Revised algorithm of ecosystem water use efficiency for semi-arid steppe in the Loess Plateau of China

Aims We evaluated the applicability of different measures of water use efficiency through analyzing the coupled dynamics of GPP and evapotranspiration in the semi-arid steppe in the Loess Plateau of China. Our objective is to explore the applicability of two quantitative measures of ecosystem water use efficiency—inherent water use efficiency (IWUE) and underlying water use efficiency (uWUE) —for the semi-arid steppe and to endeavor necessary modifications.Methods The consistency and stability of three indices of water use efficiency formulations (i.e. WUE, IWUE, uWUE) were calculated and compared at hourly, daily and annual time scales before proposing an optimal water use efficiency (oWUE). These indices were additionally used to quantify their importances in modeling the diel change of gross primary production (GPP). The yielded-accuracy of the prediction was used for justifying their uses.Important findings IWUE and uWUE appeared suitable for examining the coupled water-carbon characteristics of vegetation at hourly and daily scales, whereas WUE was more plausible on the annual and interannual scales. The optimized water use efficiency index did not improve the prediction of the coupled water-carbon characteristics as compared with uWUE, but it improved the prediction of GPP and its dynamics. oWUE and uWUE improved the predictions of GPP in the peak growing period, while WUE predicted the GPP better at the early and late growing season. Interestingly, we found that IWUE was not suitable for predicting GPP and its dynamics. The results will be of great importance in modeling the effects of climate change on the carbon assimilation and water cycle for the future.     

生态环境用水研究现状、问题分析与基本构架探索

生态学与水文学交叉研究是目前国际上前沿研究领域之一,生态环境用水研究则是连接生态过程与水文过程、刻画生态演化与水资源相互关系的核心问题。对生态、环境用水产生与发展的基本过程进行了回顾,并根据对已有成果的综合分析提出了目前研究中存在的5方面主要问题。首先,生态用水尚需理论上的进一步升华,这一点突出体现在生态用水的概念与内涵表述上;其次,在生态用水研究中,缺乏合理的生态保护目标的建立,因而影响到了研究成果的实际应用价值;第三,目前的研究均是针对较大尺度所作的,不能在生态机理与物理机制上揭示生态用水规律,因此,不适于具体问题的深入分析,个别实验在由“点“尺度向生态用水计算的“面“尺度转换时缺乏基础,从而严重影响了研究成果的精度;第四,生态用水机理是生态用水研究中至为关键的工作,以往研究主要依据野外宏观观测资料来探讨,缺乏直接的实验依据;第五,没有涉及生态用水对生态系统稳定性、生态用水满足程度及其波动性对生态系统影响等方面,从而也使得研究成果的科学性受到影响。同时作者认为,中国工程院“中国可持续发展水资源研究报告“中的生态环境用水概念对我国地大物博,地质地貌与气候类型多样的特点给给予了更多的关注,故可以确定为全国性的生态环境用水概念。最后文章认为应当将生态用水与环境用水分别予以考虑,并给出了其新的概念构架。     

不同土壤含水量下侧柏幼树叶片水分利用效率

对植物水分利用效率的研究,可以揭示植物的内在耗水机制,为区域森林生态系统经营与维护提供依据.本研究以侧柏幼树为研究对象,通过室内控制试验设置不同的土壤水分梯度,分别用气体交换法和稳定同位素法对其不同土壤含水量条件下的瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_gs)和短期水分利用效率(WUE_cp)进行研究.结果表明:受气孔导度(g_s)的影响,叶片净光合速率(P_n)和蒸腾速率(T_r)随土壤含水量的增加呈现相同的变化趋势,均在土壤含水量为70%～80%田间持水量(FC)时达到最大值;叶片WUE_gs则在土壤含水量最低(35%～45% FC)时达到最大值(7.26 mmol·m^-2·s^-1).叶片可溶性糖、枝条韧皮部渗出液的δ¹³C都在土壤含水量最低(35%～45% FC)条件下达到最大值,且叶片可溶性糖的δ¹³C明显高于枝条韧皮部渗出液的δ¹³C,未产生明显分馏;而叶片WUE_cp也在土壤含水量最低(35%～45% FC)时达到最大值(7.26 mmol·m^-2·s^-1).相同条件下,叶片WUE_gs和WUE_cp存在一定差异(平均相差0.52 mmol·m^-2·s^-1),WUE_gs时空变异性较大,而WUE_cp更具有代表性.侧柏幼树通过降低生理生态活动和提高水分利用效率来适应干旱的土壤条件.     

