Nutrient Deposition Rates Research Articles

Geolocation and immersion loggers reveal year‐round residency and facilitate nutrient deposition rate estimation of adult red‐footed boobies in the Chagos Archipelago, tropical Indian Ocean

Bio‐logging has revealed much about high‐latitude seabird migratory strategies, but migratory behaviour in tropical species may differ, with implications for understanding nutrient deposition. Here we use combined light‐level and saltwater immersion loggers to study the year‐round movement behaviour of adult red‐footed boobies Sula sula rubripes from the Chagos Archipelago, tropical Indian Ocean, to assess migratory movements and estimate nutrient deposition rates based on the number of days they spent ashore. Light levels suggest that red‐footed boobies are resident in the Chagos Archipelago year‐round, although there are large latitudinal errors this close to the equator. Immersion data also indicate residency with tracked birds returning to land every one or two days. Spending an average of 79.86 ± 2.80 days and 280.84 ± 2.64 nights per year on land allows us to estimate that the 21 670 pairs of red‐footed boobies deposit 37.34 ± 0.56 tonnes year−1 of guano‐derived nitrogen throughout the archipelago. Our findings have implications for tropical seabird conservation and phylogenetics, as well as for assessing the impact of seabird nutrients on coral reef ecosystems.

Phosphorus Addition Reduces Seedling Growth and Survival for the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Tree Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae) and Ectomycorrhizal Tree Castanopsis sclerophylla (Fagaceae) in Fragmented Forests in Eastern China.

Global changes in nutrient deposition rates and habitat fragmentation are likely to have profound effects on plant communities, particularly in the nutrient-limited systems of the tropics and subtropics. However, it remains unclear how increased phosphorus (P) supply affects seedling growth in P-deficient subtropical fragmented forests. To explore this, we applied P to 11 islands in a subtropical Chinese archipelago and examined the results in combination with a contemporary greenhouse experiment to test the influence of P addition on seedling growth and survival. We measured the growth (i.e., base area) and mortality rate of seedlings for one arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and one ectomycorrhizal (EcM) tree species separately and calculated their relative growth rate and mortality when compared with P addition and control treatment on each island. We also measured three functional traits and the biomass of seedlings in the greenhouse experiment. Results showed that P addition significantly increased the mortality of AM and EcM seedlings and reduced the growth rate of EcM seedlings. The relative growth rate of AM seedlings, but not EcM seedlings, significantly decreased as the island area decreased, suggesting that P addition could promote the relative growth rate of AM seedlings on larger islands. The greenhouse experiment showed that P addition could reduce the specific root length of AM and EcM seedlings and reduce the aboveground and total biomass of seedlings, indicating that P addition may affect the resource acquisition of seedlings, thereby affecting their survival and growth. Our study reveals the synergistic influence of habitat fragmentation and P deposition, which may affect the regeneration of forest communities and biodiversity maintenance in fragmented habitats.

Legacy effects of nutrient addition reduces and displaces trophic niches in Collembola communities in a Brazilian woodland savanna

Ecosystems worldwide are being subjected to increasing rates of nutrient deposition. Additional nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs and liming are common practices in agroecosystems that have long-term consequences for plant and microbial diversity and community structure during ecosystem restoration. However, legacy effects of nutrient deposition on multitrophic biodiversity and trophic interactions of soil organisms are poorly understood. Collembola is a good model group to study such effects. These small soil invertebrates are intimately linked to plants and microbes, and play an important role in soils by supporting soil fertility and energy channeling to higher trophic levels in soil food webs. Here, we studied the trophic niche structure of epigeic Collembola during a long-term (20 years) nutrient addition experiment in the Central Brazilian savanna (Cerrado), one of the tropical agricultural frontiers. We used descriptive isotopic metrics of Collembola communities based on stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to evaluate the legacy effects of fertilization (with N, P, and N + P additions) and liming on their trophic-niche structure. The strongest trophic niche shifts were observed under N addition, manifested in the form of (i) a reduction in trophic niche widththat is, decreased diversity of consumed basal resources available to the Collembola communityand (ii) in a more even distribution of Collembola taxa in trophic space. Community trophic niche was strongly displaced under P, N + P, and liming additions (i.e., it did not overlap with the control), reflecting intensified trophic links of Collembola to exotic C4 grasses. Overall, our results indicate that increased atmospheric N deposition simplifies the trophic structure of Collembola communities, which may affect the efficiency and pathways of energy channeling in soil food webs and soil functioning. In addition, the observed niche shifts suggests the need for flexibility in feeding by soil animals in savanna to persist under supplemental N + P and liming. Our study is among the first to explore the trophic structure of invertebrates in tropical soils and provides further evidence that nutrient deposition and agricultural fertilization and liming legacy effects have long-term consequences for soil organisms on multiple trophic levels.

