Leaf-litter decomposition of 15 tree species in a lowland tropical rain forest in Sarawak: decomposition rates and initial litter chemistry

In a lowland tropical rain forest in Sarawak, leaf-litter decomposition and the initial litter chemistry of 15 tree species were studied. During 13 months of field experiment, weight loss of litter samples was between 44% and 91%, and calculated decomposition rate constants (k) ranged from 0.38 to 2.36 year⁻¹. The initial litter chemistry also varied widely (coefficients of variation: 19%–74%) and showed low N and P concentrations and high acid-insoluble residue (AIS) concentration. For nutrient-related litter chemistry, correlations with the decomposition rate were significant only for P concentration, C/P ratio, and AIS/P ratio (r _s = 0.59, −0.62, and −0.68, n = 15, P < 0.05, respectively). For organic constituents, correlations were significant for concentrations of AIS and total carbohydrates, and AIS/acid-soluble carbohydrate ratio (r _s = −0.81, 0.51, and −0.76, n = 15, P < 0.05, respectively). These results suggested that the relatively slow mean rate of decomposition (k = 1.10) was presumably due to the low litter quality (low P concentration and high AIS concentration), and that P might influence the decomposition rate; but organic constituents, especially the concentration of AIS, were more important components of initial litter chemistry than nutrient concentrations.     

Management of pigeon pea in short fallows for crop-livestock production systems in the Guinea savanna zone of northern Ghana

Crop and livestock production in the Guinea savanna zone of northern Ghana has been declining over the past years as a result of increasing pressure on land. To sustain soil productivity, pigeon pea(Cajanus cajan), a leguminous perennial crop was evaluated for its potential as a short duration fallow crop for fodder and grain, and maize (Zea mays)production. It involved comparing a natural fallow (i.e., control) and four improved fallows of pigeon pea pruned annually at 30 cm, 60 cm and 90 cm from the ground, and unpruned pigeon pea over a two-year period. After this time, the land was cleared manually and planted to maize. The highest mean annual biomass of pigeon pea over the two-year period of 6.1 t ha⁻¹ dry matter (DM) was obtained by pruning at 60 cm. The highest leaf litter production and pigeon pea seed yield was obtained from the no pruning treatment. The mean maize grain yield from the improved fallow (3.02 t ha⁻¹) in the first year after clearing was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of the natural fallow (1.54 t ha⁻¹). Considering the biomass of pigeon pea from pruning, pigeon pea seed yield and maize grain yield after the pigeon pea, pruning pigeon pea at 60 cm is the most promising regime for crop-livestock production systems. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of multi-enzymes in combination with a direct-fed microbial on performance and welfare parameters in broilers under commercial production settings

The objective of this study was to determine the response of broilers to the combination of multi-enzymes and direct-fed microbial (DFM) under commercial production settings. A total of 7,000 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were distributed over 10 pens (700 broilers/pen). Two dietary treatments were tested using complete randomized design, including a control diet and a test diet with addition of multi-enzymes (xylanase, amylase, and protease (XAP)] and DFM (a combination of spores from 3 strains ofBacillus amyloliquefaciens). Pelleted diets were offered ad libitum in 3 phases and water was freely available. During starter and grower phases (0 to 21 d), the enzyme and DFM combination resulted in improved FE (P < 0.05). During the finisher phase, higher feed intake and BW gain (P < 0.05) were observed for the test group. Overall, there were significantly higher feed intake, BW gain, and lower water-to-feed ratio in test group compared to the control group. This was related to improved (P < 0.05) modified production efficiency factor which was calculated based on final BW, survival rate, feeding period, and mortality-weight-corrected FCR. The test group had improved litter quality and a reduced foot-pad lesion score compared to the control. In addition, there was a tendency (P < 0.1) of reducingClostridium perfringens population in cecal digesta and higher lactic acid content in the ileal digesta, when expressed on an as-is basis, in the test group. In this study, we demonstrated that using a multi-enzymes and DFM combination in the diet for broilers can result in improved FE in starter/grower phases and animal welfare parameters, and lead to improved production efficiency under commercial settings.     

Genetic parameters for litter size,piglet growth and sow's early growth and body composition in the Chinese–European line Tai Zumu

Genetics of piglet growth in association with sow's early growth and body composition were estimated in the Tai Zumu line. Piglet and sow's litter growth traits were calculated from individual weights collected at birth and at 3 weeks of age. Sow's litter traits included the number of piglets born alive (NBA), the mean piglet weight (MW) and the standard deviation of weights within the litter (SDW). Sow's early growth was measured by the age at 100 kg (A₁₀₀), and body composition included backfat thickness (BF₁₀₀). A main objective of this study was to estimate separately the direct genetic effect (d) and the maternal genetic effect (m) on piglet weight and daily weight gain during lactation. Variance components were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood methodology based on animal models. The heritability estimates were 0.19 for NBA, 0.15 and 0.26 for SDW and MW at 3 weeks and 0.42 and 0.70 for A₁₀₀ and BF₁₀₀. The NBA was almost independent from SDW. Conversely, the A₁₀₀ and BF₁₀₀ were correlated unfavourably with SDW (r_g<−0.24, SE<0.12). A stronger selection for litter size should have little effect on litter homogeneity in weights. Selection for lean growth rate tends to favour heterogeneity in weights. The direct effect on piglet weight at birth and daily weight gain accounted for 12% (h² (d) = 0.02) and 50% (h² (d) = 0.11) of the genetic variance, respectively. The association between d and m for piglet weight was not different from zero at birth (r_g = 0.19, SE = 0.27), but a strong antagonism between d and m for daily weight gain from birth to 3 weeks was found (r_g = −0.41, SE = 0.17). Substantial direct and maternal genetic effects influenced piglet growth until weaning in opposite way.     

