(Table 3) Soil temperatures at 10 cm depth after different treatments of wet sedge meadows on Ellesmere Island

Wet sedge tundra communities in the High Arctic are valuable sources of forage for several resident and migratory herbivores; however, the effects of grazing on these systems have been rarely studied. We simulated grazing in two wet sedge meadows at a site on Ellesmere Island that has not been affected by grazing. Over two summers, we clipped plots at four different frequencies and removed litter to assess effects on aboveground net primary production, availability of soil nitrogen, shoot concentrations of carbon and nitrogen, and soil temperature and moisture regimes. Available soil nitrate and ammonium were highest in plots with intermediate clipping frequencies. Shoot nitrogen concentrations were also greater at intermediate clipping frequencies in two of the four species studied. Aboveground net primary production decreased after clipping, regardless of frequency. Litter removal resulted in slightly increased soil moisture, but had no effect on aboveground net primary production. Soil temperature was not affected by any of our treatments. These results suggest that nitrogen cycling is stimulated by intermediate frequencies of simulated grazing, but clipping decreased aboveground net primary production in ungrazed high arctic wet sedge tundra.

Soil Influence on Forest Vegetation Productivity and Patterns in the Eastern Cascades of Southern Oregon

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Influence of mucuna fallow crop on selected soil properties, weed suppression and taro yields in Taveuni, Fiji

Two field experiments were carried out in Taveuni, Fiji to study the effects of mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) and grass fallow systems at 6 and 12 month durations on changes in soil properties (Experiment 1) and taro yields (Experiment 2). Biomass accumulation of mucuna fallow crop was significantly higher (P<0.05) than grass fallow crop at both 6 and 12 month durations. The longer fallow duration resulted in higher (P<0.05) total soil organic carbon, total soil nitrogen and earthworm numbers regardless of fallow type. Weed suppression in taro grown under mucuna was significantly greater (P<0.05) than under natural grass fallow. Taro grown under mucuna fallow significantly outyielded taro grown under grass fallow (11.8 vs. 8.8 t ha-1). Also, the gross margin of taro grown under mucuna fallow was 52% higher than that of taro grown under grass fallow. © ISHS.

N2O emissions from agricultural lands: a synthesis of simulation approaches

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is primarily produced by the microbially-mediated nitrification and denitrification processes in soils. It is influenced by a suite of climate (i.e. temperature and rainfall) and soil (physical and chemical) variables, interacting soil and plant nitrogen (N) transformations (either competing or supplying substrates) as well as land management practices. It is not surprising that N2O emissions are highly variable both spatially and temporally. Computer simulation models, which can integrate all of these variables, are required for the complex task of providing quantitative determinations of N2O emissions. Numerous simulation models have been developed to predict N2O production. Each model has its own philosophy in constructing simulation components as well as performance strengths. The models range from those that attempt to comprehensively simulate all soil processes to more empirical approaches requiring minimal input data. These N2O simulation models can be classified into three categories: laboratory, field and regional/global levels. Process-based field-scale N2O simulation models, which simulate whole agroecosystems and can be used to develop N2O mitigation measures, are the most widely used. The current challenge is how to scale up the relatively more robust field-scale model to catchment, regional and national scales. This paper reviews the development history, main construction components, strengths, limitations and applications of N2O emissions models, which have been published in the literature. The three scale levels are considered and the current knowledge gaps and challenges in modelling N2O emissions from soils are discussed.

Herbivores and nutrients control grassland plant diversity via light limitation

Human alterations to nutrient cycles1, 2 and herbivore communities3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are affecting global biodiversity dramatically2. Ecological theory predicts these changes should be strongly counteractive: nutrient addition drives plant species loss through intensified competition for light, whereas herbivores prevent competitive exclusion by increasing ground-level light, particularly in productive systems8, 9. Here we use experimental data spanning a globally relevant range of conditions to test the hypothesis that herbaceous plant species losses caused by eutrophication may be offset by increased light availability due to herbivory. This experiment, replicated in 40 grasslands on 6 continents, demonstrates that nutrients and herbivores can serve as counteracting forces to control local plant diversity through light limitation, independent of site productivity, soil nitrogen, herbivore type and climate. Nutrient addition consistently reduced local diversity through light limitation, and herbivory rescued diversity at sites where it alleviated light limitation. Thus, species loss from anthropogenic eutrophication can be ameliorated in grasslands where herbivory increases ground-level light.

