Intercropping soybean and palisade grass for enhanced land use efficiency and revenue in a no till system

Integrated no-till crop and livestock production systems may help rejuvenate degraded pastures, increase land use efficiency (LUE), and increase enterprise revenue. Our objectives were to evaluate: (1) planting date effects on seed yield and nutrient concentration of an early-maturing, no-till system (NTS) soybean (Glycine max) when intercropped with palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha); (2) dry matter production and protein concentration of the grass pasture after soybean harvest; and (3) overall revenue and LUE for the intercrop system. Experiments were performed during two growing seasons in Botucatu, Brazil using a randomized complete block experimental design. When palisade grass and soybean were sown simultaneously, soybean yield averaged 3.28 Mg ha⁻¹. Similar seed yields were observed when palisade grass was planted either 30 d after soybean emergence (DAE) (3.29 Mg ha⁻¹) or at the soybean reproductive stage R6 (full seed) (3.50 Mg ha⁻¹). Monocrop soybean yield averaged 3.50 Mg ha⁻¹. First cut dry matter forage production was greater when palisade grass was sown at the same time as soybean or 30 DAE of soybean. This indicates that interseeding palisade grass with soybean does not significantly affect soybean nutrition or yield. Intercropping did increase LUE and resulted in 1.6 times more revenue than soybean alone. However, sowing palisade grass at the soybean reproductive stage R6 (full seed) significantly reduced the forage yield compared to early planting.     

Landscape-scale variation in the structure and biomass of the hill dipterocarp forest of Sumatra: Implications for carbon stock assessments

One of the first steps in estimating the potential for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) initiatives is the proper estimation of the carbon components. There are still considerable uncertainties about carbon stocks in tropical rain forest, coming essentially from poor knowledge of the quantity and spatial distribution of forest biomass at the landscape level.     

Soil CO2 efflux in an Afromontane forest of Ethiopia as driven by seasonality and tree species

Variability of soil CO₂ efflux strongly depends on soil temperature, soil moisture and plant phenology. Separating the effects of these factors is critical to understand the belowground carbon dynamics of forest ecosystem. In Ethiopia with its unreliable seasonal rainfall, variability of soil CO₂ efflux may be particularly associated with seasonal variation. In this study, soil respiration was measured in nine plots under the canopies of three indigenous trees (Croton macrostachys, Podocarpus falcatus and Prunus africana) growing in an Afromontane forest of south-eastern Ethiopia. Our objectives were to investigate seasonal and diurnal variation in soil CO₂ flux rate as a function of soil temperature and soil moisture, and to investigate the impact of tree species composition on soil respiration. Results showed that soil respiration displayed strong seasonal patterns, being lower during dry periods and higher during wet periods. The dependence of soil respiration on soil moisture under the three tree species explained about 50% of the seasonal variability. The relation followed a Gaussian function, and indicated a decrease in soil respiration at soil volumetric water contents exceeding a threshold of about 30%. Under more moist conditions soil respiration is tentatively limited by low oxygen supply. On a diurnal basis temperature dependency was observed, but not during dry periods when plant and soil microbial activities were restrained by moisture deficiency. Tree species influenced soil respiration, and there was a significant interaction effect of tree species and soil moisture on soil CO₂ efflux variability. During wet (and cloudy) period, when shade tolerant late successional P. falcatus is having a physiological advantage, soil respiration under this tree species exceeded that under the other two species. In contrast, soil CO₂ efflux rates under light demanding pioneer C. macrostachys appeared to be least sensitive to dry (but sunny) conditions. This is probably related to the relatively higher carbon assimilation rates and associated root respiration. We conclude that besides the anticipated changes in precipitation pattern in Ethiopia any anthropogenic disturbance fostering the pioneer species may alter the future ecosystem carbon balance by its impact on soil respiration.     

