Soil aggregation: Influence on microbial biomass and implications for biological processes

Our 1988 paper, describing the effects of cultivation on microbial biomass and activity in different aggregate size classes, brought together the ‘aggregate hierarchy theory’ and the ‘microbial biomass concept’. This enabled us to identify the relationships between microbial and microhabitat (aggregate) properties and organic matter distribution and explain some of their responses to disturbance. By combining biochemical and direct microscopy based quantification of microbial abundance with enzyme activities and process measurements, this study provided evidence for the role of microbial biomass (especially fungi) in macroaggregate dynamics and carbon and nutrient flush following cultivation. In the last ten years environmental genomic techniques have provided much new knowledge on bacterial composition in aggregate size fractions yet detailed information about other microbial groups (e.g. fungi, archaea and protozoa) is lacking.We now know that soil aggregates are dynamic entities – constantly changing with regard to their biological, chemical and physical properties and, in particular, their influences on plant nutrition and health. As a consequence, elucidation of the many mechanisms regulating soil C and nutrient dynamics demands a better understanding of the role of specific members of microbial communities and their metabolic capabilities as well as their location within the soil matrix (e.g. aggregates, pore spaces) and their reciprocal relationship with plant roots. In addition, the impacts of environment and soil type needs to be quantified at the microscale using, wherever possible, non-destructive ‘in situ’ techniques to predict and quantify the impacts of anthropogenic activities on soil microbial diversity and ecosystem level functions.     

Organic input quality is more important than its quantity: C turnover coefficients in different cropping systems

Annual C input to soil is a major factor affecting soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. However different types of C-sources can have different behaviour, in relation to their chemical characteristics and how they interact with soil. Root-derived C, in particular, should be more efficient than other organic materials as a result of the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the surrounding environment, leading to a reduction in the C decomposition rate.To test this hypothesis, we considered a long-term experiment underway in Northern Italy since 1962, comparing permanent meadow and 6 different crop rotations over a wide range of nutrient inputs, in both organic and inorganic forms. C inputs from amendments were measured and those from crops were calculated using allometric functions and crop and residues yields. The time evolution of SOC was studied through a single-pool, first-order kinetic model, allowing the estimation of humification coefficients for residues, roots, farmyard manure and cattle slurries.The highest value of the humification coefficient was estimated for farmyard manure, which confirmed its high efficiency in stabilising SOC content. Root C presented a humification coefficient 1.9 times higher than above-ground plant materials while slurries were intermediate, with a humification coefficient roughly half that of farmyard manure and even lower that of roots.The quality of C input thus seems of fundamental importance for evaluating the sustainability of different cropping systems in terms of SOC dynamics.     

Single season effects of mixed-species cover crops on tomato health (cultivar Celebrity) in multi-state field trials

Cover crop use can help mitigate the deleterious effects of common cropping practices (e.g., tillage) and is, therefore, an important component of soil health maintenance. While known to be beneficial in the long-term, the short-term effects of cover crops, specifically mixed-species cover crops in organic systems are less clear. Cover crop effects on tomato productivity and disease severity were recorded over three field seasons (2010, 2011 and 2012) at sixteen field sites in three states, Maryland, New York and Ohio (MD, NY and OH), each with distinct soilborne disease pressure. Plots of five state-specific cover crop treatments were established the season prior to tomato production; the resulting plant residue was incorporated the following spring approximately four weeks before tomato planting. Total fruit yields along with early-season shoot height and fresh weight were used to compare treatment effects on productivity. Treatment disease severity ratings relied on natural inoculum. Interestingly, the effect of a single season of cover cropping on total yield was significant in no more than 25% of all site years. Similarly, cover crop effects on tomato disease levels were significant in 0–44% of the sixteen field sites. However, significant field-specific patterns were observed in every state across multiple years for some treatments. For example, in New York in 2010, tomato yields following all mixed cover crops were greater than the single rye cover crop in one field, but this pattern was reversed in the adjacent field. Thus, no general recommendation of a specific cover crop mixture can be made for near-term enhancement of tomato productivity or for reduction of disease. Therefore, growers should focus on location and operation-specific variables when choosing cover crops.     

