Rice mill waste as organic manure on a degraded Alfisol

In much of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the lack of organic soil amendments constitutes one of the principal causes for declining soil fertility in intensifying farming systems. The challenge, therefore, remains to increase the availability of organic inputs and to develop recommendations for their combination with inorganic fertilizers. An on-farm experiment was conducted in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria to evaluate the fertilizer effect of rice (Oryza sativa L.) mill waste (RMW) on a degraded Alfisol. The decomposition and nutrient (N and P) release patterns of RMW were studied using the litterbag technique, and the effect on maize yield and soil properties was determined. The RMW was applied at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 15 Mg DM ha⁻¹ and was applied either unburnt or burnt (farmers’ practice). In both years, compound fertilizer was broadcast during land preparation on all plots at rates of 40 kg N ha⁻¹, 17 kg P ha⁻¹, and 33 kg K ha⁻¹.Results obtained in the litterbag study showed that, at maize harvest, more than 90% of the P had been released from the decomposing RMW. However, around 60% of the organic C and 45% of the N still remained. Compared to the control treatment (0 Mg ha⁻¹ RMW), which yielded 0.55 Mg ha⁻¹, maize (Zea mays L.) grain yields were increased by 95% when 10 Mg ha⁻¹ of unburnt RMW was applied, and by 147% with 15 Mg ha⁻¹ (mean of 2 years). In contrast, burnt RMW did not result in significant yield increases. The cumulative application of 30 Mg ha⁻¹ of unburnt RMW significantly increased the soil organic carbon in the surface soil from 0.7% (0 Mg ha⁻¹ RMW) to 1.3%.The results of this investigation indicate that RMW constitutes a valuable organic input in the Guinea savanna if applied unburnt at rates of 10–15 Mg ha⁻¹ in combination with inorganic fertilizer. The repeated application of unburnt RMW may contribute to the rehabilitation of degraded soils through the buildup of soil organic matter.     

新疆康古尔-黄山对接碰撞带的存在、成矿模式及成矿预测

据地层及其时代、岩相古地理、基性 -超基性岩及蛇绿岩套、花岗岩类、古生物地理区系、古地磁、地球物理、遥感影像及韧性变形变质带等系统分析研究 ,表明康古尔塔格 -黄山深断裂带为晚古生代双向俯冲对接碰撞带。其南为塔里木板块 ,早古生代为库都克阿奇克 -沙泉子俯冲带 ;泥盆纪北移至康古尔塔格 -黄山一带 ,经泥盆 -石炭纪拉张、双向俯冲、对接碰撞 ,二叠纪固结 -裂解演化 ,两者间为觉罗塔格岛弧增生带 ;其北为哈萨克斯坦 -准噶尔板块南缘大南湖岛弧带 ;有基性 -超基性岩、火山岩和中酸性斑 (玢 )岩及铜镍、金和铜钼矿分布 ,中酸性斑 (玢 )岩及铜钼矿呈对称分布 ,进而建立区域构造 -岩浆 -成矿模式 ,进行战略性和战术性成矿预测。千万吨资源量的赤湖 -土屋斑岩型Cu、Mo(Ag)矿的发现 ,验证了这种模式和预测的正确性。对地质构造研究及找矿有重要意义。     

Detecting Population Declines over Large Areas with Presence-Absence, Time-to-Encounter, and Count Survey Methods

Abstract:  Ecologists often discount presence-absence surveys as a poor way to gain insight into population dynamics, in part because these surveys are not amenable to many standard statistical tests. Still, presence-absence surveys are sometimes the only feasible alternative for monitoring large areas when funds are limited, especially for sparse or difficult-to-detect species. I undertook a detailed simulation study to compare the power of presence-absence, count, and time-to-encounter surveys to detect regional declines in a population. I used a modeling approach that simulates both population numbers and the monitoring process, accounting for observation and other measurement errors. In gauging the efficacy of presence-absence surveys versus other approaches, I varied the number of survey sites, the spatial variation in encounter rate, the mean encounter rate, and the type of population loss. My results showed that presence-absence data can be as or more powerful than count data in many cases. Quantitative guidelines for choosing between presence-absence surveys and count surveys depend on the biological and logistical constraints governing a conservation monitoring situation. Generally, presence-absence surveys work best when there is little variability in abundance among the survey sites, the organism is rare, and the species is difficult to detect so that the time spent getting to each survey site is less than or equal to the time spent surveying each site. Count surveys work best otherwise. I present a case study with count data on the Northern Flicker ( Colaptes auratus ) from the North American Breeding Bird Survey to illustrate how the method might be used with field-survey data. The case study demonstrates that a count survey would be the most cost-effective design but would entail reduction in the number of sites. If this site reduction is not desirable, a presence-absence survey would be the most cost-effective survey.     

Differential timing of spring migration in northern wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe: hurried males or weak females?

