The horizontal barrier effect of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing five tropical grasses

The rate of nutrient intake (RNI) is a primary determinant of animal performance in grazing cattle and depends on both diet quality and instantaneous intake rate (IIR). In turn, diet quality and IIR are a function of the foraging behaviour of the animal (selectivity, bite mass and bite rate) and the characteristics of the sward. In this study we evaluated the effect of the stem density and the tensile resistance of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing tropical pasture species. The methodology involved the use of small sown microswards offered to tethered cattle. The experiment consisted of a factorial combination of five tropical grasses [Bothriochloa pertusa (Bp), Chloris barbata (Cb), Chloris gayana (Cg), Cynodon dactylon (Cd) and Heteropogon contortus (Hc)] and three stem densities (0, 400 and 800 stems m^− 2). Bp and Cd had stems of significantly lower tensile resistance (19 and 15 N respectively) (Group 1) than those of Cb, Cg and Hc (110, 211 and 167 N respectively) (Group 2). The steers avoided stems of Group 2 and thus, reduced bite area, bite mass, IIR and RNI as stem density increased. However, the animals did not avoid stems of Group 1 and there was no effect of stem density on any of the foraging behaviour variables when cattle grazed species in Group 1. These results confirm that RNI and plant part selection is closely associated with the tensile resistance of the stem.     

土壤硒富集空间分布特征及影响因素研究

以揭阳市土壤为对象,系统采集了表层土壤样(0～20 cm)1 330个和深层土壤样(150～200 cm)331个,并利用相关性分析、回归分析、方差分析及GIS空间分析技术等方法对土壤硒的含量分布、富集特征及影响因素进行了系统的分析。结果表明,揭阳市表层土壤Se含量处于0.02～2.01 mg/kg之间,几何平均值为0.48 mg/kg,是中国土壤Se平均含量的1.66倍。揭阳市土壤总体呈足硒及富硒特征,不存在硒过剩,极少区域土壤呈硒缺乏特征,表层与深层土壤表现基本一致,富硒土壤主要分布于普宁市、惠来县及北部边缘。表层土壤中Se富集面积达到52.03%,但在空间上分布零散,这可能与母质、土壤类型等因素有关。强富集区域集中分布于花岗岩与粉砂岩为母质的土壤区,而大部分由第四纪冲积物形成的土壤无富集。方差分析表明:不同母质、土壤类型及土地利用方式对土壤Se的含量及富集水平均造成不同程度的影响,其中影响揭阳市表层土壤Se含量的主要因素为成土母质。除此之外,土壤理化性质及海拔也是影响揭阳市表层土壤Se富集的重要因素。回归分析表明表层土壤Se与pH值呈极显著的负相关,并且分别与有机碳、Fe_2O_3及Al_2O_3呈极显著线性正相关。     

集水区尺度降雨侵蚀力空间分布对土壤流失的影响

为探讨降雨侵蚀力空间分布对土壤流失的影响效应,该文以黄土丘陵沟壑区子长集水区为例,将区域重心概念应用到降雨侵蚀力的空间分布研究中,基于GIS探讨了降雨侵蚀力重心在不同年份间的变迁对土壤流失的影响。研究结果表明：降雨侵蚀力重心与水文站点、大于15°坡度重心的距离会显著影响土壤流失;当降雨侵蚀力重心位于水文站点和较陡坡度重心中间位置时,也会产生较多土壤流失;降雨侵蚀力重心在南北方向上变化对土壤流失影响不大,但在东西方向上的移动能够明显改变土壤流失。在集水区尺度上,随着降雨侵蚀力空间分布的变化,降雨侵蚀力与坡度、土地利用、水文站点的空间耦合关系将发生改变,从而导致土壤流失量的增加或减少。     

Leaching of carbon and nitrogen from a sandy soil substrate: A comparison between suction plates and ion exchange resins

To determine boundary effects on leaching, we investigated (1) how filter materials affect the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO₃‐N) in soil percolates and (2) whether ion exchange resins and suction plates are equally suited to capture NO₃‐N. DOC leaching was higher with PE suction plates and plate material did not affect NO₃‐N leachate concentrations. Cumulative NO₃‐N leaching was similar for glass suction plates and ion exchange resins.     

