Elevation,slope aspect and integrated nutrient management effects on crop productivity and soil quality in North-west Himalayas,India

On farm bio-resource recycling has been given greater emphasis with the introduction of conservation agriculture specifically withclimate change scenarios in the mid-hills of the north-west Himalaya region（NWHR）. Under this changing scenario, elevation, slope aspect and integrated nutrient management（INM） may affect significantly soil quality and crop productivity. A study was conducted during 2009-2010 to 2010-2011 at the Ashti watershed of NWHR in a rainfed condition to examine the influence of elevation, slope aspect and integrated nutrient management（INM） on soil resource and crop productivity. Two years of farm demonstration trials indicated that crop productivity and soil quality is significantly affected by elevation, slope aspect and INM. Results showed that wheat equivalent yield（WEY） of improved technology increased crop productivity by -20%-37% compared to the conventional system. Intercropping of maize with cowpea and soybean enhanced yield by another 8%-17%. North aspect and higher elevation increased crop productivity by 15%-25% compared to south aspect and low elevation（except paddy）. Intercropping of maize with cowpea and soybean enhanced yield by another 8%-15%. Irrespective of slope, elevation and cropping system, the WEY increased by -30% in this region due to INMtechnology. The influence of elevation, slope aspect and INM significantly affected soil resources（SQI） and soil carbon change（SCC）. SCC is significantly correlated with SQI for conventional（R2 = 0.65＊）, INM technology（R2 = 0.81＊） and for both technologies（R2 = 0.73＊）. It is recommended that at higher elevation.（except for paddy soils） with a north facing slope, INM is recommended for higher crop productivity; conservation of soil resources is recommended for the mid hills of NWHR; and single values of SCC are appropriate as a SQI for this region.     

Integrating value-chain approach with participatory multicriteria analysis for sustainable planning of a niche crop in Indian Himalayas

The value-chain approach(VCA)was used for exploring how a niche crop,namely large cardamom(Amomum subulatum Roxb.),can be developed sustainably to increase incomes and enhance rural livelihoods in the mountains.Large cardamom is a high-value,agro-climatically suitable,and non-perishable spice crop grown in the Himalayan region.Originating in Sikkim,the crop is important to the local economy and is sold in both domestic and international markets;however,its production in India has been declining significantly in recent years.Using VCA and participatory methods of data collection the study helped elicit value chain actors'perspectives on various reasons for the decline as well as potential strategies to improve the cardamom value chain.The results present the multiple environmental and climatic(e.g.water stress),social(e.g.women participation)and institutional(e.g.lack of trust between actors)challenges and corresponding upgrading strategies.Through participatory multi-criteria analysis(MCA),the strategies were prioritized based on the overall preferences of multiple stakeholders.The analysis considered eight criteria and 25 options,or strategies,and found that that marketability and profitability were the most important criteria,and increasing cardamom production,the most important optiontrait.Stakeholder discussions along with sensitivity analysis also showed how these options could be implemented and revealed how criteria preferences can change with expert inputs.This combination of VCA and MCA,because it supports participatory decision-making and balances multiple dimensions of sustainable development,can be effectively deployed in planning for agricultural development in the mountains.     

A transition from wood fuel to LPG and its impact on energy conservation and health in the Central Himalayas, India

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impacts of the transition from wood fuel to Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) from energy use and health perspectives along an altitudinal gradient(viz.,lower altitude;middle altitude;and higher altitude) of the Central Himalayas.Empirical field study and questionnaire based survey was conducted forobtaining the data.A total of 20 households from each altitude were selected for obtaining reliable information on the actual quantity of fuelwood consumed.Of the 20 households,five households each based on the family size i.e.,small families(<4 members),medium(5-8 members) and large(>9 members) from all the altitudinal regions were selected.This was followed by an administration of a questionnaire on the quantity of fuelwood consumed.After the completion of the questionnaire survey,the data was validated using a weighted survey for the randomly selected households for obtaining precise information on the actual quantity of fuelwood consumed.Energy analysis is done with respect to the time spent on fuelwood collection and energy value of burning of per kg of fuelwood.Study indicates that declining biomass requirement from forests contributes significantly towards energy conservation,also has positive impact on human health.Per capita annual energy expenditure on collection of fuelwood is 752 MJ which is higher than any other activity in villages of Central Himalaya.The LPG substitution has contributed to energy saving which is equivalent to 2976-3,742 MJ per capita per year in middle and lower altitudes respectively.In the higher altitude the energy saving is calculated to be about 257 MJ per capita per year.Replacing fuelwood with LPG has made positive impact on society in terms of improving the health while reducing diseases that are caused due to indoor air pollution.     

