Livestock water productivity in mixed crop–livestock farming systems of the Blue Nile basin: Assessing variability and prospects for improvement

Water scarcity is a major factor limiting food production. Improving Livestock Water Productivity (LWP) is one of the approaches to address those problems. LWP is defined as the ratio of livestock’s beneficial outputs and services to water depleted in their production. Increasing LWP can help achieve more production per unit of water depleted. In this study we assess the spatial variability of LWP in three farming systems (rice-based, millet-based and barley-based) of the Gumera watershed in the highlands of the Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. We collected data on land use, livestock management and climatic variables using focused group discussions, field observation and secondary data. We estimated the water depleted by evapotranspiration (ET) and beneficial animal products and services and then calculated LWP. Our results suggest that LWP is comparable with crop water productivity at watershed scales. Variability of LWP across farming systems of the Gumera watershed was apparent and this can be explained by farmers’ livelihood strategies and prevailing biophysical conditions. In view of the results there are opportunities to improve LWP: improved feed sourcing, enhancing livestock productivity and multiple livestock use strategies can help make animal production more water productive. Attempts to improve agricultural water productivity, at system scale, must recognize differences among systems and optimize resources use by system components.     

Reproductive seasonality in a swamp-locked African cichlid

Abstract –  This study quantified the seasonal pattern of reproduction in a swamp-dwelling population of the African cichlid Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor victoriae. In the hypoxic waters of the Lwamunda Swamp, Uganda, P. multicolor was reproductively active throughout the year, even during the peak of the dry seasons. However, the degree of activity was seasonal, with rainfall providing a predictor of the percentage of ripe, mature females. There was no correlation between aquatic oxygen availability dissolved oxygen (DO) and either adjusted mean gonad mass or percentage of mature females, suggesting that DO is not limiting reproductive activity in this system. Reproductively mature females were larger during drier periods and may maximise their lifetime reproductive success by producing young throughout the year; but with a lower brooding efficiency. A comparison with Welcomme's (1969) study of a river-swamp system feeding Lake Victoria suggests that reproductive patterning is variable among populations of P. multicolor and may reflect adaptive response to chronically hypoxic conditions in the Lwamunda Swamp.     

西藏甘蓝型春油菜品系及密度配置分析

【目的】研究种植密度对不同熟期西藏甘蓝型春油菜的生育期性状、生长动态和成熟期产量及农艺性状的影响,明确西藏高原农区甘蓝型春油菜的品系配置与高效增产效应。【方法】2019-2020年,选用早熟NY16、中熟NY28和晚熟NY52 3个不同熟期的甘蓝型春油菜品系,设置1.5×10⁵（D1）、3.0×10⁵（D2）、4.5×10⁵（D3）、6.0×10⁵（D4）和7.5×10⁵株/hm²（D5）5种不同种植密度,共计15个处理,每处理重复3次。测定3个油菜品系在不同密度处理下的生育期性状、动态生长指标和成熟期产量及农艺性状,比较不同密度和品系的温度与光能利用效率,通过籽粒产量和光温利用效率确定合理的品系和密度配置。【结果】①随着种植密度增加,参试油菜品系营养生长阶段缩短,所需积温降低,从而导致整个生育期历时和所需积温减少;与早熟品系相比,中、晚熟品系的苗期和花期较长。②随着种植密度增加,参试品系的单株有效角果数和单株粒质量均有所降低,合理密植可弥补单株生产力降低造成的产量损失;早熟品系在不同密度下的平均籽粒产量为1 634.96～2 456.23 kg/hm²,并在7.5×10⁵株/hm²（D5）种植密度达最大值;中、晚熟品系平均产量为1 734.61～2 809.74和1 942.03～3 108.22 kg/hm²,并在4.5×10⁵株/hm²（D3）种植密度达最大值;③密度增加可加快甘蓝型春油菜生育前期茎秆的伸长,抽薹后,随着密度的增加株高和茎粗均降低,7.5×10⁵株/hm²（D5）种植密度下油菜茎秆明显纤细。与早、中熟品系相比,晚熟品系对密度响应更明显。④合理密植可优化油菜的光温利用效率,其中早熟品系的光能和温度利用效率在7.5×10⁵株/hm²（D5）种植密度下达最大值,分别为0.148 g/MJ,1.537 kg/(hm²·℃);中、晚熟品系光能和温度利用效率均在4.5×10⁵株/hm²（D3）密度下达最大值,分别为0.156 g/MJ,1.578 kg/(hm²·℃)和0.163 g/MJ,1.638 kg/(hm²·℃)。【结论】春油菜早熟品系密度为7.5×10⁵株/hm²,中、晚熟品系密度为4.5×10⁵株/hm²时,其产量及光温利用效率达最大值。相同种植密度下,中、晚熟品系的光温利用占优势,在一定无霜期范围内,应充分协调生态条件与密度的关系,建议西藏地区应注重甘蓝型春油菜中、晚熟品系的选育与利用。     

东海南部鲐鱼生物学特征研究

本文根据1999年～2003年7月、8月在东海南部进行的4次鲐鱼围网调查资料，对东海南部海域的鲐鱼生物学特性进行研究。鲐鱼最小叉长为15．4cm，最大为28．8cm，平均叉长22．1cm；优势叉长组为19～25cm，其出现频率为80％。2002年、2003年鲐鱼叉长组成个体比1999年、2001年大；鲐鱼叉长与体重的关系进行拟合后的关系式为：W=0．0034L^3.3404；鲐鱼胃饱满度以0级为主，占70％；年龄组成以当龄鱼为主。     

