Forage production and quality as influenced by amended quartz sand-tailings following phosphate mining

Quartz-sand tailings is a waste product from the Florida phosphate mining industry. Individual tailings disposal areas may occupy 20 to 60 ha and support no vegetation. A split plot field experiment was conducted on a sand tailings deposit to study the effect of various amendments on yield, quality, and mineral concentrations of Callie bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon var.aridus Harlan et de Wet) and Siratro [Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC) Urb]. The two species were established on nine treatments: one sand-tailings control (SC); three with air-dried phosphatic clay (PC) at 110, 225, and 340 Mg ha^-1; and three with overburden (OB) at 448, 1,120, and 1,800 Mg ha^-1. All PC and OB treatment rates contained air-dried sewage sludge (SS) at 45 Mg ha^-1 and were all roto-tilled to a 20 to 25 cm depth. There were two additional treatments of OB at 1800 Mg ha^-1 without SS, with and without roto-tilling into sand tailings. Callie established slower (P<0.05) on SC and OB, than on treatments containing SS and/or PC. However, after the root system developed, yields were similar on all sand-tailings treatments. Crude protein andin vitro organic matter digestion for Callie and Siratro did not differ between soil treatments, but Siratro was generally superior to Callie in forage quality. Forage concentrations of P, K, Ca. Mg, Mn, and Zn were adequate in both species for good cattle growth on all treatments. However, Cu tended to be low in Siratro for plant and cattle growth. Once root systems were well established, good yields of quality forage with suitable mineral concentrations were produced on regularly fertilized, quartz-sand tailings.Contribution of the University of Florida Agric. Res. and Ed. Ctr., Ona, FL 33865, and Soil Sci. Dept., Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 as Journal Series No. 5575.     

Mine tailings composition in a historic site: implications for ecological restoration

Ecological restoration, using tolerant plant species and nutrient additions, is a low-cost option to decrease environmental risks associated with mine tailings. An attempt was previously made to establish such a vegetation cover on an abandoned tailings facility in Southern Ireland. Historically, the tailings site has been prone to dusting and is a potential source of contamination to the surrounding environment. The site was examined to determine the success of the previous restoration plan used to revegetate the site and to determine its suitability for further restoration. Three distinct floristic areas were identified (grassland, poor grassland and bare area) based on herbage compositions and elemental analysis. Surface and subsurface samples were taken to characterise tailings from within these areas of the tailings site. The pH of bare surface tailings (pH, 2.7) was significantly more acidic (p < 0.5) than in other areas. Additionally, negligible net neutralising potential resulted in the tailings being hostile to plant growth. Total metal concentrations in tailings were high (c. 10,000 mg kg^?1 for Pb and up to 20,000 mg kg^?1 for Zn). DTPA-extractable Zn and Pb were 16 and 11 % of the total amount, respectively. Metal content in grasses growing on some areas of the tailings were elevated and demonstrated the inability of the tailings to support sustainable plant growth. Due to the inherently hostile characteristics of these areas, future restoration work will employ capping with a barrier layer.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling in Shrimp Ponds and the Measures for Sustainable Management