Diversity, distribution pattern and conservation status of the plants used in liver diseases/ailments in Indian Himalayan Region

Introduction The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is known for its unique, natural, representative biodiversity (Samant et al. 1998a). This biodiversity is being utilized by the inhabitants of the IHR in various forms, i.e., medicine, food (wild edibles), fuel, fodder, timber, making agricultural tools, fiber, religious and various other purposes (Samant and Dhar 1997, Samant et al. 1998b). In the remote areas of the IHR where primary health centers are located far from the villages, the in…     

Effects of soil conservation practices on soil erosion and the size selectivity of eroded sediment on cultivated slopes

Soil conservation practices can greatly affect the soil erosion process, but limited information is available about its influence on the particle size distribution(PSD) of eroded sediment, especially under natural rainfall. In this study, the runoff, sediment yields, and effective/ultimate PSD were measured under two conventional tillage practices, downhill ridge tillage(DT) and plat tillage(PT) and three soil conservation practices, contour ridge tillage(CT), mulching with downhill ridge tillage(MDT), and mulching with contour ridge tillage(MCT) during 21 natural rainfall events in the lower Jinsha River. The results showed that(1) soil conservation practices had a significant effect on soil erosion. The conventional tillage of DT caused highest runoff depth(0.58 to 29.13 mm) and sediment yield(0.01 to 3.19 t hm-2). Compared with DT, the annual runoff depths and sediment yields of CT, MDT and MCT decreased by 12.24%-49.75% and 40.79%-88.30%, respectively.(2) Soil conservation practices can reduce the decomposition of aggregates in sediments. The ratios of effective and ultimate particle size(E/U) of siltand sand-sized particles of DT and PT plots were close to 1, indicating that they were transported as primary particles, however, values lower/greater than 1 subject to CT, MDT and MCT plots indicated they were transported as aggregates. The ratios of E/U of claysized particles were all less than 1 independently of tillage practices.(3) The sediments of soil conservation practices were more selective than those of conventional tillage practices. For CT, MDT and MCT plots, the average enrichment ratios(ERs) of clay, silt and sand were 1.99, 1.93 and 0.42, respectively, with enrichment of clay and silt and depletion of sand in sediments. However, the compositions of the eroded sediments of DT and PT plots were similar to that of the original soil. These findings support the use of both effective and ultimate particle size distributions for studying the size selectivity of eroded sediment, and provide a scientific basis for revealing the erosion mechanism in the purple soil area of China.     

Effect of contrasting climates on antioxidant and bioactive constituents in five medicinal herbs in Western Himalayas

To understand the effect of climate change on constitutive antioxidant and biochemical metabolites in Western Himalayas, five medicinal herbs were selected and grown at two altitudes in Jammu (305 m) and Srinagar (1730 m) with subtropical and temperate climates, respectively. Significant variations were observed in phenols and flavonoids in Hypericum perforatum L., Matricaria chamomilla L., Thymus vulgaris L., Cynara cardunculus L. and Echinacea purpurea L. growing at two locations. High altitude temperate site show variable (up to 13 fold) increase in their content. Proteins (1.3 – 1.8 times), sugars (2.8 – 4.1 times) and free amino acid (1.04 – 1.22 times) were also higher at Srinagar (1730 m). Within these plants, H. perforatum and M. chamomilla have shown higher accumulation of phenols, xanthophylls and proline even at subtropical environment in Jammu (305 m) suggesting potential for increasing their geographical area. The results demonstrate that changing environmental conditions significantly affect the bioactive constituents, which accumulate as a defence strategy by these temperate plants. Their medicinal significance during climate change scenario has also been discussed.     

