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.     

长春市6种绿化树种固碳释氧价值核算

通过测定长春市6种常见绿化植物净光合速率及绿量,计算出其固碳释氧能力,并运用碳税法及工业制氧成本法计算此6种树木日固碳释氧价值。结果表明：所选6种植物中,京桃（Prunuspersicafrubro-plena）、银中杨（Poplusalba’Berolinensis’L．）固碳释氧能力最强,其日固碳释氧价值最高,火炬树（RhustyphinaNutt）、（Prunusarmeniaca）、樟子松（Pinussylvestrisvar．mongolicaLitv．）、旱柳（salixma㈨dana）固碳释氧能力较弱,目固碳释氧价值最低。     

近岸沉积物再悬浮期间所释放溶解有机物的荧光特征

为探究有色溶解有机物 (CDOM)光学性质如何示踪海水中溶解有机物组分的动态信息,实验利用紫外可见吸收光谱手段,分区域测定了桑沟湾春季水体及表层沉积物间隙水中CDOM的吸收光谱特征,探讨了CDOM的来源组成、空间分布特征、迁移转化过程及其与养殖活动的关系。结果显示,①波长为355 nm的吸收系数[a(355)]范围为0.23~9.09 /m,不同水层空间分布差异显著,表层和底层均从近岸区向贝藻区逐渐降低,在海带区升高后向外海逐渐降低;海带区从表层向底层先降低后升高,高密度、规模化的海带养殖释放了大量的CDOM,各区域沉积物间隙水a(355)是其表层、中层和底层之和的1.3~2.5倍,CDOM在沉积物间隙水中富集并逐渐累积。②光谱斜率(S_275~295)范围为0.013~0.036,外海区和海带区S_275~295均值显著高于其他各区,海带区和外海区CDOM中海源有机质占主要成分,而近岸区以陆源有机质为主;近岸区CDOM中的腐殖酸类物质含量从表层到底层逐渐降低,沉积物中积累的富里酸类物质含量较高,海带区和外海区呈相反趋势。③比紫外吸光度(SUVA₂₅₄)范围为4.60~14.10 L/(mg·m),贝类区、贝藻区和藻类区SUVA₂₅₄均呈现出从表层到底层逐渐增大的趋势,CDOM的芳香性逐渐增强并在沉积物间隙水中达到最大;海带区和外海区沉积物间隙水中的SUVA₂₅₄显著高于其他各区。研究表明,海带区的规模化养殖活动向养殖海区及邻近海域贡献了较多的惰性溶解有机物,暗示着海带养殖活动有较强的碳汇效应,并通过海流作用向外海输送。本研究对桑沟湾海域不同养殖区域的CDOM的吸收特性和空间分布特征进行研究,可为全面了解海水养殖的碳源汇效应提供基础数据。

     

Managing soil quality for humanity and the planet

Rather than a human-centric, the basic strategy of achieving Sustainable Development Goals must be focused on restoring and sustaining planetary processes. The urgency of meeting the demands of the humanity must be reconciled with the necessity of enhancing the environment. Increasing and restoring soil organic matter content of the degraded and depleted soils is critical to strengthening planetary processes.     

Carbon Depletion by Plowing and its Restoration by No‐Till Cropping Systems in Oxisols of Subtropical and Tropical Agro‐Ecoregions in Brazil

The continuous use of plowing for grain production has been the principal cause of soil degradation. This project was formulated on the hypothesis that the intensification of cropping systems by increasing biomass‐C input and its biodiversity under no‐till (NT) drives soil restoration of degraded agro‐ecosystem. The present study conducted at subtropical [Ponta Grossa (PG) site] and tropical regions [Lucas do Rio Verde, MT (LRV) site] in Brazil aimed to (i) assess the impact of the continuous plow‐based conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock vis‐à‐vis native vegetation (NV) as baseline; (ii) compare SOC balance among CT, NT cropping systems, and NV; and (iii) evaluate the redistribution of SOC stock in soil profile in relation to soil resilience. The continuous CT decreased the SOC stock by 0·58 and 0·67 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ in the 0‐ to 20‐cm depth at the PG and LRV sites, respectively, and the rate of SOC sequestration was 0·59 for the PG site and ranged from 0·48 to 1·30 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ for the LRV site. The fraction of C input by crop residues converted into SOC stock was ~14·2% at the PG site and ~20·5% at the LRV site. The SOC resilience index ranged from 0·29 to 0·79, and it increased with the increase in the C input among the NT systems and the SOC sequestration rates at the LRV site. These data support the hypothesis that NT cropping systems with high C input have a large potential to reverse the process of soil degradation and SOC decline. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Organic Carbon Stocks in Mediterranean Soils (1956–2007)

