Sediment production and water quality of watersheds with contrasting land use in Navarre (Spain)

An experimental watershed (Oskotz principal- Op -ca.1700 ha) covered with forest and pasture (cattle-breeding) with an equally experimental sub-watershed (Oskotz woodland - Ow - ca. 500 ha) almost entirely under forest was continuously monitored during 8 years (2001-2008). These watersheds were established by the Government of Navarre (Spain) in order to assess the impact of agricultural activities on different region of Navarre. The first results regarding exported sediment, runoff, nitrate and phosphate are presented herein. These results are compared with those from two grain-sown watersheds previously reported by the authors, elsewhere.The same as in the grain-sown watersheds, most runoff, sediment, nitrate and phosphate yields in Oskotz were generated during winter, though most erosive rainfalls occurred during summer. In Ow, average sediment, nitrate and phosphate yields were approximately: 700, 22, 0.35 kg ha year⁻¹, respectively; for Op these figures were 550, 54 and 0.76 kg ha year⁻¹, respectively.However, total sediment and solute yields were different depending on the prevailing land use: cereal crops > forest > pasture. Sediment yields in the forest were strongly affected by the logging moment, when exported sediment rocketed.Nitrate concentration and yields were lower (and under the critical threshold) in the forested/pastured watersheds than those recorded in the two intensively cultivated watersheds. However, phosphate yields were dramatically higher (and over the critical threshold) in the former watersheds due to the prevailing soil conditions and to the fertilization of pasture, mainly with slurry.The present work, along with that similar one recently reported by the authors, is an unprecedented and relevant piece of research for the region.     

Silvopastoral systems in northwestern Patagonia. I: growth and photosynthesis of Stipa speciosa under different levels of Pinus ponderosa cover

Combination of native pastures with fast-growing tree species (mainly Pinus spp.), may be an interesting economic and environmental alternative for small and medium land-owners in Patagonia,Argentina. Pasture productivity is usually the single most important factor affecting livestock carrying capacity. Therefore the prediction of the effects of tree cover on understory herbaceous production is of great importance for management. This paper reports the growth response of Stipa speciosa Trin. et Rupr. (tillering, tiller height, number of green leaves per tiller, and relative growth) to Pinus ponderosa Doug. (Laws) canopy cover (0 to 100%). Grasses did not grow when crown cover was >70%. Tiller production and relative growth were negatively correlated with tree cover; tiller height was larger under high tree cover. There was no relationship between leaf production and tree canopy cover. Grass leaves maintained net photosynthetic rates, at similar light levels, at a wide range of plant water potentials (from saturation to at least –2.4 MPa). Decrease in photosynthesis occurred at very low plant water potentials (–4.3 MPa). No differences in photosynthetic rate at similar radiation levels were foundbe tween plants growing in different light environments (determined by tree cover) in the field. Stipa speciosa can maintain positivenet CO₂ assimilation and growth under moderate shading and severewater stress conditions. For this reason, it can be used in silvopastoral systems, with a proper light management.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Differential effect of afforestation on nitrogen-fixing and denitrifying communities and potential implications for nitrogen cycling

Denitrification and nitrogen (N) fixation are two major processes which drive N transformation in ecosystems. We investigated the effect of afforestation of pasture in New Zealand on denitrifying and N-fixing communities using molecular techniques. We optimised and applied multiplex-terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for simultaneous analysis of denitrifying and N-fixing communities. Soil samples from four pine (Pinus radiata) forests of various age and adjacent pastures were analysed for microbial communities, denitrification rate and some environmental variables. Analysis of variance revealed that the denitrifying community was mainly influenced by site while the N-fixing community was influenced by both site and land-use types. Among environmental variables, moisture and porosity had the strongest impact on denitrifying communities while C:N ratio explained most of the variability in the N-fixing community. Denitrification rate as measured by nitrous oxide (N₂O) flux, was significantly lower in older forest soils compared to adjacent pasture soils. Simple and step-wise regression analyses revealed that the N₂O flux rate was strongly linked to the denitrifying community composition, providing evidence for the influence of community composition on denitrification. Moreover, we explored the relationship between denitrifying and N-fixing communities using various statistical approaches. Our results for the first time showed that denitrifying and N-fixing communities are related in situ, and suggest that changes in land-use may have a significant impact on N-transformations and ecosystem processes.     

