Microbial biomass and respiratory activity in soil aggregates of different sizes from three beechwood sites on a basalt hill

We studied the effects of aggregates of different sizes on the soil microbial biomass. The distribution of aggregate size classes (<2, 2–4, 4–10, >10 mm) in the upper mineral soil horizon (A_h layer) was very different in three sites (upper, intermediate, lower) in a beechwood (Fagus sylvatica) on a basalt hill (Germany). Aggregates of different sizes (<2, 2–4, 4–10 mm) contained different amounts of C and N but the C:N ratios were similar. C and N contents were generally higher in smaller aggregates. The maximum initial respiratory response by microorganisms in intact aggregates and in aggregates passed through a 1-mm sieve declined with the aggregate size, but the difference was more pronounced in intact aggregates. Disruption of aggregates generally increased this response, particularly in 4- to 10-mm aggregates in the lower site. Basal respiration differed strongly among sites, but was similar in each of the aggregate size classes. Aggregate size did not significantly affect the specific respiration (g O₂ g^–1 microbial C h^–1) nor the microbial: organic C ratio, but these parameters differed among sites. Microbial growth was increased strongly by passing the soil through a 1-mm sieve in each of the aggregate materials. The growth of microorganisms in disrupted aggregates was similar, and the effect of aggregate disruption depended on the growth of microorganisms in intact aggregates.     

赣北二化螟卵寄生蜂寄生率动态及其对景观结构的响应

为探索南方稻区二化螟卵寄生蜂生防功能、评估卵寄生蜂在田间寄生动态并探讨对不同景观结构的响应,本文采用对比盆栽稻株叶片载卵、离体新鲜稻叶载卵和滤纸卵卡比对二化螟卵寄生蜂寄生率差异;利用盆栽稻株叶片载卵调查卵寄生蜂在稻田中的寄生率季节动态变化;在5月初、7月初和9月初分别调查了在不同景观样点二化螟卵寄生蜂寄生率,对不同空间尺度下（0.2,0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0 km）景观变量与卵寄生率进行模型分析,评估不同景观变量对卵寄生率的影响。结果表明,三种诱集方法差异显著,盆栽稻株叶片载二化螟卵被寄生的比率最高,其次为离体新鲜稻叶,滤纸卵卡效果最差。田间寄生动态调查表明,早稻卵被寄生比率偏低,中稻寄生率较高,在7月中旬二化螟卵被寄生率达到高峰（66.7%）,8月下旬以后,晚稻寄生率逐步下降。对不同空间尺度下景观结构变量与卵寄生率分析表明,1.5 km尺度下的林地与二化螟卵寄生蜂有着密切关系。低于40%林地面积比例时,二化螟卵寄生蜂寄生率随林地面积增加而降低;而在高于40%林地面积比例时,二化螟卵寄生率随林地面积增加而增加。综上所述,对于中国南方的小规模稻田景观,林地比例与二化螟卵寄生率有关,但相关效应并非单一地增加或减少的线性响应。研究结果可为南方稻区二化螟卵寄生蜂提供简便、有效的评估方法,并为综合利用二化螟卵寄生蜂控害功能,发展二化螟生防策略提供参考依据。     

Anthropogenic effects on soil quality of ancient agricultural systems of the American Southwest

