美国和德国食品科学与工程高等工程教育的特色及启示

选择国际上典型工程教育强国——美国和德国,从培养模式、培养目标、课程设置、实践教学等方面详细阐述了两国食品科学与工程高等工程教育的办学特色与经验,并在此基础上提出了对我国食品科学与工程高等工程教育人才培养的几点启示,旨在为我国食品科学与工程专业实施"卓越工程师教育培养计划"提供借鉴。     

多维解读茶文化在美国的传播与影响

与茶叶的故乡中国相比,美国的茶饮历史并不算悠久.然而,美国人钟爱饮茶,并形成了独特的美国茶文化.可以说,茶改变着美国人的生活,美国人也改变着茶.本文将从殖民地时期的饮茶文化、美国人对饮茶文化的拓展、茶对美国独立进程的影响、茶贸易与美国经济及对外关系、茶对美国文化的丰富五个方面对茶文化在美国的传播与影响进行多维解读,帮助...     

Resin Tapping and Forest Cooperatives in Honduras

Abstract

Case studies were completed on five Honduran agro-forestry cooperatives. A comparative instrumental analysis of the five case studies was utilized to determine the factors most important for success or failure of a cooperative. The case studies yielded ten focus areas of importance: forest resource base, land tenure, structure and governance, benefits for cooperative members and communities, institutional support, international aid projects, pine bark beetle, resin tapping, logging and marketing, and integration of logging and resin tapping.     

美国渔业观察员计划对我国的启示

介绍美国渔业逐步发展、完善的过程及未来发展的趋势,并总结在完善培训系统、提高有经验观察员的保留率、制定法律规范、完善管理机制、改善数据收集和传输技术等方面对我国的启示。     

Biodiversity conservation in human-modified landscapes of Mesoamerica: Past, present and future

Mesoamerica provides a unique context for biodiversity conservation in managed landscapes because of its geography, history of human intervention, and present conservation and development initiatives. The long and narrow form of the Mesoamerican landmass, and its division by a central mountain range, has served as both a bridge and a barrier. Conservation efforts in Mesoamerica are unique for the emphasis they place on regional connectivity through the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor and on biodiversity conservation in managed landscapes. The emphasis on conservation in agricultural systems has fostered innovations in payment for ecosystem services, and provides novel insights on the functional role that biodiversity plays in the provisioning of ecosystem services. The increasing rate of economic development in the region and the advent of new payment for ecosystem service schemes have provided new opportunities for forest regeneration and restoration. However, the small scale of private landholdings and the diversity of land uses featured in the region, while contributing to biodiversity conservation due to their structural and floristic complexity, present challenges for biodiversity monitoring and management.     

Differences in common bean rhizobial populations associated with soil tillage management in southern Brazil

Progressive adoption of no-tillage (NT) agriculture in the tropics is finally reversing physical, chemical, and biological erosion of soil and in Brazil, an estimated 19 Mha are now devoted to NT. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a main component of Brazilian agriculture, and enhancement of yields has been achieved under NT as a result of mitigation of environmental stresses, resulting in higher N₂ fixation. However, the effects of NT on rhizobial diversity are poorly understood. This study evaluated rhizobial diversity in soils planted to common bean under NT or conventional tillage (CT) systems that were compared with natural grassland used for grazing, in the State of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Genetic diversity was assessed by the amplification of the DNA by PCR with specific primers (BOX-PCR) and by RFLP-PCR analyses of the 16S rDNA region. A high level of diversity was observed among strains from all three systems, such that the similarity in the clustering analysis of BOX-PCR products ranged from 36% under natural grassland to only 23% for CT strains. High polymorphism was confirmed in the RFLP-PCR analysis; forty-seven different profiles were obtained, none sharing high similarity with the profiles of reference species of common bean rhizobia. These results indicate that other tropical rhizobial species remain to be described. Genetic diversity was higher among the NT than the CT rhizobial strains, especially when the RFLP-PCR profiles were considered. Genetic diversity in the natural grassland was lower than in the cropped systems, possibly due to absence of the host plant and stubble burning in winter. Average yields in the area under NT (e.g. common bean, approximately 1500 kg ha⁻¹) have been about 30% higher than under CT, therefore high rhizobial diversity may be a parameter indicative of superior soil quality.     

Reverse leasing and power dynamics among blue agave farmers in western Mexico

We examine changing production relations in the Mexican tequila industry to explore the ways in which large industrial firms are using “reverse leasing arrangements,” a form of contract farming, to extend their control over small agave farmers. Under these arrangements, smallholders rent their parcels to contracting companies who bring in capital, machinery, labor, and other agricultural inputs. Smallholders do not have access to their land, nor do they make any of the management decisions. We analyze the factors that have led some producers to participate in reverse leasing arrangements, while allowing other producers to continue farming independently. In addition, we look at the ways in which farmers are responding to these new production relations and constraints and the strategies that they are using to regain control over the production process.

The potential of intercropping as an alternative land use system in temperate North America

The success of many intercropping systems in North America is attributable to the generation of a short term return from an agricultural crop during the early, unprofitable years of a longer term crop that is fruit, nuts or wood. This highly-efficient use of land and related profitability are important not only in the development of intercropping systems per se, but also in other applications which have tremendous potential independent of profitability. For example, intercropping can be effectively used during the establishment phases of hardwood plantations where it is essential to have a high level of weed control, the costs of which are often recovered with the agricultural production. Intercropping can also be used to grow trees rapidly and with a form that can be easily integrated into recreational or park situations, or urban fringe areas. In an urban context, intercropping can be used to grow trees in agricultural areas that are likely to be developed where traditional forestry options are not appropriate and the value of younger, thrifty trees may enhance property values far in excess of the cash value of the wood.     

北美杂交杨在北京引种的苗期生态适应性

根据中美纬度气候带相近、生态环境条件相似的原则,将当前美国主栽的31个杂交杨无性系引进中国,并在北京开展引种研究。本文从扦插成活率、物候期和生长速度3个方面对所引无性系的苗期表现进行了初步评价。结果表明:所引无性系均能安全度过北京地区的冬季低温和季节性干旱,表现出良好的适应性。所有无性系的扦插成活率都达到90%以上。不同无性系在物候期和生长速度上存在较大差异。有17个无性系表现出良好的适应性和速生性能,可作为进一步研究的重点。