Strategies for determining soil-loss tolerance

Excessive soil losses due to erosion or lateral displacement by machinery impair productivity. Some soil loss is tolerable, but not so much that plant productivity diminishes. Thus productivity is the dominant concern in determining soil-loss tolerance. The effects of soil loss on productivity, however, are difficult to determine. Therefore, two alternatives are discussed for determining the limits of soil loss, or soil-loss tolerance. These alternatives are the maintenance of soil organic matter and, for shallow and moderately deep soils, the maintenance of soil depth. They are not new strategies, but our rapidly increasing knowledge of the dynamics of soil organic matter and the rates of soil formation from bedrock or consolidated sediments warrants the reconsideration of these alternatives. Reductions in either soil organic matter or the depth of shallow or moderately deep soils will lead to declining productivity. Soil organic matter, considered to be a surrogate for productivity, is much easier to monitor than is productivity. Also, there are many computer models for predicting the effects of management on soil organic matter. Recently compiled data on rates of soil formation suggest that soil losses of 1 t/a (2.24 Mg/ha yr) are greater than the rate of replenishment by the weathering of lithic or paralithic material in all but very wet climates.     

Efficient and resilient governance of social–ecological systems

New institutions are critically needed to improve the resilience of social–ecological systems globally. Watershed management offers an important model due to its ability to govern mixed-ownership landscapes through common property regimes, translating national goals into local action. Here, I assess the efficacy of state watershed management institutions in the Pacific Northwest, based on their ability to support local watershed groups. I use document analysis to describe and compare state institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Results indicate that state institutional efficiency and resilience are the key factors determining watershed group activity and stability. The primary drivers of institutional efficiency and resilience were institutional unification, robust funding portfolios, low agency conflict, and strong support for economic multiplier effects, creative partnerships, and scholarly research. My findings elucidate the critical role of institutional efficiency and resilience in governing dynamic and complex social–ecological systems, enabling the flexibility to address emergent transformations.     

Ecological modelling of nitrate pollution in small river basins by spreadsheets and GIS

With the increasing importance and awareness of water quality in the small basins, the modelling system is developed for monitoring and predictions of surface water pollution. The compartment model deals with basin characteristics extended by land cover attributes. The parameters of the model are estimated by experimental data of water quality together with land cover types that serve as nutrient detention media or transformers. The study examines methodology to determine the potential areas of nitrate pollution from point and non-point sources by remote sensing techniques. Classification of water, agricultural, forest and urban areas is processed with satellite images (LANDSAT 7). Whereas the agricultural and urban areas act as sources of pollution, forest zones operate as sinks. The nitrate levels are decreased downstream, if the proportion of the forest inside contribution zones increases. The modelling system is used to simulate amounts of nitrates in each compartment of the stream during the monitored period of one year. The number of compartments and their lengths are estimated on the basis of morphology of the basin. Simulation of the dynamic model is carried out with the TabSim. Geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing tools are used to manage and estimate nitrate inflows from point and non-point sources of pollution. The article presents the spatial and time variation of the nitrate (NO₃⁻) within the basin of the stream Rakovnický (the west part of Bohemia, the whole area of 368 km²). It is shown that the model approach extended by the GIS and remote sensing can support decision-making process for better management practices in the basins.     

西北地区种植业需水分析——以泾河流域为例

采用面积定额法估算泾河流域31个县的农作物需水量,从农作物需水结构着手,探讨农业用水存在的问题。结果表明,泾河流域农作物需水量总计740 543.20万m3,农作物需水占总需水量的比例较高,为41.58%。粮食作物需水定额较经济作物高;就具体作物而言,菜、瓜类、水稻、棉花等需水定额较高,向日葵、薯类、胡麻等较低。各县(区)单位面积需水量差异较大,平均值为4 583 m3.hm-2;泾阳县最高,为5 682 m3.hm-2,定边县最低,为4 022 m3.hm-2。由于事先设定大多数作物的需水定额不随县(区)的改变而改变,因此需水量与作物结构密切相关。农业用水浪费严重,使泾河流域农作物实际用水量远高于需水量的理论计算值。为此,提出合理利用泾河流域农业水土资源的4项对策:调整种植业结构;多角度实施农业节水;完善农业水土资源优化配置定量方法;退耕还林还草,发展生态林牧业。     

