A novel approach to studying the effects of temperature on soil biogeochemistry using a thermal gradient bar

The temperature dependence of chemical reaction rates and microbial metabolism mean that temperature is a key factor regulating soil trace gas emissions and hydrochemistry. Here we evaluated a novel approach for studying the thermal response of soils, by examining the effects of temperature on gas emissions and hydrochemistry in (a) peat and (b) soil from a Sitka spruce plantation. A thermal gradient was applied along an aluminium bar, allowing soil to be incubated contemporaneously from 2 to 18 °C. The approach demonstrated clear differences in the biogeochemical responses of the two soil types to warming. The peat showed no significant emission of CH₄ at temperatures below 6 °C, while above 6 °C, a marked increase in the rate of release was apparent up to 15 °C (Q₁₀ = 2.5) with emissions being similar between 15 and 18 °C. Conversely, CH₄ emissions from the forest soil did not respond to warming. Nitrate availability in the peat decreased by 90% between 2 and 18 °C (P < 0.01), whereas concentrations in the forest soil did not respond. Sulphate availability in the peat decreased significantly with warming (60%, P < 0.01), while the forest soil showed the opposite response (a 30% increase, P < 0.01). Conventionally, thermal responses are studied by incubating individual soil samples at different temperatures, involving lengthy preparation and facilities to incubate samples at different temperatures simultaneously. Data collected on a given thermal response is usually limited and thus interpolated or extrapolated. The thermal gradient method overcomes these problems, is simple and flexible, and can be adapted for a wide range of sample types (not confined to soil). Such apparatus may prove useful in the optimization of management practices to mitigate the effects of climate change, as thermal responses will differ depending on land use and soil type.     

CVT起步离合器模糊控制算法研究

探讨了汽车无级变速器控制的关键技术之一———汽车起步离合器的控制技术,并针对汽车起步时条件的多样性以及驾驶员意图的不确定性,研究了适用于复杂条件的模糊控制算法.在离合器的滑磨阶段,把动态跟踪发动机转速的油压作为控制目标,离合器结合的控制便转化为一闭环控制.结果表明汽车能在任意工况下平顺快速起步.因此,本研究为控制CVT(Continuously Variable Transmission)起步离合器这种时变、非线性系统提出了一种简单可行的解决方法.     

The effects of stubble burning and tillage on soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity in southeastern Australia

Abstract. In Australia, stubble burning and tillage are two of the major processes responsible for the decline of soil organic carbon concentration in cropped soils, and the resulting soil degradation. However, the relative importance of these two practices in influencing the soil organic carbon concentration and the long-term impact on soil quality and productivity are not clear. The effects of stubble burning as practised by farmers in southeastern Australia were evaluated in two field trials, one of 19 years duration, the other of 5 years. Conventional tillage (three tillage passes) led to greater loss of soil organic carbon than stubble burning. Loss of total soil organic carbon attributed to stubble burning in the 0–10 cm layer was estimated to be 1.75 t C ha⁻¹ over the period of the 19-year trial, equivalent to 29% of that lost due to tillage. In the 5-year trial, no change in soil organic carbon due to stubble burning was detectable. Changes in soil quality associated with stubble burning detected in the longer trial included a reduction in macro-aggregate stability, and increases in pH and exchangeable K⁺. Only the latter two were detected in the shorter trial. A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha⁻¹) following stubble burning was observed in the 19-year trial but not in the 5-year trial. Research to monitor the longer term effects of stubble burning is needed, and to identify conditions where loss of soil organic carbon is minimized.     

