分别增加了2.11和6.19倍；3)桦木沿弦向加载应变率约为400，800，1200 s －1时，其屈服强度和韧性模量分别为5.87，7.90，9.65 MPa 和2.53，7.41，12.92 kJ·cm －3，应变率从400 s －1增加到1200 s －1时，其屈服强度和韧性模量分别增加了0.64和4.10倍；4)桦木沿轴向加载应变率约为400，800，1200 s －1时，其屈服强度分别为22.90，71.41，96.37 MPa 和18.79，67.74，114.32 kJ·cm －3，应变率从400 s －1增加到1200 s －1时，其屈服强度和韧性模量分别增加了3.21和5.08倍。【结论】随着应变率的增加，桦木的解离程度加大，径向加载最易解离，轴向加载最难解离；桦木的动态压缩屈服强度、动态压缩韧性模量具有很强的应变率敏感性，是一种应变率敏感材料。     

泵闸建设对白莲泾河段水质的影响

2007年4月-2009年4月对上海白莲泾河段水体环境质量进行了调查,取黄浦江南码头上1个断面和白莲泾上的3个断面,于每月大、小潮当日采集各断面水样,获得了该河段的各项水质指标。2007年10月,白莲泾河道断流,泵闸工程实施。根据监测结果,以DO、BOD₅、COD_Mn、TN和TP为指标参数,利用标准类别指数评价法对建闸工程施工活动的环境影响进行评价,结果发现:TN、TP是白莲泾河段的最主要污染指标,TN的权重系数均超过40%,甚至50%,均为劣Ⅴ类;TP的权重系数均超过10%,甚至30%,其含量是地表水Ⅳ类标准的0.8~5.6倍。总体上,白莲泾河段3个站点的水质劣于黄浦江站点,而施工前水质优于施工后。施工前,大潮期白莲泾河道IV类水比例为29%,较小潮期(8%)高出21%。建闸施工后,大小潮期间出现劣V类水的比例分别为87%和88%,潮汐对白莲泾河段并无显著影响。     

Environmental Change and the Sustainability of European Forests

Summary

It is some years now since forest decline was a major public concern in Europe and was one of the principal environmental issues around which international research programs were focused. A number of internationally coordinated activities were initiated in the 1980s and 1990s and have continued until now; these contributed significantly to our current understanding of forestry and to the way in which forestry policies have developed. In short, the concept of sustainable development has had an increasing influence and is now of immeasurable value in forest policy, with sustainable forest management well established as its guiding principle. This sequence of events is examined here. The extent to which understanding has advanced is remarkable; much has changed. Arguably this period gave the first indication of the extent to which forests and ecosystems globally are threatened by environmental change. On the basis of the last 20 years, it is tempting to conclude that we now have an effective institutional framework and have made excellent progress. However, some of the recorded ecosystem responses seem anomalous; there are surprises in system responses, e.g., the linkage between sulphur and nitrogen depositions and forest growth. Even more importantly some specific pollutant problems remain and will intensify, and climate change has become an environmental issue of overwhelming importance.