Influence of slope aspect on soil physico-chemical and biological properties in the mid hills of central Nepal

This study assessed the influence of slope aspect and land use on soil physio-chemical and biological properties (soil quality indicators) on contiguous south- and north-facing slopes of the mid hills in central Nepal, having the same climate, vegetation and parent material. In each aspect, two treatments (agriculture and forest) were chosen and four replicates taken for each treatment. Soil sample collection and microarthropod extraction was done according to the standard methodology: soil core samples (10 × 10 × 5 cm) and extraction with the modified Berlese–Tullgren funnel. The investigated soil variables were temperature, moisture, faunal abundance and diversity, organic matter, organic carbon, bulk density and pH. Except in a few cases, all considered soil properties showed significant differences between aspects and land use. Soils of the north-facing slope had higher SOC content, moisture, faunal abundance and diversity, and lower temperature and pH. Variations due to topographic aspect induced varied microclimates, causing differences in faunal abundance and diversity; soil moisture, temperature and organic matter trends affected soil fertility and ultimately soil quality. Further studies are required to clarify the complex interactions between soil properties (physio-chemical and biological), vegetation and slope aspect in Nepal, as well as to develop soil biological indicators as a tool to assist in sustainable land management.     

Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks as affected by different land use in an Ultisol in Imo Watershed,southern Nigeria

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) concentrations and stocks are essential for improving soil quality and increasing C-reservoir. The study aimed at quantifying the dynamics of soil properties under different land use in Imo watershed where there is no knowledge about the effects of land use on SOC and STN pool. Six land use: arable land (AL), forest land (FL), grassland (GL), shrubland hills (SL), urban built-up green (UL), and freshwater swamp-mangrove wetland (WL) were classified using ArcGIS 10.1 and FAO land use classification system. Soil samples were collected and analyzed from each land use under different soil depths and slope positions with three replications. Topsoil layer (0–30?cm) contributed to more than 90% of the total soil nutrients. Land use significantly affected SOC content, STN content, and bulk density. SOC and STN concentrations were in the order of FL?>?WL?>?GL?>?SL?>?UL?>?AL which revealed the potentials of FL and WL for SOC and STN sequestration. The study provides land users with the information to improve soil quality, conserve C and N stocks for ecological sustainability and climate change mitigation.     

Farmer's perception and response towards land policy and eco-environment based on participatory rural appraisal: A case study in the Loess hilly area,China

Based on a survey of 107 farm households by means of participatory rural appraisal, this paper presents a region-level analysis of farmer's perception and response towards land policies and eco-environment in the Loess hilly area, China. The surveyed farmers are divided into two groups, farmers on non-irrigated farmland and farmers on irrigated farmland. The results indicate that most farmers mainly depend on cropland, especially the farmers on non-irrigated farmland. Farmers believe that stability and persistence of land policies are important, and most hold a positive attitude towards the Grain-for-Green Programme. The farmers on irrigated farmland have a more favourable attitude to environmental conservation than the farmers of non-irrigated farmland. Nearly 80% of interviewees consider that the local eco-environment has improved in the last ten years. About 45% never consider the environmental impact of their agriculture practices. About 55% think drought is the most important reason for eco-environment deterioration, overgrazing and serious soil erosion. Soil and water conservation is not conscious and voluntary behaviour for farmers, it is only a measure to guarantee their basic agricultural production and to improve their living conditions. Results indicate that farmers on nonirrigated land find engineering approaches more beneficial to agronomic methods. However, the farmers on irrigated farmland pay more attention to improving farmland quality.     

土壤有机质对宁夏农业综合开发活动的响应

为深入分析宁夏农业综合开发活动对土壤有机质的影响,认识其对气候变化的适应意义,分别于北部平原灌区、中部干旱带和南部黄土丘陵区的3个农发项目典型示范点,选取典型用地、玉米地、未利用地3种土地利用类型,分析表层10～20 cm土壤有机质的变化规律。研究发现,生态区和土地利用类型是影响土壤有机质的重要因素,并存在极显著的交互作用。研究区土壤有机质在4.53～14.70 g·kg-1范围内变化,典型用地有显著改善,平均质量分数达10.40 g·kg-1。限定生态区条件下,北部平原灌区无论水稻还是玉米利用方式下,土壤有机质含量相对未利用地都出现显著提升,但是南部黄土丘陵区3种土地利用类型间并无显著差异,中部干旱带只有甘草地土壤有机质含量显著提升,幅度高达145%。限定土地利用类型条件下,3个生态区间典型用地土壤有机质出现显著差异,但是北部平原灌区和南部黄土丘陵区间未利用地以及玉米地表层土壤有机质差异并不显著。研究区农业综合开发活动对土壤有机质储存的作用以正效应为主,但是不同农业土地利用类型在不同生态区对土壤有机质的作用不尽相同。宁夏农业综合开发活动需要综合考虑生态区水土资源特征,选取适宜的农业土地利用类型,有效提升土壤有机质含量,积极应对气候变化。     