Soil erosion impacts on nutrient deposition in a typical karst watershed

Soil erosion has a significant influence on nutrient redistribution and deposition. However, the effect of soil erosion on nutrient deposition remains unclear in karst areas such as southwest China, which represents an ecologically fragile zone experiencing severe soil erosion. The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) deposition in a karst watershed of southwest China over the past 60 years and evaluate the relationship between soil erosion and nutrient deposition. The peak-cluster depressions in southwest China are typical for the geomorphological type, which is an ideal place to determine the sediment chronology, and the estimation of sediment and nutrient deposition rates. The 137Cs, 210Pbex, particle size distribution, and nutrients of 194 soil samples in three sediment cores retrieved from a karst depression were investigated to evaluate the effect of soil erosion on nutrient deposition. Results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between nutrient concentrations and clay content (P < 0.001). Generally, compared with 137Cs, 210Pbex had a higher correlation with SOC and TN. In an undisturbed sediment profile, Pb/Cs can reflect nutrient dynamics better than a single nuclide. The nutrient deposition rates increased before 1953, reached its maximum in 1954–1956, and then dropped rapidly from 1957 to 2015. The sediment deposition rates were negatively correlated with nutrient concentrations (P < 0.01), but had a positive influence on nutrient deposition rates (P < 0.01). This implied that the temporal variation in nutrient deposition rates over the past 60 years was dominated by soil erosion rather than nutrient concentrations. This study provides a new insight to explore the historical nutrient deposition rates in a peak-cluster karst depression, and may help effectively control soil erosion and sustainable development of agro-ecosystems.

Nutrient deposition over the past 60 years in a reservoir within a medium-sized agricultural catchment

Widespread dam construction has reduced the hydrological connectivity of catchments of various sizes. Nutrients lost from upper catchments can be intercepted by dams and deposited in reservoir sediments, and this reduces downstream nutrient transportation. Few previous studies have assessed historical nutrient deposition rates (NDRs) in man-made reservoirs. Using 137Cs and 210Pbex deposition chronologies, this paper examines the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphate (TP), and organic matter (OM) concentrations in six sediment cores recovered from Xujiaya reservoir (catchment area 580 km2), provides estimates of historical NDRs by referencing the original capacity curve, and explores temporal changes to the NDR since dam construction. The results show that anthropogenic sources resulted in the increase in nutrient concentrations in the upper parts of the cores, whereas natural sources were the main contributors to nutrient deposition across the whole reservoir. In addition, sediment supply from the catchment was the main source of the nutrients deposited in the reservoir, and the changing patterns of NDRs were overall regulated by sediment yields. The TN, TP, and OM profiles in the six cores, together with the historical NDRs, reflect the pattern of nutrient deposition in the reservoir derived from this agricultural catchment over the past 60 years. The results provide new insight into the effect of dam construction on nutrient deposition at a medium-sized catchment scale against a background of recent environmental change influenced by human activity.

