Spatially Disaggregated Inventories of Soil NO and N2O Emissions for Great Britain

Estimates of soil N₂O and NOemissions at regional and country scales arehighly uncertain, because the most widely usedmethodologies are based on few data, they do notinclude all sources and do not account forspatial and seasonal variability. To improveunderstanding of the spatial distribution of soilNO and N₂O emissions we have developedsimple multi-linear regression models based onpublished field studies from temperate climates.The models were applied to create spatialinventories at the 5 km² scale of soil NOand N₂O emissions for Great Britain. The N₂O regression model described soilN₂O emissions as a function of soil N input,soil water content, soil temperature and land useand provided an annual N₂O emission of 128 kt N₂O-N yr^-1. Emission rates largerthan 12 kg N₂O-N ha^-1 yr^-1 werecalculated for the high rainfall grassland areasin the west of Great Britain.Soil NO emissions were calculated using tworegression models, which described NO emissionsas a function of soil N input with and without afunction for the water filled pore space. Thetotal annual emissions from both methods, 66 and7 kt NO-N yr^-1, respectively, span the rangeof previous estimates for Great Britain.     

放牧对内蒙古草原温室气体排放的影响

静态箱-气相色谱法用于测定内蒙古典型草原温室气体排放.禁牧草原及放牧草原吸收CH₄、排放N₂O和CO₂各自有其相对固定的季节变化形式,草原和大气交换温室气体通量的季节变化形式主要受年度气候变化所控制,而土壤、植被类型、降雨量等禁牧因素和放牧强度等人为因素仅影响排放强度.与禁牧草原相比,自由放牧降低了羊草草原对CH4的吸收和对N₂O的排放,但大大增加了CO₂的排放量.随着放牧强度的增加,草原温室气体排放强度呈线性迅速增长.     

黄土高原半湿润区苜蓿草地土壤干层形成及氮素消耗研究

为掌握苜蓿连续种植多年土壤干层的形成规律及氮素的消耗规律,促进黄土高原地区苜蓿草地合理施肥及草田轮作,论文系统研究了3年、4年、6年、12年、14年、18年及26年生紫花苜蓿草地土壤干层及氮素的消耗。结果表明:黄土高原地区土壤干层可分为轻度干层（9~11%）、中度干层（7~9%）、重度干层（<7%）三级。荒地在80~100cm土层,出现轻度干层;苜蓿草地土壤干层出现的区域为140~600cm土层,随生长年限的延长,土壤干层厚度向下延伸,干化程度加剧,苜蓿生长至12年,出现中度干层,干层范围达到500cm土层。不同生长年限苜蓿草地土壤碱解氮含量呈现规律性的变化,即随土层深度的增加,碱解氮含量下降,300cm土层以下,变化趋势平缓;苜蓿生长至26年,0~200cm土壤上层的氮素有一定恢复,而200~1000cm深层土壤氮素难以恢复。研究表明,在黄土高原半湿润区紫花苜蓿生长6年以后,应对苜蓿草地进行合理施肥,实施粮草轮作,以维持土壤氮素平衡,持续提高土地生产力水平。     

Optimizing conservation in species-specific agricultural landscapes

Recovery of grassland birds in agricultural landscapes is a global imperative. Agricultural landscapes are complex, and the value of resource patches may vary substantially among species. The spatial extent at which landscape features affect populations (i.e., scale of effect) may also differ among species. There is a need for regional-scale conservation planning that considers landscape-scale and species-specific responses of grassland birds to environmental change. We developed a spatially explicit approach to optimizing grassland conservation in the context of species-specific landscapes and prioritization of species recovery and applied it to a conservation program in Kentucky (USA). We used a hierarchical distance-sampling model with an embedded scale of effect predictor to estimate the relationship between landscape structure and abundance of eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), and northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). We used a novel spatially explicit optimization procedure rooted in multi-attribute utility theory to design alternative conservation strategies (e.g., prioritize only northern bobwhite recovery or assign equal weight to each species’ recovery). Eastern meadowlarks and field sparrows were more likely to respond to landscape-scale resource patch adjacencies than landscape-scale patch densities. Northern bobwhite responded to both landscape-scale resource patch adjacencies and densities and responded strongly to increased grassland density. Effects of landscape features on local abundance decreased as distance increased and had negligible influence at 0.8 km for eastern meadowlarks (0.7–1.2 km 95% Bayesian credibility intervals [BCI]), 2.5 km for field sparrows (1.5–5.8 km 95% BCI), and 8.4 km for bobwhite (6.4–26 km 95% BCI). Northern bobwhites were predicted to benefit greatly from future grassland conservation regardless of conservation priorities, but eastern meadowlark and field sparrow were not. Our results suggest similar species can respond differently to broad-scale conservation practices because of species-specific, distance-dependent relationships with landscape structure. Our framework is quantitative, conceptually simple, customizable, and predictive and can be used to optimize conservation in heterogeneous ecosystems while considering landscape-scale processes and explicit prioritization of species recovery.     