IMPROVEMENT OF SANDY SOIL WITH WATERCONSERVING MEMBRANE AND ITS EFFECT ON CROP GROWTH

1INTRODUCTIONArid, semi-arid, and semi-humid areas abound in sandysoil, which causes water to leak into deep soil orgroundwater so that soil′s water-conserving capabilitybecomes lower and water is used with low efficiency.Water is one of the important fa…     

The impact of nitrogen amendment and crop growth on dissolved organic carbon in soil solution

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important component of the terrestrial carbon cycle. However, the sources and controlling factors of DOC in soils remain uncertain. In this study, the effects of nitrogen (N) amendment and crop growth on DOC in soil solution were examined at a maize-wheat rotated field located in the central Sichuan Basin in southwestern China. Nitrogen treatments in this study included 150 kg N ha^-1 season^-1, 200 kg N ha^-1 season^-1 and the control without any fertilizer application. During the whole experimental period, we observed significant decreases (p<0.05) in DOC concentrations in the sampled soil solutions associated with increase in N inputs at the bare soil plots, but no change in DOC at the plots with crop growth. The estimated average contributions of plantderived DOC were 16%, 24% and 32% of total DOC in the summer maize season and 21%, 32% and 38% in the winter wheat season along with the gradient of N fertilizer application rates. The results implied that the crop growth could play a key role in the soil DOC production, and the N input enhanced DOC production by increasing crop growth. The relationship between the DOC concentrations and the crop root biomass was statistically significant for both the maize and winter wheat seasons. Our observations indicated that crop growth exerted greater influence on the seasonal variability of DOC concentration in soil solutions at the experimental site, which overwhelmed the effect of soil native organic matter decomposition on DOC concentrations in soil solutions.     

Ecotoxicity of Cadmium to Maize and Soybean Seedling in Black Soil

Ecotoxicity and bioavailability of cadmium(Cd)to the maize(Zea mays L.)and the soybean(Glycine max(L.)Merr.)were investigated by acute toxicity experiment in the laboratory with black soil.Ecotoxicity and bioavailability of Cd were quantified by calculating the median effective concentration(EC50)and bioaccumulation factor(BAF).The measurement endpoints used were seed germination and seedling growth(shoot and root).The results showed that concentrations of Cd in the soil had adverse effect on the growth of roots and shoots.Seed germination was not the sensitive indicator for the ecotoxicity of Cd in the soil,while the growth of roots was the most sensitive measurement endpoint.Absorbability and transport of Cd in plants depended on the test crop species and Cd concentrations in the soil.The maize retains more Cd in its roots,while the soybean transports more Cd to the shoots from roots.     

A novel model to assess soil productivity in the dry-hot valleys of China

Accurate evaluation of soil productivity has been a long-standing challenge. Although numerous models for productivity assessment exist, most are cumbersome to use and require substantial parameter inputs. We developed a new empirical soil productivity model based on field investigations of soil erosion, soil physicochemical properties, and crop yields in the dry-hot valleys (DHVs) in China. We found that soil pH, and organic matter and available potassium contents significantly affected crop yields under eroded conditions of the DHVs. Moreover, available potassium content was the key factor affecting soil productivity. We then modified an existing soil productivity model by adding the following parameters: contents of effective water, potassium, organic matter, and clay, soil pH, and root weighting factor. The modified soil productivity model explained 63.5% of the crop yield. We concluded that the new model was simple, realistic, and exhibited strong predictability. In addition to providing an accurate assessment of soil productivity, our model could potentially be applied as a soil module in comprehensive crop models.     