Effective population size and inbreeding depression on litter size in rabbits. A case study

The purpose of this study is to use demographic and litter size data on four Spanish maternal lines of rabbits (A, V, H and LP), as a case study, in order to: (i) estimate the effective population size of the lines, as a measure of the rate of increase of inbreeding, and (ii) study whether the inbreeding effect on litter size traits depends on the pattern of its accumulation over time. The lines are being selected for litter size at weaning and are kept closed at the same selection nucleus under the same selection and management programme. The study considered 47 794 l and a pedigree of 14 622 animals. Some practices in mating and selection management allow an increase of the inbreeding coefficient lower than 0.01 per generation in these lines of around 25 males and 125 females. Their effective population size (Ne) was around 57.3, showing that the effect of selection, increasing the inbreeding, was counterbalanced by the management practices, intended to reduce the rate of inbreeding increase. The inbreeding of each individual was broken down into three components: old, intermediate and new inbreeding. The coefficients of regression of the old, intermediate and new inbreeding on total born (TB), number born alive (NBA) and number weaned (NW) per litter showed a decreasing trend from positive to negative values. Regression coefficients significantly different from zero were those for the old inbreeding on TB (6.79 ± 2.37) and NBA (5.92 ± 2.37). The contrast between the coefficients of regression between the old and new inbreeding were significant for the three litter size traits: 7.57 ± 1.72 for TB; 6.66 ± 1.73 for NBA and 5.13 ± 1.67 for NW. These results have been interpreted as the combined action of purging unfavourable genes and artificial selection favoured by the inbreeding throughout the generations of selection.     

Effects of Parity of Dam and Breeding Date on the Litter Size of Inner Mongolia White Cashmere Goats

The article through the analysis and research to the effects of parity of dam and breeding date on the litter size of Inner Mongolia White cashmere goats,determine the optimal mating time of Inner Mongolia White cashmere goats,in order to improve the efficiency of reproductive.Data used were 1998 to 2013 reproductive performance records collected from the Arbas stock farm in Inner Mongolia,China.The GLM procedure of SAS 9.0 software was used to determine the significant effect of the parity of dam and breeding date,the results showed that the parity of dam and breeding date had significant effect on litter size (P< 0.01).Litter size was the lowest in 1st parity does (1.37),the significantly increase in litter size with advance in parity and decline after six parity;Mating cycles for September 29th to October 16th had the highest litter size (1.76),and the estrous months and estrus peak time mainly concentrated in October,so this stage in production could be used as breeding period of Inner Mongolia White cashmere goats.     

喀斯特森林不同地形凋落物现存量及养分特征

分析茂兰喀斯特森林不同地形条件下,凋落物层现存量和主要养分元素含量、储量及其释放特征,以及与土壤理化性质相关关系,为探讨茂兰喀斯特森林生态系统的养分循环机制提供理论依据。在贵州茂兰国家级喀斯特森林自然保护区内,从坡地、槽谷和漏斗3种典型地形的地表采集各分解层的凋落物和矿质土土壤样品,测定凋落物层的现存量和主要养分元素含量、储量、释放率,使用Pearson相关性分析,探究土壤理化性质与凋落物层现存量、养分元素含量之间的相关性。结果表明:1）不同地形之间以及不同分解层之间,凋落物层现存量差异较大,具体表现为坡地＞槽谷＞漏斗和已分解层＞半分解层＞未分解层。2）凋落物各分解层养分元素含量及储量均表现为C＞Ca＞N＞Mg＞K＞P,不同地形之间凋落物养分总储量存在显著差异,且均以坡地最高,各养分元素因地形和分解层的差异而表现出不同的释放率。3）凋落物现存量与土壤碳、氮含量、含水量、容重、pH之间存在显著相关性。表明地形对喀斯特森林凋落物养分释放分布特征及分解速率具有显著影响,其中坡地森林地表凋落物分解较快,营养元素循环周期较短。     

湖北太子山不同林分对降雨的截留作用研究

本文在湖北太子山选取柏木纯林、马尾松纯林、麻栎五角枫混交林、柏木红果冬青混交林和马尾松红果冬青混交林共5种林分作为研究对象,采用天然降雨监测的方法,研究5种林分林分林冠层、灌草层和枯落物层分别对降雨的截留作用。结果表明林场中阔叶混交林的水源涵养能力最强,其次为针阔混交林,最差的是针叶纯林。     

祁连山大野口流域青海云杉林苔藓枯落物及其土壤水热特征分析

为探讨森林生态系统中苔藓枯落物的生态属性与其下层土壤水热之间的关系,采用样地调查法及特征描述统计、相关系数等分析法,对祁连山大野口流域49块样地的青海云杉林苔藓枯落物及其土壤水热特征进行分析.结果表明:苔藓枯落物平均厚度(6.0±0.3)cm,平均含水率为(101.9±6.3)%;0~10、10~20、20~40、40~60、60~80cm土层深的土壤含水率平均值分别为(66.24±4.22)%、(57.62±3.23)%、(48.44±3.21)%、(42.81±6.48)%、25.89%,各土层温度平均值分别为(7.2±0.26)(5.2±0.27)(2.8±0.29)(2.0±0.61)(1.6±0.95)℃;苔藓枯落物厚度与海拔、坡向、坡度、胸径、树高、冠长、冠幅、郁闭度、土壤各层含水率和温度等因子均极弱相关,甚至认为不相关;苔藓枯落物含水率与海拔为中度正相关(P<0.05),与40~60cm深的土壤含水率存在显著正相关,与其温度成中度负相关.