Six ponds of age 3 were selected 45 km north from Suzhou in the Tailake region, and research conducted on nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in P. vannanmei(Penaeus vannanme) ponds and M. nipponense(Macrobrachium nipponense) hatchery ponds under normal management. Two treatments each had three replications. The results confirmed that feed was the major path of nitrogen and phosphorus input, each accounted for 61.24%(193.81 kg ha^–1) and 81.08%(45.20 kg ha^–1) of the total nitrogen and phosphorus input for P. vannanme ponds; the values for M. nipponense ponds were 43.93%(86.31 kg ha^–1) and 57.67%(14.61 kg ha^–1), respectively. Water pumped into ponds contributed on average 83.57 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 8.48 kg ha^–1 phosphorus for P. vannanmei ponds, and 87.48 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 7.00 kg ha^–1 phosphorus for M. nipponense hatchery ponds. Shrimp harvest recovered 102.81 kg ha^–1 nitrogen (32.94% of the total nitrogen input) and 7.94 kg ha^–1phosphorus (14.23% of the total phosphorus input) for P. vannanme ponds; and 43.94 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 4.46 kg ha^–1phosphorus for M. nipponense hatchery ponds. The sum of nitrogen losses through volatilization, denitrification and sedimentation was 173.62 and 122.39 kg ha^–1, 54.86% and 62.29% of the total nitrogen input for P. vannanme ponds and M. nipponense hatchery ponds, respectively. Sediment accumulated 41.46 and 14.63 kg ha^–1 phosphorus, 74.37% and 64.85% of the total phosphorus input for P. vannanm ponds and M. nipponense hatchery ponds. Draining and seeping caused 40.06 kg ha^–1 nitrogen (12.66% of total nitrogen input) and 6.36 kg ha^–1 phosphorus (11.40% of total phosphorus input) loss to the surrounding water from P. vannanme ponds in 114 days; 30.14 kg ha^–1nitrogen (15.34% of the total input) and 4.45 kg ha^–1 phosphorus (17.57% of the total input) to channel water from M. nipponense hatchery ponds in 87 days, respectively. Countermeasures for sustainable pond management include improving feeds and feeding, sediment treatments, machine aerating, chemicals with no pollution, and integrated fish-shrimp cultivation. Management of water resources for pond and methods to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loading into surrounding water from drainage are elucidated.     

Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the performance of floodplain Phragmites japonica under nutrient stress condition

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on growth, nutrient uptake, and inoculation effectiveness on Phragmites japonica. Spores of AMF strains (Gigaspora margarita Becker &; Hall) were collected from the commercial product ‘Serakinkon’. Four treatments, namely, natural soil (NS), natural soil inoculated by AM fungi, sterilised soil (SS) inoculated by AM fungi, and SS without AM fungi inoculation were selected to determine the effects of applied and indigenous AMF on P. japonica. The average colonisation level of P. japonica was 24–33%, whereas no colonisation was found in the SS. AMF colonisation increased the chlorophyll content (r?=?0.84, p?r?=?0.89, p?相似文献   

Carbon sequestration in soils of SW-Germany as affected by agricultural management—Calibration of the EPIC model for regional simulations

Global emissions trading allows for agricultural measures to be accounted for the carbon sequestration in soils. The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was tested for central European site conditions by means of agricultural extensification scenarios. Results of soil and management analyses of different management systems (cultivation with mouldboard plough, reduced tillage, and grassland/fallow establishment) on 13 representative sites in the German State Baden-Württemberg were used to calibrate the EPIC model. Calibration results were compared to those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prognosis tool. The first calibration step included adjustments in (a) N depositions, (b) N₂-fixation by bacteria during fallow, and (c) nutrient content of organic fertilisers according to regional values. The mixing efficiency of implements used for reduced tillage and four crop parameters were adapted to site conditions as a second step of the iterative calibration process, which should optimise the agreement between measured and simulated humus changes. Thus, general rules were obtained for the calibration of EPIC for different criteria and regions. EPIC simulated an average increase of +0.341 Mg humus-C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ for on average 11.3 years of reduced tillage compared to land cultivated with mouldboard plough during the same time scale. Field measurements revealed an average increase of +0.343 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ and the IPCC prognosis tool +0.345 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹. EPIC simulated an average increase of +1.253 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ for on average 10.6 years of grassland/fallow establishment compared to an average increase of +1.342 Mg humus-C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ measured by field measurements and +1.254 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ according to the IPCC prognosis tool. The comparison of simulated and measured humus C stocks was r² ≥ 0.825 for all treatments. However, on some sites deviations between simulated and measured results were considerable. The result for the simulation of yields was similar. In 49% of the cases the simulated yields differed from the surveyed ones by more than 20%. Some explanations could be found by qualitative cause analyses. Yet, for quantitative analyses the available information from farmers was not sufficient. Altogether EPIC is able to represent the expected changes by reduced tillage or grassland/fallow establishment acceptably under central European site conditions of south-western Germany.     

