An experimental study of charcoal degradation in a boreal forest

Degradation rates of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) under natural environmental conditions are largely unknown. Here we present results from a field experiment monitoring the change in mass, C- and N concentrations of a variety of charcoal types in a Norwegian boreal forest over a period of 20 months. The charcoal types represent different feedstock tree species, production temperature regimes, and placements in the forest, i.e. above ground, in the humus layer or in contact with the mineral subsoil. The types of charcoal had different initial C concentrations mainly depending on their production temperature. Nevertheless, all types of charcoal at all placements in the forest showed an initial drop in their C concentrations, which subsequently rose back to reach near initial values in part of the charcoal types. In part of the charcoal types, N concentrations decreased throughout the experiment, exhibiting considerable variation among feedstock species, production temperature regime, and placements in the forest. C/N ratios rose especially in charcoal made from wood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and charcoal that had been stored in contact with the mineral subsoil showed the most rapid mass gain. Our results confirm the important influence of production temperature and feedstock type on the degradation of charcoal, but they also show that microbial activity and environmental conditions play significant roles in charcoal degradation and thus for the fate of pyrogenic carbon under natural conditions.     

Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen in an area of Andisol following afforestation with Japanese cedar and Hinoki cypress

Abstract

To determine the rates of increase in C and N stocks in the soil and organic layers following afforestation in Andisols, we measured C and N densities in the organic and soil layers at depths of 0–5, 5–15 and 15–30?cm, together with a chronosequence analysis of 4-year-old, 14-year-old and 23-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and 4-year-old, 12-year-old and 25-year-old Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) plantations. The short-term changes in C and N were confirmed by repeated sampling 5?years after the first sampling. Tree growth, biomass accumulation and organic layers were much greater in Japanese cedar than in Hinoki cypress plantations. Soil C density (kg?m^?3) increased and bulk density decreased with stand age in the surface layer (0–5?cm). The average soil C accumulation rate was 22.9?g?C?m^?2?year^?1 for Japanese cedar and 21.1?g?C?m^?2?year^?1 for Hinoki cypress. Repeated sampling showed that the rate of increase in C in the surface soil was relatively slow in young stands and that soil C density (kg?m^?3) in the subsurface soil did not change over a 5-year period. Although N accumulated in the tree biomass and organic layers, the soil N density (kg?m^?3) did not change after afforestation. Although the andic properties of the soil and differences in the planted species did not influence the rate of increase in soil C, soil C density was expected to increase to a concentration greater than 80?g?kg^?1, possibly because of the large C accumulation capacity of Andisols.     

Nutritional significance of amino acids,vitamins and minerals as nutraceuticals in poultry production and health – a comprehensive review

Nutraceuticals have gained immense importance in poultry science recently considering the nutritional and beneficial health effects of their constituents. Besides providing nutritional requirements to birds, nutraceuticals have beneficial pharmacological effects, for example, they help in establishing normal physiological health status, prevent diseases and thereby improve production performance. Nutraceuticals include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. which are important for preventing oxidative stress, regulating the immune response and maintaining normal physiological, biochemical and homeostatic mechanisms. Nutraceuticals help in supplying nutrients in balanced amounts for supporting the optimal growth performance in modern poultry flocks, and as a dietary supplement can reduce the use of antibiotics. The application of antibiotic growth enhancers in poultry leads to the propagation of antibiotic-resistant microbes and drug residues; therefore, they have been restricted in many countries. Thus, there is a demand for natural feed additives that lead to the same growth enhancement without affecting the health. Nutraceuticals substances have an essential role in the development of the animals’ normal physiological functions and in protecting them against infectious diseases. In this review, the uses of amino acids, vitamins and minerals as well as their mode of action in growth promotion and elevation of immune system are discussed.     

