Including public-health benefits of trees in urban-forestry decision making

Research demonstrating the biophysical benefits of urban trees are often used to justify investments in urban forestry. Far less emphasis, however, is placed on the non-bio-physical benefits such as improvements in public health. Indeed, the public-health benefits of trees may be significantly larger than the biophysical benefits, and, therefore, failure to account for the public-health benefits of trees may lead to underinvestment in urban forestry. In addition, the distribution of trees that maximizes bio-physical benefits may not maximize public-health benefits.     

Review on the roles and effects of growing media on plant performance in green roofs in world climates

Growing media (substrate) is a fundamental part of a green roof, providing water, nutrients and support to plants. However, little research has reviewed how it affects plant performances in different climatic regions. This study aims to analyse published research on green roof growing medium across world’s climate zones. Findings are structured according to Köppen–Geiger climate classification, aiming to investigate the prevalence of research conducted in different climate zones. Results from full-scale studies and laboratory or greenhouse experiments were reviewed. The later were included as they provide systematic knowledge on the effect of individual factors on system performances although cannot provide climate specific information. Studies discussed effects of major substrate components and depths on plant survival and establishment using standard test procedures. Results showed that most research in the subject were in temperate (group C climate classification), continental (group D) and dry climates (group B), respectively. Considerable number of investigations was conducted in controlled laboratory or greenhouse environments. Based on the results, future green roof research and guidelines should consider climate specifications of the region in designing growing medium, depths and attribute of green roof substrates in order to ensure enhanced plant performance. Especially, for more fragile but less investigated dry climate, considerations should be made to tackle heat fluctuations and drought stress by enhancing water holding capacity and thermal isolation of the substrate. To move forward, sustainable building solutions as a part of future urban forms, climate-adaptive green roof systems should be included into future research, practice and guidelines.     

Effects of agriculture,climate, and policy on NDVI change in a semi-arid river basin of the Chinese Loess Plateau

In 1999, the Grain for Green Project was implemented by the Chinese government. Since then, the vegetation of Zuli River Basin, a semi-arid river basin of the Chinese Loess Plateau, has been greatly changed. Clearly understanding the impact of natural and artificial factors on vegetation change is important for policy making and ecosystem management. In this study, spatio-temporal variations in vegetation cover in Chinese Zuli River Basin during 1999–2016 were investigated using Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. Analyses of several indicators, including changes in NDVI in different slopes and land use changes and the relationships between climatic factors and NDVI change, were presented to quantitatively evaluate the effects of agriculture, climate, and policy on NDVI change. The NDVI in the Zuli River Basin increased during the study period, and the main contributors to this change were forest in 1999–2011, cropland, abandoned farmland, and grassland in 2009–2016, and land with slopes ≤ 15°. Land with slope > 15°, where the “Project” was implemented, slightly contributed to the increase in regional NDVI. In 1999–2011, the project (?98.16%) combined with climate change (?68.18%) showed negative effects on the increase in NDVI in the Zuli River Basin, but agriculture (22.28%) played a positive role in increasing this index. In 2009–2016 and 1999–2016, the project (38.45% and 35.25%, respectively), the project combined with climate change (49.83% and 46.30%, respectively), agriculture (18.61% and 23.30%, respectively), promoted increases in NDVI in the basin.     

绿色农产品管理模式探析——以南京IC卡管理模式为例

以绿色农产品管理模式中比较典型的南京IC卡管理模式为分析对象,介绍了南京IC卡管理模式的基本流程,深入剖析了该管理模式的成功经验、存在问题和今后发展方向,为我国绿色农产品管理模式提供借鉴.     

臭氧技术在养殖中的应用

臭氧技术在消毒防疫方面显示出独特作用。臭氧短时间内弥散到圈舍各个角落,瞬间杀灭病毒、细菌、真菌和寄生虫类等侵染性的病菌,有效预防呼吸道疾病的感染和传播,同时消除异味,改善环境。臭氧技术处理饮用水可净化水质,减少或杜绝畜禽胃肠道疾病发生,提高畜禽免疫力,生产绿色肉、蛋、奶食品。     

牛粪螺旋压榨固液分离工艺参数优化

为了优化粪便固液分离工艺,用作者研制的固液分离机对鲜牛粪进行固液分离,以进料水料比、榨条间隙、螺旋转速作为影响因素,以分离后固形物料中总固体（TS）含量为主要考察指标,以处理牛粪生产率、液料中固体去除率为参考指标,采用3因素5水平进行二次正交旋转组合试验设计,探讨了螺旋压榨工艺参数对固液分离效果的影响,得到了优化的工艺参数：进料水料比为0.65,榨条间隙为1.5 mm,螺旋转速68 r/min时,分离后固形物料中总固体（TS）质量分数可以达到40%以上,研究结果可为牛粪固液分离提供参考依据。     

Nitrate leaching loss following application of organic manures to sandy soils in arable cropping.