Opening the black box of plant nutrient uptake under warming predicts global patterns in community biomass and biological carbon storage

The effect of climate change on the amount of carbon stored in the different biological compartments of complex natural communities is relevant for a range of ecosystem functions and services. Temperature‐dependency of many physiological and ecological processes drives this storage capacity. As opposed to other physiological rates, the temperature‐dependence of nutrient uptake by plants has, to date, not been thoroughly investigated and therefore was not explicitly included in food web models. In a meta‐study, we extracted experimental data to establish the temperature‐dependence of the parameters determining plant nutrient uptake. Overall, we found an increase in the maximum uptake rate, as well as the half‐saturation density. As the respiration rates of plants (biomass loss) increase more strongly than the nutrient uptake rates (driving biomass gain under nutrient limitation), our results suggest that warming should decrease plant biomass. We applied these temperature‐dependent nutrient uptake rates by plants to a model of a three‐level food‐chain composed of two nutrients, a plant pool, and an herbivore pool. Having established plant nutrient uptake rates based on real data to replace the previously used assumption of logistic growth, we were able to use realistic natural nutrient deposition rates as the input variables in this model. This mechanistic model approach allowed us to show the quantitative responses of natural communities to realistic fertilization rates for the first time. We ran the model under realistic nutrient supply scenarios based on deposition data from the literature, adding a scenario of anthropogenic fertilization. We found decreases in overall community biomass with increasing temperature, but the intensity of this decrease varied strongly depending on the nutrient supply scenario. Our findings highlight the importance of including other global change drivers besides warming, as they can mediate the temperature impact on changes in global carbon storage and thus biomass‐related ecosystem services.

Contrasting species responses to continued nitrogen and phosphorus addition in tropical montane forest tree seedlings

AbstractGlobal changes in nutrient deposition rates are likely to have profound effects on plant communities, particularly in the nutrient‐limited systems of the tropics. We studied the effects of increased nutrient availability on the seedlings of six tree species in montane forests of southern Ecuador in situ. After five years of continued N, P, or N+P addition, naturally grown seedlings of each of the two most common species at each elevation (1000, 2000, and 3000 m asl) were harvested for analyses of leaf morphology, nutrient content, herbivory, and tissue biomass allocation. Most species showed increased foliar N and P concentrations after addition of each respective element. Leaf tissue N:P ratios of &gt;20 in the control plants of all species suggest that P is more growth‐limiting in these forests than N. Leaf morphological responses to nutrient addition were species and nutrient specific, with some species (Hedyosmum purparescens, Graffenrieda emarginata) exhibiting increased specific leaf area (SLA), and others (Graffenrieda harlingii) increased leaf area ratios (LAR). Pouteria torta (1000 m) had lower SLA and LAR after P addition. Increased herbivory was only evident in G. emarginata (after N and N+P addition). Only the species from 3000 m asl modified biomass allocation after nutrient addition. In general, N and N+P addition more strongly affected the species studied at the upper elevations, whereas P addition had a similar range of effects on the species at all elevations. We conclude that the responses of the studied tropical montane forest tree seedlings to chronic N and P addition are highly species‐specific and that successful adaptation to increased nutrient availability will depend on species‐specific morphological and physiological plasticity.

Impact of amino acid and CP restriction from 20 to 140 kg BW on performance and dynamics in empty body protein and lipid deposition of entire male, castrated and female pigs

Breeding leaner pigs during the last decades may have changed pig’s empty body (EB) composition, a key trait for elaborating feeding recommendations. This research aimed to provide new experimental data on changes in the chemical composition of the EB of pigs from 20 to 140 kg BW. In addition, the impact of a reduction in the dietary CP associated with lower lysine, methionine+cystine, threonine and tryptophan levels was determined. In total, 48 males, castrates and females weighing 20 kg BW were allocated either to a control grower–finisher diet formulated according to current Swiss feeding recommendations, or a low CP grower–finisher diet (80% of control). Feed intake was monitored and pigs were weighed weekly. The chemical composition of EB (blood, hairs and hoofs, offals, bile, carcass) was determined at 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 kg BW on four pigs per gender and diet (eight pigs per gender at 20 kg). The five fractions were weighed and samples were analysed for dry matter, protein, fat and energy. Nutrient deposition rates and N efficiency were calculated by using the 20 kg BW category as reference. Analysis revealed an accurate feed optimisation for the aforementioned essential amino acids (EAA), whereas digestible isoleucine content in the low CP diet was at 70% of the control diet. Despite similar feed intake, daily gain and feed efficiency were impaired (P<0.01) from 20 to 100 kg BW in the low CP compared with the control pigs. In the same growth period, castrates had the greatest feed intake but, together with females, displayed the lowest (P<0.01) feed efficiency. Protein deposition was reduced (P<0.01) by up to 31% with low CP diet and was lower (P<0.01) in castrates and females than males at 100 kg BW. The greatest fat deposition rates were found with low CP diet and castrates. N efficiency improved (P<0.05) by 10% with the low CP diet from 100 to 140 kg. The males displayed the greatest (P<0.05) N efficiency. These findings suggest that the CP content of finisher II diets could be reduced to 102, 102 and 104 g/kg for females, castrates and males, respectively, without a negative impact on protein deposition or growth. It remains unclear whether the negative effects found in the BW range from 20 to 100 kg on the EB deposition were due to the 20% reduction of the dietary CP and the five limiting EAA or to other EAA via an unbalanced EAA profile.

