Streamwater phosphorus and nitrogen across a gradient in rural–agricultural land use intensity

This paper provides an overview of the impacts of rural land use on lowland streamwater phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and P loads and sources in lowland streams. Based on weekly water quality monitoring, the impacts of agriculture on streamwater P and N hydrochemistry were examined along a gradient of rural–agricultural land use, by monitoring three sets of ‘paired’ (near-adjacent) rural headwater streams, draining catchments which are representative of the major geology, soil types and rural/agricultural land use types of large areas of lowland Britain. The magnitude and timing of P and N inputs were assessed and the load apportionment model (LAM) was applied to quantify ‘continuous’ (point) source and ‘flow-dependent’ (diffuse) source contributions of P to these headwater streams. The results show that intensive arable farming had only a comparatively small impact on streamwater total phosphorus (TP loads), with highly consistent stream diffuse-source TP yields of ca. 0.5 kg-P ha^?1 year^?1 for the predominantly arable catchments with both clay and loam soils, compared with 0.4 kg-P ha^?1 year^?1 for low agricultural intensity grassland/woodland on similar soil types. In contrast, intensive livestock farming on heavy clay soils resulted in dramatically higher stream diffuse-source TP yields of 2 kg-P ha^?1 year^?1. The streamwater hydrochemistry of the livestock-dominated catchment was characterised by high concentrations of organic P, C and N fractions, associated with manure and slurry sources. Across the study sites, the impacts of human settlement were clearly identifiable with effluent inputs from septic tanks and sewage treatment works resulting in large-scale increases in soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) loads and concentrations. At sites heavily impacted by rural settlements, SRP concentrations under baseflow conditions reached several hundred μg-P L^?1. Load apportionment modelling demonstrated significant ‘point-source’ P inputs to the streams even where there were no sewage treatment works within the upstream catchment. This indicates that, even in sparsely populated rural headwater catchments, small settlements and even isolated groups of houses are sufficient to cause significant nutrient pollution and that septic tank systems serving these rural communities are actually operating as multiple point sources, rather than a diffuse input.     

Prediction of flange wrinkling in deep drawing process using bifurcation criterion

Surface distortions in the form of wrinkles are often observed in sheet metals during stamping and other forming operations. Because of the trend in recent years towards thinner, higher-strength sheet metals, wrinkling is increasingly becoming a more common and troublesome mode of failure in sheet metal forming. The prediction and prevention of wrinkling during a sheet forming process are important issues for the design of part geometry and processing parameters. This paper treats the phenomenon of flange wrinkling as a bifurcated solution of the equations governing the deep drawing problem when the flat position of the flange becomes unstable. Hill’s bifurcation criterion is used to predict the onset of flange wrinkling in circular and square cup drawing. In particular, the maximum cup height that can be drawn without the onset of flange wrinkling is predicted for the given set of process parameters. A parametric study of the maximum cup height is also carried out with respect to various geometric, material and process parameters. Finite element formulation, based on the updated Lagrangian approach, is employed for the analysis. The incremental logarithmic strain measure, which allows the use of a large incremental deformation, is used. The stresses are updated in a material frame. The material is assumed to be elastic–plastic, strain hardening, yielding according to an anisotropic yield criterion of Barlat et al. (2005) [23] (named as Yld2004-18p). Isotropic power law hardening is assumed. Inertia forces are neglected due to small accelerations. Modified Newton–Raphson iterative technique is used to solve the nonlinear incremental equations.     

Evaluating the e ects of granular and membrane filtrations on chlorine demand in drinking water

In this study, chlorine decay experiments were conducted for the raw water from Nakdong River that is treated by Chilseo Water Treatment Plant (CWTP) situated in Haman, Korea as well as the e uents from sand and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters of CWTP and fitted using a chlorine decay model. The model estimated the fast and slow reacting nitrogenous as well as organic/inorganic compounds that were present in the water. It was found that the chlorine demand due to fast and slow reacting (FRA and SRA) organic/inorganic substances was not reduced significantly by sand as well as GAC filters. However, the treated e uents from those filters contained FRA and SRA that are less reactive and had small reaction rate constants. For the e uents from microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration the chlorine demand because FRA and SRA were further reduced but the reaction rate constants were larger compared to those of sand and GAC filter e uents. This has implications in the formation of disinfection by products (DBPs). If DBPs are assumed to form due to the interactions between chlorine and SRA, then it is possible that the DBP formation potential in the e uents from membrane filtrations could be higher than that in the e uents from granular media filters.     

