Impacts of mixed litter decomposition from Robinia pseudoacacia and other tree species on C loss and nutrient release in the Loess Plateau of China

The productivity of Robinia pseudoacacia（R.p.） pure forest usually declines at the late growth stage,and reforming it into mixed forests could be a promising way to resolve this problem. When choosing a suitable tree species that can be mixed with R.p., the interspecific relationship is an important issue. Therefore, we gathered the autumn litter fall from R.p. and 10 other species from the Loess Plateau of China were mixed in dual species litterbags（R.p.＋each other species） and buried them in soil for a 345 days lab decay incubation. We measured the litter mass loss and nutrient contents to determine whether the nutrient release was affected by mixed species litter decomposition. The impacts of mixed litter decomposition on macro-elements release were more obvious than on micro-elements. The litters with similar substrate quality might show variable impacts on nutrients release in mixed decomposition. The C loss and release of nutrient was improved by descending order when R.p. litter was mixed with Hippophae rhamnoides, Ulmus pumila, Populus simonii, Larix principis-rupprechtii and Quercus liaotungensis（Q.l.）. But, except for Q.l., only the other species were recommended as suitable mix-plants for R.p. since promoting a high turnover of the nutrient in the litter compartment and a rapid availability for tree.

Simulation of sludge－dredging effects in controlling nutrient release of LakeKasumigaura with large－size core samples

Nutrient release from the dredged and undredged sediments in Lake Kasumigaura were simulated under the laboratory control conditions with large-size core samples. It was found that phosphate and ammonia release fluxes are less in aerobic than those in anaerobic. In different simulated dredged depth, the phosphate release showed large divergence in the anaerobic than in the aerobic. There was a larger accumulated release of phosphate and ammonia at actual dredged (St. B) than the undredged (St. A) in anaerobic condition. This showed that the sludge-dredging was effective of controlling phosphorus and nitrogen release. A preliminary assessment is drawn from the experiments that the sludge-dredging work in Tsuchiura Bay of Lake Kasumigaura can reduce about 15. 9% of phospbate and 56. 2% of anunonia release from the sediments respectively.

The Production of Organic-Inorganic Compound Film-Coated Urea and the Characteristics of Its Nutrient Release

The effect of different concentrations of natural macromolecular compound on the characteristics of nutrient release in the membrane materials of organic-inorganic compound film-coated urea was discussed, and the optimal concentrations for better nutrient release was proposed. The characteristics of nutrient release of film-coated urea were evaluated by soil column leaching experiment. Organic-inorganic compound film-coated urea showed good characteristics of nutrient release, which could be well simulated by Logistic curve. The two parameters in this curve, a and r, can be used to present nutrient release of film-coated urea, and followed the order of B 〉 C 〉 A and C 〈 B 〈 A, respectively, indicating that the release was stronger with the increasing concentration of natural macromolecular compound in the membrane, which implied better controllability of nutrient release. The concentration of 5% of natural macromolecular compound showed better characteristic of nutrient release and can be utilized as a membrane material combined with inorganic mineral powders to develop film-coated slow-release fertilizer.

Decomposition and nutrient release patterns of Phyllostachys bambusoides and Arundinaria racemosa, India

We investigated decomposition and nutrient release patterns of leaf and sheath litter of two important highland bamboo species （viz. Phyllostachys bambusoides Sieb. （Zucc.） and Arundinaria racemosa Munro） by using a litter bag technique. Our objective was to improve understanding of the addition of organic matter and nutrients to soil from the litter of two abundant highland bamboo species, species that support the local population of the region in many ways. N concentration and N/P ratio were significantly higher （p〈0.01） in leaf litter of P bambusoides. Significantly, larger values of lignin concentration, C/N ratio, and lignin/N ratio were found in the sheath litter ofA racemosa. Weight loss of both leaf and sheath litter was strongly positively correlated with N and N/P ratio, and significantly negatively correlated 6o〈0.01） with C/N ratio. Lignin/N had a negative correlation with decay rate. In both species, only lignin concentration of the litter showed strong positive correlation with N release. Litter decomposition and N release patterns were similar for the two bamboo species, whereas, P release rate from leaf litter was higher in P bambusoides and differed significantly between sheath and leaf litter for both species. The complex pattern of nutrient release through mineralization and immobilization during litter decomposition ensures nutrient availability in both managed and natural bamboo stands subjected to anthropogenic disturbances.