Energy utilization of light and heavy weaned piglets subjected to different dietary energy levels

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary metabolisable energy (ME: 3.25, 3.40, 3.55, or 3.70 Mcal kg−1) and weaning weight (WW: light 4.0±0.7 kg, and heavy: 6.3±0.6 kg) on productive response and energy utilization of weaned piglets. Sixty-four male piglets were housed in 32 metabolic cages (two animals per cage) during the first 14 d postweaning. At day 15, only one animal per cage was kept until day 28. Body composition, energy, and nutrient deposition rates and energy utilization efficiency were measured through a comparative slaughter procedure. Piglets with light WW had a poorer feed conversion ratio and lower weight gain and feed intake when expressed per live weight. Increased ME led to greater daily fat deposition in the empty bodies (defined as weighted mean of the carcass + organs + blood, no intestinal content), while light WW piglets had a reduced protein deposition. Light WW piglets increased heat production with increased ME, but no effect was seen for the heavy WW piglets. By contrast, heavy WW piglets increased empty body gross energy as ME increased, while no influence was observed on light WW piglets. Increasing dietary energy levels did not contribute to the subsequent growth performance of piglets that were lighter at weaning. The lack of interaction between weaning weight and dietary ME content on growth performance does not support the hypothesis that light piglets at weaning do not exhibit compensatory growth because of limitations in energy intake.

Performance and body composition of light and heavy early-weaning piglets subject to different dietary energy levels

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary metabolizable energy (ME; 3.40, 3.60, or 3.80Mcal/kg) and weaning weight (WW; 4.5±0.4 and 6.7±0.5kg) on growth performance, body composition, and energy utilization in early-weanling piglets. The diet with 3.40 Mcal/kg was formulated based on standard energy and nutrient recommendations in Brazil, and amino acids, Ca, P, and lactose levels in diets containing 3.60 and 3.80Mcal/kg were adjusted for the increased ME to maintain constant nutrient to ME ratios. Thirty-two male piglets were housed in metabolic cages individually for 28d in a 2×3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 5 barrows per treatment, except light and 3.8 ME and heavy and 3.4ME/kg treatments, which had 6 barrows per treatment. Body composition, nutrient deposition rates, and energy efficiency were measured through a comparative slaughter procedure. There were no WW×ME interactions for any of the response criteria. Heavy piglets had 15% greater average feed intake, 16% average daily gain, and 19% body weight on d 28 than the light piglets (P=0.021), but there was no effect of WW on energy and nutrient digestibility. Dietary ME content did not affect growth performance, but increased digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein (P<0.001). Heavy piglets had greater carcass weight (20%) and empty body weight (18%) than the light piglets (P<0.001). Energy efficiency was not influenced by WW or dietary ME content. Heavy piglets at weaning consumed more ME (P<0.022) and had greater body protein accretion in the carcass and empty body weight (P<0.05), but fat deposition was not affected. There was no interaction between WW and ME content of post-weaning diets, and increasing dietary energy level did not affect the post-weaning performance of light piglets at weaning. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that light piglets at weaning do not exhibit compensatory growth because of limitations in energy and nutrient intake.

Viral pathogen production in a wild grass host driven by host growth and soil nitrogen.

