豆科与禾本科牧草间作的生长互作效应及对氮、磷养分吸收的影响

为了解牧草间作对作物生长和养分吸收的影响,以及为不同牧草优化配置、豆科和禾本科牧草间作提高结氮量提供理论依据,本试验采用随机区组试验设计,研究了间作对柱花草、扭黄茅和孔颖草的生物量和氮磷吸收的影响。结果表明,由于柱花草生物固氮,对扭黄茅和孔颖草养分吸收和生长有促进作用,与柱花草间作后的扭黄茅和孔颖草与禾本科牧草单作模式相比,能获得高的养分吸收量和产量。与各自单作对比,间作体系中的禾本科牧草生物量高于单作0.06%和26.78%;与柱花草单作对比,两个间作体系中的柱花草生物量低于单作9.70%和12.83%。扭黄茅与柱花草间作后,对氮磷的吸收量高于单作扭黄茅24.26%和35.18%,对氮磷的吸收量高于单作孔颖草40.64%和47.50%。相对于单作而言,柱花草分别与扭黄茅和孔颖草间作,对氮吸收量分别降低8.31%和28.94%,磷吸收量分别降低3.56%和20.58%。而且两种间作模式当量比均大于1,具有间作优势;柱花草/扭黄茅间作系统生产力、种间竞争能力高于柱花草/孔颖草,具有产量优势。在株行距为50 cm种植密度下,间作体系中禾本科牧草生长旺盛,柱花草的生长受到抑制,在与两个禾本科牧草间作中为弱竞争作物。结果表明,在合理的种植密度下,适合的牧草配置能够充分利用各种资源,促进种间有益作用,提高单位面积牧草产量和禾本科牧草氮磷的吸收,有利于改善牧草品质。     

Meta‐analysis of the energy and protein requirements of hair sheep raised in the tropical region of Brazil

The objective of this study was to estimate, through mathematical models, energy and protein requirements for maintenance and gain of hair sheep raised in the tropical region of Brazil. To determine the equation parameters, a meta‐analysis of seven independent experiments of nutrient requirements was performed, comprising a total of 243 experimental units (animals), which were conducted under tropical conditions, using hair sheep in growing and finishing phases and endowed of the following quantitative data for each animal: body weight (BW ), empty body weight (EBW ), average daily gain (ADG ), empty body gain (EBG ), heat production (HP ), metabolizable energy intake (MEI ), retained energy (RE ), metabolizable protein intake (MPI ) and body protein content. The regression equations generated were as follows: for Net Energy for maintenance, (NE _m): ; for Net Energy for gain, (NE _g): ; for Metabolizable Protein for maintenance,(MP _m): MPI _(g/day) = 24.8470 (±7.3646) + 560.28 (±99.6582) × EBG _(kg/day); for Net Protein for gain, (NP _g): . The NE _m requirement was 0.246 MJ EBW^?0.75 day^?1. The metabolizable energy for maintenance requirement was 0.391 MJ EBW^?0.75 day^?1. Considering an ADG of 100 g, the NE _g requirement ranged from 0.496 to 1.701 MJ/day for animals with BW ranging from 10 to 40 kg respectively. The efficiencies of use of the metabolizable energy for maintenance and gain were 0.63 and 0.36 respectively. The MP _m requirement was 3.097 g EBW^?0.75 day^?1. Considering an ADG of 100 g, the NP _g requirement ranged from 12.4 to 10.5 g/day for animals with BW ranging from 10 to 40 kg respectively. The total metabolizable energy and protein requirements were lower than those reported by the NRC and AFRC systems. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that nutrient requirements of hair sheep raised in tropical regions differ from wool sheep raised in temperate regions. Therefore, the use of the equations designed in this study is recommended.     