Comparative analysis of Andiodrilus pachoensis casts in forests and pastures of South-Eastern Amazon (Brazil)

Soil ecosystem engineers produce biogenic structures (casts, mounds, galleries) that strongly affect soil processes. A comparative analysis of the physical characteristics of the casts produced by the earthworm Andiodrilus pachoensis was carried out in four pastures sowed with Brachiaria brizantha and four primary forests on the deforestation front of the Amazonian forest. In both systems, we recorded surface cast density and spatial patterns as well as surface cast physical properties. Cast and vegetation distributions were mapped within plots of sizes ranging from 25 to 50 m², and cast production was monitored during 2 months. Cast spatial distribution varied greatly among plots and across spatial scales ranging from regular at small spatial scales (0–20 cm) to clumped for larger distance ranges (>80 cm). Cast density was not significantly correlated with grass tuft density and their production was independent from the presence of grass tufts in pastures or litter quantity in forests. Although bulk soil properties (pH, C content, structural stability, etc) differed between pastures and forests, cast physical properties did not differ significantly among the studied ecosystem.     

热带风暴对海南东寨港红树林林分结构的影响

通过研究热带风暴对海南岛东寨港海桑（Sonneratia caseolaris）-无瓣海桑（Sonneratia apetala）人工红树林及角果木（Ceriops ta-gal）-红海榄（Rhizophora stylosa）天然红树林群落结构的影响表明,热带风暴后海桑-无瓣海桑人工林树高、东西冠幅、南北冠幅平均值分别减少2.8%、14.3%、12.1%,枝下高增加60.0%;角果木-红海榄天然林的树高增加8.3%,东西冠幅、南北冠幅无变化,枝下高增加20.0%;热带风暴对人工林的影响比天然林大;热带风暴前后不同树种的树高增长顺序为角果木〉红海榄〉无瓣海桑〉海桑;对冠幅的影响程度依次为角果木〈红海榄〈海桑〈无瓣海桑;对枝下高的影响程度依次为角果木〈红海榄〈海桑〈无瓣海桑;在热带风暴的影响下,海桑-无瓣海桑人工林凋落的生物量损失平均为0.22t/hm2,干生物量损失平均为0.13t/hm2;角果木-红海榄天然林生物量损失极小。总体而言,人工林中海桑的抗风性优于无瓣海桑,天然林中角果木的抗风性优于红海榄,天然林的抗风性优于人工林。     

福建省热带切花产业现状及发展对策

为探讨福建省热带切花产业的发展趋势,简单介绍了福建省热带切花的发展现状,结合多年热带切花从业经验,从科研和开发两方面,分析福建省热带切花产业的发展对策。提出发展福建省热带切花产业应重视热带切花引育种、高效栽培及采后保鲜等关键技术研究,并提出相应的开发对策及适宜发展的切花、切叶品种以供参考。     

兴隆热带花园生态设计研究与探讨

从热带雨林的恢复、生物多样性的保护及景观格局等多个层面,对兴隆热带花园这一新型热带植物园的生态设计进行分析,以期对生态设计实践有所帮助。     

Explaining variation in Brazil nut fruit production

Brazil nut is widely recognized as the cornerstone of the Amazonian extractive economy. Tight linkages between Brazil nut production, regional income, and intact mature forests have thrust this species into focus as a key component of Amazonian conservation and income generation strategies. Nonetheless, a comprehensive synthesis of factors explaining Brazil nut fruit production variation is lacking. We aimed to address this knowledge gap, asking: (1) What are the rates and annual variation of Bertholletia excelsa fruit production at individual and population levels? (2) What factors explain B. excelsa production variation, focusing on spatial and temporal variables, diameter at breast height (dbh), crown attributes, liana loads, and soil attributes? and (3) Does liana cutting affect fruit production?     

玉米热带、亚热带种质创新利用体系的研究

以拓展辽宁省玉米种质资源遗传基础为目标,科学合理的利用热带、亚热带种质,选育出一批综合性状优良的自交系和杂交种,建立了一套热带、亚热带种质创新利用的技术体系,并确立在温带种质中导入热带种质比例应小于12．5％;为辽宁省玉米种质资源创新以及玉米产业可持续发展提供技术支撑。     

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.