不同原料厌氧发酵及其微生物种群的研究

使用PCR-DGGE技术,对以鸡粪、猪粪、牛粪、秸秆为发酵原料的发酵体系的微生物群落多样性进行了研究.在发酵不同时间取样,进行了日产甲烷量、日产甲烷浓度的变化分析和DGGE分析.结果表明,日产甲烷量整体趋势为猪粪>鸡粪>秸秆>牛粪,日平均产甲烷量分别为2.67、2.24、0.99、0.49L;猪粪、鸡粪、秸秆的日产甲烷浓度在整个发酵周期大多可维持在50%以上,牛粪的日产甲烷浓度大部分时间低于30%;细菌的优势菌群有拟杆菌属(Bacteroidetes)、密螺旋体属(Treponema)、厌氧绳菌科(Anaerolineaceae)等,新增优势菌群有梭菌属(Clostridium)、脱硫叶菌属(Desulfobulbus)、毛螺旋菌科(Lachnospiraceae)、醋弧菌属(Acetivibrio);古菌的优势菌群有甲烷鬃菌属(Methanosaeta)、甲烷八叠球菌属(Methanosarcina)、甲烷八叠球菌目(Methanosarcinales),新增优势菌群有斯氏甲烷球菌属(Methanosphaera stadtmanae).     

猪粪及奶牛粪中温厌氧发酵对Cu和Zn的影响

以猪粪和奶牛粪为发酵原料,在中温〔(37±2)℃〕条件下采用完全混合式厌氧反应器进行了158 d的室内试验研究,分析厌氧发酵过程中Cu和Zn在沼液中质量浓度的变化及其在沼渣中的赋存形态. 结果表明:①猪粪沼液中ρ(TCu)和ρ(TZn)(TCu和TZn分别为总Cu和总Zn)随发酵时间的增加逐渐升高,而奶牛粪沼液中二者变幅不明显. ②整个发酵过程中,猪粪沼液中ρ(TCu)和ρ(TZn)的平均值极显著低于进料(P<0.001),降幅分别为80%和43%;而奶牛粪沼液中二者降幅分别仅为11%和13%. ③猪粪和奶牛粪沼液中ρ(溶解性Cu)占ρ(TCu)的53%和43%,与进料相比有小幅降低;而猪粪和奶牛粪沼液中ρ(溶解性Zn)占ρ(TZn)的35%和19%,极显著高于进料(P≤0.01),增幅分别为109%和37%. ④猪粪和奶牛粪沼渣中Cu主要以可氧化态存在,Zn主要以残渣态和酸溶态/可交换态存在. 中温厌氧发酵对猪粪和奶牛粪中溶解性Cu和Zn的削减效果有限,并且沼渣中残渣态Cu和Zn的减少可能增加二者的生物有效性,因此不利于农田的直接利用.      

制糖废水用于农田灌溉的效果研究

制糖废水富含适宜农作物生长的有机质及营养元素成分,可以作为农业的补充用水,并可以节约能源。节约化肥,提高作物产量,提高土壤肥力。从保护环境的角度看,这是一项极具推广价值和长远意义的工作。对废水用于农田灌溉的不良影响,可通过严格控制灌溉水质、结合作物需求采用合理科学的灌溉制度及灌溉技术等加以解决。     

Stable C and N isotope analysis elucidated the importance of zooplankton in a tropical seagrass bed of Santiago Island,Northwestern Philippines

The role of zooplankton in a tropical seagrass ecosystem was investigated in milkfish farms pollution-impacted and -unimpacted seagrass beds in Santiago Island coral reefs, Northwestern Philippines. The aim was to compare between the two sites: (1) abiotic factors and zooplankton community parameters, and (2) the trophic structure using C and N stable isotopes. Low water (98–119?mV) and sediment (–121 to ?138?mV) Oxidation Reduction Potential values indicated a reducing environment in the impacted site. Zooplankton in the impacted site showed the typical community response to eutrophication (low diversity, but high total abundance due to the dominance of the cyclopoid copepod Oithona oculata), generally few elevated δ¹⁵N values, but a significant shift towards depleted ¹³C due to the organic enrichment of fish-farm feeds. Apart from suggesting a highly complex food web with POM and zooplankton as main food sources in the unimpacted site, the Bayesian mixing model simulation generated reduced complexity in feeding interactions between basal sources, zooplankton, and fish including adults of a key fish species, Siganus fuscescens, in the impacted sites. In this study, C and N stable isotope analysis has clarified the importance of zooplankton as fish prey in a seagrass bed food web.     

广州市蔬菜地土壤-蔬菜中重金属Hg的含量及变化趋势

测定了95份土壤样品、94份水样以及292份蔬菜样品中汞的含量,探讨了广州市蔬菜地土壤-蔬菜中重金属Hg污染状况.发现蔬菜中的Hg含量与土壤中的Hg含量较为密切.广州市土壤、蔬菜中Hg的含量水平均比过去大幅度降低.蔬菜中Hg含量与其它城市比较,污染情况较轻,处于其它城市的中低水平.     

