基于热扩散技术的三倍体毛白杨单木及林分蒸腾耗水研究

定量分析单木及林分的蒸腾耗水特征,是林木水分管理的关键环节。采用热扩散式边材液流检测技术,结合自动气象站,对三倍体毛白杨树干边材液流及环境因子进行了连续2年的动态观测。结果表明:(1)单株尺度上,三倍体毛白杨边材液流速率日变化在晴天表现为"单峰型",关键影响因子为水汽压亏缺(VPD)和太阳辐射(Qs),日平均液流速率在4—10月分别为0.65×10-3、2.12×10-3、2.09×10-3、1.78×10-3、1.84×10-3、1.76×10-3、1.04×10-3cm/s;(2)林分尺度上,三倍体毛白杨在2008、2009年(栽植第4年和第5年)的蒸腾耗水量分别为339.52和410.62 mm,主要影响因素为气孔导度(Gc)、相对湿度(RH),以及VPD;(3)多元线性回归模型可以较好的模拟三倍体毛白杨边材液流速率对环境因子的响应特征(P0.01,2008年),模型预测值较实测值偏大6.39%(2009年),二者极显著线性相关(R2=0.910,Sig.=0.00054,n=1008)。     

高通量测序技术在食品微生物研究中的应用

高通量测序技术的快速发展对食品微生物发酵过程和机制研究产生了深刻的影响,主要体现在食品微生物生理功能、代谢能力和进化的研究以及食品微生物群落结构、动态变化及其对环境的响应机制等方面。另外,通过对食品微生物基因组和元基因组进行数据分析,也对食品发酵过程优化、微生物功能改造、食源性微生物疾病预防和控制等提供了重要的依据。本文总结了近年来利用高通量测序技术对食品微生物基因组和元基因组进行测序的研究,并探讨了测序技术的发展对食品微生物研究的影响及发展趋势。     

增密减氮对东北水稻产量、氮肥利用效率及温室效应的影响

水稻生产正向资源节约和环境友好的方向转型,常规高产稻作技术亟待创新.本研究以粳稻辽星1号为试材,在2012、2013年研究密度增加、基蘖肥减少、穗肥稳定的“增密减氮”栽培模式对东北水稻产量和氮肥利用效率及温室效应的影响.结果表明： 与常规高产栽培模式相比,在基本苗增加33.3%和基蘖肥施氮量减少20.0%的条件下,氮肥农学效率和氮肥偏生产力两年平均分别提高49.6%(P<0.05)和20.4%(P<0.05),单位面积和单位产量的温室效应两年平均分别下降9.9%和12.7%(P<0.05).虽然水稻有效穗数和总生物量下降,但结实率和收获指数提高,所以产量基本稳定甚至提高.增密减氮降低了土壤NH₄⁺-N和NO₃^--N浓度,提高了氮素回收效率.表明适度增密减氮可兼顾水稻高产、氮肥高效利用和温室气体减排.     

2004—2013年东北三省主要粮食作物生产碳足迹

东北是我国重要的粮食主产区,在国家粮食安全保障中起着至关重要的作用.作物生产是主要的碳排放源,探明不同作物生产的碳足迹差异,对促进低碳农业发展具有重要意义.本研究利用2004—2013年东北三省主要粮食作物(水稻、玉米和大豆)的产量、播种面积、农田生产投入等统计数据,估算了该区粮食生产碳足迹.结果表明: 2004—2013年,东北地区3种主要粮食作物中,水稻生产单位面积碳足迹最高,平均达到(2463±56) kg CE·hm^-2,玉米次之.玉米的碳足迹上升趋势最明显,从2004年的1164 kg CE·hm^-2增加到2013年的1768 kg CE·hm^-2,增速为67 kg CE·hm^-2·a^-1.在碳足迹构成中,化肥贡献最大,分别占水稻、玉米、大豆总碳投入的45%、90%、83%.水稻生产中灌溉用电所占比例为29%~42%,远高于玉米和大豆.东北三省碳足迹差异显著,3种作物的单位产量碳足迹均在吉林省最高,单位面积碳足迹均在黑龙江省最低.随着农村劳动力非农化和作物生产机械化的快速递增,未来粮食生产中柴油等机械化碳投入将快速增长.提升化肥利用效率、灌溉效率和机械化作业效率将是发展东北地区低碳农业的关键途径.     

Genetic and Genomic Resources of Small Millets

Small millets are very promising agricultural entity to ensure global food security. They gained remarkable importance in agriculture due to their resilience to climatic changes and increasing demand for nutritious food and feed. The genetic variability in the core and mini-core germplasm of small millets was characterized for nutritional composition and capacity to tolerate abiotic stresses that can be infused in breeding programs. Other than the foxtail millet, availability of genomic information in small millets is far below the mark for use in marker-assisted breeding and other genetic improvement programs. The genome sequence of foxtail millet has recently triggered a plethora of post-genomic analysis and envisaged foxtail millet as a model organism for the C₄ grasses and bioenergy research. Recent developments in the next-generation sequencing technologies enabled us, with the simultaneous discovery of high-throughput markers and multiplexed genotyping of germplasm, to speedup marker-assisted breeding. In this context, an in-depth analysis of the wealth of diverse germplasm resources and future perspectives of integrating genomics in genome-wide marker-trait association and breeding in small millets is worthy.     