Soil studies of ancient agricultural fields contribute to research on long-term human–environmental relationships and land use sustainability. This kind of research is especially applicable in desert landscapes of the American Southwest because: (1) soil formation is slow enough that cultivation effects persist for centuries to millennia; (2) many ancient fields in valley margins have remained uncultivated since they were abandoned, so long-term soil properties reflect ancient agricultural use; and (3) agricultural features (e.g., terraces, rock alignments and rock piles, and irrigation canals) provide clues for identifying and sampling ancient cultivated and uncultivated soils. Surficial remnants of these field systems persist and remain intact in many cases. Soil studies of ancient and modern American Indian agricultural systems across the Southwest indicate that soil changes are highly variable, ranging from degradation (e.g., organic matter/nutrient decline, compaction), to minimal net change, to enhanced soil quality. Soil changes caused by cultivation can be inferred by comparing soils in agricultural fields relative to reference uncultivated areas in similar landscape settings (that is, space-for-time substitution). Soil response trajectories vary for a number of reasons, such as variability in initial ecosystem conditions, diversity in agricultural methods, variability in the mix of crops and cropping intensity, and environmental sensitivity to alteration (varying resistance and resilience). Studies of rock mulch soils indicate enhanced fertility, with elevated organic carbon, nitrogen, and available phosphorus levels, increased infiltration rates and moisture retention, and no evidence of compaction. By contrast, cultivation effects vary widely for terraced soils. Although numerous studies have focused on irrigation canals, irrigated soils have received far less attention. Soil studies of irrigation systems along the Gila and Santa Cruz rivers of Arizona now underway will help fill this research gap.     

杀虫剂对土壤的污染及对土壤中有益生物的影响

本文综述了杀虫剂对土壤的污染及其对土壤中有益生物如微生物、天敌昆虫、益螨和蜘蛛等的生命活动的影响,并建议珍惜保护土壤,更合理有效地使用杀虫剂。     

Pathogenicity and Virulence of the Two Dutch VCGs of Verticillium dahliae to Woody Ornamentals

Two experiments were performed in two consecutive years to test whether isolates of different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) differ in their ability to cause disease in woody ornamentals, to study the host specificity of the isolates and to get an insight into disease development in woody hosts. A range of woody ornamental plant species, including Acer campestre, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Catalpa bignonioides, Cotinus coggygria, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosa canina, Syringa vulgaris and Tilia cordata, were root-dip inoculated with six isolates of Verticillium dahliae, belonging to the two VCGs that occur in the Netherlands (VCG NL-1 and VCG NL-2). Isolates belonging to each VCG caused severe symptoms of verticillium wilt in most plant species tested. Disease progress differed between plant species, but was generally the same for the two VCGs. No overall differences in virulence were observed between the two VCGs for external wilt symptoms, number of dead plants, or shoot length. No significant VCG × plant species interactions were present for these characteristics. However, isolates of VCG NL-1 caused more vascular discolouration than did isolates of VCG NL-2. Isolates within VCGs often differed considerably in their virulence to certain hosts, as shown by highly significant isolate × plant species interactions. Isolates were more virulent on their original host. These findings imply that VCG identification does not contribute to disease prediction for a range of woody hosts.     

Short term soil priming effects and the mineralisation of biochar following its incorporation to soils of different pH

The aim of this work was to determine the magnitude of the priming effect, i.e. short-term changes in the rate (negative or positive) of mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (C), following addition of biochars. The biochars were made from Miscanthus giganteus, a C4 plant, naturally enriched with ¹³C. The biochars were produced at 350 °C (biochar350) and 700 °C (biochar700) and applied with and without ryegrass as a substrate to a clay-loam soil at pH 3.7 and 7.6. A secondary aim was to determine the effect of ryegrass addition on the mineralisation of the two biochars.After 87 days, biochar350 addition caused priming effects equivalent to 250 and 319 μg CO₂-C g⁻¹ soil, in the low and high pH soil, respectively. The largest priming effects occurred at the start of the incubations. The size of the priming effect was decreased at higher biochar pyrolysis temperatures, which may be a way of controlling priming effects following biochar incorporation to soil, if desired. The priming effect was probably induced by the water soluble components of the biochar. At 87 days of incubation, 0.14% and 0.18% of biochar700 and 0.61% and 0.84% of biochar350 were mineralized in the low and high pH soil, respectively. Ryegrass addition gave an increased biochar350 mineralisation of 33% and 40%, and increased biochar700 at 137% and 70%, in the low and high pH soils, respectively. Certainly, on the basis of our results, if biochar is used to sequester carbon a priming effect may occur, increasing CO₂-C evolved from soil and decreasing soil organic C. However, this will be more than compensated for by the increased soil C caused by biochar incorporation. A similar conclusion holds for accelerated mineralisation of biochar due to incorporation of fresh labile substrates. We consider that our results are the first to unequivocally demonstrate the initiation, progress and termination of a true positive priming effect by biochar on native soil organic C.     

