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.     

Higher species diversity occurs in more fertile habitats without fertilizer disturbance in an alpine natural grassland community

Are there some relationships among species diversity and soil chemical properties of high altitude natural grasslands？ Plant community composition and chemical properties of soil samples were compared to investigate the relationship between soil and species diversity, and the richness in Tibetan alpine grasslands. Results showed that species diversity was significantly positively related to soil organic matter （SOM）, total nitrogen （TN）, available nitrogen （AN）, total phosphorus （TP）, available phosphorus （AP）, and available potassium （AK） in the high alpine grasslands. Margalefs species richness index was also significantly positively related to SOM, TN, AN, and TP. Most soil chemical properties showed significantly positive correlation with species diversity and Margalef＇s richness index. Our results suggested that higher plant species richness index and diversity occurred in more fertile soil habitats in high altitude natural grassland community. In practice, fertilization management for the restoration of degraded grassland should be conducted with reference to the nutrient levels ofnatural grassland without the additional artificial fertilizer and with higher species-diversity and richness index.     

Root structure,distribution and biomass in five multipurpose tree species of Western Himalayas

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The tree root distribution pattern and biomass of seventeen year old trees of Grewia optiva, Morus alba, Celtis australis, Bauhinia variegata and Robinia pseudoacacia were studied by excavation method. B. variegata roots penetrated to a maximum depth of 4.78 m, whereas, M. alba roots were found down to 1.48 m depth. Lateral spread was minimum in B. variegata （1.10 m）and maximum inR. pseudoacacia （7.33 m）. Maximum root biomass of 6.30 kg was found in R. pseudoacacia and minimum （2.43 kg） was found in M. alba. For four species viz.,G. optiva, M. alba, C. australis andR. pseudoacacia, 68%-87% root biomass occurred within top 0-30 cm soil depth, but forB. variegata this was only45%. The soil binding factor was maximum in G. optiva and minimum in B. variegata. Soil physico-chemical properties also showed wide variation. The study suggests thatB. variegata with a deep root system is the most suitable species for plantation under agroforestry systems. R. pseudoacacia and G. optiva with deep root systems, more lateral spread and high soil binding factor are suitable for plantation on degraded lands for soil conservation.     

Uptake and recovery of soil nitrogen by bryophytes and vascular plants in an alpine meadow

Due to their particular physiology and life history traits, bryophytes are critical in regulating biogeochemical cycles and functions in alpine ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to investigate their nutrient utilization strategies in comparison with vascular plants and understand their responses to the variation of growing season caused by climate change. Firstly, this study testified whether or not bryophytes can absorb nitrogen(N) directly from soil through spiking three chemical forms of 15N stable isotope tracer. Secondly, with stronger ability of carbohydrates assimilation and photosynthesis, it is supposed that N utilization efficiency of vascular plants is significantly higher than that of bryophytes. However, the recovery of soil N by bryophytes can still compete with vascular plants due to their greater phytomass. Thirdly, resource acquisition may be varied from the change of growing season, during which N pulse can be manipulated with 15N tracer addition at different time. Both of bryophytes and vascular plants contain more N in a longer growing season, and prefer inorganic over organic N. Bryophytes assimilate more NH4+ than NO3– and amino acid, which can be indicated from the greater shoot excess 15N of bryophytes. However, vascular plants prefer to absorb NO3– for their developed root systems and vascular tissue. Concerning the uptake of three forms N by bryophytes, there is significant difference between two manipulated lengths of growing season. Furthermore, the capacity of bryophytes to tolerate N-pollution may be lower than currently appreciated, which indicates the effect of climate change on asynchronous variation of soil N pools with plant requirements.     

Species richness,diversity and density of understory vegetation along disturbance gradients in the Himalayan conifer forest

We investigated whether species richness, diversity and density of understory herbaceous plants differed along logging(gap) and grazing(primarily by cattle) disturbance gradients, and sought to identify drivers of richness, diversity and density of understory vegetation of logged sites. A factorial experiment was conducted in the mixed conifer forest of Gidakom in Western Bhutan. Levels of the logging treatment included small(0.15 – 0.24 ha), medium(0.25 – 0.35 ha) and large(0.36 – 1.31 ha) gaps. The grazing treatment included grazed(primarily by cattle) and ungrazed(where herbivores were excluded by a fence) plots nested within each gap. Data were collected from 12 gaps(4 replicates at each level of logging) using the point intercept method. Shannon Weaver Diversity and Margalef's indices were used to estimate species diversity and describe species richness, respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for pH and nutrients. The interaction effect of logging and grazing was significant(p≤0.001) only on species diversity. Relative to ungrazed areas, species diversity was significantly higher(0.01≤p≤0.05) in medium grazed gaps. Under grazed conditions, soil P was negatively correlated with gap size and species diversity. While species diversity was positivelycorrelated(0.01≤p≤0.05) with soil N in grazed plots species richness was positively correlated(0.001≤p≤0.01) with soil N in ungrazed plots. Relative density of Yushania microphylla and Carex nubigena were higher under ungrazed conditions. Our study suggests that the combined effect of cattle grazing and logging results in higher species diversity of understory vegetation in medium and grazed gaps in mixed conifer forests of Bhutan,whereas increase or decrease in relative density of major species is determined primarily by the independent effects of grazing and logging. From management perspective, forest managers must refrain from creating large gaps to avoid loss of nutrients(mainly P and N), which may eventually affect tree regeneration. Managers intending to maintain understory vegetation diversity must consider the combined effects of grazing and logging, ensuring low to moderate grazing pressure.     