Application of stable hydrogen isotope in study of water sources for Caragana microphylla bushland in Nei Mongol

小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)是我国内蒙古草原广泛分布的优势灌木,目前国内外有关小叶锦鸡儿水分利用来源的定量研究较少。该文运用氢稳定同位素法,分析了内蒙古小叶锦鸡儿木质部水和潜在水源(夏季降雨、冬季降雪和土壤水)的氢稳定同位素比率(δD)的季节变化,发现小叶锦鸡儿在遮雨处理和自然状态下δD季节变化差异不明显,分别为–101.36‰±13.02‰和–101.18‰±12.71‰。在遮雨处理条件下,小叶锦鸡儿主要利用0–20 cm土壤层水分,占其所利用水分的73.30%±16.14%;自然状态下,小叶锦鸡儿对0–20、20–60和60–100 cm不同土壤层土壤的水分利用较为均衡,分别为34.66%±7.83%、32.44%±7.42%和32.90%±4.14%。该结果表明不同生境下灌木与草本的水分竞争可能是小叶锦鸡儿对不同土层水分利用差异的原因。结合两源模型分析了降雨对各土壤层的贡献率,并用Iso Source多源混合模型分析了各土壤层对小叶锦鸡儿用水的贡献率,发现降雨对小叶锦鸡儿的贡献率为42.65%–63.92%。该结果反映了小叶锦鸡儿对夏季降雨和冬季融雪的利用情况。     

Use of Photosynthesis and Transpiration for Early Selection of Salt Tolerant Triticales

Three cultivars of winter hexaploid triticales M2A/JAIN, DF 99/Yogu "S5", and Asseret were grown on nutrient solution with or without 75 mM NaCl. Stomatal permeability and transpiration rate decreased in all salt-stressed triticale cultivars. Net photosynthetic rate (P_N) of cv. M2A and Asseret was not affected by NaCl. On the contrary, P_N in cv. DF99 was reduced in relation to control plants. A higher water-use efficiency under saline conditions led to better salt tolerance of cv. M2A compared to cvs. Asseret and DF99. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Response of Suaeda aegyptiaca to KCl, NaCl and Na2SO4 treatments

The response of Suaeda aegyptiaca (Hasselq.) Zoh. to various salinity treatments was tested in sand culture. Growth was promoted by NaCl and by Na₂SO₄ at all tested concentrations, but not by KCl. The effect of NaCl on growth was stronger than that of Na₂SO₄ and it increased gradually up to a 125 eq. m⁻³ optimum. Ion uptake was also affected by the different salts. Cl⁻ was taken up in similar quantities from KCl and from NaCl solutions and the content of the respective cations was also similar to one another. The presence of Na⁺ in the medium lowered the content of K⁺ in the plants and at the same time increased growth by as much as 900%. Transpiration was reduced and water use efficiency increased by Na⁺-salts. Highest water use efficiency was exhibited by plants which were treated with 125 eq. m⁻³ NaCl. It is concluded that Na⁺ at the macronutrient level has a specific promotive effect on the physiological processes of S. aegyptiaca. This effect is not due to replacement of K⁺ by Na⁺; neither can it be achieved by increasing the K⁺ concentration. Cl⁻ has an additional positive effect on growth of S. aegyptiaca. This effect is only expressed in the presence of Na⁺.     