Arsenic mobility in the amended mine tailings and its impact on soil enzyme activity

The objectives of this study were to elucidate the effects of soil amendments [Ferrous sulfate (Fe^II), red mud, Fe^II with calcium carbonate (Fe^II/L) or red mud (RM/F), zero-valent iron (ZVI), furnace slag, spent mushroom waste and by-product fertilizer] on arsenic (As) stabilization and to establish relationships between soil properties, As fractions and soil enzyme activities in amended As-rich gold mine tailings (Kangwon and Keumkey). Following the application of amendments, a sequential extraction test and evaluation of the soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase) were conducted. Weak and negative relationships were observed between water-soluble As fractions (As_WS) and oxalate extractable iron, while As_WS was mainly affected by dissolved organic carbon in alkaline tailings sample (Kangwon) and by soil pH in acidic tailings sample (Keumkey). The soil enzyme activities in both tailings were mainly associated with As_WS. Principal component and multiple regression analyses confirmed that As_WS was the most important factor to soil enzyme activities. However, with some of the treatments in Keumkey, contrary results were observed due to increased water-soluble heavy metals and carbon sources. In conclusion, our results suggest that to simultaneously achieve decreased As_WS and increased soil enzyme activities, Kangwon tailings should be amended with Fe^II, Fe^II/L or ZVI, while only ZVI or RM/F would be suitable for Keumkey tailings. Despite the limitations of specific soil samples, this result can be expected to provide useful information on developing a successful remediation strategy of As-contaminated soils.     

Interpreting spatial heterogeneity of crop yield with a process model and remote sensing

A process-based crop growth model (Vegetation Interface Processes (VIP) model) is used to estimate crop yield with remote sensing over the North China Plain. Spatial pattern of the key parameter—maximum catalytic capacity of Rubisco (V_cmax) for assimilation is retrieved from Normalized Difference of Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Terra-MODIS and statistical yield records. The regional simulation shows that the agreements between the simulated winter wheat yields and census data at county-level are quite well with R² being 0.41-0.50 during 2001-2005. Spatial variability of photosynthetic capacity and yield in irrigated regions depend greatly on nitrogen input. Due to the heavy soil salinity, the photosynthetic capacity and yield in coastal region is less than 50 μmol C m⁻² s⁻¹ and 3000 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, which are much lower than that in non-salinized region, 84.5 μmol C m⁻² s⁻¹ and 5700 kg ha⁻¹. The predicted yield for irrigated wheat ranges from 4000 to 7800 kg ha⁻¹, which is significantly larger than that of rainfed, 1500-3000 kg ha⁻¹. According to the path coefficient analysis, nitrogen significantly affects yield, by which water exerts noticeably indirect influences on yield. The effect of water on yield is regulated, to a certain extent, by crop photosynthetic capacity and nitrogen application. It is believed that photosynthetic parameters retrieved from remote sensing are reliable for regional production prediction with a process-based model.     

Use of principal component scores in multiple linear regression models for prediction of Chlorophyll-a in reservoirs

Chlorophyll-a is a well-accepted index for phytoplankton abundance and population of primary producers in an aquatic environment. The relationships between Chlorophyll-a and 16 chemical, physical and biological water quality variables in Çamlıdere reservoir (Ankara, Turkey) were studied by using principal component scores (PCS) in multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) to predict Chlorophyll-a levels. Principal component analysis was used to simplify the complexity of relations between water quality variables. Score values obtained by PC scores were used as independent variables in the multiple linear regression models. Two approaches were used in the present statistical analysis. In the first approach, only five selected score values obtained by PC analysis were used for the prediction of Chlorophyll-a levels and predictive success (R²) of the model found as 56.3%. In the second approach, where all score values obtained from the PC analysis were used as independent variables, predictive power was turned out to be 90.8%. Both approaches could be used to predict Chlorophyll-a levels in reservoirs successfully.     