Participatory adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change on mixed farms

The project uses participatory methods to engage primary producers and advisers in central Queensland, southern Queensland, and north east New South Wales on-farm trials and demonstrations to adapt mixed farming systems to changed climate conditions. The focus is adaptation to climate change but will support abatement of greenhouse gas emissions by building soil carbon, better managing soil nitrogen and soil organic carbon. Data will be collected and integrated with data from Round 1 of the Climate Change Research Program to extend industry understanding beyond a general awareness of ‘climate change’. Nitrous oxide and soil carbon data will help farmers/advisers understand the implications of climate change and develop adaptation strategies for a more sustainable, climate sensitive future.

Allocasuarina tree hosts determine the spatial distribution of hypogeous fungal sporocarps in three tropical Australian sclerophyll forests

Across three tropical Australian sclerophyll forest types, site-specific environmental variables could explain the distribution of both quantity (abundance and biomass) and richness (genus and species) of hypogeous fungi sporocarps. Quantity was significantly higher in the Allocasuarina forest sites that had high soil nitrogen but low phosphorous. Three genera of hypogeous fungi were found exclusively in Allocasuarina forest sites including Gummiglobus, Labyrinthomyces and Octaviania, as were some species of Castoreum, Chondrogaster, Endogone, Hysterangium and Russula. However, the forest types did not all group according to site-scale variables and subsequently the taxonomic assemblages were not significantly different between the three forest types. At site scale, significant negative relationships were found between phosphorous concentration and the quantity of hypogeous fungi sporocarps. Using a multivariate information theoretic approach, there were other more plausible models to explain the patterns of sporocarp richness. Both the mean number of fungal genera and species increased with the number of Allocasuarina stems, at the same time decreasing with the number of Eucalyptus stems. The optimal conditions for promoting hypogeous fungi sporocarp quantity and sporocarp richness appear to be related to the presence and abundance of Allocasuarina (Casuarinaceae) host trees. Allocasuarina tree species may have a higher host receptivity for ectomycorrhizal hypogeous fungi species that provide an important food resource for Australian mycophagous animals.

内蒙古温带草原生态系统过程对气候变化响应的实验研究

羊草草原、大针茅草原和草甸草原是内蒙古温带典型草原地区的三种主要植被类型，本文以此为研究对象，应用时空替代、温室、网室、自然降水接移、养分添加等多种方法模拟未来可能发生的气候变化，研究了这些变化对上述草原植物群落和生态系统过程的直接和间接影响。主要研究结果如下： 1. 气候变暖及其诱导的土壤养分释放速率增加对植物群落有明显的影响，表现在种种植物群落在高度、盖度、密度和生物量等都有不同程度的变化。说明我国温带草原生态系统对气候变化反应敏感。 2. 在群落说平上，气候变暖直接或间接使地上生物量提高17%～90%，但在种群水平，不同种群对模拟气候变化的响应具有很强的个性，而不具普遍性，不同种群反应的大小、方向不同。因此由在不同群落进行研究得出的推论只有部分是可能的，并且即使观测到相类似的反应，它们内在的机制也很可能是不同的。 3. 气候变化显著地影响着凋落物的分解特征。但不同的气候变化情景下，凋落物分解过程的响应不同。在温度升高降水变化不大或升高的情景下，凋落物的分解速率将加快;在气温上升，降水明显下降的情景下，凋落物的分解速率将降低。 4. 草甸草原土壤碳素释放过程和氮素矿化过程对气候变暖有明显的响应。气候变暖将促进土壤有机碳的释放，使草甸草原土壤成为碳源，同时加速氮素矿化速率，在一定程度上提高土壤有效养分的浓度。 5. 在中小尺度上，海拔样带所是应用时空替代原理，研究陆地生态系统与气候变化的理想平台，生物量是综合反应气候变化对土壤-植物系统影响的敏感指标。 6. 草原土壤有机碳和氮在2m～3m的小尺度上存在空间自相关性，其空间自相关尺度受人类活动的影响。

