The benthic macroinvertebrates of the Block Island Sound

The benthic invertebrates of Block Island Sound have not been adequately studied, in contrast to other adjacent southern New England sounds. This study examines the species composition, abundance and biomass of benthic macrofaunal invertebrates at nine locations within Block Island Sound. The sites sampled, represent a wide range of subtidal habitats within the Sound, and were visited in February and September.Some 224 species were identified, of which almost half (104) were polychaetes. The benthic assemblages at most stations were dominated numerically by tube dwelling, surface detritus or suspension feeding amphipods, e.g. Ampelisca agassizi and A. vadorum, as well as the protobranch bivalve, Nucula proxima. This dominant Ampelisca-Nucula assemblage was associated with silty fine sand sediments. The average macrofaunal biomass for all stations was 158 g (wet weight) m^?2, two thirds the average benthic biomass of Georges Bank, an important fishery area. Based on the examination of the records of earlier surveys in Block Island Sound, there is evidence that this silty-sand, ampeliscid-dominated assemblage has persisted since at least the mid-1940s.     

Studies of a mangrove basin,Tuff Crater,New Zealand: I. Mangrove biomass and production of detritus

The mangrove, Avicennia marina var. resinifera in a tidally-flooded explosion crater, Tuff Crater, near the southern latitudinal limit of mangroves in New Zealand adopts two distinct growth forms, taller tree-like mangroves up to 4 m tall along the banks of the tidal creek, and low stunted shrub mangroves less than 1 m tall on the mudflats. Twelve trees were felled and on the basis of a biomass/height relationship for the taller trees and a biomass/canopy width relationship for the lower, above-ground biomass (excluding pneumatophores) was estimated. Average above-ground biomass for the taller mangrove was estimated to be 104·1 t ha^?1 and for the lower 6·8 t ha^?1. While the value for the taller mangroves is similar to figures reported for more complex tropical mangroves, the fact that 94% of the basin is covered by low generally sparse mangroves means that total biomass for the basin is estimated to be 153 t, an average of only 7·6 t ha^?1. Litter-fall beneath the taller mangroves is estimated as 7·6±2·5 t ha^?1 a^?1 and beneath the lower mangroves 3·3±0·5 t ha^?1 a^?1. The value for the taller mangroves is similar to that reported from mangroves in many other parts of the world, but because of the extensive low sparse mangroves the total for the basin is estimated as 53·7 t a^?1, an average rate of 2·7 t ha^?1 a^?1, a very low rate of litter-fall when compared with elsewhere. Decomposition of mangrove leaves occurs relatively rapidly with leaves losing half their dry weight in 10 weeks and then continuing to degrade but at a slower rate. Substrate sediment samples contain high organic matter content, and although some organic matter appears to be exported via the tidal creek, a proportion of the detrital production is evidently recycled in situ.     

半干旱区植被风沙动力过程耦合研究：Ⅱ. 模拟

  以我国北方半干旱区典型自然条件为模型输入参数,对生物量和风蚀量的动态变化和空间分布进行了模拟。模拟的主要影响因素有降水量、气温、土壤类型和风况等。模拟结果表明:生物量随着降水量的增加和气温的升高而增大,风蚀量随着大风日数和风速的增加而增大。随着半干旱区降水和气温的季节变化,生物量在初春最低、夏末最高;风蚀量则在春季最大、夏季最小。生物量和风蚀量有明显的相互影响,生物量的增加能够有效降低风蚀量。在不受其他因素影响时,生物量与降水量在空间上的分布呈现出一致性,在考虑气温因素后生物量的重心向气温较高处偏移。小幅度的地形变化对生物总量和风蚀总量的大小影响不大,但明显改变了它们的空间分布格局。     

旅游对武夷山景区灌木林物种多样性及其根系生物量的影响

采用对比样方调查法对武夷山旅游区内的武夷宫、大红袍、龙川瀑布和天游峰4个典型景区灌木林物种多样性指数、均匀度和丰富度指数、植被盖度及根系生物量等指标进行了调查与分析,并对旅游活动对灌木林的影响机理进行了探讨.结果表明:旅游活动对景区灌木林物种多样性指数具有显著影响(Shannon-weiner均匀度指数除外),对林下根系生物量虽有影响,但影响不显著.干扰区的灌木林物种多样性指数、盖度、总根系及细根生物量均小于非干扰区.4景区灌木林的干扰变化率依次为:物种多样性指数为武夷宫>天游峰>龙川瀑布>大红袍,盖度为大红袍>武夷宫>天游峰>龙川瀑布.总根系生物量为天游峰>大红袍>龙川瀑布>武夷宫,细根生物量为天游峰>龙川瀑布>武夷宫>大红袍.     

The principles and guidelines for designing long-term agronomic experiments

Many of the important questions facing farming systems in the world today require long-term studies to provide meaningful information and answers. A long-term agronomic experiment (LTAE) should (1) have long-term objectives; (2) study important soil processes or ecological processes; and (3) be related to the productivity and sustainability of systems. A well established LTAE can provide both insights into how the system operates and foresight into where the system goes. The prerequisites for setting up a LTAE are the secured land, continuous funding and dedicated scientists. A number of principles must be considered carefully when establishing a LTAE, (1) the site must be representative of large areas; (2) the treatments should be simple, but focusing on the big questions; (3) the plots should be large enough to allow subsequent modification of the experiment if this becomes necessary; (4) crop rotations should minimise, wherever possible, the risk of build-up of pests and diseases, and rotational phase should be considered in a rotational experiment; (5) a clearly defined experimental protocol should be developed to ensure data collected is scientifically valid and statistically analysable, but with flexibility to allow essential changes; (6) soil samples, possibly plant samples, should be achieved to provide better answer to the original questions when new, perhaps more accurate analytical techniques are developed, or answer new research questions that were not considered in the original design. The MASTER experiment in Australia was used as a case study to demonstrate how these principles are implemented in practice.     