Slope aspect modifies community responses to clear-cutting in boreal forests

Slope aspect modifies microclimate and influences ecological processes and spatial distribution of species across forest landscapes, but the impact of slope aspect on community responses to disturbance is poorly understood. Such insight is necessary to understand landscape community dynamics and resilience. We compared bryophyte (liverworts and mosses) communities in matched 0.02-ha plots of four boreal stand types in central Sweden: recently clear-felled and mature stands dominated by Norway spruce in south-facing and north-facing slopes. Differences between forests and clear-cuts were interpreted as effects of clear-cutting, and differences between south- and north-facing slopes as effects of aspect. In response to clear-cutting, bryophyte cover and composition changed more in south-facing slopes. Only one out of ten significantly declining species in south-facing slopes also declined significantly in north-facing slopes. North-facing slopes lost fewer bryophyte species, and among those, fewer forest species and fewer species associated with wood and bark. In north-facing slopes, the average proportions of mosses and liverworts shared between the forest and the clear-cut plot were 88% and 74%, respectively. Corresponding numbers for south-facing slopes were 79% and 33%. In addition, more bryophyte species were added in north- than south-facing slopes after clear-cutting, somewhat reducing the difference in compositional change between aspects. South- and north-facing mature forests differed in species composition, mostly due to higher richness of mosses in south-facing slopes. The smaller changes in bryophyte communities on north-facing slopes in response to clear-cutting have implications for ecosystem dynamics and management as high local survival may enhance landscape-level resilience.     

Root biomass and carbon storage in oriental spruce and beech stands in Artvin, Turkey

In this study, influence of slope position (south-facing vs. north-facing), species type and sampling time on fine (0-2 mm), small (2-5 mm) and coarse (5-10 mm) root biomass and carbon storage of oriental spruce (Picea orientalis) and oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) were investigated. Mean total root biomass of oriental spruce was 20160 kg ha(-1) in south-facing slopes and 17140 kg ha(-1) in north-facing slopes. Mean total belowground C storage of oriental spruce was 7861 kg ha(-1) in south-facing slopes and 6840 kg ha(-1) in north-facing slopes. Similarly, biomass and C storage of oriental beech were 17190 and 6690 kg ha(-1) in south-facing slopes, and 13260 and 5200 kg ha(-1) in north-facing slopes, respectively. Oriental spruce had significantly higher fine root biomass than did oriental beech in south-facing slopes. Fine root biomass was significantly higher in fall than in spring in south-facing slopes.     

Predicting China's cultivated land resources and supporting capacity in the twenty-first century

In recent years, China's cultivated land has been shrinking, a change which has become one of the potential challenges to national sustainable development and global food security. In our research, we have predicted China's cultivated land resources for the next 50 years, based on scrutiny of systematic data and analyses of the loss of cultivated land. We have also designed an indicator of cultivated land equivalent per capita (CLEPC) to assess the capacity of cultivated land to support our population. The results show that China's cultivated land will decline to a minimum of 113.31 million ha between 2001–2010, while cultivated land per capita will decline from 0.101 ha to 0.083 ha. After 2010, the area of cultivated land will begin to increase slowly to 118.98 million ha in 2050. However, cultivated land per capita will still decline to 0.079 ha between 2010–2030; after 2030, it will start to increase and reach 0.085 ha in 2050. In contrast to the total area and per capita area of cultivated land, the CLEPC will remain at 0.101 ha between 2001–2010, and then increase to 0.156 ha in 2050. Overall, there will be increasing stress on China's cultivated land during the next two or three decades. Although the supporting capacity of cultivated land may not decline obviously with improvement in agricultural technology and infrastructure, China has to make great efforts to reduce the loss of cultivated land and to improve its productivity to ensure food security in the near future.     