Nitrogen limitation in the coastal heath at Anholt,Denmark

The purpose of the study was to investigate, whether the coastal grey dune vegetation at Anholt, Denmark, is limited by nitrogen or phosphorus. The island Anholt (22,37 km²) is situated in the centre of Kattegat A two factor fertilization experiment with nitrogen as NH₄NO₃ (N-addition) and phosphorus as KH₂PO₄ (P-addition) was carried out in the coastal grey dune vegetation of Anholt. The N-addition corresponded to 40 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 and the P-addition to 7 kg P ha^?1 year^?1 The experiment included N-, P-, N + P-addition and control. Lichens (genera: mainly Cladonia, Stereocaulon, Cetraria, Hypogymnia) and bryophytes (genera: Polytrichum, Racomitrium) cover most of the surface. Only two plant species, Corynephorus canescens and Empetrum nigrum, constitute nearly all vascular plant cover and biomass of this calcium poor coastal heath community. Corynephorus and Empetrum increased their cover significantly following N and N + P addition. No effect was observed by P addition alone. N limitation of this coastal heath vegetation remote from agricultural and industrial activities was evident. The effect on the plant species of the single application was short-lived. After two-three years of enhanced cover, the Corynephorus and Empetrum cover had returned to their level before the experiment. The lichen vegetation, however, changed more permanently, and after 12 years the subplots with N + P addition was dominated by rich growth of Cladina and Cetraria species. The results are discussed in relation to anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and conservation of this high priority ecosystem.     

Mangrove forest structure and productivity in the Fly River estuary,Papua New Guinea

In April, July and August 1989 and February 1990, the delta region of the Fly River was surveyed to establish the aerial extent of mangrove forests, their species composition, tree densities and basal areas, and potential net primary production. Mangrove forests cover 87 400 ha, mainly on islands within the delta. Twentynine mangrove plant species were recorded, but there were only three major forest types in the delta.Rhizophora apiculata-Bruguiera parviflora forests (hereafterRhizophora-Bruguiera forests) predominated in regions where river water salinities were >10. These forests covered 31 500 ha and had mean total tree densities and basal areas of 2027 stems ha^–1 and 21 m² ha^–1, respectively. Forests of the palmNypa fruticans (hereafterNypa forests) covered 38 400 ha, mainly in regions where river salinities were ~1 to 10, and had mean total densities and basal areas of 4431 stems ha^–1 and 38 m² ha^–1, respectively. Forests dominated byAvicennia marina and/orSonneratia lanceolata (hereafterAvicennia-Sonneratia forests) predominated on accreting banks of sediment and covered 17 500 ha. In very low-salinity (< 1) regions there are large monospecific stands ofS. lanceolata. Mean total densities and basal areas forAvicennia-Sonneratia forests were 7036 stems ha^–1 and 22 m² ha^–1, respectively. Mean net primary productivity (kg C ha^–1 d^–1) was estimated to be 26.7, 27.1 and 19.0 forRhizophora-Bruguiera, Nypa andAvicennia-Sonneratia forests, respectively. Total daily net primary production by all mangrove forests was estimated at 2214 t carbon. Using assumptions based on work in tropical Australia, it was estimated that ~678 t carbon (or 31% of primary production) were exported daily from mangrove forests to the waters of the delta.Contribution No. 550 from the Australian Institute of Marine Science     

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of arsenic in an abandoned mine tailings of Korea

The mineralogical and chemical characteristics of As solid phases in arsenic-rich mine tailings from the Nakdong As–Bi mine in Korea was investigated. The tailings generated from the ore roasting process contained 4.36% of As whereas the concentration was up to 20.2% in some tailings from the cyanidation process for the Au extraction. Thin indurated layers and other secondary precipitates had formed at the surfaces of the tailings piles and the As contents of the hardened layers varied from 2.87 to 16.0%. Scorodite and iron arsenate (Fe₃AsO₇) were the primary As-bearing crystalline minerals. Others such as arsenolamprite, bernardite and titanium oxide arsenate were also found. The amorphous As–Fe phases often showed framboidal aggregates and gel type textures with desiccation cracks. Sequential extraction results also showed that 55.7–91.1% of the As in tailings were NH₄-oxalate extractable As, further confirmed the predominance of amorphous As–Fe solid phases. When the tailings were equilibrated with de-ionized water, the solution exhibited extremely acidic conditions (pH 2.01–3.10) and high concentrations of dissolved As (up to 29.5 mg L⁻¹), indicating high potentials for As to be released during rainfall events. The downstream water was affected by drainage from tailings and contained 12.7–522 μg L⁻¹ of As. The amorphous As–Fe phases in tailings have not entirely been stabilized through the long term natural weathering processes. To remediate the environmental harms they had caused, anthropogenic interventions to stabilize or immobilize As in the tailings pile should be explored.     