Review of 15 Years of Research on Sediment Heavy Metal Contents and Sediment Nutrient Release in Inland Aquatic Ecosystems,Turkey

Turkey’s inland water ecosystem consists of 33 rivers (177.714 miles), 200 natural lakes (906.118 ha), 159 reservoirs (342.377 ha) and 750 ponds (15.500 ha). Sedimentological studies conducted on inland water ecosystems during the last 15 years in Turkey can be categorized into two main topics. The first group of studies is concerned with heavy metal levels in sediment, with especial reference to the interaction between water, sediment and aquatic organisms. Additionally, the studies in question deal with the potential impacts of heavy metal concentrations on the ecosystem. The second group of studies is concerned with the role of eutrophication in the sediment as a result of serious contamination of inland water ecosystems. It is known that the sediment can directly influence the nutrient level in standing inland waters such as lakes and ponds by way of internal nutrient loading. In this context, studies regarding sediment, overlying water, sediment pore water and nutrient release from the sediment should be emphasized as these are important steps with respect to the eutrophication process. By keeping these studies in mind, the researcher in this study compiled and analyzed studies dealing with inland water ecosystems with differing nutrient levels and uses, including for drinking water, in Turkey’s drainage basins. In addition, field and laboratory studies regarding nutrient release from sediment into Turkey’s inland water ecosystems were evaluated in light of lake management practices.

General Situation of Green Manure Germplasm Resources in China and Research Progress on Decomposition Characteristics and Fertility Improvement of Green Manures

As a kind of biological fertilizer sources, green manure can improve soil fertility and the quality of agricultural products. This paper introduced the germplasm resource of green manures in the major provinces in China, mainly summarized the characteristics of decomposition and nutrients release of returning green manures to soils, as well as the influence on soil fertility and succeeding crops, with the aim to provide references for rational utilization of green manures and the scientific management of farmland nutrients.

Characteristics of maize residue decomposition and succession in the bacterial community during decomposition in Northeast China

Microbes are decomposers of crop residues,and climatic factors and residue composition are known to influence microbial growth and community composition,which in turn regulate residue decomposition.However,the succession of the bacterial community during residue decomposition in Northeast China is not well understood.To clarify the property of bacterial community succession and the corresponding factors regulating this succession,bags containing maize residue were buried in soil in Northeast China in October,and then at different intervals over the next 2 years,samples were analyzed for residue mass and bacterial community composition.After residue burial in the soil,the cumulative residue mass loss rates were 18,69,and 77%after 5,12,and 24 months,respectively.The release of residue nitrogen,phosphorus,and carbon followed a similar pattern as mass loss,but 79%of residue potassium was released after only 1 month.The abundance,richness,and community diversity of bacteria in the residue increased rapidly and peaked after 9 or 20 months.Residue decomposition was mainly influenced by temperature and chemical composition in the early stage,and was influenced by chemical composition in the later stage.Phyla Actinobacteria,Bacteroidetes,and Firmicutes dominated the bacterial community composition in residue in the early stage,and the abundances of phyla Chloroflexi,Acidobacteria,and Saccharibacteria gradually increased in the later stage of decomposition.In conclusion,maize residue decomposition in soil was greatly influenced by temperature and residue composition in Northeast China,and the bacterial community shifted from dominance of copiotrophic populations in the early stage to an increase in oligotrophic populations in the later stage.

Incorporation of Crop Residues into Soil: A Practice to Improve Soil Chemical Properties

Crop residues have the potential to enhance soil fertility, but this is dependent on their biochemical properties. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, and nutrients release patterns of selected crop residues (corn stalk, rice straw, millet straw and sorghum stalk). Thus, 20 g of each crop residue were put in litter bags and placed in a plastic pot containing 10 kg of soil with a moisture content of 40% - 60%. Five replications were considered per type of residue and some samples were taken every 4 weeks. Results showed that crop residues got a pH varying between 5.09 and 6.5. The lowest C content (33.11%) and nitrogen (0.27%) were measured in sorghum stalk when the highest C content (47.6%) and nitrogen content (0.55%) were registered in corn stalk. The highest phosphorus content (0.58%) was got in corn stalk. Potassium content was higher in millet straw than in others. The highest calcium content (0.37%) and magnesium (0.29%) were found in rice straw. There was an increase of soil chemical composition after crop residues burial. Significant increase in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content was noted in soil at week 4 with the highest at week 16. At the end of the experiment, the highest C content (53.1%) and the highest nitrogen content (0.88%) in the soil were observed after burial of rice straw. The highest phosphorus content (0.82%) registered in the soil was got with millet straw. Nutrient release efficiency of crop residues occurred in the following order: rice straw > millet straw > sorghum stalk > corn stalk. This study has demonstrated that rice straw and millet straw released nutrients faster and this is beneficial for early planted crops, while sorghum stalk and corn stalk released nutrients slowly which is appropriate for long-term availability of plant nutrients.