Widespread environmental contamination in agricultural soils and human health risk at the vicinity of an oil refinery site

In this research, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated via three exposure pathways: accidental ingestion of soil, dermal contact of soils, and contaminated vegetable ingestion. To determine the contaminant concentrations in soil, samples were collected from areas adjacent to the Tehran oil refinery, located in Shahr-e-Ray city, Iran. Analyses of the samples indicated that the average of PAHs concentration in the soil samples were greater than clean-up level guidelines. Cancer risk of contaminants due to ingestion of cultivated vegetables that are sold in Tehran markets was significant in comparison with other exposure pathways. Moreover, the total cancer risk for 5th percentile, 95 upper confidence limit, and 95th percentile concentration of contaminants were 5.69E-04, 8.78E-02, and 2.13E-01, classifying the site as having a significant cancer risk potential. Furthermore, non-carcinogenic health risk analyses for the contaminants demonstrated hazard index of less than 1. Remediation of the soils is highly recommended to eliminate the potential cancer risks and prevent the contamination of the food chain for approximately 10 million Tehran residents.     

Industrial Ecosystems and Food Webs: An Expansion and Update of Existing Data for Eco‐Industrial Parks and Understanding the Ecological Food Webs They Wish to Mimic

Cyclical industrial networks are becoming highly desirable for their efficient use of resources and capital. Progress toward this ideal can be enhanced by mimicking the structure of naturally sustainable ecological food webs (FWs). The structures of cyclic industrial networks, sometimes known as eco‐industrial parks (EIPs), are compared to FWs using a variety of important structural ecological parameters. This comparison uses a comprehensive data set of 144 FWs that provides a more ecologically correct understanding of how FWs are organized than previous efforts. In conjunction, an expanded data set of 48 EIPs gives new insights into similarities and differences between the two network types. The new information shows that, at best, current EIPs are most similar to those FWs that lack the components that create a biologically desirable cyclical structure. We propose that FWs collected from 1993 onward should be used in comparisons with EIPs, given that these networks are much more likely to include important network functions that directly affect the structure. We also propose that the metrics used in an ecological analysis of EIPs be calculated from an FW matrix, as opposed to a community matrix, which, to this point, has been widely used. These new insights into the design of ecologically inspired industrial networks clarify the path toward superior material and energy cycling for environmental and financial success.     

Oil for Fish: An Energy Return on Investment Analysis of Selected European Union Fishing Fleets

World food production has increased substantially in the past century, thanks mostly to the increase in the use of oil as input in the production processes. This growing use of fossil fuels has negative effects, both on the environment and the production costs. Fishing is a fuel consuming food production activity, and its energy efficiency performance has worsened over time. World‐wide fisheries are also suffering from overexploitation, which contributes to the poor efficiency performance, adding more pressure and criticism on this economic activity. In this paper we analyzed the energy efficiency performance of more than 20,000 European Union (EU) fishing vessels for the period 2002–2008, using the edible energy return on investment (EROI) indicator. The vessels analyzed, grouped in 49 different fleets, represented 25% of the vessels and 33% of the landings of the EU fishing sector. These EU fishing fleets’ average EROI for 2008 was 0.11, which translates to an energy content of the fuel burned that is 9 times greater than the edible energy content of the catch. Hence, the significance of this study arises from the use of time‐series data on a relevant part of the EU fleet that showed stable or even slight improvements on the EROI over time. Moreover, results showed that the energy efficiency of the different fleets varied significantly (from 0.02 to 1.12), mainly depending on the fishing gear and the vessel length. The performance of the most efficient fleets, such as large pelagic trawlers and seiners, was comparable to many agricultural production activities. The plausible drivers behind these trends are further considered.     

Modular Upgradability in Consumer Electronics: Economic and Environmental Implications

Modularly upgradable product designs have been advocated to offer environmental and economic advantages; however, they are not commonly used in the consumer electronics industry. In this article, we investigate the economic and environmental benefits and challenges of modular upgradability for consumer electronics. From an economic point of view, we posit that the limited adoption of modular upgradability in consumer electronics is owing to various demand‐, technology‐, and competition‐related issues. From an environmental point of view, we posit that modularly upgradable product designs may not necessarily lead to superior environmental outcomes. To reach meaningful conclusions regarding the environmental benefits of modular upgradability, one needs to understand how product architecture affects demand, production, and consumption patterns, which arise from endogenous consumer and manufacturer choices. It is also important to take into account that modular upgradability may have potentially differentiated effects in the production, consumption, and postuse phases of the lifecycle.     

The Greenhouse Gas Footprint of China's Food System: An Analysis of Recent Trends and Future Scenarios

Food chain systems (FCSs), which begin in agricultural production and end in consumption and waste disposal, play a significant role in China's rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This article uses scenario analysis to show China's potential trajectories to a low‐carbon FCS. Between 1996 and 2010, the GHG footprint of China's FCSs increased from 1,308 to 1,618 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂‐eq), although the emissions intensity of all food categories, except for aquatic food, recorded steep declines. We project three scenarios to 2050 based on historical trends and plausible shifts in policies and environmental conditions: reference scenario; technology improvement scenario; and low GHG emissions scenario. The reference scenario is based on existing trends and exhibits a large growth in GHG emissions, increasing from 1,585 Mt CO₂‐eq in 2010 to 2,505 Mt CO₂‐eq in 2050. In the technology improvement scenario, emissions growth is driven by rising food demand, but that growth will be counterbalanced by gains in agricultural technology, causing GHG emissions to fall to 1,413 Mt CO₂‐eq by 2050. Combining technology improvement with the shift to healthier dietary patterns, GHG emissions in the low GHG emissions scenario will decline to 946 Mt CO₂‐eq in 2050, a drop of 41.5% compared with the level in 2010. We argue that these are realistic projections and are indeed indicative of China's overall strategy for low‐carbon development. Improving agricultural technology and shifting to a more balanced diet could significantly reduce the GHG footprint of China's FCSs. Furthermore, the transition to a low‐carbon FCS has potential cobenefits for land sustainability and public health.