Cover crop effects on nitrous oxide emission from a manure-treated Mollisol

Agriculture contributes 40–60% of the total annual N₂O emissions to the atmosphere. Development of management practices to reduce these emissions would have a significant impact on greenhouse gas levels. Non-leguminous cover crops are efficient scavengers of residual soil NO₃, thereby reducing leaching losses. However, the effect of a grass cover crop on N₂O emissions from soil receiving liquid swine manure has not been evaluated. This study investigated: (i) the temporal patterns of N₂O emissions following addition of swine manure slurry in a laboratory setting under fluctuating soil moisture regimes; (ii) assessed the potential of a rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop to decrease N₂O emissions under these conditions; and (iii) quantified field N₂O emissions in response to either spring applied urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) or different rates of fall-applied liquid swine manure, in the presence or absence of a rye/oat winter cover crop. Laboratory experiments investigating cover crop effects N₂O emissions were performed in a controlled environment chamber programmed for a 14 h light period, 18 °C day temperature, and 15 °C night temperature. Treatments with or without a living rye cover crop were treated with either: (i) no manure; (ii) a phosphorus-based manure application rate (low manure): or (iii) a nitrogen-based manure application rate (high manure). We observed a significant reduction in N₂O emissions in the presence of the rye cover crop. Field experiments were performed on a fine-loamy soil in Central Iowa from October 12, 2005 to October 2, 2006. We observed no significant effect of the cover crop on cumulative N₂O emissions in the field. The primary factor influencing N₂O emission was N application rate, regardless of form or timing. The response of N₂O emission to N additions was non-linear, with progressively more N₂O emitted with increasing N application. These results indicate that while cover crops have the potential to reduce N₂O emissions, N application rate may be the overriding factor.     

Nitrate and sediment fluxes from a California rangeland watershed

Long-term water quality records for assessing natural variability, impact of management, and that guide regulatory processes to safeguard water resources are rare for California oak woodland rangelands. This study presents a 20-yr record (1981-2000) of nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) and suspended sediment export from a typical, grazed oak woodland watershed (103 ha) in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Mean annual precipitation over the 20-yr period was 734 mm yr(-1) (range 366-1205 mm yr(-1)). Mean annual stream flow was 353 mm y(-1) (range 87-848 mm yr(-1)). Average annual stream flow was 48.1 +/- 16% of precipitation. Mean annual NO(3)-N export was 1.6 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) (range 0.18-3.6 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)). Annual NO(3)-N export significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing annual stream flow and precipitation. Mean daily NO(3)-N export was 0.004 kg ha(-1) d(-1) (range 10(-5) to 0.55 kg ha(-1) d(-1)). Mean annual suspended sediment export was 198 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) (range 23-479 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)). There was a positive relationship (P < 0.05) between annual suspended sediment export, annual stream flow and precipitation. Mean daily suspended sediment export was 0.54 kg ha(-1) d(-1) (range 10(-4) to 155 kg ha(-1) d(-1)). Virtually no sediment was exported during the dry season. The large variation in daily and annual fluxes highlights the necessity of using long-term records to establish quantitative water quality targets for rangelands and demonstrates the difficulty of designing a water quality monitoring program for these ecosystems.     

Gas-phase organics in environmental tobacco smoke: 2. Exposure-relevant emission factors and indirect exposures from habitual smoking

Sorption of emitted gas-phase organic compounds onto material surfaces affects environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) composition and exposures indoors. We have introduced a new metric, the exposure relevant emission factor (EREF) that accounts for sorptive uptake and reemission to give the mass of individual ETS constituents available for exposure over a day in which smoking occurs. This paper describes month-long experiments to investigate sorption effects on EREFs and potential ETS exposures under habitual smoking conditions. Cigarettes were smoked in a 50-m³ furnished room over a 3-h period 6–7 days per week, with continuous ventilation at 0.3, 0.6, or 2.1 h⁻¹. Organic gas concentrations were measured every few days over 4-h “smoking”, 10-h “post-smoking” and 10-h “background” periods. Concentration patterns of volatile ETS components including 1,3-butadiene, benzene and acrolein were similar to those calculated for a theoretical non-sorbing tracer, indicating limited sorption. Concentrations of ETS tracers, e.g. 3-ethenylpyridine (3-EP) and nicotine, and lower volatility toxic air contaminants including phenol, cresols, and naphthalene increased as experiments progressed, indicating mass accumulation on surfaces and higher desorption rates. Daily patterns stabilized after week 2, yielding a steady daily cycle of ETS concentrations associated with habitual smoking. EREFs for sorbing compounds were higher under steady cycle versus single-day smoking conditions by 50% for 3-EP, and by 2–3 times for nicotine, phenol, cresols, naphthalene, and methylnaphthalenes. Our results provide relevant information about potential indirect exposures from residual ETS (non-smoker enters room shortly after smoker finishes) and from reemission, and their importance relative to direct exposures (non-smoker present during smoking). Under the conditions examined, indirect exposures accounted for a larger fraction of total potential exposures for sorbing versus non-sorbing compounds, and at lower versus higher ventilation rates. Increasing ventilation can reduce indirect exposures to very low levels for non-sorbing ETS components, but indirect routes accounted for 50% of potential nicotine exposures during non-smoking periods at all ventilation rates.     

Mating system and mating success of the desert spider Agelenopsis aperta

Field studies of the desert spider Agelenopsis aperta revealed a primarily monogamous mating system. However polygyny, polyandry and polygynandry were superimposed upon the primary system, with 9% of the marked males and 11% of the marked females in a field population mating more than once. In the laboratory males commonly mated multiply with fertile offspring resulting, while females were less likely than males to mate multiply. Monogamy under field conditions was enforced by two factors: (1) high travel costs to males, and (2) a significant decline in female receptivity after the first mating. Heavy males were more likely to be accepted by females both in the field, and in female choice experiments conducted in the laboratory. Finally, male weight determined the outcome of male-male agonistic interactions over females. One possible explanation for female choice in this system which lacks male parental investment is that females may be using male size as an indicator of future success of their offspring.     

Targeting aquatic microcontaminants for monitoring: exposure categorization and application to the Swiss situation

Background, aim, and scope  

Aquatic microcontaminants (MCs) comprise diverse chemical classes, such as pesticides, biocides, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and industrial chemicals. For water pollution control and the evaluation of water protection measures, it is crucial to screen for MCs. However, the selection and prioritization of which MCs to screen for is rather difficult and complex. Existing methods usually are strongly limited because of a lack of screening regulations or unavailability of required data.     

Peak to Mean Pollutant Concentration Ratios for Various Terrain and Vegetation Cover

Many of the new particle sizing instruments utilize light scattering principles to detect and size aerosolparticles. The sensitivity of such nstruments is quite good, although extensive light shielding and focusingmethods must be used. A visible He-Ne gas laser cavity with its low gain is very sensitive to disturbances in its optical cavity and so may provide a new particle sizing approach.