Soil fulvic acid properties as a means to assess the use of pig slurry amendment

Soil amendment with animal manures is a common practice for either increasing soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrient content or disposing of wastes from intensive animal industries. However, the application of organic amendments that are not sufficiently mature and stable may adversely affect soil properties, especially the content and quality of SOM pools. In this work, the effect of the consecutive annual additions of pig slurry (PS) at rates of 0 (control), 90 and 150 m³ ha⁻¹ per year over a 4-year period on the soil fulvic acid (FA) fraction of SOM was investigated in a field plot experiment conducted under semiarid conditions on a Calcic Luvisol in Toledo province, Spain. The FAs isolated from PS and control and amended soils were characterized for chemical, compositional, structural and functional properties by use of elemental and functional group analysis, and ultraviolet/visible, Fourier transform infrared (FT IR), fluorescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopies. PS-FA was characterized by a prevalent aliphatic character, large contents of acidic functional groups, S- and N-containing groups and polysaccharide components, extended molecular heterogeneity, small organic free radical (OFR) contents and small degrees of aromatic ring polycondensation, polymerization and humification. With respect to the control soil FA, the PS-amended soil FAs were characterized by a smaller extraction yield, O and OFR contents and ratios of absorbances at 465 and 665 nm, and larger C, N, S, COOH and phenolic OH contents, C/N ratios and aliphaticity. Statistical analysis of experimental data showed that, with some exceptions, these effects generally increased with increasing cumulative amount of PS applied to soil over time. In conclusion, cumulative PS application to soil over time modifies the content and properties of the FA fraction of SOM. Thus, this material should not be considered as a mature organic amendment and should be treated appropriately before it is applied to soil, so as to increase the degree of humification and enhance its potential as a soil organic fertilizer.     

Micromorphology and classification of Argids and associated gypsiferous Aridisols from central Iran

Gypsiferous Aridisols occupy the largest area within the Iranian Aridisols. Information on the genesis and classification of these soils is rather limited. Objectives of this research were to study the micromorphology of the gypsic, argillic, and calcic horizons, to understand the mode of formation of gypsic horizon in three different landscapes, and to test the criteria of the most recently revised Soil Taxonomy and FAO classification system in selected gypsiferous Aridisols occurring in central Iran. A total of 15 representative pedons occurring on three different landscapes (colluvial fans, plateaus, and alluvial plain) were studied. Evidence of illuviation in the colluvial soils is provided by the increase in the clay content and the fine to total clay ratio in the subsoil and by the well-developed, but considerably disrupted, clay coatings observed in thin sections. In addition to pendants, gypsum occurs as microscopic-sized particles, such as single and radiating fibrous shaped particles, random lenticular and granular crystals, along channels and planar voids with no apparent orientation to the associated surface. Gypsum also occurs as relatively larger interlocking plates. The horizon sequence, together with their chemical and micromorphological properties, reveals that gypsum accumulated in different landscapes has different modes of formation. The coexistence of argillic, calcic, and gypsic horizons in colluvial soils is a peculiar combination, suggesting a multistage pedogenesis in this landscape. Paleo-argillic horizons were likely developed under a moister environment than today. This study has also shown that the most recently revised version of the American Soil Taxonomy and FAO soil classification can reasonably well classify these soils. However, there is still a need to modify the criteria of both classification systems at the lower levels, particularly for the classification of the soils that are polygenetic.     

施用城市生活污泥对土壤肥力长期效应的影响

利用盆栽试验,研究了一次施用不同数量城市生活污泥连续5茬种植油菜对褐土性土和石灰性褐土中有机质和速效氮、磷、钾含量的影响。结果表明,施用城市生活垃圾能够明显提高2种土壤中有机质和速效氮、磷、钾养分的含量,且随施用量增加效应的提高,其效果可持续相当长的时间。施用等量污泥对于养分相对贫瘠的褐土性土的养分提高量要大于石灰性褐土。     

河南石灰性土壤特征及其在中国土壤系统分类中的修订研究

Calcareous soils are those soils containing layers of carbonate accumulation formed by either secondary accumulation or inheritance of CaCO3 from calcareous parent materials.These soils are widely distributed in arid,semi-arid and even some humid climate environments.However,in the Chinese Soil Taxonomy (CST,3rd version),the soils that contain large amounts of CaCO3 but do not meet requirements of Aridosols are classified as Hapli-Ustic Cambosols.This group also includes many non-calcareous soils and those soils strongly affected by secondary carbonate accumulation together with quite dissimilar soils in terms of their morphology and properties.This study was conducted to determine calcification patterns and calcic processes occurring in representative pedons of calcareous soils in northwestern Henan Province,China and to classify these soils in CST.A Calcic subgroup was proposed to add within the Hapli-Ustic Cambosols.A diagnostic key was also provided to separate this subgroup from the Typic subgroup.In this way the different calcification degrees of soils were better reflected in the classification,which should lead to more uniform interpretive groups for better soil management.     

