Sodicity and salinity in a Brazilian Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane irrigated with wastewater

Changes in soil sodicity-salinity parameters are one of the most characteristic alterations after treated sewage effluent (TSE) irrigation in agro-systems. Considering the importance of these parameters for agricultural management, as well as the economical value of sugarcane for Brazil, the present study aimed at evaluating effects on soil sodicity and salinity under tropical conditions over 16 months of TSE irrigation in a sugarcane plantation at Lins, São Paulo State, Brazil. Soil samplings were carried out in February 2005 (before planting), December 2005 (after 8 months of TSE irrigation) and September 2006 (after 16 months of TSE irrigation) following a complete block design with four treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of: (i) control, without TSE irrigation; (ii) T100, T150 and T200, with TSE irrigation supplying 100% (0% surplus, total of 2524 mm), 150% (50% surplus, total of 3832 mm) and 200% (100% surplus, total of 5092 mm) of crop water demand, respectively. Compared to initial soil conditions, at the end of the experiment increases of exchangeable sodium (from 2.4 to 5.9 mmol_c kg⁻¹), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (from 8 to 18%), soluble Na (from 1.4 to 4.7 mmol L⁻¹) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of soil solution (from 3.6 to 12.6 (mmol L⁻¹)^0.5) were found in the soil profile (0-100 cm) as an average for the irrigated plots due to high SAR of TSE. Associated with the increments were mostly significant increases in clay dispersion rates at depths 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm. Electrical conductivity (EC) of soil solution increased during the TSE irrigation period whereas at the end of the experiment, after short term discontinuation of irrigation and harvest, EC in the topsoil (0-10 and 10-20 cm) decreased compared to the previous samplings. Moreover, despite increasing sodicity over time mainly insignificant differences within the different irrigated treatments were found in December 2005 and September 2006. This suggests that independent of varying irrigation amounts the increasing soil sodicity over time were rather caused by the continuous use of TSE than by its quantity applied. Moreover, also plant productivity showed no significant differences within the TSE irrigated plots. The study indicates that monitoring as well as remediation of soil after TSE irrigation is required for a sustainable TSE use in order to maintain agricultural quality parameters.     

海南岛甘什岭热带低地雨林植物组成与地理成分

为揭示海南岛甘什岭热带低地雨林区域植物群落特征、性质和规律,以期为进一步分析生物多样性保育与恢复策略及生态服务功能评估等提供科学依据,在海南岛南部甘什岭自然保护区选择典型低地雨林建立1 hm~2固定样地,进行立地因子和植被调查,并研究其物种组成与地理成分。结果表明:维管植物隶属于65科150属213种,种子植物63科148属211种,分别占海南岛和全国种子植物总科、属、种的32.66%、19.29%,13.56%、4.69%和7.65%、0.78%~0.81%;优势科明显,单种科36个,寡种科24个,共占总科数的92.31%;属内种的变化范围为1~6,单种属最多,占总数的76.00%;科和属的分布区类型均以泛热带分布为主,热带性质占绝对优势,这不同于尖峰岭山地雨林热带-亚热带过度性明显的特点;根据种-面积曲线研究表明,甘什岭热带低地雨林最小取样面积为范围在3 600~6 400 m~2之间,其上限高于海南岛霸王岭热带山地雨林的4 000 m~2最小面积;相较于山地雨林,其植物种类较丰富,地理成分更复杂。     

Tillage and land use effects on soil microporosity in Ohio, USA and Kolombangara, Solomon Islands

Micropores are important to soil moisture retention and plant growth. Microporosity and pore size distribution were evaluated using mercury intrusion porosimetery on aggregates from 35-year-old experiments started in 1962 at Wooster (40.5 °N, 82 °W) and South Charleston (39.8 °N, 84 °W) in Ohio, USA and from three land use practices on Kolombangara (8 °S, 157 °E) in Solomon Islands. Tillage treatments in Ohio included: moldboard plowing (MP), chisel plowing (CP), and no-till (NT) with continuous corn. The land use treatments in Kolombangara included: natural forest (NF), traditional farming (TF) and topsoil removal (TR). Pore size measured in aggregates ranged from 0.2 to 100 μm in diameter. Median pore radius was significantly (P < 0.05) larger for NT than for MP and CP treatments at Wooster, but not at South Charleston. Tillage treatments had significant effect on the volume of both storage and residual pores for both sites in Ohio. Volume of storage and residual pores were higher for Wooster than South Charleston soil. At Kolombangara, the NF treatment had significantly larger median and peak pore radii, and microporosity than TF and TR treatments. There was, however, no significant difference among treatments in the volume of pore size distribution. These data support a recommendation for adoption of no-till or conservation tillage in soils of the temperate region, and of minimal disturbance and effective erosion control in soils of the tropics.     