我国有机水稻发展对策探析

阐述了我国发展有机水稻的积极意义，分析了有机水稻发展的制约因素，并提出了我国政府提高对有机水稻生产的支撑、扶持龙头企业的壮大发展、加强市场监管、采用合理的方式组织规模生产、实行科学种田等措施促进有机水稻良性发展。     

The Humus Content and Soil Biological Properties as a Function of Organic and Mineral Fertilization

There is a growing recognition for the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land users in promoting sustainability of agro-ecosystems. Three soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, phosphatase and invertase) microbial biomass as biological variables and soil organic matter content (SOM) were investigated relative to fertilization and soil fertility (estimated by crop yield) at a long-term fertilization trial (Keszthely, Hungary). 0-34.7-69.4-104.1t farmyard manure (FYM) ha m 1 5 yr m 1 and the corresponding amount of mineral fertilizers (NPK) were applied in two different crop rotation systems. There were four straw and/or stalk incorporating treatments in the second crop rotation 'B'. Enzyme activities, microbial biomass and the amount of SOM were generally higher in the fertilized soils than in the unfertilized soils. The type of amendments (mineral, FYM or mixed) had significant effects only on the amount of SOM. The correlations among the biological variables and the crop yield were generally low (r < 0.250. The differences in field management resulted only in the invertase activity.     

Soybean yield and yield components as influenced by the single and repeated flaming

Field experiments were conducted to study the impact of single and multiple flaming on crop injury, yield components, and yield of soybean. The goal of this experiment was to determine the number of the maximum flaming treatments which soybean could tolerate without any yield loss. The treatments consisted of a non-flamed control, and broadcast flaming conducted one time (at VC-unfolded cotyledon, V2-second trifoliate, and V5-fifth trifoliate), two times (each at VC and V2, VC and V5, and V2 and V5 stages), and three times (at VC, V2, and V5 stages) resulting in a total of eight treatments. All plots were kept weed-free for the entire growing season by hand hoeing. A propane dose of 50 kg ha⁻¹ was applied with torches parallel to the crop row and at an operating speed of 4.8 km h⁻¹ for all treatments. The response of soybean was measured as visual injury ratings (at 7 and 28 days after treatment – DAT) as well as effects on yield components and yield. Broadcast flaming conducted once (at VC or V5 stage), as well as twice (at VC and V5 stages) exhibited the lowest injury of about 8% at 28 DAT. Any treatment that contained flaming at V2 stage resulted in more than 70% injury at 28 DAT. The highest crop yields were obtained from the non-flamed control (3.45 t ha⁻¹) and the plots flamed once at VC (3.35 t ha⁻¹), V5 (3.32 t ha⁻¹), and two times at VC and V5 (3.24 t ha⁻¹), which were all statistically similar. Soybean flamed at V2 stage had lower yields (1.03 t ha⁻¹ at V2, 0.46 t ha⁻¹ at VC and V2, and 0.38 t ha⁻¹ at V2 and V5). The lowest yields were in soybean flamed three times (VC, V2, and V5 stages), which yielded only 0.36 t ha⁻¹. These results indicate that soybean could tolerate a maximum of two flaming treatments at VC and V5 growth stages per season without any yield reduction.     

有机无机肥料对小麦的肥效及其交互作用

在京郊大同肥力水平土壤上,有机肥和化肥配合施用小麦增产量最高,其增量在中、高肥力试验点上大于低肥力试验点.有机肥和化肥配合施用时的增产作用是它们各自增产效应之和,它们之间的交互效应不显著.在高肥力土壤上甚至有负的交互效应,即配台施用时的增产量小于分施时各自增产量之和.根据肥料试验,本文提出了京郊不同肥力水平土壤上小麦有机无机肥料配合施用量,并发现在低肥力土壤上随着有机肥的施用,化肥氮的用量增加,化肥磷用量可减少;在高肥力土壤上随有机肥的施用,化肥氮用量减少,化肥磷用量增加;在中等肥力土壤上配合有机肥的施用,氮磷化肥用量均个应减少,应略为增加.     