Relationship between soil and water conservation practices and soil conditions in low mountain and hilly region of Northeast China

The soil and water conservation practices of ecological restoration（ER）,fish scale pit（FP）,furrow and ridge tillage across the slope（FR）,shrub strips（SS）,and vegetation-covered ridge（VR） are characteristic of the Jixing small watershed of the low mountain and hilly region of Jilin Province,Northeast China. This study aims to elucidate the effects of soil and water conservation practices on soil conditions after the short-term implementation of practices. Soil samples were collected from five soil and water conservation sites（ER,FP,FR,SS,and VR） and two controls（BL and CT） to investigate their properties. To evaluate the influence of soil and water conservation practices on soil quality,an integrated quantitative index,soil quality index（QI）,was developed to compare the soil quality under the different soil and water conservation practices. The results show that not all soil and water conservation practices can improve the soil conditions and not all soil properties,especially soil organic carbon（SOC）,can be recovered under soil and water conservation practice in short-term. Moreover,the QI in the five soil and water conservation practices and two controls was in the following order： ER VR BL FR CT SS FP. ER exhibited a higher soil quality value on a slope scale. In the low mountain and hilly region of Northeast China,ER is a better choice than the conversion of farmlands to planted grasslands and woodlands early in the soil and water conservation program.     

Estimations of net primary productivity and evapotranspiration based on HJ-1A/B data in Jinggangshan city, China

Net primary productivity(NPP) and evapotranspiration(ET) are two key variables in the carbon and water cycles of terrestrial ecosystems.In this study,to test a newly developed NPP algorithm designed for HJ-1 A/B data and to evaluate the usage of HJ-1 A/B data in the quantitative assessment of environments,NPP and ET in Jinggangshan city,Jiangxi province,are calculated using HJ-1 A/B data.The results illustrate the following:(1) The NPP and ET in Jinggangshan city in 2010 both show obvious seasonal variation,with the highest values in summer and the lowest values in winter,and relatively higher values were observed in autumn than in spring.(2) The spatial pattern indicates that the annual NPP is high in the southern area in Jinggangshan city and low in the northern area.Additionally,high NPP is distributed in forests located in areas with high elevation,and low NPP is found in croplands at low elevations.ET has no significant north-south difference,with high values in the southeast and northwest and low values in the southwest,and high ET is distributed in forests at low elevations in contrast to low ET in forests in high-elevation areas and in cropland and shrub grassland in low-elevation areas.(3) Compared to the MODIS product,the range of HJ-1 NPP is larger,and the spatial pattern is more coincident with the topography.The range of HJ-1 ET is smaller than that of the MODIS product,and ET is underestimated to some extent but can reflect the effect of topography.This study suggests that the algorithm can be used to estimate NPP and ET in a subtropical monsoon climate if remotely sensed images with high spatial resolution are available.     

Effect of soil salinity on cold tolerance of mangrove Kandelia candel

Analysis of cold tolerance on mangroveKandelia candel leaf growing in different soil salinity along Jiulong River Estuary in South China showed that the cold tolerance decreased as the increase of soil salinity. The lethal temperatures ofK. candel leaf were −10.4, −9.9 and −8.6 °C in Liaodong, Baijiao and Aotou, respectively. Under 1–2°C cold stress treatment on detached leaves ofK. candel, their caloric value gradually decreased, while electrolyte leakage gradually increased. The leaf's caloric value and electrolyte leakage in Aotou with higher soil salinity varied more largely than those in Liaodong with lower soil salinity. InK. candel leaf, total water content lowered a little, bound water content rose significantly and free water content dropped significantly with duration of cold stress. At the same time, reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content gradually decreased and sucrose content gradually increased. Bound water, free water and sucrose content inK. candel leaf from Aotou with higher soil salinity changed more slowly than those from Liaodong with lower soil salinity, but reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content inK. candel leaf from Aotou had faster variations than those from Liaodong. These data indicated that soil salinity can reduce cold tolerance ofK. candel leaf by increasing negative effect of salt ions in cell membrane, inhibiting variations of water content, and aggravating consumption of material and energy. Supported by the Found for Outstanding Young Teacher, the Ministry of Education, China.     

Research on water resources conservation of mountain river based on the concept of region partition

Presently concepts and methods related to water resources conservation of mountain rivers are seriously insufficient,and its level is far from being adaptable to the development of a harmonious society.As mountain ecosystems play a key role in water resources conservation of mountain rivers,and the characteristics of mountain ecosystems and hydrologic features of mountain river follow strong temporal and spatial distribution,partition theory can be applied to the water resources conservation of mountain river.This theory observes the following partition principles:regional relativity,spatial continuity,integralcounty,meeting management needs,hierarchical principle,and comparability principle.And it lays equal emphasis on both water resources conservation and environmental protection,on both water quality conservation and water quantity protection,on the combination of water features,water cycle and water pollution.In the partition methods,index method and map superposition method will be applied in region partition.The example of region partition of water resources conservation in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River shows that the partition theory is practicable in water resources conservation of mountain rivers,and it provides a platform for future study in water resources conservation.     

