Comprehensive evaluation of multiple cropping systems on upland red soil

According to the principles and methods of ecology and system engineering, we set up an evaluation indicator system for multi-component and multiple cropping systems, evaluated the comprehensive benefits of multi-component and multiple cropping systems using grey relation clustering analysis and screened out the optimized model based on research done in the upland red soil in Jiangxi Agricultural University from 1984 to 2004. The results show that the grey relation degree of “cabbage/potato/maize — sesame” was the highest among 23 multi-component and multiple cropping systems and was clustered into the optimized system. This indicates that “cabbage/potato/maize — sesame” can bring the best social, economic and ecological benefits, increase product yield and farmers’ income and promote sustainable development of agricultural production. Therefore, it is suitable for promotion on upland red soil. The grey relation degree of “canola/Chinese milk vetch/maize/mung bean/maize” was second, which is suitable for implementation at the city outskirts. In conclusion, these two planting patterns are expected to play important roles in the reconstruction of the planting structure and optimization of the planting patterns on upland red soil. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2006, 26(8): 2532–2539 [译自: 生态学报]     

Temperature response,pathogenicity, seed infection and mutant evaluation against Macrophomina phaseolina causing charcoal rot disease of sesame

Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is a serious disease of sesame in Pakistan. M. phaseolina sesame isolate was subjected to growth rate test at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. The optimum temperature for fungal growth and microsclerotia production was found to be 30–35°C. Gray to black, radial fungal colonies with intermediate mycelial growth and jet black oval to round microsclerotia were observed at this optimum range. M. phaseolina was found to be pathogenic against all the 18 tested plant species and this pathogenicity proved its necrophytic behavior. Seed infection efficiency of M. phaseolina was 100% with significant reduction in seed index. For two consecutive years 21 mutants/varieties were screened in the field for their reactions to charcoal rot disease. During 2007 three mutants NS11704S1, NS11304S2 and NS26004 were ranked as resistant while others were moderately resistant to highly susceptible. During 2008 all mutants showed a susceptible to highly susceptible reaction with variable disease reactions. All over screening results revealed that four mutants viz, NS13P1, NS163-1, NS270P1 and NS26004 showed about 50% stand with consistent performance during both years under optimum disease conditions and can be used to manage the disease following the disease management strategies, however in the future improvement for high seed yield along with resistance is a prerequisite for sustainable high production.     

An experimental investigation into the effects of traffic noise on distributions of birds: avoiding the phantom road

Many authors have suggested that the negative effects of roads on animals are largely owing to traffic noise. Although suggestive, most past studies of the effects of road noise on wildlife were conducted in the presence of the other confounding effects of roads, such as visual disturbance, collisions and chemical pollution among others. We present, to our knowledge, the first study to experimentally apply traffic noise to a roadless area at a landscape scale—thus avoiding the other confounding aspects of roads present in past studies. We replicated the sound of a roadway at intervals—alternating 4 days of noise on with 4 days off—during the autumn migratory period using a 0.5 km array of speakers within an established stopover site in southern Idaho. We conducted daily bird surveys along our ‘Phantom Road’ and in a nearby control site. We document over a one-quarter decline in bird abundance and almost complete avoidance by some species between noise-on and noise-off periods along the phantom road and no such effects at control sites—suggesting that traffic noise is a major driver of effects of roads on populations of animals.     

烟气脱硫石膏对滨海农耕土壤磷素形态组成的影响

为探明不同烟气脱硫石膏施用量对滨海农耕土壤中的全磷、有效磷、无机磷组分等的影响,通过田间试验的方式,分别在试验区土壤中施加0t/hm~2、15t/hm~2、30t/hm~2、45t/hm~2烟气脱硫石膏。研究结果表明:与对照组相比,各处理组的土壤全磷含量无显著差异,而土壤中的有效磷和渗滤液中的可溶性磷含量则随着烟气脱硫石膏施入量的增加而降低;施入烟气脱硫石膏后农耕土壤中无机磷含量显著增加,其中又以磷酸钙盐含量的增加为主,磷酸钙盐中的Ca2-P、Ca_8-P和Ca_10-P含量分别增加了30.8%—68.9%、35.2%—66.3%和7.3%—17.8%。烟气脱硫石膏的施用促进了植物的生长发育,有效磷的降低和无机磷组分中磷酸钙盐的增加并未影响到植物对磷素的吸收。因此,烟气脱硫石膏能有效地固定滨海农耕土壤中的溶解态磷,控制土壤过量磷素向水体迁移,降低附近水体富营养化发生的机率,保障区域水体生态系统环境安全。     

苦草对砷的富集作用

为了探求合适的水体砷污染修复植物及砷在食物链中传递、累积的特点,以常见的沉水植物-苦草为研究对象,对受砷污染的水体进行修复,结果表明:苦草对水环境中砷的富集能在较短的时间内(3 d)达到一个较大值,到第14天,不同砷水平(2 mg/L)处理下的苦草对砷富集系数均超过200;苦草中砷浓度随处理时间及外源砷浓度的增加而增加,且与外源砷浓度之间存在极显著地正相关;苦草在不同浓度砷处理下都生长良好,对砷胁迫表现出较强的耐受性。因此,苦草对于水体的砷污染有着很好的去除效果,同时也能很好地反映出一个地区的砷污染水平。     