氢同位素在内蒙古小叶锦鸡儿灌丛水分来源研究中的应用

小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)是我国内蒙古草原广泛分布的优势灌木, 目前国内外有关小叶锦鸡儿水分利用来源的定量研究较少。该文运用氢稳定同位素法, 分析了内蒙古小叶锦鸡儿木质部水和潜在水源(夏季降雨、冬季降雪和土壤水)的氢稳定同位素比率(δD)的季节变化, 发现小叶锦鸡儿在遮雨处理和自然状态下δD季节变化差异不明显, 分别为-101.36‰ ± 13.02‰和-101.18‰ ± 12.71‰。在遮雨处理条件下, 小叶锦鸡儿主要利用0-20 cm土壤层水分, 占其所利用水分的73.30% ± 16.14%; 自然状态下, 小叶锦鸡儿对0-20、20-60和60-100 cm不同土壤层土壤的水分利用较为均衡, 分别为34.66% ± 7.83%、32.44% ± 7.42%和32.90% ± 4.14%。该结果表明不同生境下灌木与草本的水分竞争可能是小叶锦鸡儿对不同土层水分利用差异的原因。结合两源模型分析了降雨对各土壤层的贡献率, 并用IsoSource多源混合模型分析了各土壤层对小叶锦鸡儿用水的贡献率, 发现降雨对小叶锦鸡儿的贡献率为42.65%-63.92%。该结果反映了小叶锦鸡儿对夏季降雨和冬季融雪的利用情况。     

北京山区干旱胁迫下侧柏叶片水分吸收策略

干旱与半干旱地区,水分是限制树木生长的重要影响因子。由于降水稀缺且分配不均,叶片吸收水分是此地区树木吸收和利用小量级降水和凝结水的主要方式。北京山区处于易旱少雨的生态脆弱地带,森林植被经常遭受干旱胁迫,所以对该地区的森林系统而言,叶片直接吸收利用截留的降雨是干旱时期树木获得水分的重要途径。基于野外对比控制试验和室内盆栽模拟试验,选取北京山区的主要造林树种侧柏为研究对象,进行利用天然降雨与模拟降雨试验,研究降雨前后侧柏叶片吸水特征,探究侧柏在干旱环境下如何通过叶片吸水缓解干旱胁迫。结果表明：当侧柏长期处于干旱胁迫状态时,叶片可以利用降雨,从中获益用来缓解树木的干旱胁迫状态;叶片的吸水能力与降雨强度呈正相关关系,与土壤含水率呈负相关关系;重度干旱下侧柏植株在降雨强度为15 mm/h时叶片吸水现象最明显,叶水势变化最大为(1.18±0.17) MPa,叶片含水率变化最大为(8.47±1.00)mg/cm~2;当土壤水率高于20.8%时,基本不发生叶片吸水现象。试验结果说明在干旱地区叶片吸水是树木除根系吸水外的重要水分来源方式,并且对干旱地区有效利用短缺水资源,减轻植物水分亏缺具有重要意义。     

北京西山侧柏林冠层不同高度处叶片水分利用效率

以北京西山广泛分布的侧柏林为研究对象,综合考虑冠层不同高度处气象因子、大气CO₂浓度以及大气CO₂中碳同位素组成的差异,对其冠层不同高度处叶片的瞬时水分利用效率和短期水分利用效率分别进行了测定,以期为区域森林生态系统固碳与耗水研究提供理论依据,为区域森林生态系统经营与维护提供技术支撑.结果表明: 侧柏林冠层不同高度处叶片的瞬时水分利用效率随冠层高度的变化规律表现为上层>中层>下层,多种气象因子协同影响气孔运动,使瞬时水分利用效率受气孔限制;侧柏林冠层不同高度处的环境因子、大气CO₂浓度以及大气CO₂的δ13C均存在一定差异,导致了林冠各层叶片的短期水分利用效率的变化.林冠上层叶片通过提高水分利用效率适应环境.     

Contribution of Urban Water Supply to Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy use in the water sector in China have not received the same attention as emissions from other sectors, but interest in this area is growing. This study uses 2011 data to investigate GHG emissions from electricity use for urban water supply in China. The objective is to measure the climate cobenefit of water conservation, compare China with other areas on a number of emissions indicators, and assist in development of policy that promotes low‐emission water supply. Per capita and per unit GHG emissions for water supplied to urban areas in China in 2011 were 24.5 kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO₂‐eq) per capita per year and 0.213 kg CO₂‐eq per cubic meter, respectively. Comparison of provinces within China revealed that GHG emissions for urban water supply as a percentage of total province‐wide emissions from electricity use correlate directly with the rate of leakage and water loss within the water distribution system. This highlights controlling leakage as a possible means of reducing the contribution of urban water supply to GHG emissions. An inverse correlation was established between GHG emissions per unit water and average per capita daily water use, which implies that water demand tends to be higher when per unit emissions are lower. China's high emission factor for electricity generation inflates emissions for urban water supply. Shifting from emissions‐intensive electricity sources is crucial to reducing emissions in the water supply sector.     