岩溶山区不同土地利用方式对土壤活性有机碳动态的影响

对贵州茂兰自然保护区内三种典型土地利用方式(林地、草地和耕地)下土壤活性有机碳组分(土壤溶解有机碳和土壤微生物量碳)的月变化及其对环境因子的响应进行了研究,结果表明在不同的土地利用方式下上覆植被类型不同,其凋落物数量、质量及分解行为不同,有机质的输入量及质量也不相同,从而形成不同的土壤溶解有机碳含量差异,土壤有机碳的大小也存在较大差别。研究结果显示:从全年平均值来看,林地土壤溶解有机碳分别比草地和耕地高25%、48%;从3月到8月,三者均随气温的上升呈增加的趋势,林地和耕地在8月均达到最大值,而草地则在10月达到最大值;林地和草地土壤微生物量碳分别高于耕地81%和45%,林地和草地在10月达到最大值。不同的土地利用方式导致土壤活性有机碳的差异较大,这说明岩溶生态系统中土地利用方式对土壤碳库的大小有较大影响。不同土地利用方式下土壤活性有机碳对环境因子的响应也各不相同,这表明土壤活性碳受众多因素的制约而呈现出一种动态平衡关系,进一步的机理仍需要进行深入研究。     

三江平原不同土地利用方式下土壤硫含量变化特征

通过分析三江平原不同土地利用方式下土壤总硫、有效硫含量的变化,探明土壤硫含量演变特征。结果表明,小叶章湿地土壤总硫和有效硫含量高于开垦后的农田土壤,开垦导致土壤硫含量下降,且随着耕种年限的增加,土壤总硫和有效硫含量呈逐年下降趋势。弃耕7 a后土壤总硫和有效硫含量有所增加,但增加量相对较小,表明土壤硫库耗竭易、恢复难。土壤硫与有机质含量之间呈显著正相关关系,提示湿地开垦后土壤有机质含量降低可能是引起土壤硫肥力下降的主要因素,提高土壤有机质含量将有利于维持和提高农田土壤硫肥力。     

Effect of land use and land cover change on soil erosion and the spatio-temporal variation in Liupan Mountain Region, southern Ningxia, China

The Liupan Mountains are located in the southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, that forms an important divide between landforms and biogeographic regions. The populated part of the Liupan Mountain Region has suffered tremendous ecological damage over time due to population pressure, excessive demand and inappropriate use of agricultural land resources. To present the relationship between land use/cover change and spatio-temporal variation of soil erosion, data sets of land use between the late 1980s and 2000 were obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery, and spatial models were used to characterize landscape and soil erosion conditions. Also, soil erosion in response to land use and land cover change were quantified and analyzed using data from geographical information systems and remote sensing. Soil erosion by water was the dominant mode of soil loss, while soil erosion by wind was only present on a relatively small area. The degree of soil erosion was classified into five severity classes: slight, light, moderate, severe, and very severe. Soil erosion in the Liupan Mountain Region increased between the late 1980s and 2000, both in terms of acreage and severity. Moderate, severe, and very severe eroded areas accounted for 54.86% of the total land area. The lightly eroded area decreased, while the moderately eroded area increased by 368817 ha (22%) followed by severe erosion with 146552 ha (8.8%), and very severe erosion by 97067.6 ha (5.8%). Soil loss on sloping cropland increased with slope gradients. About 90% of the cropland was located on slopes less than 15°. Most of the increase in soil erosion on cropland was due to conversion of steep slopes to cropland and degradation of grassland and increased activities. Soil erosion was severe on grassland with a moderate or low grass cover and on dry land. Human activities, cultivation on steep slopes, and overgrazing of pastures were the main reasons for the increase in erosion severity.     

怀来盆地弃耕地自然恢复过程中土壤养分动态

研究了怀来盆地丘陵区弃耕地自然恢复过程中土壤养分的变化规律。采取空间代替时间的方法,确定了代表弃耕地初期阶段、草地阶段和灌丛地阶段的3种样地,通过分层取样测定了土壤有机质、全量养分和速效养分含量。结果表明,全量养分对生态系统恢复的响应与其相应的速效养分明显不同。随着弃耕地的恢复,土壤有机质有明显增加的趋势,P循环和K循环由物质控制向生物控制转换,但速效P在恢复初期增加缓慢。速效N由于耕种期施肥的影响表现出先降低而后增加的特点。全量养分中,只有全N在弃耕地自然恢复中有增加的趋势。灌丛可以在更深的层次上影响土壤养分。植被的恢复与土壤肥力的提高密切相关,这种作用随着植被的恢复而不断增强。     

Evaluating land-use suitability of an industrial city in northeast China

Distribution of industrial land use has a crucial influence on the regional environment. Nanfen is a developing industrial city affiliated with Benxi City, northeastern China. The suitability of industrial land use in Nanfen was evaluated to provide a scientific basis for industrial land-use planning and to minimise negative impacts on the local environment. Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) within GIS was employed to derive a suitability map. The suitability map was compared with current industrial land use to identify areas for relocation of current industries. A total of 25.7% of the urban area in Nanfen was rated as suitable, 28.1% as somewhat suitable, 37.9% as unsuitable and 8.2% as most unsuitable. About 20.6% of the current industrial land was in suitable areas, 46.5% in somewhat suitable areas and 32.9% in unsuitable areas. We further verified the influence of selected factors on the suitability of industrial land use using a field survey. The results confirmed that industrial land-use relocation in Nanfen is required. This study uses ecological suitability evaluation as a basis for land-use planning and has implications for other industrial cities in northeast China that have similar environmental and ecological problems.     