祁连山南麓高寒灌丛GPP变化特征及对生长季积温的响应

全球气候变化背景下气温逐渐升高,将会对陆地生态系统碳循环产生重要影响。研究利用2003?2016年的涡度相关系统观测资料,研究了祁连山南麓高寒灌丛生长季(5月?9月)总初级生产力(gross primary productivity,GPP)在不同时间尺度上对生长季有效积温(growing season degree days,GDD)的响应,对于研究气候变暖对高寒生态系统碳循环的影响有重要意义。结果表明:高寒灌丛生态系统在生长季的月GPP、GDD都表现为先增大后减小的单峰变化趋势,都在7月或8月达到峰值,在5月达到最小值。在整个生长季尺度上,GPP与GDD具有较高变异性,但整体上表现为逐渐增加的趋势(P<0.05)。2003?2016年整个生长季GPP与GDD的均值分别为507.11 g·m^?2和975.93℃。在月尺度和生长季尺度上,GPP与GDD都呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05)。但是,通过比较生长季每个月GPP与GDD的关系发现,5、9月的GPP与GDD没有显著相关性(P>0.05),而在7月相关性最为显著(P<0.01)。整体上看,高寒灌丛生态系统植被的总初级生产力与热量条件表现为正相关关系,由此说明在全球气候变暖的背景下,青藏高原高寒灌丛生态系统植被的光合生产能力将会提高。     

培肥措施对旱地农田土壤CO2排放和碳库管理指数的影响

阐明长期有机物料施肥下土壤CO₂排放特征及其影响机制以及碳库管理指数对黄土高原旱作农业区固碳减排及施肥模式选择的影响尤为重要。基于2012年设置在陇中黄土高原旱作区的长期定位试验,通过不施肥（CK）、氮肥（NF）、有机肥（OM）、秸秆（ST）、有机肥结合无机肥（OMNF）5个处理,测定并计算了2018年不同施肥措施下全年土壤CO₂排放、作物碳排放效率和碳库管理指数的变化,并运用结构方程模型分析了0~30 cm土壤温度、水分、微生物量碳氮、易氧化有机碳、蔗糖酶、脲酶与土壤CO₂排放速率的关系。结果表明：1）与不施肥相比,秸秆、有机结合无机肥和有机肥处理使生育期土壤CO₂排放平均速率提高了42.72%、30.82%和29.79%,秸秆、有机肥处理分别使生育期土壤CO₂排放量显著提高36.35%、32.45%（P<0.05）,有机结合无机肥处理使碳排放效率显著降低41.10%（P<0.05）;2）有机物料处理均能显著提高0~5 cm土层易氧化有机碳、微生物量碳氮、蔗糖酶活性和碳库管理指数,相比不施肥和氮肥处理,有机结合无机肥处理分别使0~30 cm土壤碳库管理指数提高127.41%,99.33%（P<0.05）;3）结构方程模型表明,环境因子对土壤CO₂排放速率的总解释度为53%,对土壤CO₂排放速率总效应较大的影响因素包括土壤温度（2.36）、微生物量碳（1.59）和土壤水分（1.18）,且均间接地影响着土壤CO₂排放速率,土壤温度促进了微生物量碳和蔗糖酶活性的提高,微生物量碳促进了微生物量氮和易氧化有机碳的增加。综合来看,有机结合无机肥处理可以提升土壤碳库管理指数,保持微生物活性,增加作物产量,降低土壤碳排放效率,是陇中黄土高原旱作农业区比较适宜的农田培肥措施。     

磷对铝胁迫紫花苜蓿幼苗根系生长和生理特征的影响

为了探究磷对铝胁迫下紫花苜蓿幼苗生长和生理特征的影响,分别用不含和含200 μmol·L^-1磷（P）、100 μmol·L^-1铝（Al）、200 μmol·L^-1 P+100 μmol·L^-1 Al的简易 ［Ca（NO₃）₂］营养液（pH=4.5）处理铝敏感紫花苜蓿品种‘Wl440’幼苗。结果表明,在铝处理中添加磷后,苜蓿幼苗根系和叶片中的铝含量分别比铝处理降低81.53%和61.47%,苜蓿幼苗的根长和根系活力显著提高,叶片电导率和丙二醛（MDA）含量显著下降;光合生理得到明显改善,与铝处理相比,磷添加处理幼苗叶片的叶绿素含量、蒸腾速率、气孔导度和光合速率明显提高,光系统Ⅱ和光系统I的电子传递速率增加;磷添加处理明显提高了铝胁迫苜蓿根系的草酸和苹果酸含量,体内有机酸螯合铝离子的能力增强,光合能力提高。因此,磷能够通过增加根系有机酸含量,改善铝胁迫苜蓿光合系统,从而缓解苜蓿铝毒害。     

