Grass Strips Research Articles

Fodder Grass Strips: An Affordable Technology for Sustainable Rainfed Agriculture in India

Rainfed agriculture, though resource-poor, contributes to around 40 percent of total food production in India. Fodder grass-strip-based systems improve soil’s physical and biological properties, control soil erosion, and help in slope stabilization without compromising productivity. Permanent fodder grass strips can effectively check the depletion of soil nutrients and can also act as sediment traps vis-à-vis meeting the green fodder requirement for small ruminants. This study was carried out with the major objective to quantify the impact of grass-strip-based cropping systems on soil quality. Further fodder quality assessment was carried out using the grass quality index for small ruminant feed and the profitability of different treatments was analyzed. Random block design (RBD) with three treatments which included two types of fodder grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis and Stylosanthes hamata) on both sides of the cropped field was used for the study. The results showed that the soil quality increased from 0.39 to 0.52 and the runoff reduced significantly with soil loss reduction by 65-70 percent. The fodder quality assessment showed that the palatability of Stylosanthes hamata and Brachiaria ruziziensis was about 65 percent and 40 percent, respectively. The fodder grass strip increased the net returns by 30 percent. This easily adaptable natural resource management technology reduces soil nutrient loss and will help resource-poor rainfed farmers to maintain soil health and productivity under variable rainfall conditions with fair support to small ruminants.

Agroforestry with contour planting of grass contributes to terrace formation and conservation of soil and nutrients on sloping land

In hilly areas, agroforestry can be a more sustainable way of producing food and other products and services than agriculture based on sole-cropping. However, research is needed to evaluate and quantify formation of natural terraces in agroforestry and their contribution to soil conservation. This study quantified natural terrace formation and examined its role in reducing soil and nutrient losses during early stages of agroforestry with fruit trees, contour grass strips and maize or coffee in agroforestry systems on sloping land in northwest Vietnam. Two agroforestry systems, comprising longan (Dimocarpus longan L.)-mango (Mangifera indica L.)-maize (Zea mays L.)-guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) (fruit-maize-AF) and son tra (Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne.)-coffee (Coffea arabica L.)-guinea grass (fruit-coffee-AF) were compared with sole-cropped maize (sole-maize) and sole-cropped coffee (sole-coffee), respectively. Terrace formation was evaluated over five years using erosion pins placed above grass strips and the volume of terrace formed was estimated. Soil and nutrient losses were quantified using soil traps. The results showed that terraces formed as the systems developed, through gradual deposition of soil sediment above the living grass strips and trees. Accumulated soil sedimentation above the grass strips during the five-year study period raised the soil surface by 4.0 cm in fruit-maize-AF and 4.2 cm in fruit-coffee-AF, and the volume of terraces generated by the grass strips was 0.26 and 0.43 m3/m respectively. The fruit-maize-AF and fruit-coffee-AF systems significantly reduced losses of soil, soil organic carbon (SOC) and associated nutrients (N, P, K) compared with sole-maize and sole-coffee already in the first two years, while the reductions were greater from year 3 onwards. On average across experiments and years, the agroforestry systems reduced soil, SOC, N, P and K losses by 27–76%, 21–78%, 20–82%, 24–82% and 22–84%, respectively. These findings show that agroforestry with fruit trees, grass strips and crops could be a useful management practice and viable option for sustainable agricultural systems on sloping land, by reducing soil (and carbon and nutrient) losses through terrace formation.

Prospects of sediment deposition at small watershed scale in the black soil region of Northeast China: A mini review

Sediment deposition is one of the most significant processes in small watersheds characterized by gentle long hillslopes in the black soil (Mollisol) region of Northeast China, as indicated by severe ephemeral gully and gully erosion on hillslopes and very low sediment concentrations in river systems. Few reviews have been conducted to summarize the related research in this region. The objectives of this review were to identify the potential factors influencing sediment deposition, review related studies, and propose future research needs in the black soil region of Northeast China. Sediment deposition is controlled by the deficit between sediment transport capacity of flow and sediment load. Hence, all factors affecting flow transport capacity and sediment load directly affect sediment deposition. For a specific small watershed, the change in slope gradient along the flow path is the key factor affecting sediment deposition. Shelterbelts, ridge tillage systems, terraces, grass strips, road distribution, ponds and reservoirs, and land-use patterns also influence the spatial distribution and rate of deposition. The trace method has been widely used to quantify sediment deposition in this region. The results of cesium-137 (137Cs), lead-210 (210Pb), and magnetic susceptibility reveal that serious deposition occurs on the back and foot slopes. Distinct deposition occurs in front of contour shelterbelts. Future studies should focus on the methodology, spatial and temporal variations, dominant influencing factors and their mechanisms, and the potential effects on land productivity within specific small watersheds and across the black soil region. This review provides insights into the sediment deposition process in small watersheds characterized by gentle, long hillslopes.

