Transition to large-scale organic vegetable production in the Salinas Valley, California

Studying the management strategies suited to large-scale organic production, particularly during the mandated 3-year transition period from conventional management, is a unique research challenge. Organic production traditionally relies on small, diverse plantings and complex management responses to cope with soil fertility and pest pressures, so research should represent decision-making options of an organic grower at the farm scale. This study analyzes crop, soil, pest and management changes during the organic transition period on two ranches (40 and 47 ha) in the Salinas Valley, California in cooperation with a large conventional vegetable producer, Tanimura and Antle, Inc. Permanent transects were established across the two ranches at the onset of adoption of organic practices, and soil and plants were sampled at harvest of almost all crops, while all management operations were recorded by the co-operator. The 10 ha blocks were divided into many small plantings, and 17 different cash crop and cover crop species were planted during the transition period. Management inputs consisted of a range of organic fertilizers and amendments, sprinkler and drip irrigation, cultivation and hand-hoeing, and several types of organic pesticides. Results from the 3-year period followed these general trends: increase in soil biological indicators (microbial biomass and arbuscular mycorrhizae), low soil nitrate pools, adequate crop nutrients, minor disease and weed problems, and sporadic mild insect damage. Multivariate statistical analyses indicated that some crops and cultivars consistently produced higher yields than others, relative to the maximum yield for a given crop. Multi-factor contingency tables showed clear differences in insect and disease damage between crop taxa. Although Tanimura and Antle, Inc. used some of the principles of organic farming (e.g., crop diversity, crop rotation, and organic matter (OM) management), they also relied on substitution-based management, such as fertigation with soluble nutrients, initially heavy applications of organic pesticides, and use of inputs derived from off-farm sources. Their initial production of a large number of crop taxa in small plantings at staggered intervals proved to be an effective strategy for avoiding risks from low yields or crop failure and allowed them to move towards a smaller number of select, successful crops towards the end of the transition. This study demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale producers to transition to organic practices in a manner that was conducive to both production goals and environmental quality, i.e., increased soil C pools, low soil nitrate, and absence of synthetic pesticides.     

Distribution of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) in polluted rivers of the Juru River Basin, Penang, Malaysia

The influence of physical and chemical parameters on the abundance and diversity of chironomids was studied in six rivers with moderate to highly polluted water in the Juru River Basin. The rivers: Ceruk Tok Kun (CTKR) as reference site, and polluted rivers of Pasir (PR), Juru (JR), Permatang Rawa (PRR), Ara (AR) and Kilang Ubi (KUR) were sampled over a period of five months (November 2007–March 2008). Nine chirnomid species: Chironimus kiiensis, C. javanus, Polypedilum trigonus, Microchironomus sp., Dicrotendipes sp., Tanytarsus formosanus, Clinotanypus sp., Tanypus punctipennis and Fittkauimyia sp. were identified. Assessment of their relationships with several environmental parameters was performed using the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Tanytarsus formosanus was the most dominant in the relatively clean CTKR and moderately polluted JR with mean densities of 19.66 and 25.32 m?2, respectively while C. kiiensis was abundant in more polluted rivers. Tanytarsus formosanus, Dicrotendipes sp. and Microchironomus sp. were grouped under moderate to high water temperature, total organic matter (TOM), total suspended solids (TSS), velocity, pH, phosphates and sulphates. However, Tanypus punctipennis, Fittkauimyia sp., and Clinotanypus sp. were associated with high contents of river sediment such as TOM, Zn and Mn and water ammonium-N and nitrate-N and they were associated with higher dissolved oxygen (DO) content in the water. Chironomus kiiensis, C. javanus and P. trigonus showed positive relationships with TOM, ammonium-N and nitrate-N as well as trace metals of Zn, Cu and Mn. These three species could be considered as tolerant species since they have the ability to survive in extreme environmental conditions with low DO and high concentrations of pollutants. Based on the water parameter scores in all rivers, the highest diversity of chironomid larvae was reported in CTKR. With higher concentrations of organic and/or inorganic pollutants as reported in PPR, KUR and AR, the chironomid larval diversity decreased, and the abundance of tolerant species, mainly Chironomus spp., increased.     

