Effect of soil air volume change on CH4 consumption in brown forest soil

The relationship between soil air volume and CH₄ consumption in brown forest soils was investigated. The CH₄ consumption was negatively affected when the soil air volume decreased in experiments carried out bothin situ and in the laboratory. A strong dependence of the CH₄ consumption on the soil air volume was found in the laboratory experiment. These results indicate the possibility that the soil air volume is the primary rate-limiting factor for the CH₄ consumption in forest soil. Thus our work suggests that the other factors by which CH₄ consumption might be affected should be examined under the same air volume condition in the soil. To obtain accurate data, we need to be careful not to change the air volume by trampling or disturbing during the measurement of the natural methane fluxin situ.     

Agroforestry in the management of sloping lands in Asia and the Pacific

Steeply sloping lands are widespread in the tropics. An estimated 500 million people practice subsistence agriculture in these marginal areas. Continued population growth has led to the intensified cultivation of large areas of the sloping lands, exacerbating the problem of soil erosion. Although research shows that alley cropping and other contour agroforestry systems can stabilize the sloping lands, these systems have not been widely adopted by farmers. The Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Land Management (FESLM) has been tested in sloping land areas in the Philippines. Sustainable land management must be productive, stable, viable, and acceptable to farmers, while protecting soil and water resources. Farms on which contour hedgerow intercropping has been adopted meet the multifaceted requirements of FESLM, whereas the farmers' current practice does not. Appropriate land management measures for particular locations depend on a complex suite of social, economic, and biophysical factors, and need to be developed in participation with farmers. The role of agroforestry in sustainable management of sloping lands is the subject of networks coordinated by the International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM) in seven countries in Asia (ASIALAND) and four countries in the Pacific (PACIFICLAND). We review selected outcomes from a wealth of network data. From these results the following conclusions about the sustainability of various agroforestry systems for sloping lands can be drawn: • In the Pacific, soil loss from sloping lands due to water erosion under farmers' current practices is episodic, unpredictable, and possibly not severe; • Agroforestry systems that utilize legume shrubs, fruit trees, coffee (Coffea spp.) or rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) provide useful economic returns, but are not an essential component in terms of soil protection because grass or pineapple (Ananas comosus) planted on the contour are equally effective in reducing erosion; • Agricultural intensification will lead to nutrient mining, reduction of aboveground biomass, declining yields, and less soil protection unless external sources of nutrients are used; • nitrogen can be effectively supplied using legumes; • Cash derived from hedgerow trees and/or shrubs may providean incentive for their adoption by farmers, as well as funds to purchase external inputs such as fertilizers; • Labor may be a major constraint to the adoption of complex agroforestry systems. We also discuss the information management systems required to effectively manage and utilize the extensive sets of experimental and indigenous data being accumulated. We believe such information systems can facilitate technology transfer across and between regions, and improve the efficiency of research into agroforestry and other land-management approaches. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

森林土壤有机氮的X光吸收近边结构光谱技术测定

本研究通过采用氮的K边X光吸收近边结构(XANES)技术来了解森林土壤有机氮,以此深入研究土壤中有机氮种类与其转化的定量关系。土壤样品采自台湾中部的云杉、铁杉林与草地。结果表明,氮的 XANES 可以揭示样品中不同的氮的种类。在土壤腐植质、可溶性氮及本体土壤中胺态及吡咯氮占了主要的比率。然而不同处理及植被下的土壤样品氮的种类分布是不同的。云杉与铁杉土壤可溶性有机氮在402.3 eV 能量处有显著的差异。在A层土壤中,吡啶类氮含量要显著高于O层土壤,说明氮在不同土层中的转化率存在极大的差异,这种变化对于氮在森林土壤中的循环将起重要作用。图3表1参8。     

Forage potential of eight woody species: intake and growth rates of local young goats in the highland region of Rwanda

Eight woody fodder species adapted to the highlands of Rwanda were evaluated in terms of dry matter intake in one experiment. Animals were offered a daily diet comprising 4.0 of fresh matter of Setaria splendida grass supplemented with or without one of the eight fodder species tested. In all cases, total daily feed intake was increased by the addition of woody fodder. Daily intake of the woody fodder was high for Acacia koaia, Mimosa scabrella and Acacia koa at 43.7, 42.6 and 41.9 g/kg BW^0.75, respectively. The dry matter intake of the other five species (Alnus acuminata, Chamaecytisus palmensis, Hagenia abyssinica, Acacia mearnsii and Acacia melanoxylon) ranged from 18.9 to 30.1 g/kg BW^0.75 per day. In another experiment, a basic daily diet of 4.0 kg of fodder (in fresh weight) was given to each animal. This ratio comprised S. splendida supplemented with M. scabrella and incorporated at 0 (control), 45% and 66% (fresh weight basis) of the total daily diet. Improved weight gain was obtained when setaria was supplemented with M. scabrella with daily weight gain of 31, 47 and 51 g/animal for 0, 45 and 66% M. scabrella, respectively.     