水平沟耕作对土壤水分动态及水分利用率的调节

分析了水平沟耕作条件下土壤水分动态、水分利用、水分收支平衡,认为水平沟增产的主要作用是减少了坡耕地表径流量而增加了土壤蓄水量。     

Seasonal plant water uptake patterns in the saline southeast Everglades ecotone

The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal water use patterns of dominant macrophytes coexisting in the coastal Everglades ecotone. We measured the stable isotope signatures in plant xylem water of Rhizophora mangle, Cladium jamaicense, and Sesuvium portulacastrum during the dry (DS) and wet (WS) seasons in the estuarine ecotone along Taylor River in Everglades National Park, FL, USA. Shallow soilwater and deeper groundwater salinity was also measured to extrapolate the salinity encountered by plants at their rooting zone. Average soil water oxygen isotope ratios (δ ¹⁸O) was enriched (4.8 ± 0.2‰) in the DS relative to the WS (0.0 ± 0.1‰), but groundwater δ ¹⁸O remained constant between seasons (DS: 2.2 ± 0.4‰; WS: 2.1 ± 0.1‰). There was an inversion in interstitial salinity patterns across the soil profile between seasons. In the DS, shallow water was euhaline [i.e., 43 practical salinity units (PSU)] while groundwater was less saline (18 PSU). In the WS, however, shallow water was fresh (i.e., 0 PSU) but groundwater remained brackish (14 PSU). All plants utilized 100% (shallow) freshwater during the WS, but in the DS R. mangle switched to a soil–groundwater mix (δ 55% groundwater) while C. jamaicense and S. portulacastrum continued to use euhaline shallow water. In the DS, based on δ ¹⁸O data, the roots of R. mangle roots were exposed to salinities of 25.4 ± 1.4 PSU, less saline than either C. jamaicense (39.1 ± 2.2 PSU) or S. portulacastrum (38.6 ± 2.5 PSU). Although the salinity tolerance of C. jamaicense is not known, it is unlikely that long-term exposure to high salinity is conducive to the persistence of this freshwater marsh sedge. This study increases our ecological understanding of how water uptake patterns of individual plants can contribute to ecosystem levels changes, not only in the southeast saline Everglades, but also in estuaries in general in response to global sea level rise and human-induced changes in freshwater flows.     

有限供水对夏玉米产量及其水分利用效率的影响

在人工控制水分的测试坑条件下,对玉米全生育期的研究表明;随供水量减少则根系耗水深度明显加深,土壤各层次含水量变化较大。当供水量从适宜供水下降到中度亏缺供水时,则耗水深度由８０ｃｍ增加到１２０ｃｍ;在各生育期蒸腾速率,光合速率及产量和水分利用效率均随供水量的下降而下降;研究单叶水分利用效率表明：顶层第二叶在各叶层中最高;其日变化是９：００－１１：００时单叶ＷＵＥ最高。     

Long-term yield and water use efficiency under various tillage systems in Mediterranean rainfed conditions

Conservation tillage (CT) can be beneficial for soil, water and soil organic matter conservation in Mediterranean areas that are prone to soil erosion and where water availability for crops is the main factor for sustainability. CT is the best option to protect the soil from erosion, improve infiltration, reduce soil evaporation and so conserve rainwater to increase crop water use (WU) and also water use efficiency (WUE). While CT can play an important role in reaching the stability and sustainability of these agricultural systems, performance depends upon the choice and adoption of an appropriate soil management (tillage) system. In rainfed areas of the Ebro Valley, winter cereals are the main crop sown. This paper presents the results of 15 years of research in different soil and climatic conditions of the area of CT on water conservation, WU and WUE. Long‐term experiments, comparing different tillage systems, were established in 1987, 1990 and 1992, at three locations in the Ebro Valley, chosen according to their degree of aridity (Selvanera, Agramunt and El Canós). Results reveal that CT was most effective in increasing yield under the driest conditions at Agramunt (10–15%), still effective with a smaller advantage under slightly wetter conditions at El Canós (5–10%) but ineffective at Selvanera, the wettest site. CT only increased WU in some years at Agramunt and never at the other two sites. The benefits of CT to both increased yield at Agramunt and El Canós were determined by improved WUE arising from changes in the pattern of WU before and after anthesis.     