红枫湖水库冬春季浮游生物群落与环境因子的典范对应分析

2010年1—5月对贵州省贵阳市红枫湖水库的浮游生物群落进行了调查和分析. 共鉴定出浮游植物95种,绿藻在种类组成上占绝对优势,共53种,其次为硅藻20种,蓝藻18种,甲藻2种,裸藻和金藻各1种;后生浮游动物36种,其中轮虫22种,枝角类8种,桡足类6种. 浮游植物、后生浮游动物的丰度分别为0.6×106～39.4×106 L-1和3.3～448 L-1,生物量分别为0.56～20.06和0.01～0.98 mg/L,Shannon-Weiner多样性指数(H)分别为0.45～1.02和0.62～0.92. 典范对应分析(CCA)显示:ρ(TN),电导率,温度,ρ(NO-₃-N),溶解氧饱和度和透明溞〔Daphnia (Daphnia) hyalina〕是影响红枫湖浮游植物群落分布的主要因子;温度,ρ(NH₄+-N),电导率,pH,微小四角藻(Tetraedro minimun),胶球藻(Coccomyxa dispar)和华丽星杆藻(Asterionella formosa)是影响浮游动物群落分布的主要因子. CCA排序图较好地说明了浮游生物物种分布与环境因子之间的相关性.      

若尔盖高寒沼泽植物群落与环境因子的关系

了解高寒沼泽植物群落与环境因子之间的关系,对揭示物种对生态环境的需求以及高寒沼泽的保护管理有重要意义,然而目前尚不清楚影响若尔盖高寒沼泽植物分布的主要环境因素。作者于2011—2012年间在若尔盖高寒沼泽随机调查32个样地,收集了植被样方数据、土壤理化性质数据、地表水位等实测数据,借助方差分析、CCA分析和相关分析等经典的统计方法,研究高寒沼泽植物群落物种组成和不同地表积水状况下多样性的差异,以及高寒沼泽植物群落与环境因子的关系。结果显示：若尔盖高寒沼泽植物共有151个种,隶属于39科98属;多样性指数随地表积水的减少呈现出增加的趋势。典范对应分析（CCA）结果表明,第一轴与水位、土壤水分含量、土壤有机碳、土壤总氮显著负相关,与土壤容重显著正相关,第二轴与裸斑率和鼠洞数显著相关。前2个轴一共解释了79．8％的物种与环境因子的关系,与环境因子的相关系数均在0．87以上;其中,水分和土壤养分条件是影响物种分布的主导因子,其次是裸斑面及啮齿动物活动。植物多样性指数与土壤水分负相关,与土壤有机碳和土壤全氮显著负相关,与土壤容重显著正相关。若尔盖沼泽植物群落物种多样性除了受土壤水分和养分条件的影响以外,啮齿动物的活动可能是影响若尔盖沼泽物种分布以及促进群落进一步演替的主要因素之一。     

牡丹江中游底栖动物分布及其与栖境因子的关系

2013年秋季对牡丹江中游的3条河流(牡丹江、蛤蟆河、卧龙溪)150km河段进行大型底栖动物野外采样,共采集到大型底栖动物18种,隶属于3门5纲11目16科,其中昆虫纲(Insecta)、腹足纲(Gastropoda)和寡毛纲(Oligochaeta)物种居多.通过典范对应分析(CCA),研究大型底栖动物群落结构与主要的栖息地环境因子之间的相关关系,并通过香农-威纳(Shannon-Wiener)指数等生物多样性指数分析评价河流等级对物种多样性的影响.研究表明,流速、溶解氧、底质中的砾石含量是牡丹江中游影响大型底栖动物分布的关键栖息地环境因子,河流等级对底栖动物群落结构有一定影响,牡丹江干流底栖动物物种多样性高于支流,平均生物密度低于支流,且河流间等级差距越大,差异越显著.     

Wrong-way driving crashes: A multiple correspondence approach to identify contributing factors

Objective: Wrong-way driving (WWD) crashes result in 1.34 fatalities per fatal crash, whereas for other non-WWD fatal crashes this number drops to 1.10. As such, further in-depth investigation of WWD crashes is necessary. The objective of this study is 2-fold: to identify the characteristics that best describe WWD crashes and to verify the factors associated with WWD occurrence.

Methods: We collected and analyzed 15 years of crash data from the states of Illinois and Alabama. The final data set includes 398 WWD crashes. The rarity of WWD events and the consequently small sample size of the crash database significantly influence the application of conventional log-linear models in analyzing the data, because they use maximum-likelihood estimation. To overcome this issue, in this study, we employ multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to define the structure of the crash data set and identify the significant contributing factors to WWD crashes on freeways.

Results: The results of the present study specify various factors that characterize and influence the probability of WWD crashes and can thus lead to the development of several safety countermeasures and recommendations. According to the obtained results, factors such as driver age, driver condition, roadway surface conditions, and lighting conditions were among the most significant contributors to WWD crashes.

Conclusions: Despite many other methods that identify only the contributing factors, this method can identify possible associations between various contributing factors. This is an inherent advantage of the MCA method, which can provide a major opportunity for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to select safety countermeasures that are associated with multiple safety benefits.     

