Seasonal Losses of Surface Litter in Northern Great Plains Mixed-Grass Prairies

Surface litter protects rangeland soils against wind and water erosion and provides food and nesting materials for wildlife and insects. However, the ability of grassland systems to provide these services depends on the little studied topic of seasonal surface litter decomposition. Seasonal and annual surface litter decomposition rates were determined between 2014 and 2015 in central and western South Dakota at three mixed-grass prairie locations. Residue bags containing surface litter were placed in the field in late fall (1 November) of 2014 and removed after the winter (1 April), spring (1 July), and summer + fall seasons (1 November) of 2015. The litter was analyzed for total C, total N, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Average winter temperatures ranged from −5^oC to −15^oC, while summer temperatures ranged from 10^oC to 35^oC. Litter decomposition was lowest during the winter (0.57−0.86 g [kg × day]⁻¹) and greatest during the summer + fall (2.12−2.69 g [kg × day]⁻¹). Over the entire season, 40.8−62% of the surface litter decomposed. Winter litter decomposition was positively correlated with air temperature (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) and snow depth (r = 0.61, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with C/N ratio (r = −0.65, P < 0.01), ADF (r = −0.35, P < 0.05), and ADL (r = −0.25, P < 0.05) concentrations. These findings indicate that winter decomposition cannot be ignored and that winter surface litter decomposition increases with snow depth.     

不同浓度CO2对牛卵母细胞体外成熟和受精的影响

对牛卵巢卵泡内卵母细胞在不同浓度的CO2培养箱内体外成熟、体外受精后的卵裂率及胚胎体外发育进行了研究。结果显示,含5%小牛血清(CS)的TCM-199内的卵母细胞在2%CO2条件下培养20h后,达到第二次减数分裂期(MⅡ期)的卵子数明显高于在5%CO2条件下培养的卵母细胞数(P<0.05)。两种浓度的CO2条件下培养的牛卵母细胞体外受精后的卵裂率无明显差异,2%CO2浓度下培养的卵母细胞的囊胚发育率高于5%CO2浓度下培养的卵母细胞。     

牦牛放牧率对小嵩草高寒草甸不同植物类群地上生物量生产率的影响

2年的牦牛放牧试验表明:除不同植物本身的生理特性外,降水和地温是影响小嵩草高寒草甸两季草场不同植物类群地上生物量绝对生长率的关键因素。小嵩草高寒草甸两季草场地上总生物量的绝对生长率1999年在7月份最大;1998年,冷季草场各放牧处理的绝对生长率在8月份达到最大,暖季草场的对照组和轻牧组在7月份最大,中牧组和重牧组在8月份最大。不同植物类群地上生物量生长率的变化不尽相同。1998年,冷季草场禾草和莎草地上生物量的绝对生长率8月份达到最大,暖季草场禾草和莎草地上生物量的绝对生长率7月份达到最大,且9月份出现了营养的再次积累;1999年,冷季草场禾草地上生物量的绝对生长率在6月份和8月份出现了两个峰值,暖季草场禾草地生物量的绝对生长率在7月份达到最大。对杂草类而言,1998年冷季草场的绝对生长率6月份最大,暖季草场重牧组的绝对生长率8月份达到最大,其他各处理7月份达到最大;1999年重牧组杂草的绝对生长率在6月份达到最大,其他各处理杂草在8月份达到最大。     

一类空间分解问题

讨论了一类与区域分解算法有关的空间分解问题，将二阶问题的已有的空间分解结果推广到四阶问题的相应空间中。还证明了一致重迭性条件与Ｂａｄｅａ条件的等价性。     

杨干象对杨树生长的影响和防治指标的研究

1995～2000年，对杨干象对杨树生长的影响和防治指标进行了研究。结果认为，不同虫口密度对杨树生长的影响明显，通过建立虫口密度与杨树生长(树高、胸径、材积)损失率回归预测模型表明，随着虫口密度的增加，胸径、材积生长明显下降，其关系呈直线、对数回归关系；高生长总的趋势是下降的，呈多项式回归关系；杨干象防治指标确定为：5年生以下杨树为2头／株，6～8年生杨树为3头／株，9年生以上杨树为4头／株。     

Effect of Nitrogen Rate and Stubble Height on Dry Matter Yield,Crude Protein Content and Crude Protein Yield of a Sorghum–Sudangrass Hybrid[Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench × Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf.] in the Three‐Cutting System

In this study, the effects of nitrogen (N) rate (60, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha^?1 applied in three equal dressings at seeding and after the first and second cuttings) and stubble height (7, 14 and 21 cm) on the dry matter (DM) yield, crude protein (CP) content, and CP yield of a sorghum–sudangrass hybrid [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench × Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf., cv. Pioneer 988] in the three‐cut system was investigated. The N rate had no significant effect in the first and third cuttings, but in the second cutting DM yields increased significantly with increase in N rate. The highest yield of 9.1 t ha^?1 was obtained with 80 kg N ha^?1 for the average of 2 years at the second cutting, but no significant difference was found among the 40, 60 and 80 kg N ha^?1 rates. CP content and yield were not significantly affected by N rate at the first and third cuttings, but CP content and yield were significantly affected by application of N at the second cutting. Stubble height had a significant effect on CP content at the third cutting. However, it had no significant effect on CP content at the first and second cuttings. Stubble height had a significant effect on the CP yield at the first cutting, but no significant effect on CP yield at the second and third cuttings.     