Variations of denitrification in a farming catchment area

We measured denitrification at 15 sites during 1 year in a agricultural catchment in Brittany, France. Our objective was to assess the relative importance of heterotrophic denitrification on the fate of excess nitrogen at the catchment scale, and to quantify the relative importance of riparian areas on the N₂O emissions. Using the C₂H₂ inhibition technique, denitrification rate on soil core and denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) were each determined, for samples taken from two soil layers: 0–20 and 20–40 cm. Denitrification rates, ranging from 0 to 417 mg N m⁻² d⁻¹, were significantly higher in riparian areas than for hillslopes (median of 24.87 against 10.38 mg N m⁻² d⁻¹). However, since denitrification rates are significant in the hillslope and given that hillslope surface area is much greater (79% of catchment surface), this domain could be responsible for half of the overall denitrified nitrogen (N). Also, the 20–40 cm deep soil layer was found to account for more than 46% of the denitrification. The DEA indicates the potential for denitrifying activity by the soil under non-limiting conditions, measured values ranged from 76.48 to 530.63 ng N g⁻¹ dry soil h⁻¹. The ratio N₂O/(N₂O + N₂) was about 60% with no clear spatial or temporal trends. Soil moisture appeared to be the main limiting factor for denitrification at the field scale. The results suggest that, for this catchment, denitrification is a major route for nitrogen removal, but a significant proportion of this removal occurs as N₂O.     

洪湖、梁子湖水体富营养化研究

2015年3月对洪湖、梁子湖进行了水质监测。依据实测数据,结合洪湖湿地自然保护区和梁子湖林业局监测数据和文献数据,采用综合营养状态指数法对洪湖、梁子湖的富营养化状态进行评价;并根据各因子在综合营养状态指数中所占比重和地表水水质标准,对各因子做了比较。结果表明:洪湖、梁子湖综合营养状态指数分别为57.2、42.5。即洪湖为轻度富营养、梁子湖为中营养;各因子对洪湖、梁子湖富营养化的贡献大致相同,即Chla为首,TP、COD_(Mn)和SD次之、TN最后。     

梁子湖沉积物营养盐的空间分布特征及其污染评价

采集梁子湖柱状沉积物,分析其硝氮、亚硝氮、氨氮、总氮和总磷的空间分布特征,并评价其污染程度.结果表明:梁子湖表层沉积物(0~5 cm)总氮、总磷、氨氮、硝氮、亚硝氮的含量范围依次为598~1372 mg·kg~(-1)、323~804 mg·kg~(-1)、60.7~142 mg·kg~(-1)、4.16~31.6 mg·kg~(-1)和0.001~2.29 mg·kg~(-1).湖心区营养盐含量较低,湖区西部营养盐含量高于湖区东南部.人类活动和污染物输入强度对梁子湖表层沉积物营养盐的空间分布特征有较大影响.沉积物硝氮、亚硝氮含量从深层到浅层递增,在2~3 cm处达到峰值,这表明梁子湖流域在该沉积时期的营养物污染较为严重.沉积物5~10 cm深度的氨氮含量为各深度中的最高值,但因水生生物对氨氮的优先吸收作用,其含量均在150 mg·kg~(-1)以下.同一区域的沉积物总氮、总磷含量的垂向变化特征相似,来自地壳释放的磷使得总磷含量的垂向波动幅度远大于总氮,这揭示了梁子湖沉积物中氮、磷的富集很可能来自同源污染物.该流域发达的水产养殖业是导致沉积物中氮、磷富集的原因之一.表层沉积物总氮和总磷的标准指数变化范围分别为1.09~2.49和0.54~1.34,梁子湖环境质量受到氮素的影响更为严重.湖区表层沉积物总氮、总磷的含量范围分别为598~1372 mg·kg~(-1)和323~804 mg·kg~(-1),均已超出我国东部浅水湖泊沉积物的营养物阈值参考范围,对湖泊生态系统构成了一定的威胁,需要格外关注.     

石盘丘小流域不同土地利用方式下土壤氮磷流失形态及通量

为了解三峡库区小流域不同土地利用方式下土壤氮、磷流失特征,为农业非点源污染防控提供科学依据;采用田间试验的方法,研究了三峡库区石盘丘小流域水田、旱坡地、林地、柑橘园和菜地这5种土地利用方式下地表径流不同形态氮、磷流失浓度与通量的特征.结果表明：全氮流失通量的顺序为水田[17.73 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 柑橘园[4.86 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 旱坡地[4.33 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 菜地[4.00 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 林地[2.41 kg·（hm²·a）^-1];全磷流失通量的顺序为菜地[4.97 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 柑橘园[1.87 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 水田[0.93 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 林地[0.27 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 旱坡地[0.19 kg·（hm²·a）^-1];5种土地利用方式下氮、磷流失主要集中在降雨频繁的4~5月,占全年氮、磷流失总负荷的53.80%~96.52%和56.03%~87.78%;氮流失主要以硝态氮（16.16%~52.70%）的形态流失,全氮流失通量与径流量呈现出显著正相关关系（R²=0.9826）;在菜地中颗粒磷是磷流失的主要形态（83.30%）,但在其他土地利用方式中表现不显著.不同土地利用方式下不同形态氮、磷流失存在显著差异,其中菜地应针对强降雨情况下颗粒磷流失的问题采取措施,水田应避免在降雨集中时期施肥;科学施肥和合理地土地利用方式配置是治理小流域农业非点源污染的重要途径.