Water footprint and economic water productivity assessment of eight dairy cattle farms based on field measurement

Water scarcity prevailing in the drylands is threatening the sustainability of livestock production systems. The water footprint (WF) indicator was proposed as a metric of water use. This study aimed to determine the WF and the economic water productivity (EWP) of 1 kg of fat and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) in eight dairy farms (n = 8; animals = 117 ± 62; area = 198 ± 127; 95% confidence level) in northern Tunisia. Then, to assess the effects of three simulation scenarios targeting the reduction of the WF of milk production (scenario A: using triticale silage to replace, on DM basis, the silage of maize, sorghum or ray-grass; scenario B: reducing by 56% the wastage of water devoted to milking, cooling, cleaning and servicing; scenario C: using concentrate feeds imported from Brazil and Argentina instead of that imported from France). A year-round monitoring of on-farm practices was performed using water-meters and recording equipment installed in key locations in the target dairy farms: (i) water used for feed production, (ii) cow watering, (iii) servicing water, (v) crop and forage production and (iv) economic and production performance were controlled by water source (green and blue). Over the eight farms evaluated, milk production consumed on average 1.36 ± 0.41 m³/kg FPCM, of which 0.93 ± 0.40 m³/kg FPCM was green water and 0.42 ± 0.30 m³/kg FPCM was blue water. However, virtual water of 1 kg FPCM averaged 43% ± 14.3%. Water used for feed production for lactating cows represents approximately 87% ± 6% of the total WF of milk production. However, drinking and servicing water contributed by 3.75% ± 2% and 9% ± 5% to the total WF of milk, respectively. The EWP assessment revealed that the selected dairy farms had a relatively small gross margin per m³ of water averaging US$ 0.05 ± 0.04. The variation in WF of milk was mainly associated with diets’ ingredients, which affected milk productivity and water consumption. Scenario analysis indicated that using feed with less water requirements or importing feeds from countries where its water consumption is low could reduce consumptive water use for milk production by up to 16%. The efficient use of servicing water could reduce blue WF of milk by up to 4%. The implementation of these measures would lead to potential total water savings in the Tunisian dairy sector of 646 million m³ per year (30%).     

控制小麦种、属旗叶水分利用效率的染色体背景分析

利用ＬＣＡ－３便携式光合仪对不同染色体背景的材料测定表明,就旗叶水分利用效率（ＷＵＥ）而言,不同染色体组的上排序为ＡＡ＞ＢＢ＞ＤＤ＞ＲＲ,说明Ａ组染色体上载有控制高ＷＵＥ的基因,对中国春双端体系列的研究表明,Ａ组染色体无论在缺失长臂和短臂时,其端体也保持较高的旗叶ＷＵＥ,在１ＡＬ、２ＡＬ、２ＡＳ、７ＡＳ染色体臂上载有控制高ＷＵＥ的基因。对小黑麦附加系的研究表明,４Ｒ染色体上载有控制高ＷＵＥ的基因,     

C_3和C_4植物的水分利用效率

对C3植物黄豆（Glycinemax）和C4植物玉米（Zeamays）的光合、蒸腾以及水分利用效率（WUE）进行了比较研究。结果表明,玉米WUE水平约为黄豆的2倍,这与两种植物的光合速率水平相一致,说明植物叶片的WUE主要决定于其光合速率大小。通过环境条件对两种植物的影响分析可知,玉米WUE在0-1000μmol·m-2·s-1光强范围内与光合有效辐射（PAR）呈线形关系,最适温度为29℃左右;黄豆WUE在0-　1200mol·m-2·s-1光强范围内与PAR呈线形关系,最适温度为32℃左右。