Efficacy of strip seeding to restore grassland plant communities

Strip seeding is a novel restoration practice of strategically planting in strips, resulting in alternating seeded and unseeded areas to target efforts and reduce costs while achieving ecological outcomes similar to conventional methods of seeding entire sites. However, there has been limited work testing the efficacy of this method, including how strip width and percent seeded area affect restoration outcomes. We evaluated four native grass strip seed treatments (33%, 50% narrow, 50% wide, and 66% of area seeded), an unseeded control, and a conventional 100% seeded control to investigate: (1) how plant communities in seeded and unseeded strips change over time; (2) how initial strip width affect native species biomass, invasive species biomass, and plant species diversity; and (3) cost‐effectiveness of strip seeding in terms of management costs and benefits accrued. Four years post‐seeding, seeded and unseeded strips exhibited unique plant communities; seeded strips were characterized by native perennial grasses while unseeded strips had a higher abundance of annual forbs (majority non‐native) and non‐native annual grasses. Plant communities were similar within strips across strip seeding treatments. Invasion resistance and productivity scaled with percent area initially seeded, but by year four all strip seed treatments (33–66%) provided similar benefits to conventional seeding (100%). Overall, this suggests strip seeding is a promising, cost‐effective method to restore targeted species and maintain native grassland communities. Further research is needed on long‐term effects, ecological and economic barriers and opportunities, and provisioning of a broad suite of ecosystem services across different environmental contexts and management practices.

The influence of field margin characteristics on syrphid abundance

Field margins have an important ecological role in agroecosystems including hosting beneficial insect such as syrphids. However, little is known of syrphid preferences for different types of field margins. Syrphids were sampled in field margins in an organic agroecosystem to test the hypothesis that syrphid abundance in field margins depends not only on the floral resource abundance but also on field margin component type, field margin complexity, and adjacent land-use type. Floral resource abundance had the greatest influence on the number of syrphids surveyed. Field margin characteristics were deemed to effect syrphid abundance both independently of their effect on floral resources and by altering floral resource abundance. Syrphids were more abundant in field margins adjacent to cropped fields than those adjacent to grazed fields or roads. More syrphids were found in ditch components than in tree or grass strip components. The influence of floral resources on syrphid abundance varied depending on their botanical families, although no significant differences were observed for the effect of botanical family floral resource index on syrphid abundance. These findings demonstrate that field margin characteristics play an important role in facilitating plant–syrphid interactions and offer an insight in agroecosystem management for the promotion of beneficial insects. The influence of field margin characteristics on other beneficial insect groups should also be investigated.

Integration effect of vetiver grass strips with maize population density on soil erosion under two contrasting slopes of rainforest agroecology