21种杀菌剂对家蚕的急性毒性与风险评价

旨在为桑园及周围农田合理选择和使用农药提供科学依据,采用食下毒叶法测定了农业生产上常用的21种杀菌剂对家蚕的急性毒性,并进行了风险评价.急性毒性测定结果表明:20％苯醚甲环唑微乳剂、10％氟硅唑水乳剂、12.5％腈菌唑水乳剂、12.5％烯唑醇可湿性粉剂和70％嗯霉灵可湿性粉剂对家蚕的96 h-LC50值为46.5(41...     

Ecosystem service tradeoff between traditional and modern agriculture: a case study in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province, China

Besides crops, agriculture supplies all three major categories of ecosystem services (ES). However, agriculture also supplies an array of ecosystem dis-services (EDS) that may harm other ecosystems. The flows of ES and EDS are directly dependent on the management of agricultural ecosystems. The traditional method of Chinese agriculture, which supports sustainable agriculture, has been proven to increase ES and reduce EDS. However, there is a lack of a detailed understanding of the ES and EDS associated with traditional agriculture, and also of differences between traditional and modern agriculture. In this study, an investigation was conducted on the ecosystem services (ES) and ecosystem dis-services (EDS) of traditional and modern agriculture in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province, China. Afterwards, the economic values of ES and EDS were quantified experimentally and calculated based on the market price. The results show that: the net economic value of traditional rice-fish agriculture was 3.31×10⁴ CNY·ha^?1 (6.83 CNY = 1 USD as of July, 2009) and that of rice monoculture was 1.99×10⁴ CNY·ha^?1. Significant differences existed between traditional rice-fish and rice monoculture fields for their economic values of some ES or EDS. A benefit and cost analysis (BCA) model was used to adjust the conflict between the economic income and environmental loss from traditional and modern agriculture. The BCA model not only calculates the net income but also monetizes the EDS of the agricultural systems. The results showed that the net income of rice-fish agriculture was 1.94×10⁴ CNY·ha^?1 higher than that of rice monoculture. However, the benefit to cost ratio (BCR) of rice-fish agriculture was lower than that of rice monoculture, indicating that the traditional agricultural model was not the most optimized choice for farmers. The value of the rice-fish agriculture was much higher than that of the rice monoculture. Thus, when considering the benefits that rice-fish agriculture contributes to the largescale society, these agricultural methods needs to be utilized. Furthermore, the labor opportunity costs were calculated and the comprehensive value of rice monoculture was negative. Finally, the compensation standard was calculated based on the comprehensive benefit analysis. The lowest level was 1.09×10³ CNY·ha^?1, and the highest level was 1.21×10⁴ CNY·ha^?1.     

Catastrophic-like shifts in shallow Turkish lakes: a modeling approach

A generalized logistic model (GLM) was developed to determine occurrence of submerged macrophytes in shallow Lake Eymir, and the model was tested independently on the upstream shallow Lake Mogan using the data collected fortnightly from both lakes during 1997–2002. The independent variables included concentrations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a), suspended solids (SS) and total phosphorus (TP), Secchi disc transparency and z-scores of water levels. The dependent variable was the binary index of submerged plant occurrence. We used bootstrapping to determine the maximum number of epochs to train the model and to execute training when the corrected average cross entropy (c-index) leveled off. The model predicted that SS concentration, z-scores of water levels and TP concentration were the most important variables for determining occurrence of submerged plants. Sensitivity analyses showed that the probability of submerged plant occurrence followed a strong hysterisis response to varying water levels and the concentrations of SS and TP, with the break points being ±50 cm, 12–17 mg l⁻¹ and 200–300 μg l⁻¹, respectively. This observed sensitivity was in accordance with the alternative stable states hypothesis of shallow lakes. For occurrence of submerged plants, chlorophyll-a concentration and Secchi disc transparency had low significance. This was in concert with both relevances of input variables and the field results. The model gave a good definition of the system since the c-index and corrected c-index on the training data were high (0.970 and 0.963, respectively). Testing the model on Lake Mogan produced a c-index of 0.815 with around 80% of the cases being correctly classified. This showed that the model had a high ability to generalize over a spatially independent test set; therefore, it had a great reliability as well. In addition, the predictive power of the model was indeed very high. Consequently, the model captured the relationships between the input and output variables successfully and consistently with alternative stable states hypothesis.     