Impacts of precipitation variation and soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yield in the Loess Plateau Gully Region,China

The Loess Plateau of China has experienced a lengthy drought and severe soil erosion.Changes in precipitation and land use largely determine the dynamics of runoff and sediment yield in this region. Trend and mutation analyses were performed on hydrological data(1981–2012) from the Yanwachuan watershed in the Loess Plateau Gully Region to study the evolution characteristics of runoff and sediment yield. A time-series contrasting method also was used to evaluate the effects of precipitation and soil and water conservation(SWC) on runoff and sediment yield. Annual sediment yield declined markedly from 1981 to 2012 although there was no significant change in annual precipitation and annual runoff. Change points of annual runoff and annual sediment yield occurred in 1996 and 1997,respectively. Compared with that in the baseline period(1981–1996), annual runoff and annual sediment yield in the change period(1997–2012)decreased by 17.0% and 76.0%, respectively, but annual precipitation increased by 6.3%. Runoff decreased in the flood season and normal season, but increased in the dry season, while sediment yield significantly declined in the whole study period. The SWC measures contributed significantly to the reduction of annual runoff(137.9%) and annual sediment yield(135%) and were more important than precipitation. Biological measures(forestland and grassland) accounted for 61.04% of total runoff reduction, while engineering measures(terraces and dams) accounted for 102.84% of total sediment yield reduction. Furthermore, SWC measures had positive ecological effects. This study provides a scientific basis for soil erosion control on the Loess Plateau.     

Feasibility Comparison of Reanalysis Data from NCEP-Ⅰ and NCEP-Ⅱ in the Himalayas

Mt. Everest is often referred to as the earth＇s ＇third＇ pole. As such it is relatively inaccessible and little is known about its meteorology. In 2005, an automatic weather station was operated at North Col （28°1′ 0.95＂ N, 86°57′ 48.4＂ E, 6523 m a.s.l.） of Mt. Everest. Based on the observational data, this paper compares the reanalysis data from NCEP/NCAR （hereafter NCEP-Ⅰ） and NCEP-DOE AMIP-Ⅱ （NCEP- Ⅱ）, in order to understand which reanalysis data are more suitable for the high Himalayas with Mr. Everest region. When comparing with those from the other levels, pressure interpolated from 500 hPa level is closer to the observation and can capture more synoptic-scale variability, which may be due to the very complex topography around Mt. Everest and the intricately complicated orographic land-atmosphereocean interactions. The interpolation from both NCEP-Ⅰ and NCEP-Ⅱ daily minimum temperature and daily mean pressure can capture most synopticscale variability （r〉0.82, n=83, p〈0.001）. However, there is difference between NCEP-Ⅰ and NCEP-Ⅱ reanalysis data because of different model parameterization. Comparing with the observation, the magnitude of variability was underestimated by 34.1%, 28.5 % and 27.1% for NCEP-Ⅰ temperature and pressure, and NCEP-Ⅱ pressure, respectively, while overestimated by 44.5 % for NCEP-Ⅱ temperature. For weather events interpolated from the reanalyzed data, NCEP-Ⅰ and NCEP-Ⅱ show the same features that weather events interpolated from pressure appear at the same day as those from the observation, and some events occur one day ahead, while most weather events and NCEP-Ⅱ temperature interpolated from NCEP-Ⅰ happen one day ahead of those from the observation, which is much important for the study on meteorology and climate changes in the region, and is very valuable from the view of improving the safety of climbers who attempt to climb Mt. Everest.     