Water erosion is a global concern that threatens sustainable agriculture. Using vetiver grass strip (VGS) and maize population density (MPD) separately to control soil erosion has been documented. Complementing VGS with high MPD could enhance crop yield and erosion control efficiency on sloping lands but there is no quantitative study on the combined effects of VGS with MPD on soil nutrient erosion globally. Thus, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of VGS + MPD in controlling soil nutrient erosion and improving maize yields on two contrasting slopes under rainforest agroecology. Five treatments [VGS established at 5 m intervals with MPD of 40,000 stands ha−1 (VGS5 + MPD40); VGS established at 5 m intervals with MPD of 53,333 stands ha−1 (VGS5 + MPD53); VGS established at 10 intervals with MPD of 40,000 stands ha−1 (VGS10 + MPD40); VGS established at 10 intervals with MPD of 53,333 stands ha−1 (VGS10 + MPD53) and plot planted to MPD of 53,333 stands ha−1 only serves as control (MPD53)] were imposed on 5 % and 10 % slopes. Runoff was higher in control (MPD53) than other treatments by a range of 92.2 % to 73.8 % on a 5 % slope and 73.3 % to 52.2 % on a 10 % slope. Similarly, the relative reductions in soil loss compared to the control ranged from 89.9 % to 70.2 % on a 5 % slope and 90.8 % to 84.2 % on a 10 % slope. Amongst treatments, VGS5 + MPD53 had the lowest nutrient volume discharge on both slopes due to complimentary impacts of higher MPD to provide a full vegetation cover to prevent splash erosion while closely spaced VGS helps to trap transportable fine particles down the slope. Runoff and soil loss from the 10 % slope exceeded the 5 % slope by 61.2 % and 77.4 % respectively. Average maize yields for VGS5 + MPD53 on both slopes were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than other treatments and maize yield on the 5 % slope exceeded the 10 % slope by 30.9 %. Slope gradient is a major driving force for water erosion and integration of VGS5 with MPD53 is the most effective in controlling soil nutrient erosion and improving maize yield on 5–10 % slopes under rainforest agroecology.

Linear Landscape Elements and Heteropteran Assemblages within Mediterranean Vineyard Agroecosystems

In agricultural systems, linear habitat features and resource shifting over the season can shape insect communities. When evaluating insect assemblages, the use of trait-based approaches allows measuring of the functional component of diversity which, combined with a taxonomical perspective, may help to understand how environmental factors drive community structuring. In Mediterranean vineyard agroecosystems, we assessed Heteroptera communities to evaluate linear habitat type (hedgerow vs. grass strip) and seasonality drive assemblages from both a taxonomical and a trait-based perspective. Morphometric traits related to dispersal ability or microhabitat and resource use were measured. Heteroptera community composition varied from hedgerows to strips and also changed over the season. However, the taxonomical response was not as strong as the trait one. Trait composition of the omnivorous heteropteran community remained stable when compared to those of phytophagous and predatory heteropterans, which were more sensitive to the evaluated factors. Given that each linear habitat type supports communities with different trait compositions, we highlight the importance of preserving a variety of habitats to achieve a high functional diversity. We also emphasize the need to develop studies at different spatial scales that allow to better understand the significance of landscape elements on shaping insect assemblages across different climatic regions.

Qualitative sustainability assessment of road verge management in France: An approach from causal diagrams to seize the importance of impact pathways

A road verge, also known as a roadside, is a strip of grass or vegetation, sometimes shrubs and trees, that forms a space on the public property located along a road or highway. They require regular maintenance, one of the most relevant reasons being the safety of road users, which implies for territory planners making decisions about the period of maintenance, frequency, the mowing height, or whether or not remove cut biomass from the roadside among others. As highlighted in previous studies, the maintenance strategy decided on has a range of positive and negative impacts on the ecosystem services provided by road verges. Today, however, there is a lack of a formal and holistic view of how these maintenance practices affect the ecosystem services (ES) provided by the roadside. In order to improve the sustainability management of these areas, this paper proposes to use the concept of causal diagrams from the systems theory and literature analysis. This concept helps to structure and represent the impact of road verge maintenance decisions on ES and their interrelationships through causal networks. Nine interrelated causal diagrams were then developed. These diagrams are the first attempt at a qualitative assessment of the impact of roadside management on ES. This work is the first step towards a formal holistic model to assess the sustainability impacts of road verges and the development of decision-making tools.

Sustainable Agricultural Management of Land Using Technology for Soil and Water Conservation within the Central Rift Valley, Central Ethiopia