坡位对马尾松林下土壤理化性质、酶活性及微生物特性影响

以我国南方花岗岩区退化马尾松林地土壤为研究对象,通过典型样地调查方法研究不同坡位（坡上、坡中,坡底）马尾松对土壤理化性质、酶活性和微生物学性质的影响。结果表明,0～20和20～40 cm土层土壤w（有机质）、w（全氮）、w（碱解氮）和w（速效钾）坡位间差异均显著（p〈0.05）,其中w（有机质）和w（全氮）均表现为坡底〉坡中〉坡上;而w（全磷）和w（全钾）位间差异不显著;3坡位中坡底土壤w（粘粒）较高容重较小。土壤酶活性坡位间差异不显著,可能受林分密度影响较大。两土层微生物生物量碳氮与土壤呼吸强度均为坡底最大,且与有机质和全氮相关性分别达显著（p〈0.05）和极显著（p〈0.01）正相关,但在微生物对碳利用效率、有机碳氮累积程度等方面坡位间差异不显著。所以,对养分瘠薄且易受侵蚀的花岗岩红壤区域,马尾松作为恢复植被须谨慎选择。     

Evaluation for sustainable land use in coastal areas: A landscape ecological prospect

Evaluation of sustainability is the core of research on sustainable land use. To a certain extent, traditional social, economic and ecological evaluation for sustainable land use can be regarded as an appraisal on the temporal scale without evaluation of spatial patterns. Landscape ecology can help to realize spatial evaluation for sustainable land use. In this paper, we construct landscape ecological indicators for evaluating sustainable coastal land use from the aspects of landscape productivity, threats and stability, to realize a synthetic temporal-spatial evaluation. These cover the five pillars of sustainable land use, i.e. productivity, security, protection, viability and acceptability. The results of applying landscape ecological evaluation to a case study in Wudi County in China show that land use sustainability is somewhat low and there are great regional differences between its 11 villages. We classified the 11 villages into 5 grades: strong sustainable land use, sustainable land use, weak sustainable land use, weak unsustainable land use, and strong unsustainable land use. Each grade has different land use characteristics and differs in the counter-measures required. But the core countermeasures in all the grades are to improve landscape productivity, to reduce human threats and to optimize landscape patterns.     

不同类型植物篱对长江上游坡耕地土壤养分含量及坡面分布的影响

在调查分析长江上游现有坡耕地植物篱的配置方式、生长状况和室内分析植物篱-坡耕地系统中土壤养分含量和颗粒组成的基础上,对3种坡耕地-植物篱系统中土壤养分含量及其分布特征进行了研究,结果表明：在坡耕地-植物篱系统中,植物篱能显著改善和提高植物篱带内表层土壤的养分含量,不同植物篱带内土壤有机质、全氮、水解氮、全磷、速效磷、全钾、速效钾平均质量分数比带间坡耕地土壤分别提高了59.1%、83.5%、56.2%、83.3%、149.6%、14.0%、153.1%,植物篱带内土壤阳离子交换量比带间坡耕地土壤提高了21.6%。植物篱带内比带间坡耕地土壤沙粒质量分数减小了9.4%,粘粒质量分数增加了21.6%,在植物篱系统中土壤粘粒质量分数与土壤养分含量在3种植物篱系统内表现出一致的规律性,自篱间坡耕地至植物篱带呈增加的趋势,至植物篱带下土壤粘粒和土壤养分含量减小。     

浙江省萧山市山一村生态良性循环与系统管理研究 Ⅵ.山地生态系统动态模拟

本文在林地植物区系组成、植被类型、森林资源、土壤养分调查的基础上,对山地土壤矿化过程、树木生长过程和山地生态系统进行了动态模拟,预测了该村山地土壤含氮量、落叶层重、草本层生物量、灌木层生物量、乔木生物量,山地土壤可利用氮量、氮矿化速率、系统氮变化量、系统生物与净增长量的年变化趋势,为该村林地的规划、开发利用和管理提供了科学依据。     

