Effects of organic and mineral fertilizer inputs on maize yield and soil chemical properties in a maize cropping system in Meru South District, Kenya

Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs is a major challenge in the highlands of Kenya. An experiment was set up in Meru South District, Kenya in 2000 to investigate the effects of different soil-incorporated organic (manure, Tithonia diversifolia, Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena leucocephala) and mineral fertilizer inputs on maize yield, and soil chemical properties over seven seasons. On average, tithonia treatments (with or without half recommended rate of mineral fertilizer) gave the highest grain yield (5.5 and 5.4 Mg ha⁻¹ respectively) while the control treatment gave the lowest yield (1.5 Mg ha⁻¹). After 2 years of trial implementation, total soil carbon and nitrogen contents were improved with the application of organic residues, and manure in particular improved soil calcium content. Results of the economic analysis indicated that on average across the seven seasons, tithonia with half recommended rate of mineral fertilizer treatment recorded the highest net benefit (USD 787 ha⁻¹) while the control recorded the lowest (USD 272 ha⁻¹). However, returns to labor or benefit-cost ratios were in most cases not significantly improved when organic materials were used.     

水分胁迫对云锦杜鹃光合特性日变化的影响

以盆栽5年生云锦杜鹃苗木为材料,分对照、轻度胁迫、中度胁迫、重度胁迫4组,研究了土壤水分胁迫对云锦杜鹃叶片光合特性日变化的影响。结果表明:随着水分胁迫的加重,云锦杜鹃的光合日变化曲线由典型的双峰型逐渐转变为峰值很小的单峰型,峰值的降低在轻度水分胁迫下由气孔限制引起,而在中度和重度水分胁迫下则由非气孔限制引起。轻度、中度和重度水分胁迫对云锦杜鹃光合特性日变化的影响差异显著。经逐步多元回归得到了净光合速率日变化的回归方程。     

Variations in soil chemical properties and microbial biomass in artificial gaps in silver fir stands

Changes in soil chemical and microbiological parameters in small (185 m²) and medium (410 m²) gaps, created in mature silver fir (Abies alba Mill) stands (mean height 30 m) in the Calabrian Apennines (Southern Italy), were studied over 2 years. Medium gaps had high soil temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) transmittance and low soil moisture. Within small gaps we detected a greater amount of organic matter, with respect to under canopy cover sites and medium gaps. Moreover, a different trend of the organic matter between small and medium gaps was observed. In the medium gaps, with respect to under canopy cover sites and small gaps, we found a relatively low content of organic matter, associated to a lower amount of humic acid, which suggested that the organic substrate undergoes a mineralization rather than a humification process. An opposite trend was observed in small gaps, where the increase of organic matter content, associated to an increase of humic acid and microbial biomass, suggested a better humification process. Moreover, in small gaps the highest level of urease and the greatest fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis were observed. The different trend of organic matter observed in small and medium gaps may be related to changes in the environmental conditions. PAR transmittance, significantly higher in medium gaps, contributed to increase soil temperature and decrease soil moisture, affecting soil microbial populations and organic matter trend. These results suggest that the creation of small gaps represents the silvicultural practice with minor environmental impact.     

杉木根际与非根际土壤酶活性比较

杉木根际与非根际土壤酶活性比较陈ｆ竣（中国林业科学研究院林业研究所北京１０００９１）李传涵（华中农业大学土化系武汉４３００７０）关键词杉木,根际土壤,土壤酶,杉木中毒由于林木生长的影响,使得林木根际土壤ｐＨ值、养分含量、微生物数目、生化活性等性质发生...     

杉木采伐对集水区土壤热状况的影响

土壤作为森林生态系统的子体系 ,是林木扎根并赖以生存的基础 ,也是土壤微生物一切生命活动的场所。因此 ,有关土壤养分、水分及其土壤物理结构特征等方面的研究报告颇多 (王政权等 ,2 0 0 0 ;张合平等 ,1 997)。但是有关森林土壤的热状况 ,以及林木采伐后对土壤热状况影响的研究报导很少 (康文星等 ,1 989;刘煊景等 ,1 993)。本文在获得采伐前连续 3年和采伐后连续 3年的观测数据的基础上 ,就杉木人工林生态系统土壤的热状况各因子之间 ,土壤各组成成分对热状况的单一或组合效应 ,以及皆伐这种人为强烈干扰对土壤热状况的影响进行了剖析。…     