Abstract. Experiments were set up at two sites to measure nitrogen (N) leaching loss from applications of separated pig/cattle slurry and cattle farmyard manure(FYM), during winters 1990/91–1993/94 (site A) and from broiler litter and FYM, during winters 1990/91–1992/93 (site B). The manures were applied at a target rate of 200 kg ha^-1 total N during the autumn and winter to overwinter fallow or top dressed onto winter rye. The total N in leachate was calculated from leachate N concentrations, in samples collected using ceramic cups buried at 90 cm, and an estimate of drainage volume. Nitrogen losses were greatest following manure applications in September, October and November but losses following applications in December or January were not significantly elevated above those from untreated controls. Losses were consistently lower from FYM than from broiler litter or separated slurry. The presence of a cover crop (winter rye) significantly reduced overall N leaching compared with the fallow, but only reduced the manure N leaching losses at one site during one winter when a high proportion of drainage occurred late. The incorporation of a nitrification inhibitor (DCD) with manures applied in October did not significantly reduce the manure N leaching.     

工业生产系统环境污染治理理念的探讨

随着世界经济的发展，地球环境日趋恶化。为了人类的生存和发展，必须实施可持续发展战略。文章在分析工业生产系统环境污染产生的原因和过程末端治理弊端的基础上，提出了从源头治理环境污染的理念——宏观上依据热力学第二定律，在中观上采用工业生态学原理，在微观上实施绿色制造和清洁生产，即从客观上运用熵、工业生态学、清洁生产和绿色制造的理论调配资源，组织工业企业，进行生产。最后对排灌机械的可持续发展战略的实施进行了探讨。     

Recovery of cover-crop-N in the soil-plant system in the Guinea savannah zone of Ghana

In order to understand the efficiency of residue-N use and to estimate the minimum input required to obtain a reasonable level of crop response, it is important to quantify the fate of the applied organic-N. The recovery of N from ¹⁵N-labelled Crotalaria juncea was followed in the soil and the succeeding maize crop. Apparent N recovery (ANR) by maize from unlabelled Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria retusa, Calopogonium mucunoides, Mucuna pruriens and mineral fertilizer at three locations were also evaluated. The maize crop recovered 4.7% and 7.3% of the ¹⁵N-labelled C. juncea-N at 42 days after sowing (DAS) and at final harvest, respectively. The corresponding ¹⁵N recovery from the soil was 92.4% and 58.5%. The highest mean ANR of 57.4% was with mineral fertilizer, whereas the mean ANR of 14.3% from C. retusa was the lowest. A large pool substitution and added-N interaction effect was observed when comparing N recovery from the labelled and unlabelled C. juncea. The amount of residue-N accounted for by the isotope dilution method at 42 DAS was 97.1% and at final harvest 65.8%. The large residue-N recovery in the soil organic-N pool explains the residual effect usually observed with organic residue application.     

Comparative effects of applying leguminous and non-leguminous green manures and inorganic N on biomass yield and nitrogen uptake in flooded rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

The beneficial role of green manures in rice production is generally ascribed to their potential of supplying plant nutrients, particularly nitrogen (N). However, the mechanisms through which green manures enhance the crop productivity are poorly understood. Pot experiments were conducted using a ¹⁵N-tracer technique: (1) to compare the biomass production potential of sesbania (Sesbania aculeata Pers.) and maize (Zea mays L.) as green manuring crops for lowland rice and (2) to compare the effect of the two types of green manure and inorganic N on the dry matter accumulation and N uptake by two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, viz. IR-6 and Bas-370. Although maize produced three times higher shoot biomass compared with sesbania, the latter showed higher N concentration; and thus the total N yield was similar in the two types of plants. Applying the shoot material of the two plants to flooded rice significantly enhanced the dry matter yield and N uptake by the two rice cultivars, the positive effects generally being more pronounced with sesbania than with maize amendment. The difference in the growth-promoting potential of the two plant residues was related more to an increased uptake of the native soil N rather than to their direct role as a source of plant-available N. A positive added nitrogen interaction (ANI) was observed due to both plant residues, the effect was much more pronounced with the application of sesbania than with maize residues. In both rice cultivars, inorganic N also caused a substantial ANI, particularly at higher application rate. Losses from the applied N were 2–3 times lower from sesbania, compared with maize treatment. Green manuring with sesbania also caused much lower N losses than the inorganic N applied at equivalent or higher rates. The overall benefit of green manuring to rice plants was higher than inorganic N applied at comparable rates. The two rice cultivars differed in their response to green manuring, IR-6 generally being more responsive than Bas-370.