Comparison between two policy strategies for scheduling trucks in a biomass logistic system

Approximately 75% of the cost to load, haul, and deliver a weekly supply of herbaceous biomass from temporary storage locations near the production fields to a bioprocessing plant (50 Mg/h average capacity, 24/7 operation) is truck cost. The management policy that a bioprocessing plant uses to schedule trucks determines the maximum number of trucks required, and thereby, the total cost for the logistic system. Three land use rates corresponding to 50%, 45%, and 40% of existing pastureland within a 3.2-km radius of chosen satellite storage locations were used to establish a production base surrounding the plant location. Total area harvested was 25,500 ha, or about 2.1% of the total land area in the 7-county region studied. Assumed average yield was 8.3 Mg/ha. Two different management policies, one based on travel time (Policy 1) and another based on the assignment of trucks to given sectors of the surrounding production base (Policy 2) were used to develop truck schedules. The logistic system was modeled as a discrete event simulation model, and the schedule was validated.

The maximum number of trucks needed for the logistic system was 32, 33 and 34 for 50%, 45% and 40% land use rates, respectively. In Policy 1, the maximum number of loads accumulated in the at-plant inventory was 384 truckloads at 50% land use rate (maximum inventory corresponds to about 3 days of plant operation). In Policy 2, the maximum number of loads accumulated in the at-plant inventory was 330 truckloads at 50% land use rate. Total number of loader and unloader operating hours for both the policies was computed, and the loader and unloader utilization rates were 83.5% and 70.8%, respectively. The delivered cost (load, haul, and unload) varied from $14.68 (Policy 1) to $16.14 per Mg (Policy 2) for 15% w.b. moisture content biomass.     

Nitrogen amendment of green waste impacts microbial community,enzyme secretion and potential for lignocellulose decomposition

Microorganisms involved in biomass deconstruction are an important resource for organic waste recycling and enzymes for lignocellulose bioconversion. The goals of this study were to examine the impact of nitrogen amendment on microbial community restructuring, secretion of xylanases and endoglucanases, and potential for biomass deconstruction. Communities were cultivated aerobically at 55 °C on green waste (GW) amended with varying levels of NH₄Cl. Bacterial and fungal communities were determined using 16S rRNA and ITS region gene sequencing and PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) was applied to predict relative abundance of genes involved in lignocellulose hydrolysis. Nitrogen amendment significantly increased secretion of xylanases and endoglucanases, and microbial activity; enzyme activities and cumulative respiration were greatest when nitrogen level in GW was between 4.13–4.56 wt% (g/g), but decreased with higher nitrogen levels. The microbial community shifted to one with increasing potential to decompose complex polymers as nitrogen increased with peak potential occurring between 3.79–4.45 wt% (g/g) nitrogen amendment. The results will aid in informing the management of nitrogen level to foster microbial communities capable of secreting enzymes that hydrolyze recalcitrant polymers in lignocellulose and yield rapid decomposition of green waste.     

Interactive effects of N and P on growth but not on resource allocation of Canna indica in wetland microcosms

The interactive effects of three levels of N (mM) (low 0.36, medium 2.1 and high 6.4) and two levels of P (mM) (low 0.10 and high 0.48) on growth and resource allocation of Canna indica Linn. were studied in wetland microcosms. After 91 days of plant growth, there was a significant interactive effect of N and P on plant growth, but not on resource allocation (except for allocation of N to leaves and allocation of P to the stems). The plant growth positively responded to the relatively higher nutrient availability (taller plants with more stems, leaves and flowers), but the growth performance was not significantly different between the medium N-low P and high N-low P treatments. At high P, the total biomass in the high N was about 51% higher than that in the medium N and about 348% higher than that in the low N. The growth performance was related to the physiological responses. The photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m) increased from 0.843 to 0.855 with an increase in N additions. The photosynthetic rate increased from 13 to 16 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in the low P levels and from 14 to 20 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in the high P levels with an increase in N applications, but significant difference was only between the low and medium N levels, regardless of the P levels. The tissue concentrations of N increased with an increase in N applications and decreased with an increase in P additions, whereas reverse was true for tissue concentrations of P. The highest concentrations of N and P in leaves were 30.8 g N kg⁻¹ in the high N-low P treatment and 4.9 g P kg⁻¹ in the low N-high P treatment. The percent biomass allocation to aboveground tissues in the high N was nearly twice that in the low N treatments. The N allocation to aboveground tissues was slightly larger in high N than in low N treatments, whereas the P allocation to aboveground tissues increased with an increase in the N addition. Although some patterns of biomass allocation were similar to those of nutrient allocation, they did not totally reflect the nutrient allocation. These results imply that in order to enhance the treatment performance, appropriately high nutrient availability of N and P are required to stimulate the growth of C. indica in constructed wetlands.     

