Collective management on communal grazing lands: Its impact on vegetation attributes and soil erosion in the upper Blue Nile basin,northwestern Ethiopia

Collective action, on communal grazing land, has evolved in the highlands of northwestern Ethiopia to mitigate the problems of feed shortage and land degradation due to overgrazing. The exercise is liked by farmers for improving the availability of natural pasture during the long dry season when other feed sources get depleted. However, large portions of the communal grazing lands are still managed under free grazing throughout the year. This study was undertaken in Maynet village in the upper Blue Nile basin, northwestern Ethiopia, to assess the impacts of three different types of grazing land management (GLM) and two slope gradients (<10%; 15–25%) on aboveground herbaceous biomass yield, ground cover, species richness, runoff, soil loss and soil bulk density of grazing lands. The GLMs include (a) freely open communal GLM, (b) restricted communal GLM – collective management of communal grazing land locally named as ‘yebere sar’ and (c) private holding GLM. Stocking density was more than carrying capacity of grazing lands across all GLMs. However, the extent of overstocking problem was exceptionally severe in freely open communal GLM. The interaction between GLM and slope was significant (P<0.05) for runoff, soil loss and runoff coefficient. The average runoff coefficient was close to 50% in freely open communal GLM on steeper slopes (15–25%). Freely open communal GLM on steeper slopes resulted in consistently highest cumulative runoff and soil loss amounting to 491 mm and 32 t/ha per year, respectively. Polynomial regression analysis showed that quadratic relationship (r²=0.87) existed between soil loss and runoff. But, soil loss was close to nil when runoff did not exceed 2 mm per rainfall event. As expected, restricted communal GLM appeared to reduce surface runoff by more than 40% and curb the rate of soil erosion by more than 50% compared to freely open communal GLM. Its vegetation cover persisted above 70% throughout the year, meeting the threshold level recommended to keep surface runoff and soil loss to minimum. Reducing the problem of overstocking and pasture resting in August–November are important components to improve ground cover and aboveground herbaceous biomass yield, which in turn reduce land degradation on grazing lands.     

ZTR割草机自动变割幅结构及控制系统设计

针对零转弯半径(ZTR)割草机割幅宽度固定、无法适应复杂的作业环境的问题,研发了一种可以自动变割幅的割草器,在1.2m割幅的WBZ12219K-S ZTR割草机的基础上,在主刀盘两侧分别增加一个副刀盘。副刀盘主要由割刀、连接板、伺服电动推杆及曲线槽等组成,通过伺服电动推杆的伸缩,控制副刀盘的旋转,以达到变割幅的目的。工作时,通过图像识别技术识别出前方障碍物信息,判断出障碍物间距,将该间距进行区分做出相应的对策,并经由串口通信协议传递给PLC,然后控制割幅的变化,可以实现1.2~1.8m无极自动变割幅。     

Land‐use changes influence the sporulation and survival of Phytophthora agathidicida,a lethal pathogen of New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis)

Phytophthora agathidicida is the accepted causal agent of dieback in remnant stands of long‐lived indigenous New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) and poses a significant threat to the long‐term survival of this species. Little is known about the effect of key soil physicochemical characteristics on the growth of P. agathidicida. In this study, we investigated the growth of P. agathidicida in soils collected from adjacent areas under original kauri forest, short rotation pine (Pinus radiata) plantation forest and grazed pastures. A growth response assay was used to quantify asexual (sporangia) and sexual (oospore) spore counts over 8 days in soils sampled from each land‐use. Significantly higher numbers of sporangia (p < 0.001) and oospores (p < 0.01) were found in pasture and pine forest soil within 2 days of the growth assay trials, suggesting these soils may favour asexual/sexual reproduction in the early stages of P. agathidicida establishment compared to kauri forest soils. Additionally, oospore production significantly increased over 8 days in pine forest soil, suggesting that with an increase in inoculum loads, these soils potentially act as pathogen reservoirs. The soil physicochemical properties (e.g., pH, C and N, phosphorus content and electrical conductivity) investigated in this study did not significantly correspond to spore count data between land‐uses, suggesting that differences in growth response are driven by other edaphic factors not explored in the present study.     

