Habitat suitability models of saproxylic red-listed boreal forest species in long-term matrix management: Cost-effective measures for multi-species conservation

Understanding of how a large landscape or network of conservation areas and habitats of red-listed species change in time is an important topic when addressing the temporal interplay between protected areas and matrix. We developed models of habitat suitability indices (HSI) for saproxylic red-listed invertebrate and fungal species, accounting for roughly 70% of all red-listed boreal forest species of the study area in eastern Finland. By using a forestry planning program that incorporates various optimisation methods we analysed trade-offs between timber production and amount of habitats of saproxylic red-listed species within a 60-year period. We also produced production possibility frontiers that show how to increase quality of the matrix with least costs. Moreover, we analysed how habitat suitability criteria used in optimisations affect the area of different habitat quality classes.

Our analysis shows that by adopting HSI models in long-term matrix management, it is possible to increase habitats for several red-listed species without substantial losses in timber production. The increase in habitat area is achieved mainly by decreasing the area that is thinned compared to intensive timber production plan. In the long term, this seems to be a novel cost-effective method to increase the quality of the matrix for red-listed saproxylic species. However, the selected optimisation method and the criteria or specification of the management objective for red-listed forest species have a strong effect on results when HSI models are used in conservation planning. Therefore any practical application must be performed with great care.     

Distribution pattern of woodlice (Isopoda) and millipedes (Diplopoda) in four primeval forests of the Western Carpathians (Central Slovakia)

We collected 1605 isopod individuals (eight species) and 671 diplopod individuals (17 species) in four primeval forests of the Western Carpathians, Central Slovakia, by leaf litter extraction. The forests are of different temperate deciduous forest types varying in tree species, aspect, elevation and soil characteristics. The oak forests, established on southwest oriented slopes at an elevation of 280-600 m, were characterized by Hyloniscus riparius, Porcellium conspersum, Enantiulus nanus and Ophioiulus pilosus. The beech forests, established on northeast oriented slopes at an elevation of 700-1100 m, were characterised by Ligidium hypnorum, Trachysphaera costata and Polyzonium germanicum. A remarkable increase of the total number of species and individuals occurred in both forest types adjacent to coarse woody debris (CWD). Woodlice density close to CWD was between 200 and 630 individuals m⁻² (35-130 individuals m⁻² distant from CWD); millipede density close to CWD ranged from 60 to 230 individuals m⁻² (15-75 individuals m⁻² distant from CWD). Species richness of both taxa close to CWD varied from 13 to 16 species m⁻² (7-12 species m⁻² distant from CWD). Thus, CWD has a significant influence on saprophages. However, structural components such as CWD and the amount of leaf litter did not significantly alter species assemblages. Species at sites distant from CWD were a subset of species at sites close to CWD. According to a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), ‘forest type’ and ‘elevation within a slope’, as well as chemistry of the upper soil layer, i.e. ‘acidification’ and ‘nutrition’, strongly influenced species assemblages.     

Practical breeding for durable resistance to rust diseases in self-pollinating cereals

Summary The rust pathogens of cereals exist as populations of races that differ in their ability to attack various varieties. Varieties that are resistant when first released often become susceptible later due to the spread of previously undetected races but the time taken for this to occur in very variable. It often occurs so rapidly as to curtail the commercial use of otherwise satisfactory varieties.Some varieties, however, are widely grown for many years and remain adequately resistant to the prevalent rust diseases. They may aptly be described as having durable resistance. This durable or long-lasting resistance can be detected without any assumptions about, or detailed knowledge of, whether durability depends on any particular mechanisms of resistance, on various degrees of racespecificity or on many or few genes. Cappelle-Desprez is given as an example of a wheat variety with durable resistance to yellow rust.The most powerful test for the detection of durable resistance occurs when a variety is widely grown commercially for several years. A much weaker test is obtained by growing varieties in small disease nursery plots even when the test is repeated for several years. Usually, resistance which is durable is also partial or incomplete. Often, however, partial resistance of wheat to yellow rust has not been durable. Thus the observation that resistance is partial is not, of itself, a satisfactory criterion for the detection of durable resistance.It is suggested that the most obvious sources of durable resistance for use in breeding programmes are varieties which have been widely grown and have displayed this character. The transfer of such resistance during breeding may be achieved if the creation or incorporation of higher levels of resistance that have not been tested for durability is avoided. It should then be possible to derive resistance from the durably. resistant parent. Methods of achieving this are discussed.     