Ethiopia has used several techniques for conserving water and soil. However, different sociocultural and technical problems have been affecting their implementation. The study is aimed at assessing sustainable agricultural management of land implementations through traditional and modern conservation of soil and water technologies in the central Rift Valley, Ethiopia. The research approach used was a descriptive survey using a cross-sectional research design. Household heads were chosen at random from the three kebeles, while representatives were chosen using a proportionate sample technique. Furthermore, kebeles and key informants were selected by using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through questionnaires, key informant interviews, and field observation. The results show that both traditional and contemporary methods for conserving soil and water have advantages and disadvantages of their own, and some of them have been combined. A number of factors, including age, family size, education, topography, distance from the homestead, income, and the availability of training, have a big impact on whether or not soil and water conservation methods are adopted. The majority of farmers use mixed farming followed by crop production to meet their livelihood needs. The most widely implemented physical measure was terracing, followed by stone bunds. The farmers practiced traditional waterways, furrows, check dams, terracing, and stone bunds as traditional conservation practices. Agroforestry, followed by grass strip and area closure, was the most commonly implemented vegetative measure. Besides, animal manure, followed by animal parking, was the most implemented agronomic measure. The concerned stakeholders need to pay more attention to community mobilization for the conservation, upkeep, and development of traditional and modern soil and water conservation structures. In order to employ traditional and contemporary soil and water conservation measures for sustainable agricultural land management practices, experts need to instruct the local farmers.

Effects of AM Fungi and Grass Strips on Soil Erosion Characteristics in Red Sandstone Erosion Areas in Southern China

As one of the most serious soil erosion areas in China, red sandstone erosion areas in southern China have been seriously affected by abundant annual rainfall. To understand the effects of AM fungi and different grass strips on soil erosion characteristics in red sandstone erosion areas in southern China, we selected Cynodon dactylon, Lotus corniculatus, Zoysia japonica, and Astragalus sinicus. Two treatments were carried out for each grass: AM was the soil in its original state, and CK was the soil in which the original AM fungi were eliminated. Taking CK treatment as the control group, any changes of runoff and sediment yield and nutrient loss under different grass strip conditions were measured. The total yield of runoff and sediment in the four grass strips under CK treatment was greater than that of AM. The runoff ammonium nitrogen loss concentration in AM treatment was smaller than in CK treatment under continuous scouring. The ammonium nitrogen loss concentration of sediment during continuous scouring showed a decreasing trend. Under AM treatment, the loss concentration of sediment ammonium nitrogen showed a decreasing trend compared with the CK treatment. The percentage of sediment particles >2 mm in the four grass strips was significantly larger for CK treatment than AM treatment (p < 0.05), and except for Cynodon dactylon, the percentage of sediment particles in the size range of 1–2 mm for other grass strips was significantly larger for CK treatment than for AM treatment (p < 0.05); the percentage of sediment particles at 0.02–0.25 mm was significantly smaller for CK treatment than for AM treatment (p < 0.05). The mean weight diameter (MWD) of sediments produced by the four grass strips under simulated scouring showed an overall increasing trend with increased scouring time. The mean weight diameter (MWD) of sediments produced under CK treatment was larger than that of AM treatment. The fractal dimension (D) of sediments showed a decreasing trend with increased scouring time. These results showed that AM fungi can promote the growth of plant roots, strengthen soil anchoring, protect large particle aggregates in soil under rainfall scouring, and reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss in red sandstone erosion areas in southern China. Cynodon dactylon and Zoysia japonica were more prominent than Lotus corniculatus and Astragalus sinicus in inhibiting soil erosion in red sandstone erosion areas.

Effects of Vetiver Grass Strips Technology (Vgt) Adoption on Poverty of Crop Farmers in Nigeria

Abia state faces severe soil erosion problem which affects agricultural production and poverty of crop farmers. The use of vetiver grass strips technology (Vgt) helps control soil erosion, enhance crop yield, increase farmers’ income and reduce poverty. However, there is a dearth of information on the effect of adoption of Vgt. on poverty in Abia State. Therefore, the poverty status of crop farmers’ adopters in Abia State was investigated. 250 farming households were randomly selected proportionate to the size of the cells. Data on socio-economics of the farmers, awareness and adoption of Vgt, inputs and outputs of crops, expenditure on food and non-food items were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster, Greer and Thorbecke model, and probit regression at α0.05. The results showed that the average age of the respondents was 48 years. The household size and farm-size were 6 members and 2ha. 59.2% of the respondents were aware of Vgt but 49.6% adopted. Most of the adopters of Vgt were females with farm size of 1.57 ha, and 42.7% of them had tertiary education. Adoption of Vgt reduced poverty incidence by 21.0% for the adopters. The study recommends effective extension services for farmers. Vgt being low-cost help to reduce the poverty level of the farmers and hence government should invest more resources on this technology. Further research should be on poverty reduction and involving of government intervention programme in the study area.