Evaluation of the effect of different wheats and xylanase supplementation on performance,nutrient and energy utilisation in broiler chicks

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism of broiler chicks fed 8 different wheat samples, supplemented or not with xylanase. Seven-hundred sixty eight male broilers(1-day-old) were distributed to 16 experimental treatments(6 replicates per treatment). The treatments were in a factorial arrangement with 8 different wheats and 2 levels of xylanase(0 or 16,000 BXU/kg). The predicted apparent metabolisable energy(AME) of the wheat samples ranged from 13.0 to 13.9 MJ/kg and all diets were formulated to contain the same amount of wheat. Body weight gain(BWG) and feed intake(FI) were measured at 21 d, as was jejunal digesta viscosity, and feed conversion ratio(FCR) calculated. On day 24, one representative bird per pen was selected to calculate whole body energetics. At 21 d, 3 chicks per replicate were randomly allocated to metabolism cages for energy and nutrient utilisation determinations, and were continued on the experimental diets until 24-d-old. No interactions were observed for any performance response variables, ileal nutrient utilisation or digesta viscosity. Xylanase improved BWG and reduced FCR and digesta viscosity(P < 0.05). Wheat influenced dry matter(DM) utilisation and xylanase increased ileal digestible energy(P = 0.04). Xylanase also improved(P < 0.05) DM and nitrogen retention. Apparent metabolisable energy and AME corrected for nitrogen(AMEn) were subject to an interaction whereby wheats 2 and 6, which returned the lowest AME and AMEn values, responded to xylanase supplementation and the remainder did not. Net energy for production and the efficiency of energy use for production were not influenced by xylanase, but were affected by wheat(P < 0.05). Despite the significant differences between wheats with regards to their nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism in birds, xylanase removed this variance and resulted in more homogeneous performance.

Mass loss and nutrient dynamics during litter decomposition in response to warming and nitrogen addition in a desert steppe

Plant litter decomposition has been studied extensively in the context of both warming and increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition. However, the temporal patterns of mass loss and nutrient release in response to warming and nitrogen addition remain unclear. A 2-year decomposition experiment aimed to examine the effects of warming and nitrogen addition on decomposition rate, and nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics. The effects of warming and nitrogen addition on decomposition of litter of Stipa breviflora, a dominant species in a desert steppe of northern China, were studied. Warming and nitrogen addition significantly enhanced litter mass loss by 10% and 16%, respectively, and moreover promoted nitrogen and phosphorus release from the litter in the first year of decomposition, followed by an immobilization period. The interactive effects of warming and nitrogen addition on mass loss, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of litter were also found during the decomposition. This study indicates that warming and nitrogen addition increased litter mass loss through altering litter quality. These findings highlight that interactions between climate change and other global change factors could be highly important in driving decomposition responses.

Nitrogen release characteristics of polyethylene-coated controlled-release fertilizers and their dependence on membrane pore structure

In this study, controlled-release fertilizers （CRFs） with five different nitrogen release periods were pre- pared by coating large urea particles with polyethylene （PE） membranes under various experimental conditions. The preliminary and differential solubility rates, release periods, and membrane pore sizes of the obtained CRFs were measured using water immersion, scanning electron microscopy, and mercury porosimetry. For all CRF samples, the median pore diameters of the membranes were equal to 4.5-5.3 nm and pores with sizes smaller than 10 nm accounted for 86-96% of the total pore surface area. The obtained pore diameter distributions differed for the five studied types of CRF, having release periods of 1,2, 4, 6, and 8 months. Thus, for the CRFs with a 1-month release period, the maximum pore diameter reached a magnitude of 4000 nm, while this value did not exceed 30 nm for the CRFs with a release period of 8 months. Hence, we have established a relationship between the release period of CRFs and their effective maximum pore sizes.

Compared effects of “solid-based” hydrogen peroxide pretreatment on disintegration and properties of waste activated sludge

The effects of two solid-based hydrogen peroxides sodium percarbonate(SPC) and calcium peroxide(CP)on waste activated sludge(WAS) disintegration were investigated. Both oxidants achieved efficient WAS disintegration for the synergistic effect of alkaline and oxidation. The strong alkaline condition led to the leakage of ammonia and the existence of abundant calcium ions accelerated the fixation of phosphorus via precipitation in CP WAS disintegration process. However, the spongy-like layer and low p H condition retarded the release of gaseous ammonia in SPC group. Hydroxyl radical was the main oxygen reactive species in SPC approaches which were more intense than CP by electron spin resonance(ESR) analysis.CP treated WAS contented more small particle size matter and total suspended solids(TSS) increased dramatically. In conclusion, CP pretreated sludge was more suitable for fertilization, while SPC was in favor of anaerobic digestion. This study clarified the differences between these two oxidants and their intermediates on nutrients release in sludge disintegration.