Pregnancy Rates in Repeat-breeder Heifers Following Multiple Artificial Inseminations during Spontaneous Oestrus

Hormonal asynchronies during oestrus, related to the presence of suprabasal plasma-progesterone (P4) concentrations and a delayed ovulation, interfere with the fertility of repeat-breeder heifers (RBH). Since tubal dysfunction can occur in connection with hormonal asynchronies and constrained availability of fertile spermatozoa at the time of ovulation, the present study tested the hypothesis that frequent sperm deposition from onset of oestrus to ovulation may improve pregnancy rates in RBH. Five RBH and five virgin heifers (VH; controls) were repeatedly artificially inseminated (AI) at 6 h intervals from onset of oestrus to spontaneous ovulation. Hormone analyses revealed suprabasal P₄ concentrations and a delay in the occurrence of the luteinising hormone (LH) surge, but a normal cortisol profile in RBH. Compared with controls, RBH presented longer interval from onset of oestrus to ovulation, and therefore, received more AIs. Pregnancy rates in RBH reached control levels (60%; NS), indicating that the hypothesis might be correct. Pregnancy rates in VH were below the expected range, presumably attributed to a deleterious influence of the frequent handling. The study suggests that pregnancy rates can be improved in RBH by frequent AI in relation to spontaneous ovulation. However, this practice of repeated manipulations, while seeming not to show adverse effects, lacks practicality for routine use.     

Variation of Parthenium hysterophorus in response to soil quality: implications for invasiveness

Summary The performance of Parthenium hysterophorus , native to the tropical Americas and invasive to several countries, was evaluated for response to soil quality. Phenological (six stages) and quantitative growth variables [relative growth rates in height (R_h) and diameter (R_d)] were measured every fortnight. Based on harvest data, the variables, root:shoot (R:S) ratio, specific leaf area (SLA), relative growth rate in biomass (R_w), net assimilation rate (NAR) and dry matter allocation to plant components, were determined. High clay content in soils prolonged the rosette stage, enhanced R_h and R_d and hampered root growth, but promoted biomass allocation to shoots. The extreme degree of plant mortality was observed, with only 33.3% individuals surviving to reproduce in the soils with highest clay contents. This appears to be one of the most important findings that certainly has a major bearing on the range of adaptation of the weed. Seed mass declined whereas seed production increased in relatively coarser soils with the exception of nearly pure sand. In soils rich in clay, plants produced a smaller number of larger seeds. These data suggest that variation in fundamental functional traits would enable P. hysterophorus to adjust to a variety of habitat conditions.     

Organic farming fosters agroecosystem functioning in Argentinian temperate soils: Evidence from litter decomposition and soil fauna

Benefits of organic farming on soil fauna have been widely observed and this has led to consider organic farming as a potential approach to reduce the environmental impact of conventional agriculture. However, there is still little evidence from field conditions about direct benefits of organic agriculture on soil ecosystem functioning. Hence, the aims of this study were to compare the effect of organic farming versus conventional farming on litter decomposition and to study how this process is affected by soil meso- and macrofauna abundances. Systems studied were: (1) organic farming with conventional tillage (ORG), (2) conventional farming with conventional tillage (CT), (3) conventional farming under no-tillage (NT), and (4) natural grassland as control system (GR). Decomposition was determined under field conditions by measuring weight loss in litterbags. Soil meso- and macrofauna contribution on decomposition was evaluated both by different mesh sizes and by assessing their abundances in the soil. Litter decomposition was always significantly higher after 9 and 12 months in ORG than in CT and NT (from 2 to 5 times in average), regardless decomposer community composition and litter type. Besides, mesofauna, macrofauna and earthworm abundances were significantly higher in ORG than in NT and CT (from 1.6 to 3.8, 1.7 to 2.3 and 16 to 25 times in average, respectively for each group). These results are especially relevant firstly because the positive effect of ORG in a key soil process has been proved under field conditions, being the first direct evidence that organic farming enhances the decomposition process. And secondly because the extensive organic system analyzed here did not include several practices which have been recognized as particularly positive for soil biota (e.g. manure use, low tillage intensity and high crop diversity). So, this research suggests that even when those practices are not applied, the non-use of agrochemicals is enough to produce positive changes in soil fauna and so in decomposition dynamics. Therefore, the adoption of organic system in an extensive way can also be suggested to farmers in order to improve ecosystem functioning and consequently to achieve better soil conditions for crop production.