Dense planting with less basal nitrogen fertilization might benefit rice cropping for high yield with less environmental impacts

Dense planting and less basal nitrogen (N) fertilization have been recommended to further increase rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield and N use efficiency (NUE), respectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the integrative impacts of dense planting with reduced basal N application (DR) on rice yield, NUE and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Field experiments with one conventional sparse planting (CK) and four treatments of dense planting (increased seedlings per hill) with less basal N application were conducted in northeast China from 2012 to 2013. In addition, a two-factor experiment was conducted to isolate the effect of planting density and basal N rate on CH₄ emission in 2013. Our results show that an increase in planting density by about 50% with a correspondingly reduction in basal N rate by about 30% (DR1 and DR2) enhanced NUE by 14.3–50.6% and rice grain yield by 0.5–7.4% over CK. Meanwhile, DR1 and DR2 reduced GWP by 6.4–12.6% and yield-scaled GWP by 7.0–17.0% over CK. According to the two-factor experiment, soil CH₄ production and oxidation and CH₄ emission were not affected by planting density. However, reduced basal N rate decreased CH₄ emission due to it significantly reduced soil CH₄ production with a smaller reduction in soil CH₄ oxidation. The above results indicate that moderate dense planting with less basal N application might be an environment friendly mode for rice cropping for high yield and NUE with less GHG emissions.     

Greenhouse gas mitigation potential of agricultural land in Great Britain

The aim of this paper is to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of croplands and grasslands in Great Britain under different management practices. We consider the feasible land management options for grass and cropland using county level land‐use data with estimates of per‐area mitigation potential for individual and total GHGs, to identify the land management options with the greatest cost‐effective mitigation potential. We show that for grasslands, uncertainties still remain on the mitigation potential because of their climatic sensitivity and also their less intensive management. For croplands in Great Britain, the technical mean GHG mitigation potentials for all cropland management practices range from 17 Mt CO₂‐eq. per 20 yr to 39 Mt CO₂‐eq. per 20 yr. There are significant regional variation in all cases, with the greatest potentials in England, negligible potential in Wales and intermediate potential in Scotland, with country differences largely driven by the areas of cropland and grassland in each country. Practices such as agronomic improvement and nutrient management are the most promising options because of their impact on N₂O emissions and also their larger potential at low cost. In terms of annual emissions from agriculture, calculated mitigation potentials are small, where the technical mitigation potential of agronomy and nutrient management strategies are ca. 4.5 and 3.8%, respectively (agricultural emissions account for ca. 9% or 47.7 Mt CO₂‐eq., of total Great Britain GHG emissions, Department of Energy and Climate Change, UK). However when compared with the land use, land‐use change and forestry sector (LULUCF) emissions, nutrient management would reduce further emission reductions by approximately half of the 2005 LULUCF sink (i.e. ?1.6 Mt CO₂‐eq. per year).     

Relative bioavailability of organic bis-glycinate bound copper relative to inorganic copper sulfate in beef steers fed a high antagonist growing diet

To assess the relative bioavailability of bis-glycinate bound Cu, 90 Angus-cross steers (265 ± 21 kg) were blocked by body weight (BW) to pens with GrowSafe bunks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments (14 to 18 steers/treatment): 0 mg supplemental Cu/kg dry matter (DM; CON), 5 or 10 mg supplemental Cu/kg DM as Cu sulfate (CS5; CS10) or bis-glycinate bound Cu (GLY5; GLY10). Steers received a high antagonist growing diet (analyzed 4.9 mg Cu/kg DM, 0.48% S, and 5.3 mg Mo/kg DM). Steers were weighed at the beginning (days 1 and 0) and end (days 125 and 126) of the trial to determine average daily gain (ADG) and gain:feed (G:F). Blood was collected from all steers on days 0, 28, 56, 84, and 126. Liver samples were collected on days −3 or −2 and day 123 or 124. Data were analyzed using ProcMixed of SAS (experimental unit = steer; fixed effect = treatment and block). Plasma Cu was analyzed as repeated measures (repeated effect = day). Plasma and liver Cu concentrations were regressed against total Cu intake using ProcGLM to calculate relative bioavailability of GLY. Final BW and overall ADG were greatest for CS5 and CS10 and least for CON and GLY5 (P = 0.01). Overall, DMI was not affected by treatment (P = 0.14), but overall G:F tended to be greatest for CS5, CS10, and GLY5 and least for CON (P = 0.08). Total and supplemental Cu intake was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM and least for CON (P < 0.01). However, total and supplemental Cu intake was greater for CS5 than GLY5 (P < 0.01). Final liver Cu concentrations were greatest for CS10, least for CON, CS5, and CS10, and intermediate for GLY10 (P < 0.01). Final plasma Cu was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM (P < 0.01). Relative bioavailability of GLY was 82% compared to CS based on liver Cu (P < 0.01) but did not differ based on plasma Cu (P = 0.60). The lesser bioavailability of GLY relative to CS could be due to a high concentration of dietary antagonists and lower solubility of GLY (68.9% relative to CS) in pH conditions (5.2) similar to the ruminal pH of a beef animal consuming a high concentrate diet. Future studies should examine the effects of bis-glycinate bound Cu fed in blended combination with inorganic Cu sulfate to determine the most effective blend of sources for feedlot cattle experiencing varying amounts of dietary Cu antagonists.     