Dispersion and migration of fine particles in two palygorskite‐containing soils of the Jordan Valley

Migration of different mineral particles within columns of soil‐sand mixtures containing 10 or 20 mass % of soil was investigated by establishing differences in the mineral suite between the ”︁bulk clay” and the ”︁mobile fine material” fractions. The ”︁bulk clay” fractions of all soils contained smectite, palygorskite, kaolinite, quartz, feldspar, and calcite. The soils were saturated with sodium by leaching with NaCl solution, and then leached with distilled water. Clay dispersion and particle migration occurred in the columns. Values of SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) of the effluent decreased with time due to carbonate dissolution. At a certain SAR value, the clays apparently formed aggregates, and as a consequence particle migration stopped in the column. In addition to clay‐sized particles (< 2 μm), very‐fine‐silt‐sized particles (2— 5 μm) were able to migrate in the soil‐sand mixtures, too, and to some extent fine‐silt‐sized particles (5—10 μm) as well. Average size of mobile particles decreases with increase of soil content in the soil‐sand mixtures. The mineralogical composition of the ”︁mobile fine material” changed during the experiment. At the beginning of the experiment, the ”︁mobile fine material” was enriched in the non‐phyllosilicates (especially in calcite, and in some cases in quartz, feldspar and dolomite) and contained low concentrations of phyllosilicates (smectite, palygorskite and kaolinite). At the end of the experiment, the proportion of non‐phyllosilicates decreased, and as a consequence, the proportion of phyllosilicates increased. Among the non‐phyllosilicates, calcite was the most mobile mineral. Among the phyllosilicates, palygorskite was preferentially mobilized in topsoil horizons. In subsoil horizons, on the other hand, kaolinite was preferentially mobilized. This difference was explained by the different nature of carbonates in the topsoil and subsoil horizons. Palygorskite is preferentially occluded within the soil carbonates of lacustrine origin over smectite and kaolinite. These carbonates are present mainly in the subsoil horizons. As a consequence, the presence of these carbonates in the subsoil horizons decreases the migration of mainly palygorskite.     

Soil organic matter, microbial biomass and enzyme activities in a tropical agroforestry system

 The effects of growing trees in combination with field crops on soil organic matter, microbial biomass C, basal respiration and dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities were studied in soils under a 12-year-old Dalbergia sissoo (a N₂-fixing tree) plantation intercropped with a wheat (Triticum aestivum) – cowpea (Vigna sinensis) cropping sequence. The inputs of organic matter through D. sissoo leaf litter increased and crop roots decreased with the increase in tree density. Higher organic C and total N, microbial biomass C, basal soil respiration and activities of dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase were observed in treatments with tree-crop combination than in the treatment without trees. Soil organic matter, microbial biomass C and soil enzyme activities increased with the decrease in the spacing of the D. sissoo plantation. The results indicate that adoption of the agroforestry practices led to an improved organic matter status of the soil, which is also reflected in the increased nutrient pool and microbial activities necessary for long-term productivity of the soil. However, tree spacing should be properly maintained to minimize the effects of shading on the intercrops. Received: 21 February 1997     

南京经济技术开发区景观改造工程

论述了南京经济技术开发区景观改造的构思,确定围绕开发区主轴线进行改造,重点体现在1个主入口、2条主干道、3个节点、4条区内道路上;从而显山露水,开辟景观主轴线,体现滨江山水园区的自然特征。     

万亩果园湿地一期示范区升级工程景观特点与主要 施工技术

介绍万亩果园湿地一期示范区升级工程湿地景观的特点及其施工创新技术。该工程因地制宜，从实际出发，制定切实可行的施工方案。重点介绍改善水质方面采用的3个先进的施工技术——引进新型的材料、合理选用水生植物、调控生态系统，使水体长期保持洁净，终年不需要换水，达到预期的效果。