Effects of Wind Energy Development on Nesting Ecology of Greater Prairie‐Chickens in Fragmented Grasslands

Wind energy is targeted to meet 20% of U.S. energy needs by 2030, but new sites for development of renewable energy may overlap with important habitats of declining populations of grassland birds. Greater Prairie‐Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) are an obligate grassland bird species predicted to respond negatively to energy development. We used a modified before–after control–impact design to test for impacts of a wind energy development on the reproductive ecology of prairie‐chickens in a 5‐year study. We located 59 and 185 nests before and after development, respectively, of a 201 MW wind energy facility in Greater Prairie‐Chicken nesting habitat and assessed nest site selection and nest survival relative to proximity to wind energy infrastructure and habitat conditions. Proximity to turbines did not negatively affect nest site selection (β = 0.03, 95% CI = ?1.2–1.3) or nest survival (β = ?0.3, 95% CI = ?0.6–0.1). Instead, nest site selection and survival were strongly related to vegetative cover and other local conditions determined by management for cattle production. Integration of our project results with previous reports of behavioral avoidance of oil and gas facilities by other species of prairie grouse suggests new avenues for research to mitigate impacts of energy development. Efectos del Desarrollo de la Energía Eólica sobre la Ecología de Anidación de Gallinas de la Gran Pradera en Pastizales Fragmentados     

五台山不同退化程度亚高山草甸土壤微生物群落分类与功能多样性特征

土壤微生物在草地生态系统功能中发挥着重要作用,但其多样性对草地退化的响应尚未得到充分研究.采用宏基因组测序技术对五台山亚高山草甸4个不同退化阶段[未退化(ND)、轻度退化(LD)、中度退化(MD)和重度退化(HD)]土壤微生物分类和功能多样性特征及其影响因素进行分析.结果表明,4个不同退化阶段亚高山草甸之间放线菌门、拟杆菌门、硝化螺旋菌门和Parcubacteria的相对丰度存在显著差异(P<0.05).与ND草甸相比,退化草甸增加了与碳代谢、氨基酸生物合成、丙酮酸代谢、柠檬酸循环、丙酸代谢、丁酸代谢和脂肪酸代谢相关的基因比例,表明亚高山草甸退化改变了土壤微生物群落能量代谢和营养循环的潜力.草地退化改变了土壤微生物分类和功能α多样性,特别是MD和HD草甸中微生物功能多样性显著降低.亚高山草甸退化过程中土壤微生物物种分类和功能组成均显著变化(P<0.05).土壤总氮、pH值和有机质含量对微生物群落分类和功能组成具有显著影响.植物群落β多样性与微生物群落分类和功能β多样性显著相关(P<0.05),具有强耦合性.研究结果揭示了草地退化过程中地下微生物分类和功能多样性的变化及...     

