THE STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC THRESHOLD OF TOMICUS PINIPERDA (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDEA) ON YUNNAN PINE

Abstract By careful and long period field investigation of the population density of Tomicus piniperda L. and the growth of Yunnan pine ( Pinus yunnanensis French.), and improved regression analysis, the economic threshold of Tomicus piniperda on Yunnan pine is determined: When the death rate of the trees is not more than 0.52%, the natural control factors can prevent the density of the bark beetle from increasing and no control measure is needed. When the death rate of the trees reaches 0.5%, the corresponding rate of shoots attacked is 0.61% and the mean of invading holes per tree 0.66, the cost for control is equal to the economic loss saved. So, considering both the economic justification and the prevention of the pest density from increasing, when the death rate of the trees is more than 0.5%, the corresponding rate of shoots attacked more than 0.61% and the mean of invading holes per tree more than 0.66, control measure should be taken. The paper also gives formulae for different Yunnan pine forest areas to calculate their own economic threshold according to their special situations.     

The Role of Voluntary Industry Standards in Environmental Supply-Chain Management

Our article uses a new institutional economics (NIE) framework to explore the role of voluntary industry standards in the development and implementation of environmental supplier-management programs in the computer industry. We examine two different voluntary standards, one for the management of design for environment (DfE) in the semiconductor fabrication equipment sector and the other for assessing the implementation and use of environmental management systems throughout the computer industry supply chain. We compare and contrast the two standards to explain why the former was widely adopted and has helped integrate DfE into buyer-supplier relations among adopters, whereas the latter failed to gain acceptance. In line with NIE logic, both standards aimed to lower transaction and customization costs by setting "rules of the game" for interfirm transactions that would help simplify and routinize novel environmental supply-chain programs and activities. Their differential success can be elucidated in terms of how well each met the NIE criteria for remediableness and legitimacy. We conclude that voluntary standards have the potential to play an important role in promoting DfE in industrial supply chains. We further conclude that NIE provides a conceptual framework of great value to industrial ecologists who analyze how industry standards and other institutions help firms move toward more sustainable supply-chain management practices.     

Economic damage by Limothrips denticornis in rye, triticale and winter barley

Abstract:  Limothrips denticornis is a common thrips infesting rye, triticale and winter barley in Sweden. Field experiments with insecticides were carried out 1983–1996 in farmers' fields to investigate the damage to the plant and to evaluate the relationship between thrips density and crop yield losses. The total number of experiments was 99 in rye, 41 in triticale and nine in winter barley. The mean number of thrips per leaf sheath was around 8 in all three crops. The highest number found was 27 thrips per leaf sheath. The population density in the leaf sheath was correlated with the damage observed on the leaf sheath as percentage damaged surface. The effect on the leaf sheath alone contributed to a significant proportion of the yield loss. Thrips in the ear and aphids also contributed to the damage but with multiple regression methods it was possible to estimate the damage done solely by L. denticornis . The yield loss caused by L. denticornis was about the same in all three crops, with a variation between 21 and 26 kg per thrips per leaf sheath and hectare. Compared with the yield loss for aphids, which is about 40 kg per aphid per tiller and hectare, this is considerably lower. The economic injury level was found to be about 14 thrips per straw. The economic threshold for L. denticornis has to be decided when the females are flying into the crop and it was found to be 0.5 females per straw at earing. Economic damage by L. denticornis alone was estimated to be 20% of the total number of experiments for all three crops but economic damage for the three pests together was estimated at 40% of the total number of experiments.     

Cascading costs: An economic nitrogen cycle

The chemical nitrogen cycle is becoming better characterized in terms of fluxes and reservoirs on a variety of scales. Galloway has demonstrated that reactive nitrogen can cascade through multiple ecosystems causing environmental damage at each stage before being denitrifled to N2. We propose to construct a parallel economic nitrogen cascade (ENC) in which economic impacts of nitrogen fluxes can be estimated by the costs associated with each stage of the chemical cascade. Using economic data for the benefits of damage avoided and costs of mitigation in the Chesapeake Bay basin, we have constructed an economic nitrogen cascade for the region. Since a single tonne of nitrogen can cascade through the system, the costs also cascade.Therefore evaluating the benefits of mitigating a tonne of reactive nitrogen released needs to consider the damage avoided in all of the ecosystems through which that tonne would cascade.The analysis reveals that it is most cost effective to remove a tonne of nitrogen coming from combustion since it has the greatest impact on human health and creates cascading damage through the atmospheric, terrestrial, aquatic and coastal ecosystems. We will discuss the implications of this analysis for determining the most cost effective policy option for achieving environmental quality goals.     

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.     

基于能值-生态足迹模型的东北老工业基地生态安全评价——以辽宁省为例

采用能值-生态足迹模型,对辽宁省2003—2012年生态安全状况进行时间序列的定量分析与评价,并采用灰色动力学模型预测其动态变化趋势.结果表明: 研究期内辽宁省人均能值生态承载力从3.13 hm²下降到3.07 hm²,人均能值生态足迹由13.88 hm²增加到21.96 hm²,处于生态赤字状态,且赤字增大趋势明显;生态压力指数由4.43增长到7.16,生态安全预警等级由轻警过渡到中警程度.照此发展,2013—2022年辽宁省人均能值生态承载力将由3.04 hm²下降到2.98 hm²,人均能值生态足迹将由22.72 hm²上升到35.87 hm²;生态赤字将越来越大,生态压力指数将由7.46上升到12.04,生态安全等级将由较安全变为轻度不安全状态,并呈现由中警到重警的生态安全预警等级,生态安全问题亟待解决.     

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.     

Economic Integration in Tanzania (1970–2011): A Biophysical Assessment

This article assesses the impact of economic integration on Tanzania's sociometabolic profile for the years 1970–2011, which witnessed an opening and further integration of Tanzania's economy through increased trade and foreign investment, through a time‐series economy‐wide material flows analysis (EW‐MFA). The EW‐MFA results show that contrary to the trade patterns of many developing countries, increased economic integration has resulted in Tanzania becoming a net importer of resources across all material categories when measured by the physical trade balance indicator. Additionally, the article discusses the conceptual and empirical challenges of measuring ecologically unequal exchange with EW‐MFAs for developing countries whose export profiles are dominated by lightweight, high‐value precious stones and metals. It also assesses the degree to which the Tanzanian economy has undergone dematerialization over the past 40 years of economic integration.