东海区经济乌贼类资源量评估

本文根据2000年和2001年在东海进行的底拖网调查资料,利用扫海面积法评估东海区经济乌贼类的资源量,并估算可捕资源量。结果表明,近年以金乌贼和神户乌贼等经济乌贼为主捕对象的年潜在资源量稳定在一定的水平上,与20世纪90年代中期的水平相当;当前的实际捕捞产量已接近最大持续产量,进一步开发利用的潜力不大。     

高原湿地纳帕海土壤持水力对不同放牧的响应

选择滇西北高原纳帕海湿地作为研究对象,对生物践踏型(牛、羊践踏)与生物扰动型(藏香猪翻拱)放牧作用下的湿地土壤持水力特征进行对比研究。结果表明:(1)不同放牧方式显著影响湿地土壤理化性质以及土壤持水力。牛羊践踏型放牧下的土壤有机质、总孔隙度、自然含水量以及最大持水量、有机质均显著(P0.05)高于扰动型放牧,而践踏型放牧下的土壤容重显著(P0.05)低于扰动型放牧;(2)不同研究区域,土壤持水力对放牧的响应不同。布伦放牧区土壤最大持水力在2种放牧方式下的差异不显著(P0.05),而哈木古和伊拉放牧区的土壤最大持水力在2种放牧方式下均有显著差异(P0.05);(3)不同季节,土壤持水力指标对放牧的响应程度亦不相同。在旱季,土壤持水力在2种放牧方式下的差异性较雨季更为显著(P0.01)。研究表明,湿地土壤水源涵养功能与放牧方式、放牧季节和放牧区域有关。基于湿地水源涵养功能的保护,应取缔土壤扰动型放牧,有效调控践踏型放牧的强度并减少旱季放牧。     

The effect of land cover/vegetation on soil water dynamic in the hilly area of the loess plateau,China

Severe soil and water loss has lead to widespread land degradation in China's loess plateau. During the past decades, a great deal of effort was made on vegetation restoration to reduce soil and water loss in the loess plateau. However, due to water shortage the efficiency of vegetation restoration was not as satisfactory as expected. As part of a vegetation restoration project, we conducted research aiming to understand the relationship between vegetation pattern and soil water dynamics. The goal was to find vegetation types appropriate for the loess plateau with scarce water resources. In 1986, fifteen plots of land were planted with five vegetation types: pine woodland, shrubland, sloping cropland, alfalfa and semi-natural grassland. Soil water content, runoff, soil erosion were measured for each plot. Environmental variables, such as rainfall, evaporation and temperature, were recorded simultaneously by an automated meteorological station. The relationship between land cover pattern and soil water dynamic was evaluated by using statistical models. We found that: (1) soil water loss occurred during the growing season, and it reached the maximum in the second half of July; (2) soil water was not fully replenished from rainfall during the rainy season; (3) pine woodland induced the largest water loss to surface runoff, followed by sloping cropland, alfalfa, semi-natural grassland and shrubland; the poor capability of pine woodland for water conservation may be attributed to soil compaction and poor ground coverage under the tree; (4) in most cases, soil water of the five vegetation types was low except for shrubland and semi-natural grassland where it was moderate-high during a few periods. These conditions inhibit sustainable vegetation growth in the semi-arid loess hilly area of the loess plateau, China.     

陇东黄土高原春播紫花苜蓿生态气候特征及适生种植区划

根据对春播两年生紫花苜蓿生长状况和相应气象观测资料的分析，探讨了陇东黄土高原地区春播紫花苜蓿的生长发育与平均气温、积温及降水量等生态气侯条件的定量关系，据此得出陇东地区紫花苜蓿的适生种植区划和气侯风险区划。综合区划结果提出开发利用气侯资源的途径和生产紫花苜蓿的对策，为陇东地区进一步调整农业生产结构，发展畜牧业生产和改善生态环境提供依据。     

高原传统农区土地利用功能演变及其生态环境效应

为探究高原传统农区不同梯度上土地利用功能演变及其对生态环境影响特征的差异性,选取云南省昌宁县作为研究区,基于2000年、2010年、2020年3期土地利用数据,采用土地利用转移矩阵、区域生态环境质量指数等方法对研究区土地利用功能演变特征及其生态环境效应进行了分析。结果表明：(1)高原农区垂直梯度上土地利用功能格局多样,近20 a来研究区土地利用功能结构变化表现为生活用地、生态用地分别增加2 784.18,2 561.29 hm²,而生产用地减少5 345.47 hm²,生态用地主要集中在中、高起伏地貌区,生产、生活用地主要集中在低起伏地貌区。(2)高原农区生态环境效应空间差异明显,研究区土地利用功能演变对生态环境质量的影响总体平稳,生态环境质量指数总体维持在0.598 2的良好水平,尤其在北部和中部的中、高起伏地貌区,坡耕地、低效园地等农业生产用地转入以林地为主的生态用地,促进区域生态环境稳定向好发展;而由于人口集聚、土地承载和利用过度,在中南部的低起伏地貌区,农业结构调整以及城镇化占用耕地、林地和草地等现象多发,致使局部生态环境质量呈退化趋...     

陇东黄土高原旱作区土壤水分变化规律及其与玉米产量关系探讨

利用西峰农业气象试验站玉米观测地段土壤水分资料（1990~2007年）和玉米产量资料,以及与之毗邻的西峰基准站气象资料,分析了观测地段土壤水分变化规律及土壤水分变化对玉米产量的影响。结果显示：土壤贮水量的变化呈二次曲线,贮水量最低值出现在8月中旬;耗水量的变化呈直线;贮水量与玉米产量相关最显著的时段在拔节到抽雄阶段,拔节～抽雄0～50cm土壤贮水量每增加10mm,产量增加180-210kg/hm2.