Sward patterns created by patch grazing are stable over more than a decade

Under extensive grazing, a mosaic pattern of frequently defoliated short patches and rarely defoliated tall patches is often formed. The agronomic and ecological consequences of this patch‐grazing pattern strongly depend on its stability between successive years. We assessed patch structure and temporal stability under three intensities of cattle stocking (moderate, lenient and very lenient) in a cattle grazing experiment established in 2002. Aerial images of the whole area taken in 2005, 2010, 2013 and 2015 were classified into short and tall patches using random forest classification. These were complemented by annual sward height measurements (2007‐2017) at 10 permanent plots per paddock, which were classified into sward height classes. The mean proportion (0.72, 0.32, 0.19) and size of short patches decreased with stocking intensity, while size of tall patches increased. Inter‐annual stability depended on patch type and stocking intensity and was particularly high for the respective dominant patch type. Of the short patch area in 2015, 0.62, 0.29 and 0.30 were classified as short in all four aerial images under moderate, lenient and very lenient grazing, respectively; the corresponding proportions for tall patches were 0.10, 0.53 and 0.65. Our results imply that short and tall patches experience persistent differences in local grazing intensity over extended periods. The long‐term effects of this heterogeneity on soil properties and vegetation composition need to be monitored to assess agronomic sustainability and ecological potential of patch‐grazed pastures.     

水稻新型苗床调理剂——苗壮丰的开发与应用

为解决现有的固体水稻苗床调理剂在生产应用中存在的与床土拌和花工费时、不容易拌匀施匀等问题,经多年攻关研究,成功开发出可拌种/包衣、播时洒施、播后芽前喷施、立针期喷施的液体水稻苗床调理剂——苗壮丰。产品除N、P2O5、K2O总养分≥210(140-45-25)g/L,有机质含量≥30g/L,pH值≤6,微量元素≥5.5g/L(其中Zn≥2.0)之外,还添加了促进根系发育、提高光合效率、控制养分流失等成分。跟现有产品相比,不仅使用方便、省事省工,且对出苗较为安全,能达到比较好的壮苗效果,根系发达、株高适中、假茎增粗、干物质量增加、秧龄弹性增大。2017年海安试验表明,与空白对照相比,播后芽前喷施苗壮丰的处理白根数增40.5%,株高矮1.98cm,茎基宽增38.9%,SPAD值增55.1%,百苗干物质量增44.9%。为了更好的使用该新产品,文中最后给出水稻新型苗床调理剂——苗壮丰的使用技术。     

餐厨废弃物土壤调理剂对土壤理化性状及水稻产量的影响

通过探讨餐厨废弃物土壤调理剂对改良土壤质量、促进作物生长的综合效果,旨在为水稻高产稳产提供技术支撑。采用田间试验,比较不同施用量对土壤理化性状和水稻产量的影响。结果表明：施用餐厨废弃物土壤调理剂能有效改善土壤pH,显著增加土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷等养分含量,具有较好地提升土壤肥力的作用。但土壤水溶性盐含量整体随调理剂用量的增加呈上升趋势,存在盐分积累的风险。此外,由于该调理剂氮含量较高,施用量过高使水稻生长存在贪青晚熟、倒伏较严重等情况,导致产量下降。综合分析土壤改良、盐分积累和水稻增产,T3和T4处理效果较好。     