典型草原土壤性状变化对灌丛化的响应

以草原和稀树草原中木本植物多度的增加为特征的草地灌丛化，是全球范围普遍发生的现象，但灌丛化的生态学效应目前仍存在争议。对灌丛化草地生态系统特征与过程的研究，将有助于我们进一步了解草地生态系统的退化和恢复机理，为退化草原恢复与管理实践提供理论依据。 本研究以位于内蒙古锡林河流域, 一个经23年围封恢复、具有明显灌丛化特征的草原生态系统为研究对象，通过分析小叶锦鸡儿灌丛及其相邻草本群落下的土壤容重、机械组成、土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)和无机氮(IN)的差异，确定小叶锦鸡儿灌丛对草原土壤物理化学性状的影响。主要结果如下： （1）小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化增加了表层土壤（0-5 cm）粗粒级颗粒的比例，降低了浅层土壤（0-20 cm）的容重，较大灌丛下10-20 cm土层仍存在这种现象。这至少部分归因于灌丛对凋落物的截获积聚，以及小叶锦鸡儿的根系分泌物在质和量上较之草本植物的不同，促进了土壤团聚体的发育。 （2）小叶锦鸡儿灌丛斑块引起了典型草原生态系统土壤有机碳、全氮和无机氮的空间分布的变化。在浅层土壤中（0-20cm），由灌丛斑块内部向外部SOC、TN和IN均趋于降低。随小叶锦鸡儿灌丛大小（存在时间）的增加，0-20 cm和60-100cm土层SOC和TN均有增加趋势。 （3）除表层（0-5cm）外，小叶锦鸡儿大灌丛与邻近草地土壤C/N比值无显著差异。 总之，小叶锦鸡儿灌丛不仅改变了草原土壤的物理性状，而且提高了灌丛下土壤有机碳和氮的含量，改变了草原生态系统C、N的空间分布格局，表明草原灌丛化明显改变了草原生态系统的碳氮循环。基于草原约占陆地面积的40%以及全球草地灌丛化普遍存在的事实，这种伴随草原灌丛化发生的土壤有机碳和氮的变化可能会对全球碳氮循环和气候有显著影响。

子午岭林区人工与天然油松林(Pinus tabulaeformis)养分库和碳库特征

为了揭示黄土高原地区人工油松林自然化发育过程中的植物叶片与土壤养分库和碳库的变化规律,采用典型样地法,以子午岭林区天然油松群落为参照,选择了不同立地条件的人工油松林,分别对其土壤的氮库、碳库及植物叶片养分库和碳库进行了分析。结果表明,该区油松针叶C、N、P的含量平均值分别为(499.5±63.75)mg/g、(8.53±0.50)mg/g和(0.94±0.64)mg/g,叶片C含量大小依次为阳坡天然林>阴坡天然林>阴坡人工林>阳坡人工林,阳坡人工林叶片N、P含量显著高于阳坡天然林。不同立地条件下油松林叶片C/N、C/P差异显著,叶片N、P和N/P均达到极显著水平,但是叶片C含量差异不显著。油松叶片C含量与N、P含量均呈极显著负相关,N和P之间的呈显著正相关。不同立地的油松林除40～60cm土层土壤C、N含量无显著差异外,0～20cm和20～40cm两个土层的人工林土壤C、N含量显著高于天然林,同时阳坡人工林土壤C、N含量显著高于阴坡人工林。0～20cm、20～40cm两个土层土壤C含量与N含量均呈极显著正相关,与植物N、P均呈显著正相关。子午岭林区阳坡的人工油松林不仅叶片养分含量较高,而且林地土壤是该区土壤的...

旱地土壤硝态氮与氮素平衡、氮肥利用的关系

利用长期肥料试验资料研究了土壤氮素平衡、氮肥利用率和土壤硝态氮之间的相互关系。结果表明,小麦不同施肥处理的氮肥利用率(NUE)为30.9%～65.8%,平均53.6%;土壤硝态氮累积率为2.3%～44.1%,平均13.2%;氮素表观损失率25.0%～42.7%,平均33.2%。一般情况下,氮素盈余值与氮肥用量呈正相关,与磷肥用量呈负相关;土壤中硝态氮的数量与氮素盈余值呈正比,与氮肥利用率呈反比。黄土旱塬地区,小麦在经济合理施氮条件下,氮素盈余值为13.79 kg/hm~2,硝态氮累积量为23.00 kg/hm~2,说明过量施用一定数量的氮肥对保持作物生产力和土壤氮素营养是必要的。