Nutrient limitation is a basic ecological constraint that has received little attention in studies on virus production and disease dynamics. Nutrient availability could directly limit the production of viral nucleic acids and proteins, or alternatively limit host growth and thus indirectly limit metabolic pathways necessary for viral replication. In order to compare direct and indirect effects of nutrient limitation on virus production within hosts, we manipulated soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability in a glasshouse for the wild grass host Bromus hordeaceus and the viral pathogen Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV. We found that soil N additions increased viral concentrations within host tissues, and the effect was mediated by host growth. Specifically, in statistical models evaluating the roles of host biomass production, leaf N and leaf P, viral production depended most strongly on host biomass, rather than the concentration of either nutrient. Furthermore, at low soil N, larger plants supported greater viral concentrations than smaller ones, whereas at high N, smaller plants supported greater viral concentrations. Our results suggest that enhanced viral productivity under N enrichment is an indirect consequence of nutrient stimulation to host growth rate. Heightened pathogen production in plants has important implications for a world facing increasing rates of nutrient deposition.

Investigations of energy metabolism in weanling barrows: The interaction of dietary energy concentration and daily feed (energy) intake1

Much of our understanding of energy metabolism in the pig has been derived from studies in which the energy supply was controlled through regulated feed intake. In commercial situations, where ad libitum feeding is practiced, dietary energy concentration, but not daily feed intake, is under producer control. This study evaluated the interactive effects of dietary energy concentration and feeding level (FL) on growth, body composition, and nutrient deposition rates. Individually penned PIC barrows, with an initial BW of 9.5 +/- 1.0 kg, were allotted to 1 of 9 treatments in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement plus an initial slaughter group (n = 6) that was slaughtered at the beginning of the trial. Three NE concentrations (low, 2.15; medium, 2.26; and high, 2.37 Mcal of NE/kg) and 3 feeding levels (FL: 100, 80, or 70% of ad libitum access to feed) were investigated. Daily feed allowance for the restricted-fed pigs was adjusted twice per week on a BW basis until completion of the experiment at 25 +/- 1 kg of BW. Average daily gain, ADFI, and G:F were unaffected by NE (mean = 572 g, 781 g, and 0.732 g/g, respectively). Average daily gain and ADFI, but not G:F, increased (P < 0.05) with FL. Empty body lipid concentration increased with dietary NE concentration and with FL; a significant (P < 0.01) interaction revealed that empty body lipid concentration increased most rapidly as ADFI increased on the highest energy diet. Empty body lipid concentration was greatest in pigs with ad libitum access to the high-NE diet. Empty body protein concentration decreased with increasing NE (P < 0.05) but was not affected by FL. Empty body protein deposition (PD) increased with increasing FL (P < 0.001), but not with NE. Empty body lipid deposition (LD) and the LD:PD ratio increased (P < 0.01) in pigs with ad libitum access to the high-NE diet. In conclusion, NE did not interact with FL on growth, body protein concentration, or PD, suggesting that the conclusions regarding energy utilization obtained from experiments using restricted feed intake may not easily be applied to pigs fed under ad libitum conditions. The interactive effects of NE and FL on body lipid concentration, LD, and the LD:PD ratio indicate that changes in dietary energy concentration alter the composition of gain without necessarily changing overall BW gain. Consequently, the composition of gain is an important outcome in studies on energy utilization.

Quantitative description of body composition and rates of nutrient deposition in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Current animal growth models rely on accurate quantitative description of body composition and nutrient deposition. The objectives of the study were to: (1) describe mathematically the chemical and physical composition of rainbow trout across life stages based on an extensive survey of the literature, and (2) examine rates of nutrient deposition. Data on chemical (proximate analysis, i.e. water, protein, lipid, ash) and physical (dressed carcass, viscera, etc.) composition of rainbow trout were obtained from 83 studies encompassing a wide variety of strains, life stages, and rearing conditions. The relationships between body weight (BW) and composition and rates of nutrient deposition were analyzed using linear regressions. Body protein stood out as the key predictor of BW across life stages. Body water mass was predicted most accurately from absolute contents of body protein and body lipid. Theoretical rates of nutrient deposition (Objective 2) were computed from a simulated growth curve using regression equations obtained under Objective 1. Theoretical rates of nutrient deposition were compared with observations from the literature. Theoretical and observed protein deposition (PD, [g (°C*d)−1]) were similar across life stages of rainbow trout and increased until 370 to 500 g BW before levelling off, inducing presumably a change in growth trajectory. Lipid deposition rates [g (°C*d)−1] were variable and continued to increase albeit at a slower rate after fish reached ∼400 g. Our results suggest that body weight gain (g/d) could be accurately predicted by the following equation: 1.86+[6.09×PD (g/d)]. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to examine rates of protein and lipid deposition in rainbow trout as a function of body weight. This type of information is crucial for developing a better comprehension of growth processes in fish.