Long-Term Maize,Sorghum, and Millet Monoculture Effects on an Argentina Typic Ustipsamment

Maize, sorghum, and millet monoculture effects on soil properties of a Typic Ustip samment in the semiarid pampa of Argentina were evaluated after 27 years in a plot experiment. A permanent Eragrostis curvula pasture was used as a reference. Millet was the most destructive crop to the soil because it decreased dry aggregate stability by 10%, soil organic matter (OM) by 30%, extractable K by 20%, available P by 44%, inorganic P by 11%, available Fe by 20%, available Zn more than 90%, available Cu by 30%, and available Mn by 26%, and it increased wet aggregate instability by 75%. Grain sorghum was less destructive to the soil than millet because it only decreased OM by 30% and extractable K by 24%. All studied crops decreased the cation exchange capacity of the soil between 20 and 30%, the pH values, and the concentration of soil extractable Mg2+by 38 to 63%. Soil extractable Ca2+ was decreased 30% by the Eragrostis pasture and 40% by maize. The negative effect of millet and grain sorghum on OM was attributed to a low coverage of the soil with plant residues left by these crops as well as the long exposition of the bare soil during temperate and wet periods. Decreases of soil nutrient contents were attributed to plant uptake in all cases, except the Zn concentrations, which were related to variations on soil pH and phosphate concentrations. It was concluded that maize, the most commonly cultivated crop in the region studied, did not affect physical and chemical soil properties to a large extent. Conversely, millet had the most negative effect on physical and chemical properties of the soil.     

以社区为基础的牧区草场资源管理模式研究

以宁夏盐池县为例,通过对比各种草场资源社区自我治理模式的差异,指出了以社区为基础的草场资源治理过程中面临的各种困境,并提出了相应的对策建议。     

Changes in nematode abundances and body length in response to management intensive grazing in a low-input temperate pasture

An evaluation of changes in nematode populations in response to management was performed using a field scale experiment along a gradient of land-use intensity in the context of management intensive grazing. Four levels of decreasing intensity were measured over three growing seasons. The treatments included: 1) intensive grazing management where cows were allowed to graze for each grazing cycle, followed by routine clipping and harrowing; 2) semi-intensive grazing where cows were allowed to graze for each grazing cycle, with only one clipping event per year; 3) extensive grazing where cows were allowed to graze during every 2nd grazing cycle and no clipping or harrowing was performed; 4) stockpiling treatment where cows were permitted to graze only during the final grazing cycle, followed by clipping at the end of the season. Most indices (MI, PPI, ∑MI, and ∑MI25) resulted in significant seasonal differences; however, only familial diversity (H′) and the total number of families showed significant season by treatment interaction. Bacterivores comprised most of the nematode population with Cephalobidae being the most common family. Abundance of plant feeders was affected by season and soil moisture, whereas bacterivore abundance was associated with total organic N and soil pH. Nematode body length increased slightly in most families through time, and was associated with season, bulk density, soil moisture, and total N and C. Although omnivore numbers were highest in the extensive and semi-intensive treatments, there was a significant increase in dorylaimid body length observed in the intensive treatment through time. Increases in body length were also observed in Monhysteridae and Cephalobidae in all treatments.     