模拟氮沉降对南亚热带两种乔木幼苗生物量及其分配的影响

探讨了南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林两种优势树种荷木(Schima superba)和黄果厚壳桂(Cryptocarya concinna)幼苗的生物量及其分配对氮沉降增加的响应。实验分为对照(CK)、T₅、T₁₀、T₁₅和T₃₀ 5个处理,每个处理设置3次重复。所施氮肥为NH₄NO₃,以溶液方式喷施,5个处理浓度分别为0、0.12、0.24、0.36、0.72 mol N·L^-1。每月喷施2次,5个样方1年喷施的总氮量分别相当于氮沉降率0、5、10、15、30 g N·m^-2·a^-1。经过11个月的施氮处理,两种幼苗对氮沉降的响应存在差异,其中黄果厚壳桂幼苗的基径、株高、全株生物量和相对生长速率除最高处理T₃₀外,均高于对照,但荷木幼苗的基径、全株生物量和相对生长速率除T₁₀外,均小于对照。氮处理也对生物量的分配产生了明显的影响,两种幼苗的叶重比以T₃₀最低,表明高氮处理不利于幼苗叶片的生长;枝重比均以T₃₀最高,反映了高氮处理的幼苗生物量分配到枝干的比例最高;根重比和根冠比均以对照样方幼苗的最高,表明氮处理抑制根的生长,分配到根部分的生物量下降。总的来看,经过11个月的处理,除最高处理T₃₀外,氮处理仍对黄果厚壳桂幼苗的生长有促进作用,而对荷木幼苗的生长则趋向于一定程度的抑制效应,表明黄果厚壳桂幼苗更能耐受高氮条件。     

不同种源厚朴苗期性状变异及主成分分析

基于厚朴（Magnolia officinalis）作为一种传统中药植物及分布区域广、环境异质化程度明显的现象,采用田间种源实验,对分布在中国7个省的14个种源厚朴苗期的生长性状进行了观测分析。结果表明,不同种源厚朴的苗期生长性状差异显著。种源遗传力分析表明,苗高和单株叶面积两个性状的遗传力较高,分别为0.93、0.79,可认为以苗高和单株叶面积为主的种源多性状综合选择改良潜力巨大。相关性分析表明各性状间遗传相关、表型相关、环境相关均存在一定的相关关系,单株叶面积和地上部生长性状的遗传相关程度高于地下部生长性状,表型显著相关的性状组合数量和程度低于遗传相关。厚朴苗期种源选择的首选因子为各生物量及单数叶面积性状,辅助因子为苗高和地径。通过系统聚类分析,初步选定景宁、武夷山、龙胜、开县、城固、宁强及洋县的种源为优良厚朴种源。     

Supercritical carbon dioxide pretreatment of corn stover and switchgrass for lignocellulosic ethanol production

Supercritical CO₂ (SC-CO₂), a green solvent suitable for a mobile lignocellulosic biomass processor, was used to pretreat corn stover and switchgrass at various temperatures and pressures. The CO₂ pressure was released as quickly as possible by opening a quick release valve during the pretreatment. The biomass was hydrolyzed after pretreatment using cellulase combined with β-glucosidase. The hydrolysate was analyzed for the amount of glucose released. Glucose yields from corn stover samples pretreated with SC-CO₂ were higher than the untreated sample’s 12% glucose yield (12 g/100 g dry biomass) and the highest glucose yield of 30% was achieved with SC-CO₂ pretreatment at 3500 psi and 150 °C for 60 min. The pretreatment method showed very limited improvement (14% vs. 12%) in glucose yield for switchgrass. X-ray diffraction results indicated no change in crystallinity of the SC-CO₂ treated corn stover when compared to the untreated, while SEM images showed an increase in surface area.     