Soil microbial response to herbicides applied to glyphosate-resistant canola

Adoption of glyphosate-resistant canola (Brassica napus L.) has increased glyphosate applications to this crop, and concerns have been raised about unintended consequences of these multiple applications. A field trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of pre-seed and in-crop glyphosate and alternative herbicides on soil microbial community functional structure, diversity and biomass. Pre-seed treatments were 2,4-D, glyphosate and 2,4-D + glyphosate, and in-crop treatments were glyphosate applied once, glyphosate applied twice, ethalfluralin, ethalfluralin + sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron + clopyralid, and sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron. Rhizosphere and bulk soil was collected at flowering stage of canola and analyzed for bacterial community-level substrate utilization patterns and microbial biomass C (MBC). Where differences were significant, pre-seed application of both 2,4-D and glyphosate altered the functional structure and reduced the functional diversity of soil bacteria, but increased MBC. These effects were not necessarily concurrent. The reduction in functional diversity was due to reduction in evenness, which means that the soil where both pre-seed herbicides had been applied was dominated by only few functional groups. In 1 year, two in-crop applications of glyphosate also reduced the functional diversity of soil bacteria when applied after pre-seed 2,4-D, as did in-crop sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron following pre-seed glyphosate. Even though significant differences between herbicides were fewer than non-significant differences, i.e., there were no changes in soil microbial community structure, diversity or biomass in response to glyphosate or alternative herbicides applied to glyphosate-resistant canola in most cases, the observed changes in soil microbial communities could affect soil food webs and biological processes.     

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.     

European scale application of atmospheric reactive nitrogen measurements in a low-cost approach to infer dry deposition fluxes

A European scale network was established in 2006 as part of the NitroEurope Integrated Project to infer reactive nitrogen (Nr) dry deposition fluxes, based on low-cost sampling of gaseous and aerosol species and inferential modelling. The network provides monthly measurements of NH₃, NH₄⁺, HNO₃ and NO₃⁻, as well as SO₂, SO₄²⁻, HCl, Cl⁻ and base cations at 58 sites. Measurements are made with an established low-cost denuder methodology (DELTA) as a basis to: (1) examine temporal trends and spatial patterns across Europe, (2) improve and calibrate inferential modelling techniques to estimate exchange of Nr species, (3) provide best estimates of atmospheric dry N deposition, and (4) permit an analysis of net GHG exchange in relation to atmospheric and agricultural N inputs at the European scale. Responsibility for measurements is shared among seven European laboratories. An inter-comparison of the DELTA implementation by 6 laboratories at 4 test sites (Montelibretti, Italy; Braunschweig, Germany; Paterna, Spain and Auchencorth, UK) from July to October 2006 provided training for the laboratories and showed that good agreement was achieved in different climatic conditions (87% of laboratory site-means within 20% of the inter-laboratory median). Results obtained from the first year of measurements show substantial spatial variability in atmospheric Nr concentrations, illustrating the major local (NH₃) and regional (HNO₃, NO₃⁻, and NH₄⁺) differences in Nr concentrations. These results provide the basis to develop future estimates of site-based Nr dry deposition fluxes across Europe, and highlight the role of NH₃, largely of agricultural origin, which was the largest single constituent and will dominate dry Nr fluxes at most sites.     

Vertebrate diet decreases winter torpor use in a desert marsupial

One of the energetic benefits of daily torpor over prolonged hibernation is that it enables animals to regularly forage and, therefore, replenish food reserves between bouts of torpor. However, little is known about the diet of predators undergoing torpor or whether differences in prey composition among individuals influence torpor characteristics. Here, we test the hypothesis that prey composition affects winter torpor use and patterns of a population of carnivorous marsupial, the brush-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus blythi), in the Great Sandy Desert, Australia. Mulgaras in the study population captured a wide range of prey including vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, birds), seven insect orders, spiders and centipedes. The proportion of vertebrates in the diet was negatively correlated with both frequency of torpor use and maximum bout duration. This variation in torpor use with diet can be explained by the higher energetic content of vertebrates as well as their larger size. Even assuming uniform intake of prey biomass among individuals, those that subsisted on an invertebrate-dominated diet during winter apparently suffered energetic shortages as a result of the scarcity of invertebrate taxa with high energy content (such as insect larvae). Our study is the first to demonstrate a link between diet composition and daily torpor use in a free-ranging mammal.     