The impact of Eurasian dust storms and anthropogenic emissions on atmospheric nutrient deposition rates in forested Japanese catchments and adjacent regional seas

Bulk precipitation and stream water chemistry data from 1993 to 2005 are used to analyze the relationship between Eurasian dust storms and nutrient deposition rates in the Kutsuki experimental forest (near Lake Biwa). From 2000 to 2005, atmospheric deposition, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved silica (DSi) deposition rates increased by 26%, 132%, and 38%, respectively in the Kutsuki experimental forest. These TN and TP increases are associated with three seasonal factors: the increasing frequency and intensity of Eurasian spring dust events (March/April); the annual typhoon period (late August/September); and autumn/early winter (October to December) monsoons. The annual typhoon and monsoon winter periods are drivers for atmospheric TP and DSi deposition due to the correlation between the deposition and precipitation. In addition, increased spring dust deposition is a primarily driver for TN deposition changes. Increased emissions from urbanized areas in China (and likely Korea) affect the chemical properties of aerosols reaching downwind Japanese regions. Aerosol processes are responsible for increasing TN in aerosols, which are affected primarily by anthropogenic emissions. From 2000 to 2005, coal burning emissions from East Asia have contributed to an increase in TP (and possibly DSi) deposition rates. The observed increase in nutrient deposition did not noticeably impact short-term (5 year) stream water fluxes in the Kutsuki experimental forest. Due to plant uptake, the forest ecosystem retained atmospherically deposited N and P. Finally, the observed increases in nutrient deposition rates over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan may significantly influence intra-annual net primary production. It is recommended that earth system modelling incorporate changes in atmospheric nutrient deposition rates and their impacts on the regional carbon cycle as well as aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

The High Arctic glacial ecosystem: new insights from nutrient budgets

This paper describes detailed budgets of water, Cl), dissolved Si and both inorganic and organic forms of nitrogen and phosphorus for two small glacier basins in Arctic Svalbard (Midre Love´nbreen and AustreBroggerbreen). Rates of nutrient deposition are modest, dominated by inorganic nitrogen and episodically enhanced by extreme events. Hence deposition rates are also variable, ranging from 20 to 72 kg NO3-N km)2 a)1 and 10–37 kg NH4-N km)2 a)1 over just two consecutive years. Deposition of dissolved organic and particulate forms of nitrogen (DONand PN respectively) also appears significant and therefore requires further investigation (3–8 kg DONN km)2 and 7–26 kg PN-N km)2 during winter – no summer data are available). Evidence for microbially mediated nutrient cycling within the glacial system is clear in the nutrient budgets, as is the release of large phosphorus, Si and organic/particulate nitrogen fluxes by subglacial erosion. The latter is entirely dependent upon the presence of subglacial drainage, promoting silicate mineral dissolution and the erosion of largely unweathered apatite. The large DON and PN fluxes are surprising and may relate to young organic nitrogen associated with microbial life within the glaciers. This is because wide spread assimilation of NH4 + and perhaps even nitrification occurs on the glacier surface, most likely within abundant cryoconite holes. Further microbial activity also occurs at the glacier bed, where denitrification and sulphate reduction is now known to take place. Thus a two component ‘glacial ecosystem’ is proposed that is highly sensitive to climate change.