Soil carbon distribution and quality in a montane rangeland-forest mosaic in northern Utah

Relatively little is known about soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in montane ecosystems of the semi-arid western U.S. or the stability of current SOC pools under future climate change scenarios. We measured the distribution and quality of SOC in a mosaic of rangeland-forest vegetation types that occurs under similar climatic conditions on non-calcareous soils at Utah State University's T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest in northern Utah: the forest types were aspen [Populus tremuloides] and conifer (mixture of fir [Abies lasiocarpa] and spruce [Picea engelmannii]); the rangeland types were sagebrush steppe [Artemisia tridentata], grass-forb meadow, and a meadow-conifer ecotone. Total SOC was calculated from OC concentrations, estimates of bulk density by texture and rock-free soil volume in five pedons. The SOC quality was expressed in terms of leaching potential and decomposability. Amount and aromaticity of water-soluble organic carbon (DOC) was determined by water extraction and specific ultra violet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA) of leached DOC. Decomposability of SOC and DOC was derived from laboratory incubation of soil samples and water extracts, respectively.

Although there was little difference in total SOC between soils sampled under different vegetation types, vertical distribution, and quality of SOC appeared to be influenced by vegetation. Forest soils had a distinct O horizon and higher SOC concentration in near-surface mineral horizons that declined sharply with depth. Rangeland soils lacked O horizons and SOC concentration declined more gradually. Quality of SOC under rangelands was more uniform with depth and SOC was less soluble and less decomposable (i.e., more stable) than under forests. However, DOC in grass-forb meadow soils was less aromatic and more bioavailable, likely promoting C retention through cycling. The SOC in forest soils was notably more leachable and decomposable, especially near the soil surface, with stability increasing with soil depth. Across the entire dataset, there was a weak inverse relationship between the decomposability and the aromaticity of DOC. Our data indicate that despite similar SOC pools, vegetation type may affect SOC retention capacity under future climate projections by influencing potential SOC losses via leaching and decomposition.     

基于Hyperion光谱信息的鲁西北盐碱地特性探析

利用Hyperion影像及盐碱地分布端元提取了鲁西北典型盐碱地光谱数据并对其特性进行了探析,以证实光谱信息对于该区盐碱地研究的可用性。利用生成的原始及包络线去除的光谱曲线,分别从土壤电导率、土壤盐分含量及一系列诊断性指标入手,借助诊断性吸收波段对本区盐碱地特性进行了分析。结果表明：该区盐碱地兼具其他地点盐碱地光谱吸收共性及自身特性,证实了基于遥感光谱信息的盐碱地特性分析是可行的,可用于区域盐碱地遥感监测。     

基于水平吸渗确定土壤水分扩散率的解析-修正法

准确测试土壤水分扩散率是研究水分在土壤中运移的关键之一.针对水平吸渗法测试土壤水分扩散率易受边界效应影响的问题,该研究构建解析-修正法,以提高测试结果的精度.假设第一类边界条件下,一维水平入渗Richards方程解的形式与其对应线性化方程的解析解相似,结合常数变易法,推导了一维水平入渗Richards方程的近似解析解....     

污染土壤的微生物修复原理与技术进展

微生物修复是土壤环境生物修复技术的重要组成部分,是最具发展和应用前景的生物学环保新技术.本文以土壤中重金属及典型有机污染物为对象,从土壤微生物与污染物质的相互作用入手,较为系统地综合评述国内外污染土壤的微生物修复原理与技术,并结合当前土壤污染的新特点,提出了需进一步认识和解决微生物修复过程中出现的新现象和新问题,以不断丰富和拓展土壤环境微生物修复范畴与内涵.     

砷污染土壤的蜈蚣草修复研究进展

本文评述了As污染土壤的蜈蚣草植物修复及其对As的解毒机制的研究进展,内容着重包括蜈蚣草对As的富集特征,As在蜈蚣草中的赋存形态、迁移及其转化,土壤以及土壤中P、Ca和K等元素对蜈蚣草吸收、转运As的影响等方面。     

土壤环境中多环芳烃的微生物降解及联合生物修复

研究土壤环境中持久性有机污染物的生物降解及其生物修复技术是当今国际环境修复科学技术前沿领域的重要课题。本文重点论述了土壤环境中持久性有机污染物多环芳烃的微生物降解机理及其在生物修复中的应用等,并结合当前研究进展,展望了基于多种修复措施相结合的多环芳烃污染土壤联合生物修复工程技术的开发与应用前景。