Conversion to organic arable farming in The Netherlands: A dynamic linear programming analysis

Several studies show that organic farming is more profitable than conventional farming. However, in reality not many farmers convert to organic farming. Policy makers and farmers do not have clear insight into factors which hamper or stimulate the conversion to organic farming. The objective of this paper is to develop a dynamic linear programming model to analyse the effects of different limiting factors on the conversion process of farms over time. The model is developed for a typical arable farm in The Netherlands central clay region, and is based on two static liner programming models (conventional and organic). The objective of the model is to maximise the net present value over a 10-year planning horizon. The results of the analysis of a basic scenario show that conversion to organic farming is more profitable than staying conventional. In order to arrive at the actual profitable phase of organic farming, the farmer has to pass through the economically difficult 2-year conversion period. Sensitivity analysis shows that if depreciation is 25% higher than conventional fixed costs due to machinery made superfluous by conversion, conversion is less profitable than staying conventional. Also the availability of hired labour, which can be constrained in peak periods, has a strong effect on the cropping plan and the amount of area converted. Further analysis shows that a slight drop (2%) in organic prices lowers the labour income of the farmer and makes conversion less profitable than conventional farming. For farmers, a minimum labour income can be required to ‘survive’. The analysis shows that constraint on minimum labour income makes stepwise conversion the best way for farmers to overcome economic difficulties during conversion.     

斜板上流式厌氧污泥床处理低浓度有机废水的试验研究

本文报告了用１６．１升斜板上流式厌氧污泥床在常温下处理低浓度有机废水的启动和运行试验研究。试验使用稀释酒精废水为模拟处理基质，启动阶段仅用７７天时间，装置水力负荷达到２ｍ３／（ｍ３．ｄ），ＣＯＤ去除率达到７８．９％，此时进水ＣＯＤ浓度为７６７．８ｍｇ／Ｌ。在第二阶段试验中，仅用一天时间，装置就恢复了时隔半年的正常运行。以后在温度１２℃以上，ＨＲＴ为１２小时，进水ＣＯＤ浓度在６６０．０～９８２．０ｍｇ／Ｌ范围的１２９天稳定运行中，平均ＣＯＤ去除率为７６．１％。结果表明：采用该工艺处理低浓度有机废水在技术上是可行的，具有启动快，运行稳定，工艺控制简便的优点。水浸没的成组浅层斜板在ＵＡＳＢ／ＩＴＳ反应器中有良好的污泥截留能力和稳流效果，容易生成大颗粒污泥。颗粒污泥最大粒径可达５ｍｍ，ＳＶＩ为１８．２ｍｌ／ｇ。颗粒污泥中以甲烷丝菌为优势菌。     

微塑料对典型污染物吸附解吸的研究进展

近些年来,环境中的微塑料污染引起了全世界的广泛关注。微塑料具有比表面积大、吸附力强等特点,其易与环境中的典型污染物(如有机污染物和重金属)相互作用,改变这些污染物的环境行为。明确微塑料对有机污染物和重金属的吸附解吸作用过程和机制,对于明确有机污染物和重金属的环境行为及毒性效应的相应变化具有重要的意义。本文系统综述了微塑料对有机污染物和重金属吸附解吸作用的研究进展,着重从微塑料性质(类型、形貌特征、表面官能团、极性、吸附位点、结晶度、老化程度)、污染物性质(表面官能团、疏水性、极性、浓度、形态等)以及环境因素(温度、pH、盐度、离子强度、表面活性剂、微生物膜)3个方面,系统分析了微塑料对典型污染物吸附解吸的作用过程和机理。微塑料对有机污染物和重金属的吸附解吸主要受表面吸附、孔隙填充、络合作用以及疏水作用等的影响。微塑料对污染物的吸附动力学绝大部分符合动力学(准)二级模型,部分符合一级动力学;吸附等温线基本符合Frendlich模型、Langmuir模型和Henry模型,部分符合线性模型和复合模型。未来应加强微塑料对一些新型污染物吸附解吸方面的研究工作,进一步明确微塑料与典型污染物之间相互作用的过程和机理,并建立相关的数据库和模型。希望为后续的微塑料吸附解吸典型污染物的相关研究提供借鉴与参考,也为科学地认识微塑料的环境行为提供依据。