Color preference,seasonality, spatial distribution and species composition of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in northern highbush blueberries

We investigated color preference, seasonal abundance, spatial distribution and species composition of thrips in northern highbush blueberries, Vaccinium corymbosum L., in New Jersey (USA). White sticky traps were more attractive to thrips compared with yellow or blue traps. Thrips captures using white sticky traps showed that their flight activity begins 20–30 d after the onset of flowering, with 10, 50 and 90% of trap captures observed at 383, 647 and 1231 degree-day accumulations, respectively (10 °C base temperature). Two methods were used to study thrips distribution within a blueberry bush. First, white sticky traps were placed within the bush canopy at three different heights. The highest numbers of thrips were caught on traps in the middle and top one-third of the canopy while the lowest numbers were caught in the bottom one-third. A second method determined the distribution of thrips on the blueberry plant at different heights and phenological stages. The highest numbers of thrips were found on young leaves at lower parts of the canopy, whereas flowers and fruit had fewer thrips and none were found on buds; these thrips were identified as, Scirtothrips ruthveni (88% of adults) and Frankliniella tritici (12%). The distribution of thrips within a blueberry planting was investigated using an evenly-spaced grid of white sticky traps in combination with on bush beating-tray samples. Thrips counts from traps correlated with direct counts on the bush across the entire blueberry field (macro-scale level); however, within the field (micro-scale level), there was no correlation between the number of thrips on traps and on individual bushes near traps. Early in the season, trap counts were higher on bushes closer to the forest, indicative of movement of thrips from wild hosts into blueberry fields. However, this was not the case for direct on bush counts or trap counts for the later part of the season, where there was no clear forest “edge” effect. Percent fruit injury due to thrips feeding was low, and it correlated with thrips counts on bushes but not from counts on traps. Overall, our data show that thrips counts on sticky traps need to be interpreted with care because these numbers weakly correlated with the numbers of thrips on bushes at the micro-scale level and percent fruit injury; however, they can be useful predictors of thrips activity across entire blueberry fields (macro-scale).     

砂姜黑土的水分特性及其与土壤易旱的关系

本文通过实验对砂姜黑土的水分特性及其与土壤易旱的关系进行了分析研究。结果表明:砂姜黑土持水性能较差,有效水分不仅含量较低,而且低吸力段所占比重较小;比水容量随吸力增大而急剧减少,在10—30kPa时即已减小到10^-7数量级(ml/g·Pa)。土壤导水性能弱,土壤吸力>30kPa后水分移动极其缓慢。说明土壤的供水容量和供水强度均较小,不利于对作物的及时供水。土壤毛管水上升速度缓慢,上升高度小,不利于作物对地下水的利用。土壤上部土层蒸发强度大,不利于保水;下部土层毛管性能微弱,水分运行缓慢,虽有利于保水,但不能及时补充根层所需的作物供水。这些特性综合反映了砂姜黑土的抗旱性较弱,是土壤易旱的主要原因。     

Population estimation methods to quantify temporal variation in fish accumulations downstream of a weir

Abstract  Temporal changes in the population sizes of seven migratory species were assessed over a 2-year period prior to the construction of a fishway on the Murrumbidgee River, Australia. Mark-recapture (Chapman–Petersen) and Jackknife removal methods were used at 3-month intervals to determine the composition and sizes of migratory fish populations. No difference in population size estimate was detected between the two methods. However, the Jackknife removal estimator generally provided less variable estimates for a greater number of species. Population sizes were greatest during summer and autumn when bony herring, Nematalosa erebi Günther, and common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., dominated the migratory community. Both estimators provided data essential to further the development of an appropriate fish passage facility and could be applied to other sites where the size of migratory fish populations is of interest.     

苹果果实中苹果酸代谢关键酶与苹果酸和可溶性糖积累的关系

以‘东光’ב富士’苹果杂交后代为试材,研究苹果果实中苹果酸代谢关键酶与苹果酸和可溶性糖积累的关系。结果表明,负责苹果酸合成的磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶(PEPC)、细胞质NAD依赖的苹果酸脱氢酶(cyMDH)和负责苹果酸跨膜运输的H+-焦磷酸酶(VHP)在高、低酸苹果果实成熟过程中活性没有明显差异,而负责苹果酸跨膜运输的H+-ATPase酶(VHA)在高酸果实中有较高的活性,负责苹果酸降解的细胞质NADP依赖的苹果酸酶(cyME)和ATP依赖的磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化激酶(PEP-CK)则在低酸果实中有较高的活性。还从苹果酸向可溶性糖转化的角度探讨了苹果酸代谢关键酶对可溶性糖积累的影响。     

不同施钾水平对玉米干物质及产量的影响

试验研究了不同施钾水平对玉米干物质及产量的影响。结果表明,玉米叶、鞘干物质重与施用钾肥有关,在子粒灌浆期达到最大值,蜡熟期叶、鞘干物质重均呈下降趋势;茎秆和地上干物质总重量与钾肥水平有关,干重随生育进程推进而增加;钾肥用量在0～180 kg/hm2水平内,玉米产量随钾肥用量增加而提高,当钾肥用量达240kg/hm2水平时玉米产量则下降。在试验土壤肥力条件下,180 kg/hm2施钾肥水平玉米产量最高。