The effects of late gestation nutrient restriction of dams on beef heifer intake,metabolites and hormones during an ad libitum feeding trial

This study's objective was to determine if nutrient restriction during late gestation affected beef heifer feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and endocrine regulation during a 10‐week feeding trial. During the last 100 days of gestation, control (CON) dams were fed to increase body condition score (BCS). Whereas, nutrient‐restricted dams (NR) and NR dams protein supplemented 3 days/week (NRS) were fed to decrease BCS by 1.2. After parturition, all cow‐calf pairs were moved to a common pasture and fed in excess of requirements until weaning. At 15 months of age, heifers were randomly sorted into two pens and adjusted to a commercial total mixed ration over a 2‐week period. Blood samples and BW were taken at the initiation of feeding and on a biweekly basis for the duration of the feeding trial. Feed intake was monitored for 10 weeks using a GrowSafe System. After 10 weeks, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed on 21 randomly subsampled heifers. During the feeding trial, NR heifers consumed more feed than CON and NRS heifers. Heifers from NR dams tended to increase BW compared to NRS and CON heifers when adjusted for initial BW. Heifers from NR and NRS dams had a greater increase in BCS compared to heifers from CON dams. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during the feeding trial increased in NR heifers compared to the other groups beginning at 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma leptin concentrations were increased in the NR and NRS heifers compared to the CON heifers beginning at week 4 of feeding. During the IVGTT at the conclusion of the feeding challenge, plasma glucose and insulin were increased in NR heifers compared to other treatment groups. These results show that nutrient restriction during late gestation alters appetite and endocrine regulation in heifer offspring.     

Spatio-temporal factors influencing the occurrence of Syngamus trachea within release pens in the South West of England

Syngamus trachea is a pathogenic tracheal nematode that causes syngamiasis in wild and game birds, especially when birds are managed at high densities. Despite its pathogenic nature, very little is known about its epidemiology and relationship with ambient temperature and humidity. The spatial and temporal modelling of disease was undertaken on two pheasant estates within the South West of England from April 2014 to August 2014. Significant differences between the mean numbers of eggs per gram of soil were identified between pens at both site 1 and site 2 but did not differ significantly between sites. Egg abundance was significantly associated with soil moisture content, with greater egg survival between years in pens with higher average volumetric soil moisture content. Previous years stocking density and pen age were also associated with greater egg survival between years with more eggs being recovered in pens with greater stocking densities, and pens that had been sited longer. The greatest model to explain the variation in the numbers of eggs per gram of soil per pen was a combination of soil moisture content, stocking density and pen age.Larval recovery differed significantly between sites. Larval abundance was significantly and positively associated with temperature and relative humidity at site 1. Similarly, temperature and humidity were also positively and significantly associated with larval abundance at site 2. Rainfall did not influence larval recovery at either site 1 or site 2. The model with the greatest ability to explain larval abundance at both sites, was a combination of temperature, humidity and rainfall. Infection status (positive faecal egg counts) was significantly and positively associated with larval abundance at both sites, but rainfall was only positively associated at site 1. Temperature and humidity were positively associated with infection status at site 2, but not at site 1. The present study highlights the influence of climatic variables on both egg survival and larval abundance, and could therefore be used to develop more targeted treatment strategies around periods of higher disease risk. The frequent use of release pens is a clear factor in the epidemiology of syngamiasis, and it is recommended that pens be rested and/or rotated in order to reduce infection pressure in subsequent flocks.     