Growth and compositional changes of fetal tissues in pigs1

Three hundred twenty fetuses were obtained from 33 pregnant gilts (Camborough-22, Pig Improvement Co.) to determine rates of nutrient deposition in fetal tissues and to estimate nutrient requirements for fetal growth. Pregnant gilts were fed an equal amount of a gestation diet (2.0 kg/d; as-fed basis), and were slaughtered at d 0, 45, 60, 75, 90, 102, or 110 of gestation (n = 3 to 6 per day). Fetuses were dissected into carcass and individual tissues (including gastrointestinal tract, liver, lung, heart, kidney, spleen [> or = d 75]), and partial placental collection was made for chemical analysis. Fetal tissues were weighed and analyzed for DM, ash, CP, and crude fat. Regression equations were obtained to explain the weight and compositional changes of individual tissues during gestation. Weights of the fetus, carcass, gastrointestinal tract, liver, heart, lung, and kidney increased cubically (P < 0.001), whereas brain weight increased linearly (P < 0.001) as gestation progressed. Fetal protein and fat contents increased quadratically (P < 0.001) as gestation progressed (R2 = 0.906 and 0.904, respectively). Changes in fetal protein and fat contents fit a multiphasic regression that consisted of two linear equations (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.988 and P < 0.001, R2 = 0.983, respectively), indicating that protein and fat growth accelerated after d 69 of gestation. Fetal protein and fat accretions were 0.25 and 0.06 g/d (P < 0.001) before d 69 of gestation, and increased to 4.63 and 1.09 g/d (P < 0.001) after d 69 of gestation. Protein needs for tissue protein gains increased 19-fold after d 69 of gestation. Results of this study indicate that the growth of the fetus and fetal tissues occurs at different rates during gestation and support the practice of a two-phase feeding strategy (before and after approximately d 70 of gestation) for pregnant gilts.

Composition and deposition of throughfall in a flooded forest archipelago (Negro River, Brazil)

The sources of spatial and temporal variation and rates of nutrient deposition via throughfall were studied for 9 months in the Anavilhanas archipelago of the Negro River, Brazil. A total of 30 events was sampled individually for rain and throughfall chemistry in a 1-ha plot of flooded forest. Throughfall samples were collected in 40 collectors distributed in five parallel transects in the study plot, while rain was collected in 4 collectors in an adjacent channel. Volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of solutes in rain were consistently lower than in throughfall, except for H+, NO 3 − and NH 4 + . Ratios of VWM concentrations of rain to throughfall indicated that K+, followed by Mg2+ and PO 4 3− , were the most enhanced solutes as rain passed through the forest canopy. The deposition of solutes varied significantly among transects, except for Na+ and Ca2+, and was significantly correlated with maximum flooding depth, foliar nutrient content, soil fertility and canopy closure for most solutes. The concentrations of PO 4 3− and most major ions were higher in throughfall compared to those in rain due to canopy exchange and dry deposition. In contrast, NO 3 − , NH 4 + and H+ were retained due to immobilization by leafy canopy and ion exchange processes. Solute inputs via throughfall (not including stemflow) to a floodplain lake (Lake Prato) of the archipelago accounted for 30 to 64% of the total for most solutes in the lake at high water, which indicates that throughfall is an important source of nutrients to the aquatic ecosystem of the Anavilhanas archipelago.

Composition and deposition of throughfall in a flooded forest archipelago

The sources of spatial and temporal variation and rates of nutrient deposition via throughfall were studied for 9 months in the Anavilhanas archipelago of the Negro River, Brazil. A total of 30 events was sampled individually for rain and throughfall chemistry in a 1-ha plot of flooded forest. Throughfall samples were collected in 40 collectors distributed in five parallel transects in the study plot, while rain was collected in 4 collectors in an adjacent channel. Volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of solutes in rain were consistently lower than in throughfall, except for H+, NO3- and NH4+. Ratios of VWM concentrations of rain to throughfall indicated that K+, followed by Mg2+ and PO43-, were the most enhanced solutes as rain passed through the forest canopy. The deposition of solutes varied significantly among transects, except for Na+ and Ca2+, and was significantly correlated with maximum flooding depth, foliar nutrient content soil fertility and canopy closure for most solutes. The concentrations of PO43- and most major ions were higher in throughfall compared to those in rain due to canopy exchange and dry deposition. In contrast, NO3-, NH4+ and H+ were retained due to immobilization by leafy canopy and ion exchange processes. Solute inputs via throughfall (not including stemflow) to a floodplain lake (Lake Prato) of the archipelago accounted for 30 to 64% of the total for most solutes in the lake at high water, which indicates that throughfall is an important source of nutrients to the aquatic ecosystem of the Anavilhanas archipelago.

