Long-term application of animal slurries to grassland alters soil cation balance

Abstract. Soil samples from a 32-year grassland field experiment were taken from 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm soil depths in February 2002. Plots received annual treatments of unamended control, mineral fertilizer, three rates of pig slurry and three rates of cow slurry, each with six replicates. Samples were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), pH and Olsen P. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated as a sodicity indicator. Mean ESP was generally greater for slurry treatments than the control, with a trend of increasing ESP with application rate. This was particularly marked for cow slurry. At 0–5 cm depth ESP increased from 1.18 in the control to 1.75 at the highest rate of pig slurry and 5.60 at the highest rate of cow slurry. Similar trends were shown for CEC, exchangeable Na⁺, K⁺ and Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Olsen P. The build-up of soil P due to slurry applications, together with this combination of physical and chemical factors, may increase the risk of P loss to surface waters, particularly from soils receiving high rates of cow slurry.     

Simulated nitrogen deposition affects soil fauna from a semiarid Mediterranean ecosystem in central Spain

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a major threat to the semiarid Mediterranean ecosystems. We simulated a gradient of N deposition (0, 10, 20 and 50 kg N ha^?1 year^?1?+?6.4 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 ambient deposition) in a Mediterranean shrubland from central Spain. In autumn 2011 (after 4 years of experimental duration), soil cores were taken to extract the soil fauna. Acari (45.54%) and Collembola (44.00%) were the most represented taxonomical groups, and their abundance was negatively related to soil pH. Simulated N deposition had an impact on the total number of individuals in soil as well as on Collembola and Pauropoda abundance. Collembola abundance increased with N loads up to 20 kg N ha^-1 year^-1 and then decreased. This response was attributed to soil acidification (between 0 and 20 kg N ha^-1 year^-1) and increased soil ammonium (between 20 and 50 kg N ha^-1 year^-1). Pauropoda were favoured by additions of 50 kg N ha^-1 year^-1, and it was the only taxonomical group whose abundance was exclusively related to N deposition, suggesting their potential as bioindicators. Contrary to predictions, there was a negative relationship between soil faunal abundance and plant diversity. In conclusion, soil faunal communities from semiarid Mediterranean ecosystems in central Spain seem to be primarily influenced by soil chemistry (mainly pH) but are also susceptible to increased N deposition. The main drivers of change under increased N deposition scenarios seem to be soil acidification and increased ammonium in soils where nitrate is the dominant mineral N form.     

Age determinations and isotopic abundance measurements on lunar samples

A K-Ar age of 2300 x 10(6) years has been determined for a sample of type A crystalline rock (57,34). The presence of an anomalously large quantity of 4 degrees Ar, in a sample of type C breccia (65,35) precluded the calculation of its K-Ar age. Both of the rock types are characterized by low Rb/Sr ratios and consequently low (87)Sr/(86)Sr values. The U-Th-Pb results for a sample of type D fines (84,33) yield a (207)Pb/(206)Pb age of 4760 x 10(6) years, but ages based on U-Pb and Th-Pb ratios are anomalously high. Isotopic compositions of Li, K, Rb, Sr, U, and Th are very close to the accepted values for terrestrial materials.     

A MATHEMATICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NITROGEN INPUT AND OUTPUT IN CUT GRASS SWARDS

The importance of predicting grass N yield lies in its controlling influence on grass DM output and thus on animal production. Results from 88 experiments studying the use of fertilizer N on cut grass swards show that the major part (97%) of the variation in grass N yield could be explained in terms of fertilizer N rate, an estimate of soil N and an interaction between the two. From this, it appears that high fertilizer N recovery is associated with a high uptake of soil N and vice versa.     

Characterization of phytoecdysteroid glycosides in Meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba) seed meal by positive and negative ion LC-MS/MS

Meadowfoam ( Limnanthes alba) is an oilseed crop grown in western Oregon. The seed meal has potential value as a biopesticide due to glucosinolate degradation products and phytoecdysteroids, a group of polyhydroxylated triterpenoids with potent activities as arthropod molting hormones. Liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry operated in the precursor ion mode revealed the presence of four ecdysteroid glycosides in meadowfoam seed meal. The carbohydrate sequence and the identity of the ecdysteroid aglycones, ponasterone A and 20-hydroxyecdysone, were determined by product ion scanning. Ecdysteroids were detected in the negative ion mode as [M + formate] (-) ions, which yielded [M - H] (-) and alpha-cleavage fragments with retention of hydroxyl groups in MS/MS experiments (not seen in the positive ion mode), allowing the determination of the number of hydroxyl groups in the side chain and in the steroid ring system. MS/MS of glycoside ions ([MH] (+) or [M + formate] (-)) provided carbohydrate sequence information.     

Production and evaluation of monoclonal antibodies for the detection of beet mild yellowing luteovirus and related strains

A sugar-beet-infecting isolate of beet mild yellowing luteovirus (BMYV), and aBrassica-infecting isolate of beet western yellows luteovirus (BWYV) were used to produce monoclonal antibodies for epidemiological studies with BMYV and related field strains. Thirty-four monoclonal antibodies were tested for their reaction with 9 luteoviruses in triple-antibody-sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One (MAFF 24) is now routinely used in the UK for detecting BMYV and BWYV in plants and aphids, although it does not discriminate between them. Heterologous reactions were detected between some of the monoclonal antibodies and potato leafroll virus (PLRV), bean leafroll virus (BLRV) and barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-RPV). 38% of antibodies raised to BWYV reacted with PLRV compared with 4% of those raised to BMYV. Monoclonal antibodies were produced which distinguished a sugar-beet-infecting isolate of BMYV with differing host range and serological properties from the commonly-occurring field strain.