Seasonal exports of phosphorus from intensively fertilised nested grassland catchments

We carried out a one year (2002) study of phosphorus (P) loss from soil to water in three nested grassland catchments with known P input in chemical fertilizer and animal liquid slurry applications. Chemical fertilizer was applied to the grasslands between March and September and animal slurry was applied over the twelve months. The annual chemical P fertilizer applications for the 17 and 211 ha catchments were 16.4 and 23.7 kg P/ha respectively and the annual slurry applications were 10.7 and 14.0 kg P/ha, respectively. The annual total phosphorus (TP) export in stream-flow was 2.61, 2.48 and 1.61 kg P/ha for the 17, 211 and 1524 ha catchments, respectively, compared with a maximum permissible (by regulation) annual export of ca. 0.35 kg P/ha. The export rate (ratio of P export to P in land applications) was 9.6% and 6.6% from the 17 and 211 ha catchments, respectively. On average, 70% of stream flow and 85% of the P export occurred during the five wet months (October to February) indicating that when precipitation is much greater than evaporation, the hydrological conditions are most favourable for P export. However the soil quality and land use history may vary the results. Particulate P made up 22%, 43% and 37% of the TP export at the 17, 211 and 1524 ha catchment areas, respectively. As the chemical fertilizer was spread during the grass growth months (March to September), it has less immediate impact on stream water quality than the slurry applications. We also show that as the catchment scale increases, the P concentrations and P export decrease, confirming dilution due to increasing rural catchment size. In the longer term, the excess P from fertilizer maintains high soil P levels, an antecedent condition favourable to P loss from soil to water. This study confirms the significant negative water quality impact of excess P applications, particularly liquid animal slurry applications in wet winter months. The findings suggest that restricted P application in wet months can largely reduce the P losses from soil to water.     

青海三江源地区退化草地土壤全氮的时空分异特征

在第二次土壤普查和2009、2010年实地采样的基础上,运用地统计学和GIS技术研究了青海三江源地区1980～2010年退化草地0～10 cm、10～30 cm、30～50 cm全氮的时空分异特征.结果表明,进行特异值处理后,两期的土壤全氮的均值都表现出从表层到底层下降的趋势.从同一土层对比来看:2010年的土壤全氮的含量平均值及变异系数比1980年低.经对数转换后两期数据符合正态分布,经过半方差函数模型的拟合得出,两期同一层次上的块金效应2010年都比1980年小,表示三江源地区各分层上全氮的空间分布的自相关性在加强,结构性因素对土壤全氮的空间分布起着越来越重要的作用.普通克里格插值结果表明,30年来三江源地区土壤全氮的含量变化存在地区差异,南部、中部、东部以递减为主,西部的部分地区以增加为主.     

Natural food resources bank in the form of forestry and grassland: Scenarios to ensure sustainable food security

An evaluation was conducted to establish the feasibility of a Natural Food Resources Bank (NFRB), in the form of forestry or grassland, to achieve both continuous food production and an accumulation of primary nutrients in living perennial plants. The development of an NFRB protects our living environment from deterioration (especially soil erosion) by increasing the surface coverage of the world's land, even in mountainous areas. Additionally a functioning NFRB enhances food sustainably and security, representing a tangible and renewable food resource production system. Research has identified the prospects of cultivating the NFRB in the form of forestry and also grassland. The review investigated the distinct differences of an NFRB from a range of approaches and discusses the environmental advantage and feasibility of cultivating NFRB. The ability of the NFRB to realize sustainable food resources production for ensuring food security is evaluated in terms of environmental and economical feasibility. A NFRB can attenuate climatic change by increasing CO₂ absorption and fixation. It is worth considering the replacement of the annual food production system by the NFRB (especially in steeplands) in environmental law, and replacing the policy of maintaining annual food reserves by the NFRB in food security policy.     

单次降水对高寒草地温室气体通量昼夜变化的影响研究

在全球变化背景下,青藏高原降水格局发生改变,并影响高寒草地温室气体排放.为了更好地认识降水变化与高寒草地温室气体排放的关系,在2015年7月24日,通过人工降水6.7 mm,研究了单次降水对高寒草地温室气体昼夜变化的影响.表明:(1)单次降水没有改变土壤温度,但显著增加了土壤湿度;(2)单次降水后24小时内,高寒草地CH4吸收量降低了2.46倍,CO2和N2 O排放量分别提高15.3%和98.9%;(3)单次降水弱化了高寒草地CH4和N2 O排放量与土壤温度的关系.