Interactions between phosphorus availability and microbes in a wheat–maize double cropping system: A reduced fertilization scheme

Mechanisms controlling phosphorus(P) availability and the roles of microorganisms in the efficient utilization of soil P in the wheat–maize double cropping system are poorly understood. In the present study, we conducted a pot experiment for four consecutive wheat–maize seasons(2016–2018) using calcareous soils with high(30.36 mg kg^–1) and low(9.78 mg kg^–1) initial Olsen-P content to evaluate the effects of conventional P fertilizer application to both wheat and maize(Pwm) ...     

EM38探测复垦土壤厚度分布的可行性研究

该文采用EM38电磁感应电导率仪测量辽宁省阜新市海州露天矿场复垦区一块面积为5 000 m2的覆土层的表观电导率,试探性研究表观电导率（ECa）与矿区排土场覆土厚度（TSLT）的相关性。测定结果证实ECa与相同点位剖面挖掘所得的深度数据有很好的负相关性,而两层土壤的电导率差值与上层土壤深度之间存在一定的正相关性。结合地统计克里格插值,得到了该复垦区覆土深度分布的预测趋势图。研究结论指出,基于EM38测量的表观电导率预测矿区复垦区覆土层厚度具有良好的可行性,为废弃矿区复垦质量的客观评估,提供了一种实用、简捷的工程检测 手段。     

Isolating the effect of soil properties on agricultural soil greenhouse gas emissions under controlled conditions

Agricultural soils are important sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Soil properties and environmental factors have complex interactions which influence the dynamics of these GHG fluxes. Four arable and five grassland soils which represent the range of soil textures and climatic conditions of the main agricultural areas in the UK were incubated at two different moisture contents (50 or 80% water holding capacity) and with or without inorganic fertiliser application (70 kg N ha⁻¹ ammonium nitrate) over 22 days. Emissions of N₂O, CO₂ and CH₄ were measured twice per week by headspace gas sampling, and cumulative fluxes were calculated. Multiple regression modelling was carried out to determine which factors (soil mineral N, organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, C:N ratios, clay contents and pH) that best explained the variation in GHG fluxes. Clay, mineral N and soil C contents were found to be the most important explanatory variables controlling GHG fluxes in this study. However, none of the measured variables explained a significant amount of variation in CO₂ fluxes from the arable soils. The results were generally consistent with previously published work. However, N₂O emissions from the two Scottish soils were substantially more sensitive to inorganic N fertiliser application at 80% water holding capacity than the other soils, with the N₂O emissions being up to 107 times higher than the other studied soils.     

秸秆隔层对盐碱土水盐运移及食葵光合特性的影响

在内蒙古河套灌区通过微区试验,研究了秸秆深埋(S)、上盖秸秆下埋秸秆(简称上秸下秸,S+S)、上盖地膜下埋秸秆(简称上膜下秸,P+S)和地膜覆盖(对照,CK)4种耕作措施对0-40 cm土层水盐运移及食葵光合特性的影响。结果表明:(1)不同措施对土壤水盐调控的效果与作用时期差异较大。P+S在整个生育期内土壤盐分含量和盐溶质浓度较低,控盐效果显著;S+S仅在苗期能保墒控盐,但控盐效果比P+S差,后期出现水减盐增现象,保墒控盐效果也不佳;S在整个生育期内土壤盐分含量和盐溶质浓度最高,控盐效果最差;CK在整个生育期内土壤水分含量变化不大,而盐分含量较高,控盐效果也不明显。(2)不同措施对土壤水盐运移调控程度的差异,导致食葵光合特性也有明显变化。与CK、S、S+S相比,P+S由于其较低的盐溶质浓度环境,明显改善了其光合特性,在苗期、蕾期和花期能提高净光合速率(Pn)和蒸腾速率(Tr),增加气孔导度(Gs),降低胞间CO₂浓度(Ci),从而使其作物长势和干物质积累明显高于其它措施。综合试验结果,P+S是内蒙古河套灌区盐碱地改良中优选的控抑盐耕作措施。