黄土高原人工灌草系统不同立地条件土壤种子库特征

本研究通过野外调查取样与室内试验相结合，连续两年对黄土高原人工灌草系统不同坡向、坡位进行取样，以期对该区土壤种子库的物种组成、密度特征及其物种多样性进行初步了解。研究结果表明：该人工灌草生态系统土壤种子库共有9科，15种，其组成因坡位、坡向以及年份而异；坡向、坡位均显著影响土壤种子库物种多样性指数、丰富度指数与土壤种子库密度（P<0.05），土壤种子库密度为3 218～5 492粒·m^-2，总体呈现为阴坡显著高于阳坡（P<0.05），下坡位显著高于上坡位（P<0.05）；坡位和坡向均对物种均匀性系数无显著影响；年份对土壤种子库无显著影响。上述研究可为黄土高原人工灌草系统的可持续利用与恢复提供参考依据。     

Increasing selenium supply during the close-up dry period improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates inflammatory response after calving in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate whether feeding selenium (Se)-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy affects nutrient metabolism and inflammatory response during the periparturient period. Twenty cows were randomly assigned to two groups with 10 cows each. Cows in one group received Se-yeast at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM during the last 4 weeks before calving in addition to fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Se-yeast), while cows in another group were only fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Control). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and albumin. In control cows, plasma NEFA, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp levels increased after calving, but glucose, insulin, and albumin levels decreased after parturition. Se-yeast supplemental cows had lower postpartum concentrations of NEFA, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp, and higher postpartum levels of glucose, insulin, and albumin compared with control cows. The results indicate that feeding Se-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates the inflammatory response after calving.     

Impact on soil physical properties of using large-grain legumes for catch crop cultivation under different tillage conditions

In Central Europe, various plant species including large-grain legumes and their mixtures are grown as catch crops, particularly between grains harvested early and subsequent summer crops. This article investigates the question of how soil structure in the topsoil is influenced when catch cropping with large-grain legumes (experimental factor A: without catch crop, with catch crop) under different ploughless tillage conditions during catch crop seeding (experimental factor B: deep tillage/25–30 cm, shallow tillage/8–10 cm). Five one-year trials were performed using standard machinery at various sites in Germany. Soil core samples extracted from the topsoil in the spring after catch crop cultivation served to identify air capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity and precompression stress. The above-ground and below-ground biomass yields of the catch crops were also determined at most of the sites. In addition, the soil compaction risk for the working steps in the experiments was calculated using the REPRO model.The dry matter yield of the catch crops varied considerably between the individual trial sites and years. In particular, high levels of dry matter were able to form in the case of early seeding and a sufficient supply of precipitation. The soil structure was only rarely affected positively by catch crop cultivation, and catch crops did not contribute in the short term to loosening already compacted topsoils. In contrast, mechanical soil stresses caused by driving over the ground and additional working steps used in cultivating catch crops often led to lower air capacity in these treatments. This is consistent with the soil compaction risks calculated using the REPRO model, which were higher in the treatments with catch cropping. Catch crop cultivation also only resulted in improved mechanical stability at one location. The positive effect of deep ploughless tillage on air capacity and saturated hydraulic conductivity, however, became more clearly evident regardless of catch crop cultivation. In order for catch crop cultivation with large-grain legumes to be able to have a favourable impact on soil structure, it is therefore important that cultivating them does not result in any new soil compaction. In the conditions evaluated, deep tillage was more effective at loosening compacted topsoil than growing catch crops.     

氮添加对天山高寒草原土壤酶活性和酶化学计量特征的影响

为探究氮添加对高寒草原生态系统土壤酶活性的影响,于2018年在中国科学院巴音布鲁克草原生态系统研究站,选择4个氮添加水平(对照,N0,0 kg·hm^-2·a^-1;低氮,N1,10 kg·hm^-2·a^-1;中氮,N3,30 kg·hm^-2·a^-1;高氮,N9,90 kg·hm^-2·a^-1),开展土壤酶活性对氮添加响应的研究,分析土壤酶活性对氮添加的响应特点,土壤酶化学计量比以及土壤酶活性与土壤环境因子的关系。结果表明:与对照相比,氮添加在N3水平显著增加β-1,4葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、β-D-纤维二糖水解酶(CBH)和β-1,4木糖苷酶(βX)酶活性(P<0.05),N1和N3水平显著增加碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性(P<0.05),N3水平显著降低多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性(P<0.05),氮添加对亮氨酸氨基肽酶(LAP)活性影响不显著,N3水平下显著增加N-乙酰-β-D氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)活性(P<0.05)。相关分析表明,8种土壤酶活性均与土壤有机碳(SOC、NAG除外)和总磷(TP)显著相关,与土壤总氮(TN)不相关。研究区土壤酶活性C∶N∶P化学计量比为1∶1∶1.2,与全球生态系统的土壤酶活性C∶N∶P的比值1∶1∶1相偏离,表明该研究区土壤微生物生长受磷素限制。冗余分析(RDA)进一步揭示出土壤有机碳和土壤全磷含量是影响土壤酶活性的主要因子。     