The status of the European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) in Hungary: a review

Abstract In 2021, the European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) became the ‘Bird of The Year’ in Hungary, which makes it very timely to summarise our knowledge about the status of the species in the country and to emphasise conservation priorities. In Hungary, the species is a common, widespread breeder of dry roadside grass strips, abandoned ploughlands, bushy slopes and vineyards. It is most likely in the arid habitats between the Danube and Tisza and east of the Tisza. The largest populations also breed in these regions. The Hungarian population was estimated at 195,000–210,000 pairs between 2014 and 2018. The breeding population halved between 1999 and 2018, though it was stable until 2004. The breeding period begins from late March to early April and lasts until the end of July. First males arrive in February, and spring migration peaks in early March. Autumn migration peaks in late September. Few may overwinter. The number of birds ringed in Hungary since 1951 is 13,484, of which 1,401 were juvenile. Three birds ringed in Hungary were found abroad (Italy 2, Greece 1), and two specimens marked abroad (Croatia, Italy) were found in Hungary. The oldest bird was recaptured 1679 days after its ringing day in Hungary. The average body mass of juveniles increased significantly for both sexes by an average of 0.9 grams over 22 years. In the case of all age and sex groups, the average body mass increased during the autumn season. The average wing length of adults also increased during the autumn. The arrival time of either sex during spring migration did not change significantly between 1999 and 2020. In the case of all age and sex groups, the arrival time shifted later in autumn migration. The European Stonechat belongs to the red list category Near Threatened in Hungary.

A multi-site experiment to test biocontrol effects of wildflower strips in different French climate zones

Sowing of wildflower strips has been integrated in agri-environment schemes of several European countries. Their beneficial effects on natural enemies of pest insects are well documented but (1) the desired spill-over into crop fields has not always been demonstrated, and (2) the need to adapt sown mixtures to regional climatic differences has been rarely addressed.We set up a multi-site experiment in different French climatic regions to compare effects of a wildflower strip with a grass mixture and spontaneous vegetation. The design included five regions, three to five fields per region and the three strip treatments being repeated in each field. We tested strip treatment effects on vegetation (plant species richness, plant and flower cover) and on natural enemies (hoverflies, ladybirds, aphid predation). In a subset, we further analysed the spill-over into winter wheat fields including natural enemies and pest insects (cereal aphids, leaf beetles).The wildflower strip mixture developed well in all regions and increased plant species richness and flower cover compared with grass strips and spontaneous vegetation. We found a corresponding higher hoverfly abundance and aphid predation in wildflower strips that were consistent in all regions, whereas ladybird abundance was not affected. A significantly higher hoverfly abundance, aphid predation and aphid parasitism in wheat fields close to wildflower strips indicated a spill-over. No corresponding margin treatment effects were observed for aphid and leaf beetle abundance in the field. A multivariate analysis comparing the influence of climate and vegetation parameters showed that floral cover better explained variation in natural enemy abundance and predation than climate. Our results demonstrated that similar mixtures of native plants can be used over large climatic gradients to improve biocontrol. Further research is needed to improve spill-over into crop fields and to obtain consistently strong effects in different climate zones.

The Successful Soil Conservation Methods in Ethiopia: A Review

Soil conservation is the protection of fertile top soil from erosion by wind and water and the replacement of nutrient in the soil and it is the combination of the appropriate land use and a management practice that promotes the productive and sustainable use of erosion and other forms of land degradation. It has become an integral part of land use and receives support within a social and economic environment which is conductive to the maintenance and improvement of soil capital. The grass strips, bench terraces, and fanya juu reduced soil loss by 40, 76 and 88%, respectively, compared to the land without those structures. In the Anjeni area of Ethiopia, graded soil bund reduced soil loss by 40% as compared with untreated plots. An annual soil loss from crop lands with level soil bunds reduced by 51% when compared to the control plot. In Debre Mewi, Ethiopia, Stone bunds and soil bund reduced soil loss by 72.9 and 83.7% respectively as compared to non-treated land. In northern Ethiopia, especially in Tigray, Stone bund is effective in reducing soil loss by 68% particularly at its early age. In the central highlands of Ethiopia, the soil bund reduced the yield of barley by 7% when the spaces occupied by the structures are taken into account and otherwise increased yield by 1.7%. Agro-forestry is also one of the practices mainly used in Ethiopia at the low land areas where Mango ( Mangifera indica L. ) is well integrated with the cultivated crops and considered as an important component of the farm. The vetiver system reduces soil loss from farm land by 90% and reduces rainfall runoff by 70%. Rotating the major cereals, after legumes or oil a crop is mainly used for soil fertility maintenance, weed and disease control. Keywords: Agroforestry, conservation, Erosion, soil bund, Soil, stone bund, terrace, DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/84-02 Publication date: April 30 th 2022