Analysis of adaptation of barley,triticale, durum and bread wheat under Mediterranean conditions

Summary Yield data obtained from a comparative small grain cereals trial, grown for five consecutive growing seasons at a total of 23 environments in Cyprus, were subjected to regression analysis. Within each environment, yield trials consisted of a standard set of three cultivars or elite lines of barley, triticale, durum and bread wheat. The regression coefficient (b) of crop mean on the environmental index (I) and the mean square deviation from regression (sd²) were calculated for each crop. Each crop tended to have its own characteristic value of sd² and its magnitude was an excellent indicator of specific crop-environment interaction. The causes of large sd², for two of the four crops, were the susceptibilith of barley to lodging, when favourable conditions were encountered at high yielding environments, and triticale dependence on late season precipitation. Durum wheat and triticale had an average response to different yielding environments (b>1.19) and both were significantly different from those of bread wheat (1.08) and barley (0.54). Hence, barley, bread and durum wheat are specifically adapted to low, average and high yielding Mediterranean environments, respectively. The cultivation of triticale at the expence of durum wheat is not feasible. Furthermore, interactions between crops and environments demonstrated by the regression parameters, should constitute the basis for decision making, regarding crop adaptation in a region. The average yield in all environments should not be considered as a proper criterion for adaptation. In this study, triticale had a similar mean grain yield (3,842 kg/ha) to that of bread wheat, but was significantly higher yielding than barley or durum wheat (5 and 7%, respectively).     

Genetic variation in specific root length in Scandinavian wheat and barley accessions

Specific root length (SRL, m root g^–1 root dry matter) was studied in a broad selection of old and current accessions of spring wheat and barley from Norway and Sweden, at sub-optimal phosphorus conditions in nutrient solution and soil. The results indicated that genotype did not have a significant effect on SRL. A close relationship between root length (RL) and root weight (RW) was found, and more than 70% of the variation in root length was explained by root weight of representative and homogenous root samples. In nutrient solution, the relationship between RL and RW was described by the regression equations RL = 0.32 RW—0.19 (R ²= 0.74) for wheat and RL = 0.20RW + 0.73 (R ²= 0.56) for barley. In the soil experiment, the relationships between RL and RW were described by the equations RL = 0.15RW + 0.95 (R ²= 0.67) for barley and RL = 0.16 RW + 0.50 (R ²= 0.77) for wheat. Hence, in screenings of a large number of cereal genotypes, the root length may be estimated with good accuracy by records of root weight and an appropriate regression equation.     

Behind the flaming zone: Predicting woody fuel consumption in eucalypt forest fires in southern Australia

Pre-fire woody fuel (diameter > 0.6 cm) structure and its consumption by fire were measured at experimental/prescribed fires and high intensity wildfires in eucalypt forests in southern Australia in order to better understand and model the dynamics of woody fuel consumption. Two approaches were used in model development: (1) a fire or plot level analysis, based on a dataset which includes the proportion of the pre-fire woody fuel load consumed at each fire; and (2) a stage level analysis, based on a dataset where woody fuel consumption was measured at a woody fuel particle level (i.e. pre-fire and post-fire diameter). For the plot level analysis a generalised linear model (GLM) approach identified the Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) as the best predictor of the proportion of woody fuel consumed, with an R² of 0.58 and mean absolute error of 10%. The stage level analysis recognised the various combustion stages through which a burning woody particle would pass, but failed to develop an accurate model that predicted the ignition, partial and full consumption of woody fuels based on fuel, fire behaviour and environmental variables. Analysis showed that consumption of woody fuel particles is highly variable and that variation in fire behaviour potentially has a greater impact on woody fuel consumption, than does variation in fuel characteristics (e.g. state of decay, fuel suspension and interactions with other fuel particles). The FFDI GLM provides forest and fire managers with a tool to manage woody fuel consumption objectives and may assist fire managers with forecasting post-frontal fire behaviour. The FFDI GLM may also assist forest and fire managers to better meet land management goals and to comply with air quality and emission targets.     