During the last few decades, land use changes have largely affected the global warming process through emissions of CO₂. However, C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems could contribute to the decrease of atmospheric CO₂ rates. Although Mediterranean areas show a high potential for C sequestration, only a few studies have been carried out in these systems. In this study, we propose a methodology to assess the impact of land use and land cover change dynamics on soil organic C stocks at different depths. Soil C sequestration rates are provided for different land cover changes and soil types in Andalusia (southern Spain). Our research is based on the analysis of detailed soil databases containing data from 1357 soil profiles, the Soil Map of Andalusia and the Land Use and Land Cover Map of Andalusia. Land use and land cover changes between 1956 and 2007 implied soil organic C losses in all soil groups, resulting in a total loss of 16·8 Tg (approximately 0·33 Tg y⁻¹). Afforestation increased soil organic C mostly in the topsoil, and forest contributed to sequestration of 8·62 Mg ha⁻¹ of soil organic C (25·4 per cent). Deforestation processes implied important C losses, particularly in Cambisols, Luvisols and Vertisols. The information generated in this study will be a useful basis for designing management strategies for stabilizing the increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations by preservation of C stocks and C sequestration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grid keratotomy as a treatment for superficial nonhealing corneal ulcers in 10 horses

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical symptoms of 10 cases of superficial nonhealing corneal ulcers in horses and to evaluate the results of grid keratotomy in these patients. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Ten horses with superficial nonhealing corneal ulceration in one eye. PROCEDURE: The signalment, history and clinical symptoms are reported of 10 patients with superficial nonhealing corneal ulcers during the period from August 2003 to February 2005. Grid keratotomy was performed in all cases. In addition, the surgical procedure of grid keratotomy and response to therapy are described. RESULTS: Horses generally responded well to grid keratotomy (eight cases healed after one grid keratotomy and one horse healed after a second grid keratotomy; one case was not available for follow-up). Only 2/10 had discomfort after treatment and only 2/9 had some degree of scarring after treatment. The healing time, which was known in seven cases, averaged 8.4 days (+/- SD 4). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Grid keratotomy is an appropriate option for treatment of superficial nonhealing corneal ulcers in horses. The procedure is simple to perform. It generally induces a rapid and uncomplicated healing of the cornea. Only in a limited number of cases does a small amount of scarring occur.     

中国草地固碳减排研究现状及其建议

随着经济的快速发展,温室气体的排放量不断增加,加之人类对自然资源的利用强度逐渐增加,导致全球生态系统的固碳能力减弱,大气中的温室气体浓度达到新高,所造成的温室效应已经成为国际社会普遍关注的重大全球性问题。中国草地碳汇资源得天独厚,发展草原碳汇经济成为履行国际承诺、打造碳汇新经济、建设美丽中国的重要载体。综述中国草地固碳减排现状及其影响因素,包括草地碳汇和家畜生产减排研究、气候变化背景下的草地碳汇、人工草地建设等方面,并提出中国草地固碳减排发展建议,以期为中国实现碳达峰、碳中和及草地固碳减排的贡献提供理论基础,为推动我国社会高质量发展、创造高品质生活提供坚实的技术支撑。     

Can carbon sequestration markets benefit low-income producers in semi-arid Africa? Potentials and challenges

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change allows a country that emits C above agreed-upon limits to purchase C offsets from an entity that uses biological means to absorb or reduce greenhouse emissions. The CDM is currently offered for afforestation and reforestation projects, but may apply subsequently to sequestration in agricultural soils. Additionally, markets outside of the Protocol are developing for soil C sequestration.     

2000-2015年黄土高原生态系统水源涵养、土壤保持和NPP服务的时空分布与权衡/协同关系

生态系统服务评估决定区域可持续发展,对人类福祉至关重要。以黄土高原为研究区域,基于CASA、InVEST和RUSLE模型,结合土地利用类型、归一化植被指数、气象等数据,分析了2000年、2005年、2010年和2015年的NPP、土壤保持和水源涵养3项关键生态系统服务的时空分布特征,识别了3种生态系统服务的热点区,并基于相关系数法分析了黄土高原地区和不同气候区(干旱气候区、半干旱气候区、高原气候区、半湿润气候区)不同生态系统服务间的权衡/协同关系。结果表明:(1)2000—2015年,黄土高原地区的土地利用类型变化剧烈,其中林地(2.8%)和建设用地(43.1%)显著增加,耕地(-2.7%)明显减少;(2)2000—2015年,净初级生产力(NPP)、产水量和土壤保持均呈现增长趋势,分别增加14.1%,5.3%和101.3%;(3)黄土高原的4类热点区(非热点区、一类热点区、二类热点区、三类热点区)所占面积变化不显著,分布具有明显的地带性,从西北到东南依次为非热点区、一类热点区、二类热点区和三类热点区;(4)在整个黄土高原地区,土壤保持与NPP、水源涵养之间为协同关系,NPP与水源涵养为权衡关系;在4个气候区,NPP与土壤保持之间的权衡/协同关系与黄土高原地区一致,但土壤保持和水源涵养在半干旱气候区和半湿润气候区呈权衡关系,NPP与水源涵养在高原气候区和半湿润气候区为协同关系。为促进区域生态系统可持续管理,应在土地规划过程中考虑生态系统服务之间的相互关系,尽可能减少权衡,增加协同。