Chemistry of bulk precipitation in southwestern Viti Levu, Fiji

ABSTRACTThe amounts and chemical composition of bulk precipitation were investigated over a continuous 21-mo period (January 1990 to September 1991) at four sites along an East-West transect perpendicular to the coast of Southwest Viti Levu, Fiji. Measured rainfall totals in 1990 ranged from 1796 mm at the coastal Korokula station to 2113 mm at the inland Tulasewa station, which is somewhat higher than the long-term average of 1707 mm at a reference weather station located in the centre of the study area. The first 9 mo of 1991 were relatively dry (range 1027–1533 mm) with a total of 1157 mm at the reference site as compared to a long-term average of 1330 mm. Concentrations of all investigated constituents in bulk rainfall were low, except during the passage of cyclone Sina due to the deposition of large amounts of, especially, chloride, sodium and sulphate in sea spray. Concentrations of sodium and magnesium could be explained fully by maritime contributions to the rainfall composition at all sites. Maritime contributions to the concentrations of calcium, sulphate and potassium accounted for 10–40% of the total, whereas bicarbonate, ammonium, nitrate, silicon, aluminium, iron and manganese were derived exclusively from terrestrial sources. The annual atmospheric nutrient deposition rates were low by pan-tropical standards, particularly when the contribution of cyclone Sina was excluded. Annual totals (in kg ha−1) ranged from 2.4–8.8 for nitrogen, 0.4–1.1 for phosphorus, 2.3–4.9 for potassium, 1.4–1.9 for calcium and from 1.1–1.3 for magnesium. The inclusion of the contribution by the cyclone more than doubled the deposition of potassium, calcium and magnesium, although values still remained well within the range reported for humid tropical areas. The estimated atmospheric deposition of nutrients over a typical rotation period (16 y) was sufficient to balance losses in harvestedPinus caribaealogs (stemwood plus bark) of potassium, calcium and magnesium, but not of nitrogen and, probably, phosphorus. Nutrient losses associated with the harvesting of stemwood alone were compensated entirely by the atmospheric inputs.

Sulfur, Nitrogen, and pH Levels in Wisconsin Precipitation

AbstractPrecipitation is an important source of S and to a lesser extent N for agricultural crops and natural ecosystems. Reductions in S and N emissions have occurred and additional revisions in air quality standards will be expected to further reduce the amounts of nutrients such as S and N in precipitation. This study was conducted to determine current nutrient deposition rates and precipitation pH levels at 10 sites in important agricultural areas of Wisconsin. Bulk precipitation samples were collected at 10‐d intervals for a 2‐yr period from Nov. 1985 to Oct. 1987. Average annual SO4‐S deposition was 11 kg S ha−1 in northwestern Wisconsin and 23 kg S ha−1 in the south. These S deposition rates are approximately 42% less than the amounts found in a Wisconsin study conducted from 1969 to 1971. Despite this apparent decrease in S deposition, most of the S requirement for crop production is still likely to be provided by S in precipitation in most areas of the state. Annual average NO3‐N deposition also differed geographically with 4.2 kg N ha−1 deposited in the northwest and 8.4 kg N ha−1 in the south. Average annual NH4‐N deposition was 8.7 kg N ha−1 but showed no geographical trend, and variations among sites were probably influenced by point sources. For most sites, annual deposition amounts of nutrients were similar both years, although concentrations were lower during a year with above‐normal precipitation. The annual volume‐weighted mean pH ranged from 5.1 to 5.9 in a year with above‐normal precipitation and from 3.4 to 4.5 in a year with slightly below‐normal precipitation.