Consumer Attitudes Towards the Development of Animal-Friendly Husbandry Systems

Recent policy developments in the area of livestock husbandry have suggested that, from the perspective of optimizing animal welfare, new animal husbandry systems should be developed that provide opportunities for livestock animals to be raised in environments where they are permitted to engage in “natural behavior.” It is not known whether consumers regard animal husbandry issues as important, and whether they differentiate between animal husbandry and other animal welfare issues. The responsibility for the development of such systems is allocated jointly between farmers, regulators, different actors in the food chain, and consumers. This research focuses on understanding consumer attitudes and preferences regarding the development and introduction of such systems, to ensure that they are acceptable to consumers as well as producers, regulators, and scientists. Consumer perceptions of animal welfare and animal husbandry practices were evaluated using quantitative consumer survey, which focused on two animal husbandry issues – farmed pigs and farmed fish. Following pilot work, 1000 representative Dutch consumers were sampled about their attitudes to either pig or fish husbandry. The results indicated that consumers think about animal welfare in terms of two broad categories related to their health and living environment, but do not think about welfare issues at a more detailed level. Greater concern was expressed about the welfare of pigs compared to fish. Consumer trust in labeling also emerged as an important issue, since consumers need to trust different food chain actors with responsibility for promoting animal welfare, and are reluctant to consider the details of animal husbandry systems. As a consequence, a transparent, enforceable, and traceable monitoring system for animal welfare friendly products is likely to be important for consumers.     

COMPUTATION OF RUNOFF REDUCTION CAUSED BY FARM PONDS1

ABSTRACT: A two-parameter farm pond storage index, FPSI, was Used to adjust computed surface. runoff using the partial area runoff contribution resulting from runoff captured by farm ponds. The validity of the index method was tested by fitting a continuous accounting version of the Soil Conservation Service curve number procedure to surface runoff data from each of three watersheds, first with and then without the FPSI routine. Evapotranspiration computed with the Jensen-Haise method and rainfall were input to the model. A linear relationship was assumed between the storage index and the portion of the controlled drainage area that was contributing to runoff. Adjusting the computed runoff with the FPSI reduced the coefficient of variation of monthly measured versus computed surface runoff for each of the three watersheds. The correlation coefficients for the same comparisons were increased. The annual predicted surface runoff Was improved for 12 of the 17 station years of data tested. The farm pond storage index could be used with any surface runoff model to improve the prediction of runoff from watersheds with drainage areas greater than 1 square mile and with about 20 percent or more of the drainage area controlled by farm ponds.     

Impact of Animal Welfare on Costs and Viability of Pig Production in the UK

The European Union welfare standardsfor intensively kept pigs have steadilyincreased over the past few years and areproposed to continue in the future. It isimportant that the cost implications of thesechanges in welfare standards are assessed. Theaim of this study was to determine theprofitability of rearing pigs in a range ofhousing systems with different standards forpig welfare. Models were constructed tocalculate the cost of pig rearing (6–95 kg) in afully-slatted system (fulfilling minimum EUspace requirements, Directive 91630/EEC); apartly-slatted system; a high-welfare,straw-based system (complying with the UK-basedRoyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals, Freedom Food standards) and afree-range system. The models were also used toassess the consequences of potential increasesin space allowance, and to estimate the cost ofrearing pigs under organic standards.The cost of rearing pigs ranged from92.0 p/kg carcass weight (cw) and 94.6 p/kgcw forthe partly-slatted and fully-slatted systems,to 98.8 p/kgcw and 99.3 p/kgcw for the FreedomFood and free-range systems respectively. Whenspace allowance was increased by 60% to levelsin a recent proposal to revise pig welfareDirective (91/630/EEC), the rearing costs wereunchanged for the free-range system but rose by4.6 p/kgcw for the fully-slatted system. Rearingcosts under organic standards were 31% higherthan in the free-range system. These resultssuggest that improved pig welfare can beachieved with a modest increase in costAt present, price premiums received for meatproduced under high welfare systems in the UKoffset the higher costs of production in thesesystems. To ensure profitability in the longterm, it is important that these premiums aremaintained.     

MANAGEMENT AND POLICY EFFECTS ON POTENTIAL GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION FROM DAIRY WASTE1

ABSTRACT: A combined economic and water quality modeling framework was used to evaluate impacts of alternative policies and management practices on reducing nitrate movement to groundwater for dairy farms in Rockingham County, Virginia. The analysis considers three on-farm manure storage options, cost-sharing programs for purchasing manure storage facilities, restrictions on nitrogen application rates, and a tax on commercial fertilizer. The CREAMS model was used to estimate nitrate leaching from the crop root zone for various nutrient (and manure) management practices, based on timing and rate of manure and fertilizer applications. The mixed-integer programming economic model considers water quality, policy, and economic constraints in comparing the profitability of alternative cropping and nutrient management systems that reduce groundwater contamination potential. The study provides both the environmental and economic effects of better management of dairy waste.     

Volumetric assessment of airborne fungi in two sections of a rural indoor dairy cattle shed

There is increasing concern about the exposure to fungal aerosols in occupational environments and associated respiratory allergic diseases and asthma. A large number of people work in cattle sheds around the world, pulmonary function impairments and higher frequency of respiratory symptoms have been reported in dairy farmers; however, it appears that adequate information on the fungal aerosols from the cattle sheds are largely lacking. Volumetric assessment of airborne culturable and nonculturable fungal spores was performed in two sections of a large rural indoor cattle shed of West Bengal, India for 2 consecutive years. An Andersen Two Stage Viable Sampler was used for sampling culturable fungi and a Burkard Personal Slide Sampler was used to collect the total airborne fungal spores including both the culturable and nonculturable types. A total of 31 spore types and 35 types of viable colony-forming units were recorded. Average concentration range of total fungal spores was 233-2985/m(3) and concentration of viable colony-forming units ranged between 165 and 2225 CFU/m(3). Burkard Sampler showed higher frequencies of Aspergilli/Penicilli, Cladosporium, Alternaria, and smut spores. Andersen Sampler showed the prevalence of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Cladosporium cladosporioides colonies. Some recorded fungi were earlier reported as allergenic, toxic, and pathogenic for occupational workers as well as cattle population. Higher concentration levels of airborne total and culturable fungal spores were recorded during the months of November through February (winter) and June through September (late summer and rainy season).