水文化与环境照明

水文化背景下的环境照明不仅要解决水与光的交融问题,也要着重解决水环境中的电气安全 隐患。     

贵州水土保持林价值计算方法探讨

本文从贵州实际出发，运用经济管理学理论和林木生长发育规律，在系统分析水土保持林价值构成因素以及各因素之间关系的基础上，建立起一个能满足以树种（类型）为单元的水土保持林价值计算模型。在为水土保持林价值的评估、征占、置换、流转、买卖等活动提供计量、计价依据和方法的同时，还为水土保持林所有者和经营者提供了增加效益的方向与技术关键。     

阔叶红松林主要树种幼树对干旱胁迫的响应

以组成我国北方典型阔叶红松林森林生态系统的主要树种水曲柳、红松、蒙古栎、紫椴和核桃楸为研究对象,模拟不同土壤水分变化对树木生物量、光合特征和水分利用率的影响,分析我国北方典型森林生态系统对未来气候干旱化的响应及适应机制,提出北方典型森林生态系统对未来气候变暖引起的对干旱化的响应与适应对策。     

Relationships between soil and foliar nutrients in young densely planted mini-plots of Pinus radiata and Cupressus lusitanica

The long-term nature of forest crop rotations makes it difficult to determine impacts of forestry on soil nutrients that might be depleted by forest growth. We used small scale, highly stocked plots to compress the length of the rotation and rapidly induce nutrient depletion. In the study, two species (Pinus radiata D. Don and Cupressus lusitanica Miller) are compared under two disturbance regimes (soil undisturbed and compacted), and two fertiliser treatments (nil and plus fertiliser), applied in factorial combination at 33 sites, covering the range of climatic and edaphic variation found in plantation forests across New Zealand. To assess our ability to rapidly highlight important soil properties, foliar nutrient concentrations were determined 20 months after planting. It was hypothesised that the densely planted plots, even at a young age, would create sufficient pressure on nutrient resources to allow development of relationships between properties used as indicies of soil nutrient availability and foliar nutrient concentrations. For both species significant relationships between foliar nutrients and 0–10 cm layer soil properties from unfertilised plots were evident for N (total and mineralisable N) and P (total, acid extractable, organic, Bray-2 and Olsen P). With the exception of Ca in C. lusitanica, foliar K, Ca and Mg were correlated with their respective soil exchangeable cation measures. The results thus confirm the utility of the experimental approach and the relevance of the measured soil properties for forest productivity.

In unfertilised plots foliar N and P concentrations in P. radiata exceeded those in C. lusitanica, the differences being eliminated by fertiliser application. Foliar N/P ratios in P. radiata also exceeded those in C. lusitanica. In contrast to N and P, foliar K, Ca and Mg concentrations were all higher in C. lusitanica, the difference being particularly marked for Ca and Mg. P. radiata contained substantially higher concentrations of the metals Zn, Mn and Al than C. lusitanica, whereas the latter contained higher B concentrations. Possible reasons for differences between species in foliar nutrient concentrations are discussed.     

Evaluation and selection of multipurpose tree for improving soil hydro-physical behaviour under hilly eco-system of north east India

Soil hydro-physical behaviour was studied under a 20-year old agroforestry plantation consisting of five multipurpose tree species (Pinus kesiya Royle ex-Gordon, Alnus nepalensis D.Don, Parkia roxburghii G.Don, Michelia oblonga Wall. and Gmelina arboria Roxb.) maintained under normal recommended practices at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Complex, Umiam, Meghalaya, India. The aim was to select tree species, which could act as better bio-ameliorant as well as provides higher economic return in highly degraded soil of northeastern hill region of India. A site without vegetation (no tree) nearby the plantation was also selected as control for comparison. Soil samples for various hydro-physical analysis, were taken from 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depth at a distance of 1 m from respective tree species during wet and dry season of 2003–2004. No appreciable differences in relative contents of textural separates of sand, silt and clay were observed among various tree covers. Surface cover with constant leaf litter fall and extensive root system increased soil organic carbon, helped in better soil aggregation, improved water transmissivity and infiltrability and in turn, reduced soil erosion in the present study. However, due to variation in quantity of leaf litter fall and root biomass, these parameters differed among tree species. Of the tree species, P. kesiya, M. oblonga and A. nepalensis were found to be rated best for bio-amelioration of soils as these tree covers had more root and shoot biomass and more litter fall compared to other species. However, considering both timber production and improvement in hydro-physical behaviour, M. oblonga was found best among the tested tree species. The study, thus, suggested that inclusion of tree species M. oblonga in agroforestry system is a viable option for natural resource management and could sustain long-term soil productivity in a highly degraded soil of this region as well as for food security of the resource poor people of North East India.