植被对水土流失防御作用的实验验证

植被对水土流失具有防御作用。为了验证植被对水土流失防御作用的存在和其防御作用的大小,人工堆积了面积750cm2的有植被覆盖和无植被覆盖的两堆土体,采用人工模拟降水的方法进行实验,持续10分钟左右降水,降水量为25.9mm。称量相应环节水土重量,对水土流失量和水土流失率、涵蓄水源率进行计量。发现无植被覆盖的土体水土流失率为4%,植被全覆盖的土体未有明显的水土流失现象;依据两种计算方法得出的土壤涵蓄水源率,前者为36.8%和23.6%,后者为51.3%和32.0%。实验从定量的角度验证了植被对水土流失防御作用的存在,同时提供了有植被覆盖的区域土壤涵蓄水源能力有明显提高的数据。     

基于GIS的白银区耕地耕层土壤重金属空间分异及污染评价

为评估白银区耕地耕层土壤(0~20 cm)的重金属污染,应用X射线荧光光谱仪(XRF-7000)对1 070个土壤样品中Cu、Zn、Ni、Pb、As、Cr、V、Co 8种重金属含量进行了测定,参照最新土壤环境质量标准(GB15618-2008),使用单因子和内梅罗法并结合GIS手段分析耕层土壤重金属空间分布及污染程度等。结果表明:8种重金属平均污染程度由大到小为As、V、Pb、Zn、Cu、Co、Ni、Cr,平均变异程度顺序为Pb、Cu、Zn、Co、As、Cr、V、Ni,空间相关性大小顺序为Zn、Cu、As、Pb、Ni、Cr、V、Co;Cu、Pb的最佳拟合模型为Pentaspherical模型,Zn、V为Gaussion模型,Ni、As为Exponential模型,Cr、Co为Circular模型;8种重金属中Cu、Zn、Pb、As表现出不同程度的污染,评价结果显示安全级、警戒级、轻污染、中污染和重污染分别占全区耕地面积的69.56%、23.88%、2.95%、2.55%和1.06%,受污染面积达到763.4 hm2。     

遥感图像信息容量与植被指数的耦合关系研究

遥感信息容量能表征地表复杂度,为深入探究信息容量与植被之间关系,研究对植被盖度、NDVI、RVI等5种植被指数的均值、均方差与信息容量做了多种回归分析。结果表明:植被覆盖度均值、植被指数均方差与信息容量有明显相关性,其中植被盖度均方差与信息容量相关性最大,确定系数R~2为0.851 8;相关系数最大R~2为0.8642,说明遥感信息容量与植被指数、植被盖度之间有明显的相关性,证明了信息容量能有效地表征地表覆盖的变化。     

吉尔吉斯斯坦表土元素组合及分布特征

通过对吉尔吉斯斯坦境内40个不同采样环境下采集的表土中元素含量的分析,结合系统聚类(HCA)、降趋势对应分析(DCA)等方法,研究了吉尔吉斯坦境内不同采样环境下表土中元素的组合差异及其控制因素。结果表明:(1)大部分路边采集的表土、农田采集的表土和河边采集表土在聚类分析中各自组成独立的类别,显示出具有不同于其它采样环境下表土的元素组合特征。(2)由于Ca、Mg、Sr在表生地球化学上具有一定共性,这些活动性元素容易发生相对明显的迁移或富集,DCA分析显示其与Al、Fe等稳定性元素的相对含量存在反相关,Ca、Sr、Mg等含量高低直接影响了Al等稳定元素的相对含量。P、Pb、Zn、Cu与Al、Fe、Ti等稳定元素含量受不同的影响因素控制。在上述基础之上,结合不同采样环境下表土中元素含量的对比分析,路边采集的表土中Pb、Zn、Cu元素富集显著,而农田采集的表土中P和Cu元素明显富集,反映了P、Pb、Zn、Cu元素已经受到了人为因素的影响,导致在DCA分析中具有不同于Al、Fe等稳定元素的显著特征。     

梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)主根周围土壤特征

通过建立米级的空间尺度进行分层取样,研究了准噶尔盆地南缘建群种——梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)主根周围土壤的含水率、容重、pH值、电导率和养分含量的变化状况。结果表明:(1)土壤含水量在表层5cm处最小,土壤容重在0~40cm土层变动幅度不大,但随着与茎基垂线距离的增加,二者出现显著变化(p0.05)。(2)土壤pH值和电导率在主根区周围呈现聚集现象,最大聚集率均在0~1m圈层,但随着距离的增加,土层深度逐渐成为主导因素。(3)土壤养分在表层5cm处聚集,但水平聚集范围中除有机质和全氮可扩增到3~4m外,全磷和速效养分均在0~2m。本研究结论对于荒漠区耐盐性植被的合理密植有一定的理论意义。