Effects of Distributions of Grass Strips on Soil Erosion in Spoil Tips

The spatial distribution pattern of vegetation is of great significance to the prevention and control of soil erosion in spoil tips. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spatial distributions of grass strips on soil erosion in spoil tips. A field runoff plot (20 m long, 1 m wide, and 0.5 m deep) was used for inflow simulation experiments under four inflow rate patterns (even, rising, falling, and rising–falling) and five grass strip patterns (patterns I–V). Results showed that the runoff reduction benefit (RRB) and soil loss reduction benefit (SLRB) of grass strip patterns were 12.23–49.62% and 12.92–80.54%, respectively. The optimal grass strip pattern was when the grass strips were distributed on a slope in bands (pattern V). In this pattern, the soil and water conservation effects were best, with RRB and SLRB of 43.87% and 58.09%, respectively. The grass strip patterns exhibited a significant time-limited effect on controlling soil erosion. The maximum amount of soil loss reduction for patterns II, III, IV, and V was 93.02, 84.30, 65.86, and 98.26 kg, respectively. Soil loss reduction caused by decreasing runoff (SRR) for grass strip patterns was the main factor controlling erosion. The efficiency coefficient of soil loss reduction caused by decreasing runoff for pattern V was higher than that for the other patterns. The grass strip pattern V (i.e., grass strips were distributed on a slope in bands) should be considered a priority in the prevention of soil erosion in spoil tips. This study can guide the configuration of vegetation control measures for soil and water loss in spoil tips.

Pluri-decennial erosion rates using SUM/ISUM and sediment traps survey in the Mercurey vineyards (Burgundy, France)

Vineyards are often considered to be among the agricultural lands most sensitive to erosion. We used the Stock Unearthing Measurement/Improved Stock Unearthing Measurement (SUM/ISUM) method and sediment traps volume measurements to assess the pluri-decennial erosion rates on a sub-catchment of the Mercurey vineyards in Burgundy, France. The measured erosion rates were compared to local environmental conditions (such as slope, soil type, age of vines, etc.) to discuss the role of driving factors. We found that the mean erosion rate was 21.4 ± 3.1 t.ha−1.yr−1 on vine plots (from −3.2 ± 1.5 t.ha−1.yr−1 to 53 ± 5.8 t.ha−1.yr−1), while sediment accumulation rates in traps varied from 16.6 ± 5.9 (upslope) to 0.13 ± 0.05 (downslope). The measurements were characterized by variable error margins (from 7% to 43% of the measured value) that are directly correlated with erosion rates. Both slope (USLE-LS factor) and age of vines were identified as driving factors of soil erosion. Runoff is the main modality of erosion. The higher erodibility of soil during the first years after plantation (unconsolidated and bare soil); and the regular (every 15 to 20 years) backfilling of eroded plots with soil collected in downslope sediment traps can explain the effect of the age of vines on erosion. In spite of erosion control strategies, the measured rates remain higher than what can be tolerated for sustainable development of agriculture. Therefore, we suggest that the current erosion mitigation strategy should be complemented with other techniques that maintain soils on plots (e.g., grass strips on the interrows, mulching).