Rill and ephemeral gully erosion in a small olive grove catchment in Spain: Interactions between management and conservation measures

Concentrated flow erosion in Mediterranean cultivated areas is considered a major process of land degradation. Rills and ephemeral gullies in a 6.4 ha olive orchard catchment located in an intensive commercial farm, which could represent a common degradation scenario in hilly areas, were measured and compared with the sediment loads at the outlet. Four GPS survey campaigns were carried out between March 2009 and March 2014, for periods with cumulative precipitation ranging between 728 and 121 mm. Chopped pruning residues were kept on the lanes during campaigns 2–4, whereas a grass cover crop was seeded in campaign 4. Rainfall, runoff and sediment loads were measured in a flume gauge station at the catchment outlet. The ratio of concentrated flow erosion to catchment sediment load varied between 1.0 and 35.0. Total concentrated flow erosion ranged between 25.0 and 0.1 t ha⁻¹. Rill erosion was the dominant process on ephemeral gullies for three campaigns, with a mean contribution to the total concentrated flow erosion of 55%. Rills clearly followed tractor tracks along the most parallel lanes to the maximum slope. Therefore, a change in traffic direction would be helpful to reduce the connectivity, controlled by the spatial distribution of rows and lanes in the farm. Olive plantation distributions should prioritize hydrological criteria to adapt traffic patterns in olive farms, as long as the tractor manoeuvrability and risk of overturning are not adversely affected. Although the farmer only kept the cover crop for one campaign, it proved to be an efficient measure for interrupting rills along the lanes, whereas pruning residues were effective for the control of interrill erosion. On-site application of pruning residues reduced their handling and transport costs, while increasing the soil fertility and soil cover. However, guidelines for the efficient application of pruning residues are still necessary in terms of residue rates and orientation.     

Stock-environment recruitment analysis for Namibian Cape hake Merluccius capensis

The factors modulating recruitment success of Cape hake Merluccius capensis in Namibian waters are still unresolved. In this study, we used generalised additive models, regression tree analysis and the conventional Ricker model to examine the effect of environmental indices and spawning stock biomass (SSB) on hake recruitment success for the period 1984–2012. Results indicated that upwelling strength explained 51% of the recruitment variability, whereas SSB had no significant influence. The effect of SSB on recruitment only became significant when combined with upwelling strength, explaining 89% of the recruitment variability. SSB influenced recruitment during periods of strong upwelling. Optimal conditions for hake recruitment were associated with moderate upwelling strength. Low and high upwelling intensities reduced recruitment success. Our results are consistent with those of other studies suggesting a significant influence of environmental conditions on recruitment at a low spawning stock level. Our study highlights the importance of assessing the combined non-linear effects of both biotic and abiotic factors on hake recruitment.     

灰色系统理论在绵阳市作物病虫害预测中的应用

作物病虫害的综合管理是一个多因素的复杂系统,针对这一特点,本文全面阐述了灰色系统模型的建立与预测方法,建立了作物病虫害测报中的GM（1,1）模型,测报准确性较高,模型模拟检验精度达到I级水平,发展系数〈0．3,可用于该地区作物病虫害作中长期预测。     

参考作物蒸散模型对比分析及评价

利用山东省6个气象台站45 a(1960-2004年)的逐日气象资料并选用7种参考作物蒸散模型,分别计算了上述各地的参考作物蒸散,对模型结果进行时空分布对比分析;进而以FAO推荐的Penman-Monteith模型为对照,利用最小一乘法对其余6种模型进行优化并对优化前后的模型进行时空比较.结果表明:Makkink模型在6个台站的时空分布模拟效果均最好,Mass-transfer模型在7-8月明显偏低,Net Radiation模型各站全年基本都偏高;根据不同月份的相对偏差情况,采用最小一乘法进行分月优化,优化后的模型预测月参考作物蒸散标准误差小于5 mm,平均相对误差小于8.5%,台站的年参考作物蒸散相对误差也基本小于10%,说明这些含参数较少的模型经优化后基本上可用,当资料缺损时不失为Penman-Monteith模型的替代模型.     

Changes in soil quality indicators under long-term sewage irrigation in a sub-tropical environment

Though irrigation with sewage water has potential benefits of meeting the water requirements, the sewage irrigation may mess up to harm the soil health. To assess the potential impacts of long-term sewage irrigation on soil health and to identify sensitive soil indicators, soil samples were collected from crop fields that have been irrigated with sewage water for more than 20 years. An adjacent rain-fed Leucaena leucocephala plantation system was used as a reference to compare the impact of sewage irrigation on soil qualities. Soils were analyzed for different physical, chemical, biological and biochemical parameters. Results have shown that use of sewage for irrigation improved the clay content to 18–22.7%, organic carbon to 0.51–0.86% and fertility status of soils. Build up in total N was up to 2,713 kg ha⁻¹, available N (397 kg ha⁻¹), available P (128 kg ha⁻¹), available K (524 kg ha⁻¹) and available S (65.5 kg ha⁻¹) in the surface (0.15 m) soil. Long-term sewage irrigation has also resulted a significant build-up of DTPA extractable Zn (314%), Cu (102%), Fe (715%), Mn (197.2), Cd (203%), Ni (1358%) and Pb (15.2%) when compared with the adjacent rain-fed reference soil. Soils irrigated with sewage exhibited a significant decrease in microbial biomass carbon (−78.2%), soil respiration (−82.3%), phosphatase activity (−59.12%) and dehydrogenase activity (−59.4%). An attempt was also made to identify the sensitive soil indicators under sewage irrigation, where microbial biomass carbon was singled out as the most sensitive indicator.