Correlation between earthworms and plant litter decomposition in a tropical wet forest of Puerto Rico

Earthworms are recognized to play an important role in the decomposition of organic materials. To test the use of earthworms as an indicator of plant litter decomposition, we examined the abundance and biomass of earthworms in relation to plant litter decomposition in a tropical wet forest of Puerto Rico. We collected earthworms at 0–0.1 m and 0.1–0.25 m soil depths from upland and riparian sites that represent the natural variation in soils and decomposition rates within the forest. Earthworms were hand-sorted and weighed for both fresh and dry biomass. Earthworms were dominated by the exotic endogeic species Pontoscolex corethrurus Müller; they were more abundant, and had higher biomasses in the upland than in riparian sites of the forest. Plant leaf litter decomposed faster in the upland than riparian sites. We found that earthworm abundance in the upper 0.1 m of the soil profile positively correlated with decomposition rate of plant leaf litter. Ground litter removal had no effect on the abundance or biomass of endogeic earthworms. Our data suggest that earthworms can be used to predict decomposition rates of plant litter in the tropical wet forest, and that the decomposition of aboveground plant litter has little influence on the abundance and biomass of endogeic earthworms.     

Comparison of cavity modification and community involvement as strategies for hornbill conservation in Thailand

We monitored breeding success of hornbills in Thailand for four sympatric species at Khao Yai National Park during 1981-2002 and six species at Budo-Sungai Padi National Park during 1994-2002. Within a 60 km² study area at Khao Yai, the well protected area, use of available cavities ranged from 94% in 1984 to 50% in 1993. Competition for nesting cavities was 40% of cavities available indicating the shortage of suitable cavity. We monitored the cavity condition and modified 48 cavities and, between 1996 and 2000, these contributed annually 23-45% of nestings that were successfully fledged (n = 352). Within the 90 km² at Budo Mountain, with heavy human disturbance, use of available cavities for nesting decreased from 81% in 1997 to 30% by 2001 and of successful fledging from 96% in 1997 to 55% in 1999, but both increased once our involvement with local communities had eradicated poaching and reduced disturbance. Competition for nesting cavities here was 26% of cavities available indicating the effect of poaching. Both strategies were successful in the short term but long-term management of cavities in large forest trees is required at Khao Yai and of forest disturbance at Budo.     

Amelioration of a highly degraded tropical alfisol by planting I. Changes in soil physical and chemical properties 1989-91

This paper examines soil amelioration by planting 15 leguminous and graminaceous plant species, including herbaceous annuals, perennials and biennials, and woody perennials and biennials. Disturbed and undisturbed natural regrowth were planted with leguminous species, in some cases with fertilizer applied at planting (400 kg ha⁻¹ of 15:15:15 NPK). The studies were made on two highly degraded sites in southwestern Nigeria which had been subjected to intensive mechanized cropping for a period of 10 years. Changes in soil physical and chemical properties were monitored from 1989 to 1991. Acacia difficilis, Brachiaria lata and Mucuna utilis had the lowest survival rates by the following growing season. Soil fertility and compaction levels differed between sites. Planting had no effect on the latter. The decreases in compaction (i.e. macroporosity) between 0.00 and 0.10 m depth at both sites one month before and five and 17 months after planting were 43, 59 and 61 per cent, respectively were attributed to exclusion of heavy machinery from the sites. Large decreases in fertility occurred at both sites and were attributed to a combination of nutrient extraction and to leaching. Between fallow species, exchangeable Ca, pH and the cation-exchange capacity (CEC) were greater and total acids lower for herbaceous cover compared with woody perennials, and was attributed to a higher Ca demand by the latter. Highest and lowest values of Ca, CEC and pH occurred in plots where plant material was returned to the soil (i.e. by cutting or die-back) and in cropped plots, respectively. Natural regrowth was as effective or better than planted species in improving soil physical and chemical properties. Therefore the use of exotic plant species for ameliorating highly degraded alfisols is unnecessary. Amelioration of highly degraded alfisols may be best effected by allowing natural regrowth to occur while excluding all mechanized traffic from the site.     