Effects of Cadmium on Nutrient Uptake and Translocation by Indian Mustard

Plants that hyperaccumulate metals are ideal subjects for studying the mechanisms of metal and mineral nutrient uptake in the plant kingdom. Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) has been shown to accumulate moderate levels of Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cu. In this experiment, 10 levels of Cd concentration treatments were imposed by adding 10–190 mg Cd kg^–1 to the soils as cadmium nitrate [Cd(NO₃)₂]. The effect of Cd on phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and the micronutrients iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in B. juncea was studied. Plant growth was affected negatively by Cd, root biomass decreased significantly at 170 mg Cd kg^–1 dry weight soils treatment. Cadmium accumulation both in shoots and roots increased with increasing soil Cd treatments. The highest concentration of Cd was up to 300 mg kg^–1 d.w. in the roots and 160 mg kg^–1 d.w. in the shoots. The nutrients mainly affected by Cd were P, K, Ca, Fe, and Zn in the roots, and P, K, Ca, and Cu in the shoots. K and P concentrations in roots increased significantly when Cd was added at 170 mg kg^–1, and this was almost the same level at which root growth was inhibited. Zn concentrations in roots decreased significantly when added Cd concentration was increased from 50 to 110 mg kg^–1, then remained constant with Cd treatments from 110 to 190 mg kg^–1. However, Zn concentrations in the shoots seemed less affected by Cd. It is possible that Zn uptake was affected by the Cd but not the translocation of Zn within the plant. Ca and Mg accumulation in roots and shoots showed similar trends. This result indicates that Ca and Mg uptake is a non-specific process.     

Case Study on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Emissions from Paddy Field in Taihu Region

The agricultural non-point source pollution by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loss from typical paddy soil (whitish soil, Bai Tu in Chinese) in the Taihu Lake region was investigated through a case study. Results shown that the net load of nutrients from white soil is 34.1 kg ha^–1 for total nitrogen (TN), distributed as 19.4 kg ha^–1, in the rice season and 14.7 kg ha^–1in the wheat season, and for total phosphorus (TP) 1.75 kg ha^–1, distributed as 1.16 kg ha^–1 in the rice season and 0.58 kg ha^–1 in the wheat season. The major chemical species of N loss is different in the two seasons. NH₄-N is main the form in the rice season (53% of TN). NO₃-N is the main form in wheat season (46% of TN). Particle-P is the main form in both seasons, (about 56% of TP). The nutrient loss varied with time of the year. The main loss of nutrients happened in the 10 days after planting, 64% of TN and 42% of TP loss, respectively. Rainfall and fertilizer application are the key factors which influence nitrogen and phosphorus loss from arable land, especially rainfall events shortly after fertilizer application. So it is very important to improve the field management of the nutrients and water during the early days of planting.     

Elemental composition of Sal forest soils around Chhotanagpur Plateau,India

In recent decades, the Sal-dominated tropical deciduous forests (TDFs) were experiencing loss of regeneration due to lack of seed germination of native species. To understand this ecological problem, the present study dealt with the spatial and temporal variations in biogeochemical parameters of Sal forest soils. Twenty soil samples were collected from four TDF sites in the Chota Nagpur Plateau, India. The inventories of tree species in three life-cycle stages (seedling, sapling and adult) were carried out in four sites. Site-I (290?stems?ha^?1) showed occurrence of only one species (Shorea robusta) without seedling and sapling. The pH of forest soils was acidic to slightly acidic in nature. Seasonal variations in C/N ratio showed rapid mineralization of organic matter in the rainy season. ANOVA revealed that the degree of seasonal variation caused significant difference in pH, soil organic carbon, soil organic matter, total carbon, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn and P across four sites. The strong correlation of P with pH, Al, Fe, Mg and Mn indicated highly oxidised and exchangeable nature of dry forest soils. Factor analysis of soil parameters revealed that the different combinations of edaphic conditions in different seasons were important in the distribution of the dry tropical forests communities in Chota Nagpur Plateau.     