Changes in functional structure of soil bacterial communities due to fungicide and insecticide applications in canola

The fungicide vinclozolin and insecticide λ-cyhalothrin are widely used to control canola (Brassica spp.) diseases and insect pests, respectively, in Canada. We investigated non-target effects of these pesticides, applied at recommended rates, on soil microbial biomass, functional bacterial diversity and functional community structure of soil bacteria (by evaluating patterns of C substrate utilization) in canola rhizosphere and bulk soil at three locations in Alberta from 2002 to 2004. Experimental treatments were (a) untreated control, (b) vinclozolin fungicide foliar application, (c) λ-cyhalothrin insecticide foliar application, and (d) vinclozolin and λ-cyhalothrin applications. No significant pesticide effects on soil microbial biomass or functional bacterial diversity were observed, but the functional structures of soil bacteria were altered. In 1 of 12 cases, the control treatment had a different soil bacterial community structure from the 3 pesticide treatments. The fungicide treatment had different bacterial community structures from the control or insecticide treatments in 3 of 12 cases, the insecticide treatment had different community structures from the control or fungicide treatments in 4 of 12 cases, and the combined fungicide and insecticide treatment had different community structures from the other treatments in 3 of 12 cases. Therefore, evaluating soil bacterial functional structures revealed pesticide effects that were not detected when bacterial diversity or microbial biomass were measured in canola rhizosphere or bulk soil.     

Tradeoffs,synergies and traps among ecosystem services in the Lake Victoria basin of East Africa

Lake Victoria is a crucial ecosystem for over 25 million people in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi who live in the basin, and for the greater Nile river system downstream of the lake. Ecosystem management in the Lake Victoria basin has been highly extractive for most of the last 60 years, with the 1990s a period of marked decline in food production, economic contraction, rising poverty, increased burden of human disease, and more frequent floods. Lake Victoria itself is becoming eutrophic, with related problems of species extinctions and invasive species. There is evidence of poverty–environment traps: some households and areas appear to be caught in vicious cycles of low income, low investment in soil management, declines in soil fertility, and soil loss, while other households and areas are able to achieve higher incomes and investments, maintain soil fertility, and conserve soil on their farms.Concepts and approaches from the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) were applied in a study of ecosystem service tradeoffs, synergies and traps in two of the river basins that flow into Lake Victoria from Kenya (Yala and Nyando). Hydrologic units are the main geographic unit used in the analysis, with predictions of sediment yield serving as the main measure of regulating services. Provisioning services are evaluated through a spatially disaggregated analysis of agricultural production, yield and area that combines spatial data from aerial photographs with division-level price and yield estimates.The results illustrate considerable year-to-year variation in land use, agricultural production and sediment yield in the two basins. While overall production appears to be relatively stable at the basin level, there have been shifts in the geographic locus of production toward the upper parts of both basins. A spatial overlay of production and sediment yield indicates that different parts of the basins exhibit tradeoffs, synergies and traps. Results from this study have multiple uses in rural planning, agricultural investment, and watershed management. The results also suggest that the poverty traps conceptual framework may help to enrich the interpretative content of the MA approach.     

Experimental investigation of open core downdraft biomass gasifier for food processing industry

This paper deals with field related experience of a low temperature industrial heat application through biomass gasification. The gasification system is essentially consists of an open top down draft reactor lined with ceramic. The experiment reveals that 6.5 kg of liquefy petroleum gas (LPG) is fully replaced by 38 kg of sized wood on hourly basis. The maximum temperature attained was 367°C in 130 min at 100.7 Nm³ h⁻¹ gas flow rate. This system has resulted a saving of about 19.5 tons of LPG over 3,000 h of operation, implying a saving of about 33 tons of CO₂ emission, thus a promising candidate for clean development mechanism. Fuel economic analysis of gasifier system showed that the saving was about 13,850 US$ for 3,000 h of baking operation.