The Role of Stakeholders in Conseravation Governance in The Upstream Bedadung Watershed

The upstream of the Bedadung watershed is a catchment area. Now Bedadung watershed does not function optimally because of illegal logging and the change in function of protected forest to production forest. There was an increase in erosion, landslide, and flood. This research aims to identify conservation activities and Identify the roles of stakeholders in governance upstream Bedadung watershed. The result of the first purpose is conservation activities in the fourth Sub-watershed with exploratory, descriptive analysis: (1) Jompo Sub-watershed (coffee plants, teak plants, and terraces), cover crops, DAM controller, (2) Antrokan Sub-watershed such as durian terracing, use of organic mulch, sengon plants with elephant grass, (3) Rempangan Sub-watershed, such as planting cover crops, coffee, and lamtoro terracing, (sengon, coffee, and terrace), reforestation with matoah, sengon, durian, avocado, petai, guava, (4) Rembangan Sub-watershed, such as grass strips, cover crops, (lamtoro, coffee, and terrace). The results of the second purpose are to identify roles, relationships, influence, and strength of stakeholders in the implementation of conservation governance using The Four Rs analysis and stakeholder strength analysis. The position and function of each stakeholder managing the upstream Bedadung Watershed, namely (1) LMDH and KTH as (Subject), (2) Branch of the Jember Regional Forestry Service, Perum Perhutani, and BPDAS Brantas Sampean as (Key Player), (3) Dinas Environment of Jember Regency, Bappeda Jember, Department of Public Works Bina Marga of Jember Regency, and Department of Agriculture of Jember as (Context Setters), (4) Brantas Sampean Watershed Forum as (Crowd).

Multi-scale approach to biodiversity proxies of biological control service in European farmlands

Intensive agriculture has profoundly altered biodiversity and trophic relationships in agricultural landscapes, leading to the deterioration of many ecosystem services such as pollination or biological control. Information on which spatio-temporal factors are simultaneously affecting crop pests and their natural enemies is required to improve conservation biological control practices. We conducted a study in 80 winter wheat crop fields distributed in three regions of North-western Europe (Brittany, Hauts-de-France and Wallonia), along intra-regional gradients of landscape complexity. Five taxa of major crop pests (aphids and slugs) and natural enemies (spiders, carabids, and parasitoids) were sampled three times a year, for two consecutive years. We analysed the influence of regional (meteorology), landscape (structure in both the years n and n-1) and local factors (hedge or grass strip field boundaries, and distance to boundary) on the abundance and species richness of crop-dwelling organisms, as proxies of the service/disservice they provide. Firstly, there was higher biocontrol potential in areas with mild winter climatic conditions. Secondly, natural enemy communities were less diverse and had lower abundances in landscapes with high crop and wooded continuities (sum of interconnected crop or wood surfaces), contrary to slugs and aphids. Finally, field boundaries with grass strips were more favourable to spiders and carabids than boundaries formed by hedges, while the opposite was found for crop pests, with the latter being less abundant towards the centre of the fields. We also revealed temporal modulation—and sometimes reversion—of the impact of local elements on crop biodiversity. To some extent, these results cause controversy because they show that hedgerows and woodlots should not be the unique cornerstones of agro-ecological landscape design strategies. We point out that combining woody and grassy habitats to take full advantage of the features and ecosystem services they both provide (biological pest control, windbreak effect, soil stabilization) may promote sustainable agricultural ecosystems. It may be possible to both reduce pest pressure and promote natural enemies by accounting for taxa-specific antagonistic responses to multi-scale environmental characteristics.

Different components of landscape complexity are necessary to preserve multiple taxonomic groups in intensively-managed rice paddy landscapes

Increase in pesticide use and landscape homogenization are two key drivers of the decline in farmland biodiversity. The effects of these two drivers are often complex, interactive and vary among taxonomic groups. Our study tested the hypothesis that pesticide use influences the effect of different components of landscape complexity on different taxonomic groups. We sampled 32 rice paddy landscapes of 1 * 1 km in the Camargue (south of France), a wetland internationally recognized as an exceptional biodiversity hotspot. We assessed the abundance and diversity of 7 taxa (plants, bees, butterflies, hoverflies, carabids, spiders and birds) in 3 or 4 crop fields per landscape. For each landscape, we measured the length of different field margins (ditch, grass strip, hedgerow), the proportion of semi-natural areas and crop diversity. For each field, we measured management intensity by the treatment frequency index (TFI) of pesticides. We then tested our hypothesis across 118 fields. Our results show that different components of landscape complexity influence different taxonomic groups: crop diversity and the length of ditches influence bee abundance and species richness, the proportion of semi-natural areas influence spider abundance and species richness, and the length of grass strips influences bird abundance. Moreover, we show that local pesticide use modulates these effects, with more positive effects of landscape complexity in intensively-managed fields. However, we found no interactive effect between landscape complexity and field management for plants, butterflies, hoverflies and carabids. Our study therefore suggests that different components of landscape complexity need to be maintained in order to preserve multiple taxonomic groups. Moreover, it suggests that increasing landscape complexity is particularly relevant to restore biodiversity in intensively-managed fields. Agricultural policies should therefore support the simultaneous increase in semi-natural areas, field margins length and crop diversity to conserve a wide range of taxonomic groups in intensively-managed rice paddy landscapes.