原状土通气培养法测定黄土高原土壤供氮能力的研究

评价原状土通气培养法在反映黄土高原土壤供氮能力方面的效果。【方法】以采自于黄土高原差异较大的11个农田耕层土壤为供试土样,以包括和不包括土壤起始NO3--N原状土盆栽黑麦草累积吸氮量为参比,进行室内原状土通气培养法测定土壤供氮能力的研究。【结果】以包括土壤起始NO3--N盆栽试验植物吸氮量为参比,通气培养前CaCl2所淋洗起始NO3--N和起始矿质氮与5期黑麦草地上部氮素累积量密切相关,相关系数分别为0.856和0.862,达1%显著水平;与此相反,通气培养30周所矿化氮素、土壤起始矿质氮+通气培养30周矿化氮素、氮素矿化势(N0)及N0+起始矿质氮与5期黑麦草地上部氮素累积量间无显著相关关系,相关系数分别仅为0.410、0.553、0.492和0.419。以不包括土壤起始NO3--N盆栽试验植物吸氮量为参比,通气培养前CaCl2淋洗起始NO3--N和起始矿质氮与五期黑麦草地上部氮素累积量间的相关性尽管有所降低,但相关性仍达5%显著水平,相关系数分别为0.613和0.607;而通气培养30周矿化氮素、土壤起始矿质氮+通气培养30周矿化氮素、N0及N0+起始矿质氮与五期黑麦草地上部吸氮量的相关系数却明显...

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区不同土地利用模式对土壤氮素淋溶的影响

通过对黄土高原丘陵沟壑区不同土地利用模式土壤剖面NO-3-N、NH+4-N、有机质和全氮分布的测定,论述黄土高原丘陵沟壑区不同土地利用模式对土壤氮素淋溶的影响,对当地农业发展提出建议。结果表明:在200 cm内土壤NO-3-N最大值都出现在200 cm处,其中日光温室最大为20.36 mg/kg。土壤NH+4-N在200 cm内是较均匀的分布在10~25 mg/kg。不同土地利用模式对土壤剖面土壤NH+4-N、有机质和全氮分布没有影响。随着深度的变化对土壤NH+4-N分布也没有影响。土壤有机质和全氮在土壤剖面的分布是,随着深度的增加而减少,60 cm以下有机质保持在1.07~5.95 g/kg,全氮保持在0.12~0.35 g/kg。根据试验结果得出,土壤氮素淋溶的主要成分是NO-3-N,土壤NO-3-N淋溶程度与降雨、灌溉、施肥量呈正比,在坡地的淋溶较少。

黄土高原石灰性土壤长期间隙淋洗淹水培养下的氮素矿化过程及其模拟

选择描述黄土高原石灰性土壤氮素矿化过程的合适模型,明确可溶性有机氮(soluble organic nitrogen,SON)对矿化模型拟合效果的影响。【方法】采用长期间隙淋洗淹水培养方法,研究了10种黄土高原主要农业土壤在包括和不包括浸提液中有机氮的情况下氮素矿化过程,在此基础上选择①有效积温式;②一级反应式(One-pool模型);③两部分一级反应式(Two-pool模型);④带常数项一级反应式(Special模型)对这两种情况下的氮素矿化曲线进行拟合。【结果】发现4种模型在拟合包括SON的氮素矿化曲线时效果更好。从模型均方根误差、估计标准误差、参数误差以及与作物吸氮量的相关分析等比较发现,One-pool模型拟合效果最差,Two-pool模型和Special模型优于有效积温模型,而Special模型参数精度及与作物吸氮量的相关性更高。【结论】综合比较认为Special模型能较好反映石灰性土壤在淹水条件下的氮素矿化过程。

铵态氮肥对黄土高原典型土壤氮素激发效应的影响

以黄土高原从北向南不同地区典型土壤类型为对象,采用Bremner淹水培养法,研究铵态氮肥对黄土高原典型土壤氮素的激发效应。结果表明,在测定NH4+-N的激发效应时,只有考虑粘土矿物对有机氮矿化产物或者添加NH4+-N的固定,才可获得可靠结果。在培养20 d和60 d时,NH4+-N对不同土类氮素激发效应存在极显著和显著的影响(P≤0.01和<0.05);培养40 d时,尽管不同土类氮素激发效应也存在很大差异,但统计检验不显著。从整体评价,NH4+-N对土垫旱耕人为土和黄土正常新成土表现出正的激发效应,而对干润砂质新成土表现出负的激发效应,对简育干润均腐土在培养20 d和40 d时无激发效应,而在培养60 d时,表现出显著的负激发效应。结果还看出,在培养40 d和60 d时,NH4+-N对农田土壤表现出负激发效应,对林地和裸地土壤表现出正激发效应,而草地土壤在培养40 d时为正激发效应;培养20 d和60 d时无激发效应。添加有机物料在培养20 d和40 d时对激发效应的影响不显著(P=0.0872和0.1641),培养时间延长至60 d时影响显著(P=0.049)。添加紫花苜蓿(Medicago sati-v...