Sacred sites as habitats of culturally important plant species in an Indian megacity

Cultural ecosystem services related to urban green spaces contribute significantly to liveable cities. While previous studies highlight the intersection of cultural ecosystem services with societal values, spiritual or religious values associated with urban nature have received less attention. In India, as in other parts of the world, sacred sites are known for their biological richness, but analyses from urban sacred sites are largely missing. Based on a stratified random sampling approach, we analysed the cultivated and wild plant species assemblages of 69 sacred sites in the megacity of Bengaluru, India, in relation to biological and cultural features, and parameters related to the urban matrix and type of sacred sites (temple vs. katte). Unlike other urban studies, we found a dominance of native species in the cultivated and spontaneous species pools (121 species in total), with Ficus religiosa and Azadirachta indica as most frequently planted species. Culturally relevant species prevailed in the species pool (89%), with overlaps between religious (36%), medicinal (50%) and ornamental (62%) plants; only 11% of species were weeds. Urban matrix parameters (age of development, housing density) and size and type of sacred sites were related to differences in species assemblages. We identified key species for different classes of age and housing density, and for types of sacred sites. Our study demonstrates that urban sacred sites have an important potential in harbouring both native and culturally significant species that can support urban livelihoods in developing countries by a range of cultural and provisioning ecosystem services, including medicinal uses. As such sites are conserved by communities for spiritual or cultural beliefs, local biodiversity can be enhanced, e.g. by adapting management practices through community participation. This would strengthen the important contribution of sacred sites within the green infrastructure of rapidly growing megacities.     

智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统运行机理研究

伴随多元化时代的来临,用户的知识需求日益多元化、专业化,对图书馆服务提出了新的挑战。对智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统运行机理的研究,能够为新型知识服务提供理论基础,保障知识资源进行有效的优化整合,实现服务升级。文章在简要分析智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统四大要素的基础上,着重从社会发展、技术进步,知识富集、优化调整和需求驱动、服务升级三方面探讨其形成动因,重点分析智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统的生命周期,最后从合作、循环和保障三方面探讨其运行机理。     

Soil quality assessments in integrated crop–livestock–forest systems: A review

Integrated crop–livestock–forest is a promising strategy to improve soil quality. It comprises four different integrated farming systems: crop–livestock, crop–forest, forest–livestock and crop–livestock–forest. This work systematically reviewed studies about integrated crop–livestock–forest systems and soil quality. A total of 92 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science—Clarivate Analytics platform, and the following information was analysed: publication year, institution, region of the studied site, type of integrated system, soil type, tillage system, maximum soil depth and the soil quality indicators assessed. Most studies were published in the second half of the 2010s. Brazil is a prominent focus of research about soil quality and integrated crop–livestock–forest systems, with significant contribution from its central and southern regions. The Embrapa was the main publishing institution, present in over one‐third of the studies. Crop–livestock was the most common integrated system, Ferralsols was the most common soil group, and most of the studied soils were clayey. No tillage was the main tillage system. Most studies focused on the topsoil, assessing physical and/or chemical soil quality indicators. More emphasis on biological indicators of soil quality is required, as well as assessments integrating biological, physical and chemical indicators of soil quality. Future works should compare different integrated systems, including assessments deeper in the soil profile, especially in systems with the forest component, and also in sandy and silty soils. Soil quality indicators that have been rarely used should be further tested. Novel indicators should be added to better understand the promotion of soil quality by integrated crop–livestock–forest systems.     

Getting cosy in freshwater: Assumed to be brackish pike are not so brackish after all

Pike (Esox lucius) occupy coastal streams and rivers of the Baltic Sea, where they attain large sizes (>5 kg). These large sizes are perhaps due to the fact that they can tolerate relatively high salinities and can thus forage in the nearby more productive brackish environments. In an attempt to quantify the extent to which pike utilise brackish environments, and to provide some insight into the underlying causes for brackish water migrations, we tagged 30 pike from a western Baltic river with acoustic transmitters and were able to track 21 individuals for 1 year. Based on experienced from local anglers, this population was assumed to be brackish in nature, where individuals underwent freshwater migrations to spawn. Our findings however suggest that the smallest and most active individuals make short exits into brackish waters and do so on rare occasions. Our results further indicate that neither sex nor size is related to activity level. We suggest that these patterns reflect two distinct behaviours—active and passive—and that large pike can be supported by the food availability in the river, without the need to venture into coastal zones, thus defying the conventional view that Baltic pike are all brackish in nature.     