黄土区露天煤矿排土场不同微地貌土壤种子库特征

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 黄土区露天煤矿排土场不同微地貌土壤种子库特征 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202110102825 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 辽宁省自然资源科技创新项目"辽西矿区土壤基质改良与生物修复技术及应用研究"；内蒙古自治区科技计划项目（201701024）；辽宁工程技术大学学科创新团队资助项目（LNTU20TD-01） Characteristics of soil seed bank in different micro-topographies of opencast coal mine dumping site in loess area Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: Science and Technology Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:黄土区露天煤矿排土场边坡水力冲刷强烈，不同植被恢复模式与水力作用耦合形成的不同微地貌可通过对种子的不同拦截作用而影响植被的恢复及发展。为了探讨排土场不同微地貌对种子的拦截效益及不同植被恢复模式的恢复潜力，选取不同恢复模式下形成的细沟、丛岛和草带三种微地貌为研究对象，以邻近裸坡为对照，研究不同微地貌土壤种子库特征及其拦截力。结果表明：（1）在不同微地貌中土壤种子库均以一年生藜科和禾本科植物为主；丛岛微生境的土壤种子库中有较丰富的物种和较高的多样性指数。（2）各微地貌的土壤种子库均具有表层聚集现象；草带微地貌中的土壤种子库总储量最大，且草带的0-2 cm土层处的土壤种子库密度显著高于各微地貌的各个土层（P<0.05）。（3）细沟和丛岛在上坡位对种子的拦截效果更好，草带在下坡位对种子的拦截效果更好。综上所述，沙蒿恢复模式形成的丛岛有利于增加土壤种子库的物种多样性，草带有利于增加土壤种子库的储量，故在黄土区排土场进行植被恢复时可以利用不同微地貌对土壤种子库分布特征的优势构建适宜的复合植被恢复模式。 Abstract:The serious hydraulic scouring of the unstable slopes of dumps in opencast coal mines in loess areas can easily induce variously geological hazards. In the process of vegetation restoration, different micro-topographies formed by the coupling of different vegetation restoration modes and hydraulic effects can affect the restoration and development of vegetation through different interception effects on seeds. In order to investigate the seed interception benefits of different micro-topographies in dumping sites and the restoration potential of different vegetation restoration modes, three micro-topographies formed under different restoration modes, namely, rill, scrub mound and grass strip, were selected as research objects in this study. The adjacent bare slopes were used as controls to study the characteristics of the soil seed bank and its interception power by measuring its soil seed bank storage, calculating the species diversity index and seed interception index. The results show that:(1) the soil seed bank in all micro-topographies was dominated by annual Chenopodiaceae and Gramineae; the soil seed bank in the scrub mound had richer species and higher diversity index. (2) The soil seed bank in all micro-topographies had superficial aggregation; the total soil seed bank in the grass strip micro-topographies had the largest storage capacity, and the soil seed bank density at the 0-2 cm soil layer in the grass strip was significantly higher than that in each soil layer of each micro-topography (P<0.05). (3) The seeds were better intercepted in the upper slope by the rill and scrub mound, with a seed interception index of 0.58 and 0.27, respectively; and the seeds were better intercepted in the lower slope by the grass strip, with a seed interception index of 0.60. In summary, the scrub mound formed by the Artemisia desertorum restoration model was conducive to increasing the species diversity of the soil seed bank and more effective in intercepting seeds on the upper slopes; and the grass strip was conducive to increasing the storage capacity of the soil seed bank and more capable of intercepting seeds on the lower slopes. Therefore, when revegetating dumping sites in loess areas, the advantages of different micro-topographies on the distribution characteristics of the soil seed bank should be used to build a suitable composite vegetation restoration model. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献