Qualitative and quantitative differences in particulate organic matter fractions in organic and conventional farming systems

To quantify functionally important differences in soil organic matter (SOM) that result from use of different farming practices, soils from 9 long-term trials comparing manure+legume-based organic, legume-based organic, and conventional farming systems were collected and particulate organic matter (POM) was fractionated to reflect its position within the soil matrix. The free, light POM (FPOM; <1.6 g cm⁻³) not occluded within aggregates and occluded POM (OPOM; <2.0 g cm⁻³) were compared to an undifferentiated POM fraction (coarse fraction, CF; >53 μm) obtained by wet sieving. Fraction C, N, and hydrolyzable N (quantified using the Illinois test (IL-N)) were determined. Organic farming systems had greater quantities of C and N in the OPOM and CF and, greater IL-N contents in all POM fractions considered. The OPOM's C:N ratio (16-19) and was least in the manure+legume-based organic, intermediate in the legume-based organic, and greatest in the conventional systems (P<0.10). Trends in OPOM C:N and IL-N abundance suggested occluded POM was most decomposed, and possibly a greater N reservoir, in the manured soils. The FPOM quality reflected the residues added to each system and its removal improved resolution of quality-based differences in POM associated with long-term management. Subdivision of POM revealed differences in its quality that were not evident using the undifferentiated CF. Quantification of hydrolysable N (IL-N) in POM did not enhance our understanding of management's affect on SOM quality. This multi-site comparison showed organic management simultaneously increased the size of the labile N reservoir and the amount of POM protected within aggregates; and that, occluded POM is more decomposed in manure+legume- than in legume-based organic systems. The characteristics of POM reveal how organic practices improve SOM and suggest the nutrient and substrate decay dynamics of organic systems may differ as a result of the N fertilization strategies they employ.     

南京地区特色旱杂粮生产现状与发展对策

阐述了南京市特色旱杂粮生产的发展机遇与现实意义,概括分析和讨论了“十五”期间的主要成效和存在问题,提出了进一步发展的对策措施,旨在为加快特色杂粮的现实高效化生产提供参考。     

氮磷添加对华南热带森林尾叶桉木质残体分解和养分动态的影响

  目的  明确树种属性和养分添加对亚热带森林粗木质残体分解养分含量及化学计量的影响,为森林养分管理和碳循环提供理论依据。  方法  在浙江天童野外观测研究站森林选取6种典型树种粗木质残体,通过开展野外氮（N）磷（P）添加试验,设置对照（CK,蒸馏水）、氮添加（N,100 kg hm⁻² a⁻¹）、磷添加（P,15 kg hm⁻² a⁻¹）和氮 + 磷添加（N + P,N100 kg hm⁻² a⁻¹ + P15 kg hm⁻² a⁻¹）4种处理,测定粗木质残体分解初期（3年）N、P养分含量和生态化学计量比,分析树种属性和外源养分添加对粗木质残体养分含量和化学计量比的影响。  结果  与初始养分含量相比,分解三年后,CK处理的被子树种N、P含量显著增加,C/N显著降低,裸子树种P含量显著降低（P < 0.05）。与CK相比,P和N + P添加处理显著增加了裸子树种P含量,增加幅度分别为57.29%和53.79%;N + P添加处理显著降低了裸子树种碳（C）含量、C/N、C/P,降低幅度分别为24.0%、30.58%和44.91%（P < 0.05）。N + P添加处理对被子树种养分含量及化学计量比无显著影响。主成分分析表明,N + P添加处理对裸子树种C、N、P含量及其化学计量比的影响大于被子树种,P元素是影响粗木质残体养分及化学计量特征的主要因素。分解三年后粗木质残体的养分含量和初始密度显著正相关,而与初始C含量显著负相关。  结论  总体而言,由于粗木质残体养分含量和物理性质的差异,被子和裸子树种粗木质残体养分含量和化学计量比对氮磷添加的响应存在明显差异,其中初始养分含量较低的裸子树种粗木质残体养分含量及化学计量比受氮磷添加的影响较大。因此,未来研究气候变化（如氮磷沉降）对森林养分库和有机碳分解影响时应考虑粗木质残体树种属性的差异。     

The influence of milling on the nutritive value of flour from cereal grains. 7. Vitamins and tryptophan

Rye, wheat, barley, rice, maize and sorghum were milled into more or less refined fractions, and the content of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B₆, folate, biotin, niacin and tryptophan were determined. Differences in vitamin content between the different cereal grains were rather small. Refining resulted in marked losses of all vitamins studied. On average, 70%–80% of the vitamins were lost during the milling process. The lowest vitamin content was found in highly refined rice, containing only about 5% of the folate and 10% of the niacin present in brown rice. Maize had a low content of tryptophan, and the concentration was greatly reduced by degerming. For the other cereal grains, milling had only a slight effect on tryptophan concentrations.