南药立体经营模式土壤质量综合评价

为筛选优化的南药立体经营模式,本试验选用适宜南方种植的4种药用植物,采用随机区组设计,在已有的杉木林下,构建4种林药立体经营模式,分别是杉木（Cunninghamia lanceolata）+梅叶冬青（Ilex asprella）+艾纳香模式（Blumea balsamifera）（简称SMA）、杉木+梅叶冬青+广金钱草（Desmodium styracifolium）模式（简称SMG）,杉木+梅叶冬青+草珊瑚（Sarcandra glabra）模式（简称SMC）,杉木+梅叶冬青模式（SM））,以杉木纯林（简称CK）为对照,分析不同模式内0~20和20~40 cm土层土壤理化性质和土壤酶活性变化,并运用主成分分析法综合评价模式对林地土壤质量的影响。结果表明（1）与对照（纯林）相比,4种林药模式下的土壤容重均显著下降,且随土层深度的增加而增加。0~20 cm土层各模式土壤容重降幅分别为：模式SMA13.4%、模式SMG 14.1%、模式SMC 20.8%和模式SM 22.3%、;20~40 cm土层的土壤容重各处理降幅为7.0%~15.5%。各模式土壤质量含水量、田间持水量、毛管持水量、毛管孔隙度和总孔隙度均显著提高（P<0.05）,且随土层深度的增加而减小,0~20 cm土层,均是以模式SM最大,分别比对照提高54.9%、100.1%、88.6%、44.9%和36.8%;20~40 cm土层,均以模式SMG最大,分别是对照的61.5%、67.6%、69.7%、43.4%和44.0%。（2）0~20 cm土层pH呈下降趋势,降幅0.7%~6.2%,20~40 cm土层中各处理pH差异较大,但均未达到显著水平。除全钾外,其余土壤养分含量各模式均随着土层深度的增加而降低。0~20 cm土层中,有机质、全氮、全磷、速效氮磷钾、交换性钙和镁以及阳离子交换量均以模式SMC含量最高,分别比对照提高79.7%、69.5%、30.3%、91.4%、279.4%、166.1%、91.6%、677.0%和70.3%。全钾含量以模式SMG最高,比对照增加了26.9%。（3）各处理土壤酶活性均随着土层深度的增加而降低。在0~20 cm土层中,与对照相比,各模式土壤的脲酶、蔗糖酶、多酚氧化酶和酸性磷酸活性差异显著（P<0.05）,其中脲酶和多酚氧化酶活性以模式SMC活性最高,分别是对照的1.7倍和1.6倍,蔗糖酶活性各模式皆低于对照,降幅59.3%~69.4%;酸性磷酸酶活性模式SMA最高,比对照提高78.7%。20~40 cm土层中,各模式及对照间仅酸性磷酸酶活性差异达到显著水平。（4）南药立体经营模式对土壤质量影响的综合排序为,模式SMC（2.811）>模式SMG（1.293）>模式SMA（0.111）>模式SM（-1.544）>CK（-2.671）。     

柠檬酸和EDTA-Na2对黑麦草吸收Pb及营养元素特性的影响

为探究柠檬酸或EDTA-Na_2对Pb污染下黑麦草(Lolium perenne L.)吸收Pb和营养元素特性的影响,对水培黑麦草进行不同处理,研究黑麦草一些生理生化指标的变化。结果表明,与对照相比,Pb处理降低黑麦草干重,增加质膜透性和根系脱氢酶活性,且在叶和根中积累Pb,而叶和根中6种营养元素含量的变化不尽相同。与Pb处理同时加入低浓度的柠檬酸或EDTA-Na_2对其生长影响较小,且叶片的Pb积累量较低;而同时加入高浓度的柠檬酸或EDTA-Na_2,虽然强化Pb在叶片中的积累,但是加重了生长的抑制作用和营养元素的稳态失衡;1 mmol L~(–1)的柠檬酸强化叶片积累Pb的效应强于同浓度的EDTA-Na_2,而5和10 mmol L~(–1)柠檬酸的强化作用则弱于同浓度的EDTA-Na_2。因此,适当浓度的柠檬酸或EDTA-Na_2在治理Pb污染环境中具有一定作用。     

Continuous operation of foamed emulsion bioreactors treating toluene vapors

Continuous operation of a new bioreactor for air pollution control called the foamed emulsion bioreactor (FEBR) has been investigated. The effect of several liquid feeding strategies was explored. The FEBR exhibited high and steady toluene removal performance (removal efficiency of 89%-94%, elimination capacity of 214-226 g/m3h at toluene inlet concentration of 1 g/m3) for up to 360 h, when 20% of the culture was replaced every 24 h by a nutrient solution containing 4 g/L of potassium nitrate as a nitrogen source. This feeding mode supported a high cell activity measured as INT reduction potential and active cell growth without being subject to nitrogen limitation. In comparison, operating the FEBR with the liquid in a closed loop (i.e., batch) resulted in a significant decrease of both the removal efficiency of toluene and INT reduction activity. Operation with feeding active cells resulted in stable and effective treatment, but would require a significant effort for mass culture preparation. Therefore, the continuous process with periodically feeding nutrients was found to be the most practical and effective operating mode. It also allows for stable operation, as was shown during removal of low concentration of toluene or after pollutant starvation. Throughout the study, INT reduction measurements provided insight into the process. INT reduction activity data proved that under normal operating conditions, the FEBR performance was limited by both the kinetics and by mass transfer. Overall, the results illustrate that engineered gas-phase bioreactors can potentially be more effective than conventional biofilters and biotrickling filters for the treatment of air pollutants such as toluene.