广西十万大山自然保护区外来入侵植物研究

十万大山属北热带山地,有着丰富的生物多样性,但目前已遭到外来种植物入侵。通过实地调查和查证文献资料,初步确定十万大山自然保护区内外来入侵植物有23种,隶属于12科21属,其中菊科种类最多,6种,占入侵植物总数的26.1%;其次为苋科,3种,占入侵植物的13.0%。从来源看,23种入侵植物中,有21种来自热带美洲,占入侵植物种的91.3%。23种入侵植物均为r-选择对策种,其中有草本20种,占入侵植物种类总数的87.0%。23种入侵植物几乎全部是由人类活动直接或间接引入。最后对保护区内入侵植物的危害性及防治措施也作了初步的分析。     

海南霸王岭热带山地雨林森林循环与群落特征研究

以海南霸王岭1hm^2热带山地雨林的网格样方调查数据为基础，首先对全林分的群落特征进行了分析，然后以森林循环理论为指导，研究了热带山地雨林的种群与群落特征。结果表明：热带山地雨林中不同生活型的树种在利用垂直和水平生态资源上是相对分离的，绝大部分的灌木或小乔木树种的水平生态位宽度较大，垂直生态位宽度较小，中、大乔木则正好相反，而那些低密度、稀有种的生态位宽度最小。随森林循环过程的进行，各树种在不同阶段斑块内出现的频度也会发生相应的变化。霸王岭热带山地雨林中占优势的乔灌木树种大都呈聚集分布的格局，个体数中等的树种大都呈均匀分布的格局，而那些个体数少的低密度种则大都呈随机分布的格局。随着森林循环过程的推进，每个树种所拥有的个体数和所占据的面积是逐渐减少的。森林循环不同阶段内的树种数随着个体数的增加呈现出逐渐减少的总趋势，尤其是由单个体和双个体所对应的物种数较多，3个以上个体对应的树种数则呈现出明显的下降。不同斑块之间组成相似性的大小在一定程度上表明了热带山地雨林森林循环斑块动态的连续性，相邻阶段斑块之间的相似性大于不相邻阶段斑块。以森林循环阶段为基础计算的生态位宽度表明，热带山地雨林中大部分低密度的树种或只集中分布在森林循环的少数阶段斑块内的树种对不同阶段斑块的生态资源利用较少，而那些在森林循环的不同阶段都出现，且个体数或断面积中等的树种，对森林循环不同阶段斑块的生态资源利用较大。     

热带次生林演替过程中环境因子对物种多样性的影响

为了解热带森林次生演替的群落环境特征变化对植物多样性的影响,以两种不同演替阶段的热带滨海次生林群落为研究对象,采用两种非参数检验以及Kendall秩相关分析的方法,对两群落内部的环境因子及其对植物多样性、均匀度以及物种周转率的影响进行研究。结果表明:各环境因子在群落间和群落内均存在差异。在热带常绿季雨林(TEMF)、灌木林(SHR)内,光合有效辐射(PAR)对物种多样性和周转率有显著影响。在两个群落内,土壤相对湿度对物种分布均起到重要影响,对SHR中物种分布的影响更强。在TEMF中,土壤温度、坡度及坡位对物种多样性和周转率限制显著;在SHR中,空气相对湿度成为限制物种分布的主要环境因子。     

海南省热带农产品品牌建设的SWOT分析及对策研究

我国是农业生产大国,海南省地处我国热带地区,热带农业的发展尤其是热带农产品的市场营销一直以来备受海南省委省政府的重视。本文通过对海南省农产品相关概念的界定,运用SWOT分析方法对海南省热带农产品品牌建设进行研究,系统的分析海南省热带农产品的品牌建设过程中所具有的优势、劣势、机会与威胁,并提出相应的战略对策,拟通过对热带农产品品牌的建设来增强海南省热带农产品的市场竞争力,从而进一步开发海南省农产品市场,确保海南省热带农产品的有效流通,最终实现农业生产经营者的增产增收。