A Forest Nutrient Cycling and Biomass Model (ForNBM) based on year-round,monthly weather conditions: Part II: Calibration,verification, and application

The ForNBM was applied to the Nashwaak Experimental Watershed Project in central New Brunswick, Canada. The data represented a mixed hardwood site and included information about nutrient leaching, foliage and wood biomass, leaf fall, and ancillary information required for model initialization. Ancillary information included forest cover type, stand density, forest floor depth, soil rooting depth, soil texture, soil substrate type, initial amounts of biomass and N, S, Ca, Mg, and K content in foliage, wood, and roots, and mineral soil nutrient contents in soil solution, on ion-exchange sites, and in the soil.The authors were able to calibrate the model with existing data. The model simulated observed monthly leaching reasonably well. The r²-values of model simulations compared with field observations of monthly leaching of NO₃⁻_N, NH₄⁺_N, Ca, Mg, and K were 0.78, 0.7, 0.78, 0.84, and 0.75, respectively. Modeled multi-year cumulative leaching of NO₃⁻_N, NH₄⁺_N, Ca, Mg, and K compared with actual values gave r²-values close to one for all cases considered.The results also showed that soil nutrient leaching had increased approximately five-fold for NO₃⁻_N, 80% for NH₄⁺_N, 71% for K, 20% for Ca, and 14% for Mg during the 3 years following a stem-only harvest operation applied watershed-wide. However, the model simulation showed that increased nutrient leaching during the 11 years following the stem-only harvest was small compared with the amounts removed in the biomass during the harvest. Increased nutrient leaching following harvesting did not appear to impact site productivity over the long term.     

Effect of biosolid hydrochar on toxicity to earthworms and brine shrimp

The hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge has been studied as an alternative technique for the conversion of sewage sludge into value-added products, such as soil amendments. We tested the toxicity of biosolid hydrochar (Sewchar) to earthworms. Additionally, the toxicity of Sewchar process water filtrate with and without pH adjustment was assessed, using brine shrimps as a model organism. For a Sewchar application of 40 Mg ha^?1, the earthworms significantly preferred the side of the vessel with the reference soil (control) over side of the vessel with the Sewchar treatments. There was no acute toxicity of Sewchar to earthworms within the studied concentration range (up to 80 Mg ha^?1). Regarding the Sewchar process water filtrate, the median lethal concentration (LC50) to the shrimps was 8.1% for the treatments in which the pH was not adjusted and 54.8% for the treatments in which the pH was adjusted to 8.5. The lethality to the shrimps significantly increased as the amount of Sewchar process water filtrate increased. In the future, specific toxic substances in Sewchar and its process water filtrate, as well as their interactions with soil properties and their impacts on organisms, should be elucidated. Additionally, it should be identified whether the amount of the toxic compounds satisfies the corresponding legal requirements for the safe application of Sewchar and its process water filtrate.     

Effects of salinity and dietary DHA (22:6n - 3) content on lipid composition and performance of Penaeus kerathurus postlarvae

A two-way ANOVA experiment was designed to study the effects of salinity and dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) on lipid composition and performance of postlarvae from the marine shrimp Penaeus kerathurus (Forskål, 1775). Shrimp were reared from 1- to 8-d-old postlarvae at 35 and 25‰S with Kelko-enriched Artemia sp. [20.0 μg (n-3)?HUFA mg^?1 dry weight; 9.1 μg DHA mg^?1 dry weight] and nonenriched Artemia sp. [14.2 μg (n-3)?HUFA mg^?1 dry weight; 0.3 μg DHA mg^?1 dry weight]. Dietary DHA content did not affect either total length or survival but influenced the nutritional status represented by condition indices (triacylglycerol/total polar lipid and triacylglycerol/free cholesterol) of 8-d-old postlarvae at the end of the experiment. Culture salinity affected final total length and condition indices but did not show any effect on survival in the different experimental treatments. The interaction of dietary DHA and culture salinity was not significant for total length and survival but was significant for both condition indices used. P. kerathurus 8-d-old postlarvae showed better growth, survival and nutritional condition when reared at 35‰S and when fed on Kelko-enriched Artemia sp., but the differences with postlarvae from other treatments were very poorly marked. The results demonstrate that 8-d-old postlarvae may have sufficiently developed osmoregulatory capabilities to resist 25‰S under good conditions, although (n-3) HUFA-enriched diets may also enhance osmotic stress resistance, general performance and disease resistance.