三峡库区笋溪河流域面源污染及其与土壤可蚀性k值的关系

研究三峡库区面源污染特征及其与水土流失的关系,可为库区氮磷污染和土壤侵蚀控制提供依据.选择三峡库区库尾笋溪河流域,在流域内分园地、林地和耕地3种土地利用类型共采集126个土壤样品,并在主干和支流采集52个水质样品.根据EPIC模型计算土壤可蚀性k值,分析流域内土壤可蚀性k值对面源污染的影响.结果表明,笋溪河流域面源污染主要是氮污染,总氮均值达1.37 mg/L,氮素的主要形态为硝态氮,占总氮的71.2%;总磷浓度为0.1 mg/L.流域内土壤可蚀性k值均值为0.040,随着土层加深土壤可蚀性k值呈上升趋势;林地土壤可蚀性k值显著低于园地和耕地.笋溪河流域总氮浓度与园地和耕地0-20 cm土壤可蚀性k值有关,硝态氮浓度与耕地0-40 cm土壤可蚀性k值有关.因此,笋溪河流域面源污染严重,主要来源是耕地和园地,应实行免耕、植物篱等措施,同时减少化肥施用,增加有机肥比例,以增加土壤抗侵蚀能力,进而控制流域水土流失和面源污染.(图6参37)     

三峡库区小流域土地利用方式对土壤肥力的影响

为探讨三峡库区小流域不同土地利用方式对土壤肥力的影响特征，采用野外调查、取样和室内实验分析相结合的方法，对三峡库区五桥河流域内3种主要土地利用方式(旱地、柑橘园、林地)的土壤理化性状进行对比分析。结果表明，不同土地利用方式对土壤吧力具有较为明显的影响，土壤孔度、渗透率变化由大到小的次序为林地→柑橘园→旱地；土壤有机质和氮、磷、钾养分含量由大到小次序为林地→柑橘园→旱地。这与不同土地利用方式下人类耕作活动、对土地的劳力与经济投入不同密切相关。林地受人为扰动少，因而土壤肥力高；柑橘园、旱地受人类耕作活动影响大，但因柑橘园经济产出效益较高，农户对土地的投入相应较高，使得柑橘园土壤肥力高于旱地土壤。     

Higher nitrates, P and lower pH in soils under medicinal plants versus crop plants

This report shows a higher soil quality under medicinal plants versus food-crop plants. Long-term continuous cultivation of food crops induces changes of soil properties that can lead to fertility loss and, in turn, decline of food productivity. Effect of cropping on soil changes has been studied mainly for food crops and vegetables worldwide, whereas soil changes in herbal fields are scarcely known. Therefore, we compared here soil nutrients and soil chemical properties of herbal fields, cultivated with Chinese medicinal plants, and food-crop fields. Fields are located at the famous traditional planting base of Chinese medicinal plants in Anguo, China. The results showed that in herbal fields, soil nitrate, available P, soil organic matter (SOM), and electrical conductivity decreased with soil depth, whereas soil pH and soil water content increased with depth. In herbal fields, soil nitrate, available P contents, and soil electrical conductivity were higher than those of food-crop fields at various soil layers. SOM and soil water content were similar in herbal and food-crop fields. Soil pH of herbal fields at 0–20 cm was lower than those of food-crop fields. Findings show overall that soil nutrient accumulation and changes under medicinal plants are higher than food-crop fields.     

沙打旺与柳枝稷单、混播种苗期水分利用和根冠生长的比较

在室内生长箱内盆栽沙打旺和柳枝稷的苗期生长阶段进行高土壤水分 (黄绵土土壤田间持水量FC的 80 % )和低土壤水分 (5 0 ?)处理 ,比较二者单、混播种植下水分利用与根冠生长差异 ,以探讨黄土高原半干旱丘陵区牧草植物的合理种植方式 .结果表明 :在水分利用方面 ,低水处理下混播使沙打旺和柳枝稷叶片瞬时水分利用效率均较单播提高 ,低水处理后混播群体水分利用效率也显著比单播柳枝稷增大 .在根冠生长方面 ,混播促进了柳枝稷地上部分植株高度生长 ,并使地下部分分配比重增大 ,根系绝对长度缩短 ;混播后沙打旺的植株高度降低 ,根系绝对长度增加 ,但干物质分配比重减小 .低水处理后 ,沙打旺和柳枝稷混播下的根冠生长趋向于资源的充分合理利用 ,表现在混播群体的根系生长有利于充分利用土壤深层水和表层来水 ,混播后地上部分高度的生长特征变化利于对光的利用 .因此 ,在水分和养分条件相对较差坡地占较大比例的半干旱黄土丘陵地区 ,采用沙打旺和柳枝稷混播种植相比各自单播利于促进苗期生长与提高土壤水分利用率 .图 2表 2参 10