Planning conservation corridors in mountain areas based on integrated conservation planning models: A case study for a giant panda in the Qionglai Mountains

With the accelerated urbanization, human activities pose serious threats to species because of fragmentation. Planning conservation corridors between habitats could improve species mobility in order to address the human disturbance. However,there are a limited number of studies that focus on assessing the effect of human activities on species movement in mountain areas as well as how to integrate different conservation models relating to conservation corridors identification. In our study, we modified the resistance model and took land use data as input parameters to quantify the impacts of human activities in mountain areas. Meanwhile, different conservation planning models, including Circuit model and Least Cost Path(LCP) algorithm, were integrated. Moreover, our approach was applied to identify giant panda corridors in Miarro nature reserve, Caopo nature reserve, and Wolong nature reserve. The results suggested that the impacts of human activities were limited in valley regions due to topography by resistance model. Secondly, Circuit model demonstrated that the conservation corridorsfor giant panda could not be identified between the Miarro and the Caopo nature reserves. Additionally,more detailed corridors between habitats were planned by the LCP algorithm. Furthermore, we also identified bottlenecks for migration in each corridor,indicating that human activities' interference was the primary cause. Our approach not only could connect habitats for conservation in mountain areas but also found out that the corridor could not be identified between habitats.     

Effects of grazing exclusion on plant productivity and soil carbon,nitrogen storage in alpine meadows in northern Tibet,China

Grazing exclusion is widely adopted in restoring degraded alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, its effectiveness remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of grazing exclusion on plant productivity, species diversity and soil organic carbon （SOC） and soil total nitrogen （STN） storage along a transect spanning from east to west of alpine meadows in northern Tibet, China. After six years of grazing exclusion, plant cover, aboveground biomass （AGB）, belowground biomass （BGB）, SOC and STN were increased, but species diversity indices declined. The enhancement of AGB and SOC caused by grazing exclusion was correlated positively with mean annual precipitation （MAP）. Grazing exclusion led to remarkable biomass increase of sedge species, especially Kobresia pygmaea, whereas decrease of biomass in forbs and no obvious change in grass, leguminous and noxious species. Root biomass was concentrated in the near surface layer （10 cm） after grazing exclusion. The effects of grazing exclusion on SOC storage were confined to shallow soil layer in sites with lower MAP. It is indicated that grazing exclusion is an effective measure to increase forage production and enhance soil carbon sequestration in the studied region. The effect is more efficient in sites with higher precipitation. However, the results revealed a tradeoff between vegetation restoration and ecological biodiversity. Therefore, carbon pools recover more quickly than plant biodiversity in the alpine meadows. We suggest that grazing exclusion should be combined with other measures to reconcile grassland restoration and biodiversitv conservation.     

Synergistic effects of vegetation layers of maize and potato intercropping on soil erosion on sloping land in Yunnan Province,China

Intercropping, as an overyielding system, can decrease soil erosion on sloping land through the presence of dense canopy covers. However, the structure mechanism in canopy is still unclear. We conducted a two-year field experiment on runoff plots, exploring whether the interaction between vegetation layers reduce soil erosion in maize and potato intercropping systems. The maize, potato, and weed layers in the intercropping system were removed by a single layer, two layers and three layers, respectively(total of 8 treatments including all layers removed as the control). Then, throughfall, runoff and sediment were measured at the plot and row scale on a weekly basis. Based on the difference between each treatment and the control, we calculated and found a relative reduction of runoff and sediment by any combination of the two vegetation layers greater than the sum of each single layer. In 2016 and 2017, the highest relative reduction of runoff reached 15.65% and 46.73%, respectively. Sediment loss decreased by 33.96% and 42.77%, respectively. Moreover, runoffand sediment reduced by the combination of all vegetation layers(no layers removed) was also larger than the sum of that by each single layer. In 2016 and 2017, the highest relative reduction of runoff reached 7.32% and 3.48%, respectively. So, there were synergistic effects among multi-level(two or three layers) vegetation layers in terms of decreasing soil erosion on sloping land. Maize redistributes more throughfall at the maize intra-specific row and the maize and potato inter-specific, which is favorable for the synergistic effect of reducing soil erosion. This finding shows an important mechanism of maize and potato intercropping for soil and water conservation, and may promote the application of diverse cropping systems for sustainable agriculture in mountainous areas.