发酵豆粕在犊牛饲料中的应用进展

豆粕是一种优质的植物性蛋白来源,含有丰富的氨基酸,但也含有胰蛋白酶抑制因子、抗原蛋白以及大豆凝集素等抗营养因子,容易引起犊牛消化功能紊乱,造成营养性腹泻,限制了其在犊牛上的使用量。微生物发酵可以改善豆粕的营养价值,使抗营养因子得到充分的降解,生成的小肽和有机酸有利于犊牛消化吸收和肠道健康,进而提高犊牛断奶日增重和免疫能力,降低犊牛的腹泻率和断奶应激。本文综述了豆粕经过发酵后带来营养价值的变化,并就发酵豆粕在犊牛上的应用进行概述,为其今后在犊牛中的应用提供参考。     

Soil aggregate formation and stability induced by starch and cellulose

Soil aggregate (SA) can be formed and stabilized when soil organic matter (SOM) is decomposed in the soil. However, the relationships between the SA dynamics and SOM with different decomposition rates have not been clarified. Therefore, this study examined the effects of the addition of polysaccharides to soil on SA formation and stability. A Japanese tropical soil was incubated for 99 d at 30 °C in a dark environment following the addition of 0.5% (w/w) starch or cellulose. The decomposition rates of the amendments, and SA formation and stability were evaluated by measuring soil respiration rates, and distribution fractions of soil aggregate sizes and mean weight diameter (MWD) of SA, respectively. The cumulative soil respirations with all treatments rapidly increased until Day 12 of the incubation. The initial slope of the cumulative soil respiration in the soil with starch was significantly higher than that in the soil with cellulose. In either soil with starch or cellulose, the fractions of macro-aggregates (>1000 μm in diameter) significantly increased, respectively, compared with control soil. However, the fractions of meso-aggregates (250–1000 μm) and nano-aggregate (<20 μm) in the soil with starch significantly decreased, while those fractions in the soil with cellulose fluctuated until Day 6. The MWDs reached the maximum on Day 6, indicating the SA formation in the soils with starch or cellulose. The increasing rate of the SA formation in the starch-amended soil was greatly higher than that in the cellulose-amended soil. After Day 6, the MWDs in the soils with either polysaccharide decreased with similar trends with no significant differences between treatments, indicating similar stability of the SA in both treatments. This study showed that the different decomposability of the organic amendments might influence the SA formation differently, but not the SA stability.     

Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Organic Carbon Stocks in Mediterranean Soils (1956–2007)

During the last few decades, land use changes have largely affected the global warming process through emissions of CO₂. However, C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems could contribute to the decrease of atmospheric CO₂ rates. Although Mediterranean areas show a high potential for C sequestration, only a few studies have been carried out in these systems. In this study, we propose a methodology to assess the impact of land use and land cover change dynamics on soil organic C stocks at different depths. Soil C sequestration rates are provided for different land cover changes and soil types in Andalusia (southern Spain). Our research is based on the analysis of detailed soil databases containing data from 1357 soil profiles, the Soil Map of Andalusia and the Land Use and Land Cover Map of Andalusia. Land use and land cover changes between 1956 and 2007 implied soil organic C losses in all soil groups, resulting in a total loss of 16·8 Tg (approximately 0·33 Tg y⁻¹). Afforestation increased soil organic C mostly in the topsoil, and forest contributed to sequestration of 8·62 Mg ha⁻¹ of soil organic C (25·4 per cent). Deforestation processes implied important C losses, particularly in Cambisols, Luvisols and Vertisols. The information generated in this study will be a useful basis for designing management strategies for stabilizing the increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations by preservation of C stocks and C sequestration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于低碳与成本约束的机电产品包装概念设计

机电产品的包装需要耗费大量的原木,对环境造成了极大的影响,也增加了机电产品的生产经营成本。文章从低碳和成本约束的角度,对机电产品包装概念设计的模型进行了分析和探讨。