Comparison of emission estimates for non‐CO2 greenhouse gases from livestock and poultry in Korea from 1990 to 2010

It has often been claimed that non‐carbon dioxide greenhouse gases (NCGGs), such as methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated greenhouse gases, are significant contributors to climate change. Here we nvestigate emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from livestock and poultry production, which is recognized as a major source of those NCGGs, in Korea over the period of 1990 through 2010. Based on the data on livestock and poultry populations, emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide are first derived based on the Tier 1 approach. Then, the Tier 2 approach is adopted to obtain emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from cattle, which are known to be the largest sources of these NCGGs and account for about 70% of emissions from livestock and poultry in Korea. The result indicates that the Tier 2 estimates of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management are significantly different from the Tier 1 estimates over the analysis period.     

微肥Zn和Mn在苜蓿生产中的应用试验

针对河南省气候土壤特点,Zn、Mn肥的生理功能以及牧草生产利用中存在的问题,对Zn、Mn微肥在优质牧草紫花苜蓿Medicago sativa生产中的配施技术进行了研究.结果表明:Zn肥对紫花苜蓿的有效范围为400～500 mg/kg,最佳浓度为430 mg/kg.430 mg/kg的Zn肥与380 mg/kg的Mn 肥结合使用,效果更好,可使牧草产量提高10.7%,种子产量提高13.7%.     

Evaluation of immobilizing agents as soil quality conditioners in addition to their metal(loid) immobilizing effect

In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils, management of TM availability is important for safe crop production. In addition, maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation. Decreased TM phytoavailability and increased soil quality can be achieved by the application of various immobilizing agents to soil, which can supply both macronutrients and organic matter. This study investigated the long-term influences of four common immobilizing agents on so...     

生物基包膜抑制型尿素对土壤温室气体排放及小青菜产量的影响

为研究生物基包膜氮肥对土壤温室气体排放及小青菜(Brassica chinensis)产量的影响,采用密闭式静态箱-气相色谱法测定盆栽试验条件下施用不同类型包膜尿素对土壤温室气体的排放特征,探究不同类型包膜尿素对土壤温室气体排放综合增温潜势(GWP)、排放强度(GHGI)及小青菜产量的影响。结果表明:抑制型尿素(I)、生物基包膜尿素(CRU)、生物基包膜抑制型尿素(CIRU)能够显著降低N_2O、CO_2、CH_4 3种温室气体的累积排放量。与普通尿素(U)相比,处理I、CRU和CIRU的N2O累积排放量显著降低了20.79%～79.52%,CO_2的累积排放量显著降低了46.53%～62.24%,CH4的累积排放量显著降低了25.38%～30.11%。与处理U相比,处理I、CRU和CIRU的GWP分别显著降低了40.44%、60.66%和65.02%;温室气体GHGI与GWP呈现出同样的趋势,处理I、CRU和CIRU分别显著降低了26.32%、70.53%和78.95%。与其他处理相比,处理CIRU具有最优的温室气体减排效果。处理CIRU的小青菜产量最高,为1 960.00 kg·hm~(-2),较处理U显著增产68.00%。研究表明,生物基包膜抑制型尿素在提高小青菜产量的同时还可以减少菜地温室气体排放及氮素气态损失。