In a field experiment on the island of Helgoland (southeast North Sea), we investigated whether migration strategy or competition between the sexes cause the differential timing of spring migration of male and female northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) (males migrating earlier). The study included two subspecies, heading towards Greenland/Iceland and Scandinavia, respectively, and is based on colour-ringing and remote weighing of individuals. Despite food offered ad libitum, most Scandinavian birds left the island on the day of arrival or stayed only 1–3 days, whereas more than half of Greenlandic/Icelandic birds stayed for up to 12 days and refuelled rapidly. In the latter subspecies, males showed a positive correlation of departure fuel load and fuel deposition rate, resembling time-minimizers in optimal migration theory. In contrast, females departed irrespective of fuel deposition rate, with an approximately constant level of fuel stores. This level was lower than in males, but sufficient to enable by-passing of stopover sites en route, allowing us to regard females as time-minimizers also. Since females are not able to reach Greenland without additional refuelling elsewhere and males appeared to have a larger potential for by-passing stopover sites, time-selection seems to be more pronounced in males and may be the reason for earlier migration of males. Intraspecific aggressive interactions between colour-ringed birds were predominantly won by the initiator, by males and by larger birds, whereas fuel load and subspecies did not affect the outcome. Although compared to females, males were more often dominant at the feeding stations or held territories, refuelling patterns could not be explained by dominance. Subordinate or non-territorial birds did not refuel at a lower rate or depart with lower fuel loads than dominant or territorial birds. In non-territorial birds, the restricted access to feeding stations was made up with larger doses of food taken per visit, leading to the same energy intake as that of dominant and territorial birds. Therefore, competition during stopover could be eliminated as the reason for differential timing of migration of male and female wheatears, but this result may be species-specific.Communicated by W. Wiltschko     

环境胁迫和乙烯对番茄PR-NP24基因表达的影响

根据已报道的番茄PR-NP24基因序列设计引物,经PCR克隆出长为477bp的番茄PR-NP24基因片段,以该片段制备探针,采用Northern杂交技术对该基因在番茄(WT)和乙烯反应突变体番茄(Nr,rin,T4B-11)中的表达进行了研究.杂交结果表明,该基因主要在果实和根部表达,伤害抑制WT、Nr番茄叶片中该基因的表达,而对rin番茄叶片无明显影响;干旱、淹水等环境胁迫和乙烯均能不同程度地诱导其表达,而在不同温度下,PR-NP24基因表达变化不大.图7参13     

新疆乌恰地区中新生代盆地寻找热卤水成因的超大型铅锌矿床的地球化学证据

采用微量元素地球化学方法 ,系统研究了新疆乌恰中新生代沉积盆地的成矿地球化学背景、区域化探异常特征、成矿过程中元素的再分配特征等 ,认为“三色”岩层和富含Pb、Zn、Ag、Cu、Sr等成矿及伴生元素的基底是形成热卤水成因的大型—超大型铅锌矿床的物质前提。成矿过程中微量元素的再分配特征更进一步证实了本区存在大规模的热卤水活动。与金顶铅锌矿床对比 ,二者的基底都富含金属元素 ,矿石物质组分和成矿元素相同、水系沉积物异常的元素组合类似。这些特征是本区寻找热卤水成因的大型—超大型铅锌矿床的十分重要的地球化学证据。乌拉根铅锌矿床和新发现的铅锌矿化点 (带 )均有规模大、强度高的Pb、Zn、Sr组合异常与之对应 ,预示本区有良好的找矿前景     

浅议新疆环境污染治理的经济机制

阐述了环境污染产生的经济原团，说明了“外部不经济性”是产生环境问题的重要经济根源，指出新疆现行的环境污染治理中所采用经济手段的不足，提出了进一步完善环境保护经济机制的措施建议。     

Overestimation of Fire Risk in the Northern Spotted Owl Recovery Plan

Abstract:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's recent recovery plan for one of the most carefully watched threatened species worldwide, the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), recommended a major departure in conservation strategies in the northwestern United States. Due to concern about fire, the plan would switch from a reserve to a no-reserve strategy in up to 52% of the owl's range. Fuel treatments (e.g., thinning) at regular intervals also would occur on up to 65–70% of dry forests in this area. Estimations of fire risk, however, were based on less than a decade of data and an anecdotal assessment of a single, large fire. We found that decadal data are inherently too short, given infrequent large fires, to accurately predict fire risk and trends. Rates of high-severity fire, based on remote-sensing data, are far lower than reported in the plan and in comparison with the rate of old-forest recruitment. In addition, over a 22-year period, there has been no increase in the proportion of high-severity fire. Our findings refute the key conclusions of the plan that are the basis for major changes in conservation strategies for the Spotted Owl. The best available science is needed to address these strategies in an adaptive-management framework. From the standpoint of fire risk, there appears to be ample time for research on fire and proposed treatment effects on Spotted Owls before designing extensive management actions or eliminating reserves.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation pattern and postglacial history of the Siberian larch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix sibirica</Emphasis> Ledeb.)

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation has been studied in populations of the Siberian larch with the use of five PCR-based markers characterizing 29 haplotypes. The studied populations from the main parts of the Siberian larch range belong to several geographically isolated groups with their specific sets of haplotypes, which have probably originated from separate refugia for forest vegetation of the last glacial maximum. Conclusions concerning the possible location of these refugia and the ways and pattern of the postglacial recolonization of the recent Siberian larch range are drawn. The spatial distribution of haplotypes within individual populations is nonrandom. The typical size of the area occupied by a group of plants with the same haplotype is 50–100 m across.