Organic farming fosters agroecosystem functioning in Argentinian temperate soils: Evidence from litter decomposition and soil fauna

Benefits of organic farming on soil fauna have been widely observed and this has led to consider organic farming as a potential approach to reduce the environmental impact of conventional agriculture. However, there is still little evidence from field conditions about direct benefits of organic agriculture on soil ecosystem functioning. Hence, the aims of this study were to compare the effect of organic farming versus conventional farming on litter decomposition and to study how this process is affected by soil meso- and macrofauna abundances. Systems studied were: (1) organic farming with conventional tillage (ORG), (2) conventional farming with conventional tillage (CT), (3) conventional farming under no-tillage (NT), and (4) natural grassland as control system (GR). Decomposition was determined under field conditions by measuring weight loss in litterbags. Soil meso- and macrofauna contribution on decomposition was evaluated both by different mesh sizes and by assessing their abundances in the soil. Litter decomposition was always significantly higher after 9 and 12 months in ORG than in CT and NT (from 2 to 5 times in average), regardless decomposer community composition and litter type. Besides, mesofauna, macrofauna and earthworm abundances were significantly higher in ORG than in NT and CT (from 1.6 to 3.8, 1.7 to 2.3 and 16 to 25 times in average, respectively for each group). These results are especially relevant firstly because the positive effect of ORG in a key soil process has been proved under field conditions, being the first direct evidence that organic farming enhances the decomposition process. And secondly because the extensive organic system analyzed here did not include several practices which have been recognized as particularly positive for soil biota (e.g. manure use, low tillage intensity and high crop diversity). So, this research suggests that even when those practices are not applied, the non-use of agrochemicals is enough to produce positive changes in soil fauna and so in decomposition dynamics. Therefore, the adoption of organic system in an extensive way can also be suggested to farmers in order to improve ecosystem functioning and consequently to achieve better soil conditions for crop production.     

Impact of soil engineering by two contrasting species of earthworms on their dispersal rates

By burrowing galleries and producing casts, earthworms are constantly changing the structure and properties of the soils in which they are living. These changes modify the costs and benefits for earthworms to stay in the environment they modify. In this paper, we measured experimentally how dispersal behaviour of endogeic and anecic earthworms responds to the cumulative changes they made in soil characteristics. The influence of earthworm activities on dispersal was studied in standardised mesocosms by comparing the influence of soils modified or not modified by earthworm activities on earthworm dispersal rates.The cumulative use of the soil by the earthworms strongly modified soil physical properties. The height of the soil decreased over time and the amount of aggregates smaller than 2 mm decreased in contrast to aggregates larger than 5 mm that increased. We found that: (i) earthworm activities significantly modified soil physical properties (such as bulk density, soil strength and soil aggregation) and decreased significantly the dispersal rates of the endogeic species, whatever the species that modified the soil; (ii) the decreasing in the dispersal proportion of the endogeic species suggests that the cost of engineering activities may be higher than the one of dispersal; (iii) the dispersal of the anecic species appeared to be not influenced by its own activities (intra-specific influences) or by the activities of the endogeic species (inter-specific influences). Overall these results suggest that the endogeic species is involved in a process of niche construction, which evolved jointly with its dispersal strategy.