Genotypic Variability in Biomass Protein and Nucleic Acids in Four Linum Species to Sodicity Stress

Differences in gas exchange parameters i.e. carbon exchange rate (CER), transpiration (Tr), water vapor conductance (g) were investigated, under a controlled environment, in a semi-dwarf (SD) Triticum aestivum line, its tall (TL) near isoline and the Payne (PA) variety characterized by small leaves. The plants were maintained in: (a) optimal substrate moisture condition (CTR); (b) salinized by watering with a 0.12 m NaCl solution (SLT); (c) water stressed by withholding waterings during a period of six days (STR); (d) stressed and salinized during the same period and with the same saline solution (S + S). CER and Tr were negatively affected by the stresses; SLT and S + S treatments had a higher WUE compared to their respective controls CTR and STR.
SD line had a better performance in terms of CER and WUE, particularly when water and salt stresses interacted. Leaf anatomy and assimilation/internal CO₂ concentration curves contributed to explaining the SD performance.     

Use of netting and whitewash spray to protect papaya plants against Nivun Haamir (NH)-dieback disease

A disease causing the decline of papaya (Carica papaya) plants was noticed in the Jordan Valley in 1982. The disease caused severe yellowing of the upper leaves and dieback of the apex. The disease was not transmissible mechanically and continued efforts to associate viruses and viroids have so far been unsuccessful. Epidemiological observations suggested that the disease is airborne and probably caused by a mollicute. In order to test this hypothesis, plots were covered by an insect-proof net and with white nets providing 15, 30 and 50% shade. The 30%, 50% and insect-proof nettings provided complete protection, and the 15% netting reduced disease incidence to <2%, compared with>37% in the uncovered control plot. Spraying plants at weekly intervals with a commercial whitewash solution was also found to be effective in reducing disease incidence. The advantages of using a range of netting field treatments as a simple means for obtaining information on the epidemiological nature of a new disease are described.     

三种草坪草净光合速率和蒸腾速率的日变化特点研究

研究了在晴天的条件下，假俭草、细叶结缕草和地毯草净光合速率和蒸腾整编的日变化特点。结果表明：（1）假俭草和细叶绍缕草的净光合速率的日变化曲线均为双峰型，而地毯草为三峰型，3种草出现峰值的时间不同，均有明显的“午睡”现象，日平均净光全速率的大小顺序为俭草＞地毯草＞细叶结缕草；（2）假俭草和细叶结缕草的蒸腾速率的日变化曲线均为双峰型,而地毯草为单峰型，3种草出现峰值的时间有所判差别，“午睡”现象均不明显，日平均蒸腾速率的大小顺序为细叶绍缕草＞地毯草＞假俭草；（3）不同生态因子与3种草坪草净光合速率、蒸腾速率的相关程度均不相等。同种态因子与不同草坪草的净光合速率、蒸腾速率的相关程度也不一样。     

交换性阳离子对磷灰石中磷和钙释放的影响

研究了以Ｌｉ~＋、Ｎａ~＋、Ｋ~＋、ＮＨ~＋_４等一价阳离子取代磷灰石表面交换性二价阳离子对磷灰石中磷和钙释放的影响，并就可能涉及的机理进行了探讨．     

西藏山南地区草地资源及其合理利用

由于对西藏山南地区草原状况缺乏全面认识，未能合理利用，出现了草原退化等一系列问题。为了合理开发利用草地资源，通过调查提出：调整畜群结构，推行草场有偿承包责任制，开展季节性畜牧业，建立草地农业生态系统等建议。     

Stoffbildung, CO2-Gaswechsel, Kohlenhydrat- und Stickstoffgehalt von Winterweizen bei erhöhter CO2-Konzentration und Trocken-streß

Dry Matter Production, CO₂ Exchange, Carbohydrate and Nitrogen Content of Winter Wheat at Elevated CO₂ Concentration and Drought Stress
Methods of mathematical modelling and simulation are being used to an increasing degree in estimating the effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ concentration and changing climatic conditions on agricultural ecosystems. In this context, detailed knowledge is required about the possible effects on crop growth and physiological processes. To this aim, the influence of an elevated CO₂ concentration and of drought stress on dry matter production, CO₂ exchange, and on carbohydrate and nitrogen content was studied in two winter wheat varieties from shooting to milk ripeness. Elevated CO₂ concentration leads to a compensation of drought stress and at optimal water supply to an increase of vegetative dry matter and of yield to the fourfold value. This effects were caused by enhanced growth of secondary tillers which were reduced in plants cultivated at atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Analogous effects in the development of ear organs were influenced additionally by competitive interactions between the developing organs. The content and the mass of ethanol soluble carbohydrates in leaves and stems were increased after the CO₂ treatment and exhausted more completely during the grain filling period after drought stress. Plants cultivated from shooting to milk ripeness at elevated CO₂ concentration showed a reduced response of net photosynthesis rate to increasing CO₂ concentration by comparison with untreated plants. The rate of dark respiration was increased in this plants.