生物炭基土壤调理剂对酸性菜田土壤的改良效果

为研究不同配比生物炭基土壤调理剂对酸性菜田土的改良效果,以生石灰、粉煤灰、钢渣和生物炭为原料,通过盆栽试验研究4种原料不同配比生物炭基土壤调理剂对酸性菜田土壤的改良效果及对油麦菜养分吸收、产量的影响。试验采用4因素3水平正交试验。生石灰、粉煤灰、钢渣用量水平为0、2.5、5.0g·kg^-1,生物炭用量水平为0、25.0、50.0g·kg^-1,共9个处理,每个处理设4次重复。结果表明：施用不同配比生物炭基土壤调理剂后,土壤pH显著提高0.82~1.75个单位,土壤交换性钙、阳离子交换量（CEC）分别显著增加38.52%~122.63%、41.10%~78.65%（P<0.05）;土壤微生物丰富度提高,其中溶杆菌属（Lysobacter）、马赛菌属（Massilia）等微生物增加最为明显;油麦菜对N、P、K的吸收量增加7.94%~64.79%,产量增幅达8.03%~16.68%;土壤碱解氮含量显著降低,土壤脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性变化不显著;施用适宜配比的生物炭基土壤调理剂后,土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷、速效钾、交换性镁含量以及土壤磷酸酶和蔗糖酶活性均有不同程度的提高。研究表明,生物炭基土壤调理剂对酸性菜田土壤具有良好的改良效果,当生石灰、粉煤灰、钢渣和生物炭的施用量分别为5.0、2.5、5.0g·kg^-1和50.0g·kg^-1时效果最佳。     

调理剂(微肥)对水稻产量及稻谷中重金属的影响

通过田间小区试验，研究了9种水稻产量和铅、镉的差异，并研究了9种调理剂在水稻不同生长其施用对晚稻产量及稻米重金属的影响。结果表明：（1）泰优398中铅和镉的含量均较低，且均未超标；最优的水稻品种为早丰优华占，其次是泰优398和桃湖优莉晶；（2）调理剂A和钝化剂A作基肥处理后稻谷中铅超标，分别超出了20%和15%；仅有石灰处理的稻谷中铅的含量降低了20%；稻谷中镉均未超标；微肥作基肥施加后稻谷中镉均有不同程度的增加；处理后稻谷产量均有增加，其中调理剂B施加后稻谷产量增加最多，增加了22.42%；石灰施加后理增加3.38%；（3）石灰和硒肥作追肥施加后稻谷中铅的含量均降低88.24%；硅肥、硒肥和铁肥作追肥施加后稻谷中镉分别降低了62.92%、52.81%和44.94%；石灰、铁肥和硒肥施加后稻谷产量降低0.04%、0.14%和5.25%；锌肥和硅肥施加后稻谷产量增加10.08%和0.16%；硅肥和石灰作追肥处理效果最佳。     

旅游活动对生态环境及牧草资源的影响

随着国家经济快速增长,居民生活水平得到巨大提升,假期出行旅游已成为国民重要的精神文明需求,但当前我国草原旅游业发展不够成熟,旅游活动增加对草原生态环境及牧草资源造成了一定影响,这其中既有积极的影响也包含消极影响,本文通过以当前我国草原生态系统环境承载能力为切入点,以草原生态系统一级牧草资源生长所需条件为前提,深入挖掘旅游活动对草原生态环境的影响及可能面临的破坏风险,从而找出草原生态环境及牧草资源的可持续发展路径与建议,为草原生态系统及牧草资源的发展提供一定的理论保障。     

牧草病害诊断系统的知识表示——《中国草业开发与生态建设》专家系统病害诊断

针对牧草病害诊断的特点,结合框架知识表示的分层特点和规则表示法的过程性和不确定性,提出二者相结合的表示方法.该知识表示包括基础库和动态库,前者用来存放已经确定的数据,后者用来存放诊断的中间结果.基础库中又包括基础数据库、基础知识库和媒体库,数据库是一个关系数据库,根据牧草病害诊断的特点,采用分层建库的方式.知识库采用规则方式,按照病害名称建立.媒体库主要是辅助诊断而使用的图片、视频数据.动态库包括动态数据库和动态知识库,动态库的结构与基础库中的基础数据库、基础知识库一样.