Effect of low light intensity on growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch

Effects of low light intensity on growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites of a medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. were investigated. Hydroponic-cultivated one year-old rhizome seedlings were grown under three low irradiances, 200, 100, and 50 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for 135 days. Control plants were cultured under natural light conditions. Low light intensity stress decreased leaf thickness, photosynthesis and biomass, but increased leaf area and chlorophyll concentrations. Low light intensity also significantly increased accumulation of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin in the root, while the maximum values of both secondary metabolites were obtained under an irradiance of 100 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Concentrations of both secondary metabolites were negatively correlated with root biomass. The results suggested that G. uralensis could endure an environment with low light intensity and suitable light control might increase the secondary metabolite contents within agroforestry systems.     

豫医无毛小鼠分离近交系的建立及其遗传纯度测定

采用强迫杂合性史妹酱方式培育携带无毛突变基因的分离近交系,然后用生化标记法,皮肤移植实验和毛色基因测试法对其进行遗传监测。并对其基本生物学特性进行了研究。结果育成了具有独特生物学特性的豫医无毛小鼠分离近交系,现已达30代,生化标记法测定的9条染色体上13个生化标记位点全部纯合;同系异体间皮肤移植100天后,未见排斥现象,为同系组织遗传性;与DBA/2交配进行的毛色基因测试,杂交的F1代相同,全部为野生色,基因型为AABBccDD ,表明豫医无毛小鼠已成为一个达到国际标准的新品系。     

The role of forest residues in the accounting for the global warming potential of bioenergy

Bioenergy makes up a significant portion of the global primary energy pie, and its production from modernized technology is foreseen to substantially increase. The climate neutrality of biogenic CO₂ emissions from bioenergy grown from sustainably managed biomass resource pools has recently been questioned. The temporary change caused in atmospheric CO₂ concentration from biogenic carbon fluxes was found to be largely dependent on the length of biomass rotation period. In this work, we also show the importance of accounting for the unutilized biomass that is left to decompose in the resource pool and how the characterization factor for the climate impact of biogenic CO₂ emissions changes whether residues are removed for bioenergy or not. With the case of Norwegian Spruce biomass grown in Norway, we found that significantly more biogenic CO₂ emissions should be accounted towards contributing to global warming potential when residues are left in the forest. For a 100‐year time horizon, the global warming potential bio factors suggest that between 44 and 62% of carbon‐flux, neutral biogenic CO₂ emissions at the energy conversion plant should be attributed to causing equivalent climate change potential as fossil‐based CO₂ emissions. For a given forest residue extraction scenario, the same factor should be applied to the combustion of any combination of stem and forest residues. Life cycle analysis practitioners should take these impacts into account and similar region/species specific factors should be developed.     

不同氮素营养条件下内生真菌感染对黑麦草光合和蒸腾速率及生物量的影响

以黑麦草(Lolium perenne L)为实验材料,研究在不同氮素营养条件下内生真菌(Neotyphodium lolii)感染对其光合特性及生物量的影响.结果表明:1)整个实验中,内生真菌感染对黑麦草净光合速率、蒸腾速率以及水分利用效率均无显著影响,但在中氮和高氮水平时,感染种群的净同化累积值有超过非感染种群的趋势;2)在本实验的第一处理期和第二处理期,内生真菌感染对黑麦草绿色部分的干物质产量无显著影响,但在第三处理期感染种群的绿色部分的干物质产量显著高于非感染种群.