松花江哈尔滨段藻类植物分布及其与环境因子的关系

松花江哈尔滨段流域是哈尔滨市重要的水源地,也是松花江重要的组成部分,其生态环境问题一直受到国内外学者密切关注,且近年来松花江哈尔滨段水体改善程度较为明显,流域内水体变化程度越来越受到相关学者和民众的重视,研究松花江哈尔滨段水体变化趋势意义明显。该研究的创新性在于运用典范对应分析(CCA)探究藻类植物与环境因子变化的关系,并运用欧洲硅藻数据库(EDDI)验证主要环境因子的准确性。国内现行的一些常规理化指标单独评价水体质量较为单一,不能更好地满足现行的水环境管理要求,并且对于水环境的变化反应效果及准确度较低。该研究运用相关理化指标数据和藻类植物的种类及丰度等的年际变化,实现从单一理化指标评价改善为理化和生物指标双重评价,从而更加具体地反映出松花江哈尔滨段水体状况的变化趋势。     

Macroinvertebrate Assemblages on Woody Debris and Their Relations with Environmental Variables in the Lower Sacramento and San Joaquin River Drainages, California

Data from 25 sites were used to evaluate associations between macroinvertebrate assemblages on large woody debris (snags) and environmental variables in the lower San Joaquin and Sacramento River drainages in California as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Samples were collected from 1993 to 1995 in the San Joaquin River drainage and in 1996 and 1997 in the Sacramento River drainage. Macroinvertebrate taxa were aggregated to the family (or higher) level of taxonomic organization, resulting in 39 taxa for analyses. Only the 31 most common taxa were used for two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). TWINSPAN analysis defined four groups of snag samples on the basis of macroinvertebrate assemblages. Analysis of variance identified differences in environmental and biotic characteristics among the groups. These results combined with the results of CCA indicated that mean dominant substrate type, gradient, specific conductance, water temperature, percentage of the basin in agricultural land use, percentage of the basin in combined agricultural and urban land uses, and elevation were important factors in explaining assemblage structure. Macroinvertebrate assemblages on snags may be useful in family level bioassessments of environmental conditions in valley floor habitats.     

影响浑太河流域鱼类群落结构的不同尺度环境因子分析

于2012年5月对浑太河流域65个采样点的鱼类进行调查采样.共采集到鱼类40种,分属9目14个科33属.其中鳅科鱼类占13.21%,鲤科占65.83%,构成了浑太河鱼类群落的主要部分.不同河流鱼类群落也有所不同,浑太河流域鱼类可分为2种分布类型,即上游林地为主的区域及支流源头区和中下游平原区.太子河葠窝水库上游和浑河大伙房水库上游区域的优势种类为北方条鳅(Nemachilus nudus)、北方花鳅(Cobitis granoei)和洛氏鱥(Phoxinus lagowskii),浑河和太子河平原区的优势种类为鲫(Carassius ayratus)和餐条(Hemiculter leucisculus).采用典范对应分析(CCA)方法定量分析流域、河段和微生境尺度环境因子对鱼类空间分布的影响.结果表明,浑太河流域鱼类空间分布主要受到流域和河段这2种尺度上环境因子的影响.在流域尺度上,林地、城镇建设用地、海拔对鱼类空间分布表现出显著影响,在河段尺度上,溶解氧、总氮、pH和栖息地质量对鱼类空间分布表现出显著影响.而微生境尺度上的底质类型则未对鱼类空间分布产生显著影响.流域尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构变异的解释率为7.66%,河段尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构变异的解释率为10.57%.河段尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构的影响更为显著.     

北仑河口海域小型硅藻群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

北仑河口地处亚热带-热带地区,气候温暖湿润,是我国北部湾沿岸与越南交界的一个重要入海河口。于2008年3、5、8和11月分别采集该海域小型浮游硅藻,同时测定水温、盐度等水体参数,以及氮、磷、硅等18项水化学指标,分析了小型硅藻群落结构变化与环境因子之间的关系。该河口区的小型硅藻主要由纤细翼鼻状藻Proboscia alata f.gracillima、拟旋链角毛藻Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus、细弱海链藻Thalassiosira subtilis、中华齿状藻Odontella sinensis和菱形藻Nitzschiasp.等优势种类组成,并且存在明显的季节性演替。应用典范对应分析,发现影响北仑河口硅藻群落结构的主要环境因子为温度、盐度、N、Si、Hg和悬浮体质量浓度等,且不同季节的主控因素有所差异。菱形藻对温度和Cu、As、Zn和Hg等重金属的耐受性较强。纤细翼鼻状藻适宜于生长在水体透明度高的海域,悬浮体质量浓度以6.27 mg.L-1以下为宜。拟旋链角毛藻受Cr的影响较大,高含量的Cr会限制其生长。而细弱海链藻和中华齿状藻对Hg的耐受性较强。