Ingestion of energy, protein and amino acids from pasture by grazing European wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) in a semi-extensive production system

The aim of the study was to determine the apparent consumption of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) from pasture by European wild boar in a pastoral system. Two pasture-types were used, one consisting predominantly of Lolium perenne L. and the other predominantly of Plantago lanceolata L. The study was conducted in Spring and repeated in Summer. Twelve purebred European Wild Boar of 18.8 ± 0.8 kg (mean ± sem) with nose rings were randomly grouped into six pairs. Each day of the 19-day study, a pair of animals was placed into each of three areas of a pasture strip (1.4 × 6.3 m per area) from each pasture type from 8:30 h until 16:30 h, after which the animals entered a barn and had free access to a commercial diet for 45 min, with each pasture strip being grazed once. Pasture samples were taken on days 4 to 19 from each grazed area pre- and post-grazing and the DM content of these samples was used to calculate DM consumption of the animals. Additional pasture samples were collected and analysed for gross energy, crude protein and amino acids. The wild boar consumed (mean + SEM) 418 ± 72.2 and 210 ± 38.3 g of DM per day in the L. perenne paddock during Spring and Summer, respectively, and 550 ± 85.9 and 226 ± 44.8 g DM per day in the P. lanceolata paddock during Spring and Summer, respectively. The amount of DM, energy, crude protein and amino acids that the animals consumed varied markedly between days, but did not significantly differ in amount between the L. perenne and P. laceolata paddocks. However, the consumptions were significantly lower in Summer than in Spring. It is estimated that the wild boar would have satisfied somewhat less than 90 and 45% of their daily maintenance digestible energy requirements through consumption of pasture when grazing the L. perenne paddock in Spring and Summer, respectively.     

毛登牧场药用植物种类组成的调查与研究

通过大量植物标本的采集与鉴定,对毛登牧场药用植物做了详细的分类调查,结果表明：毛登牧场药用植物种类丰富,经调查共整理药用植物27科57种,且其中的大部分种类为常用蒙药,深入开展这些药用植物类群研究,对蒙药资源的开发具有重要意义。     

Cool-season annual pastures with clovers to supplement wintering beef cows nursing calves

ABSTRACT: In December of 3 years, 87 beef cows with nursing calves (594 +/- 9.8 kg; calving season, September to November) at side were stratified by body condition score, body weight, cow age, and calf gender and divided randomly into 6 groups assigned to 1 of 6 cool-season annual pastures (0.45 ha/cow) that had been interseeded into a dormant common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.)/bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) sod. Pastures contained 1 of the following 3 seeding mixtures (2 pastures/mixture): 1) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam., WRG), 2) wheat and ryegrass plus red clover (Trifolium pretense L., WRR), or 3) wheat and ryegrass plus white (Trifolium repens L.) and crimson clovers (Trifolium incarnatum L., WRW). All groups had ad libitum access to grass hay (12% crude protein; 58% total digestible nutrients). The second week in December, cow estrous cycles were synchronized and artificially inseminated. In late December, a bull was placed with each group for 60-d. Data were analyzed with an analysis of variance using a mixed model containing treatment as the fixed effect and year as the random effect. Body weight and condition scores did not differ (P > 0.27) among cows between February and June. Calf birth weights or average daily gain did not differ (P [greater than or equal to] 0.17) among treatments; however, calves grazing pastures with clovers did tend (P = 0.06) to weigh more than calves grazing grass only. Weaning weight per cow exposed to a bull was greater (P = 0.02) for WRR and WRW than WRG. Cows grazing winter-annual pastures containing clovers tended to wean more calf body weight per cow exposed to a bull than cows grazing the grass only pastures.     

牧草图像快速分割方法及比较分析

针对北方典型牧草植物-苜蓿图像,采用多种常用的灰度化方法,并对其中的超绿法和Cr色彩法进行了改进,结合灰度图的特点,选用了单阀值分割和基于欧式距离的聚类分割方法将图像二值化,实现了苜蓿与背景的分离提取.利用大量的图像样本,对图像的分割准确率进行了统计分析和比较研究,得到了常用算法的定量评价和分割效果,得到了针对苜蓿图像的有效分割方法,为进一步实现牧草自动识别提供了依据.