Lime-stabilized sewage sludge and composted poultry manure, at a rate of
250
m
3
ha
−1
each, and slow-release N fertilizer (Scott's Osmocote) at 100, 200 and
300
kg
N
ha
−1
, were applied to plots of ...willow biomass crops during the first season of a three-year growth cycle. Stem biomass production was measured annually and soil chemical characteristics were assessed at the end of the growth cycle. Average annual stem biomass production was 8–
11
Mg
ha
−1
in slow-release N fertilized plots corresponding to a yield increase of 7–33% relative to control plots. In organically amended plots, annual stem biomass production increased by 30–38% relative to control plots. The study suggests that organically amended willows grew at a slightly faster rate than slow-release N fertilized willows. Statistically, the relationship between slow-release N application rate and stem biomass production was not highly significant; applications of slow-release N in excess of
100
kg
N
ha
−1
provided no additional yield benefits. Differences in soil characteristics were most strongly expressed in surface soil. The pH at 0–
10
cm
depth was 1 and 2 units higher on lime-stabilized sludge and composted poultry manure plots, respectively. Concentrations of soil K, P and Mg were dramatically higher in the composted poultry manure soils. The highest soil organic matter and N levels were observed in the surface horizons of organically amended soils. Utilization of organic residuals increases biomass production, provides beneficial use for wastes, reducing production costs and contributing to the sustainability of biomass production systems.
Nitrogen requirements for production of intensively cultured willow for use as a bioenergy crop coupled with the need for safe disposal of nutrient rich organic wastes provide an opportunity to ...reduce costs associated with bioenergy plantations. In order to minimize N leaching from sites treated with organic wastes, knowledge of the rate of N mineralization is needed. The objective of this study was to assess N mineralization rates of four organic residuals in a controlled greenhouse environment: composted poultry manure, composted sewage sludge, and anaerobically digested sewage sludge from two different municipalities. Thirty-six weeks after application, disappearance of the mass initially applied ranged from 20% to 50%. Gross nitrogen mineralization rate (N mass released expressed as a percentage of initially applied N) ranged from 12% to 57%. Non-composted treatments released greater amounts of nitrogen than composted treatments. Within composted treatments, net N release was estimated as
325
kg
N
ha
−1
for poultry manure and
86
kg
N
ha
−1
for sewage sludge. Syracuse and New York City sewage sludges, with 57% and 30% gross N release rates respectively, provided approximately 360 and
240
kg
plant available
N
ha
−1
, respectively. These estimates of N release suggest that the application rates could be halved and that sufficient N would be provided to meet crop needs and reduce leaching losses.
Climate Change and the Integrity of Science Sills, Jennifer
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
05/2010, Letnik:
328, Številka:
5979
Journal Article
The impact of pine false webworm (Acantholyda erythrocephala (L.), Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae) defoliation on the radial growth of mature eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) during an outbreak was ...assessed using a stem analysis comparison of two stands (defoliated vs. control) and increment cores collected from 21 defoliated stands and 5 control stands in northern New York State. Stem analysis revealed that whole-stem standardized annual volume increment (AVI) in a defoliated 67-year-old white pine stand (n = 10 sample trees) was reduced significantly below the AVI in the nondefoliated control stand (n = 8 sample trees) by the second year of moderate to heavy defoliation, and AVI was reduced by 97% by the fifth year of defoliation. No time lag between upper-bole and lower-bole impact was observed, and annual growth rings were more frequently missing or discontinuous at lower stem heights. The standardized latewood tracheid index was not reduced significantly below control stand levels until the third year of defoliation. Increment-core analysis revealed growth losses that corresponded with reported periods of defoliation in nearly all stands; sustained suppressions (5-16 continuous years) below a growth index of 0.5 occurred in over half of all defoliated stands. These results are discussed in relation to pine false webworm biology, comparisons with other conifer defoliators, environmental factors, and methods employed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BF, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objectives There is controversy regarding the existence of branchial cleft carcinomas. The objectives are to familiarize the clinician with the presentation and treatment of cystic metastases from ...head and neck primary sites and differentiate these from primary branchial cleft cyst carcinomas.
Study Design Retrospective case study and literature review.
Methods Published reports of branchial cleft carcinomas were reviewed in conjunction with a unique case presenting at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX).
Results Most cases of branchial cleft carcinomas are probably cystic metastases from head and neck primary sites. Cutaneous involvement with primary branchial cleft carcinomas is rare but may occur in recurrent lesions.
Conclusions The diagnosis of a primary branchial cleft cyst carcinoma requires the fulfillment of strict criteria. Cystic metastases from head and neck primaries can mimic branchial cleft carcinomas histologically. Correct diagnosis is important so that appropriate surgical and radiotherapeutic treatment can be delivered.
Abstract
Fertilization in Christmas tree production is common to increase tree growth and quality, with many recommendations focusing on N as a primary amendment. However, other nutrients may limit ...growth, or N application may induce deficiency of other nutrients. We applied fertilizer as either ammonium nitrate (AN) or chicken manure compost (CMC) to concolor fir (Abies concolor Gord. and Glend. Lindl.) at eight sites across central New York in 2003 and measured foliar mass and macronutrient response (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) to assess the potential for an inducible nutrient deficiency or nutrient limitation other than N. Foliage mass, N concentration, and N content increased following both fertilizer treatments, indicating that N limits growth at these sites. Macronutrient (P, K, Mg, Ca) concentrations were reduced following AN application because of nutrient dilution following increased growth. Compared with published sufficiency nutrient concentrations, concentrations of P and K were diluted to levels considered limiting to growth. In contrast, there was no reduction in macronutrient concentrations for P, Ca, and Mg in the CMC application, indicating the potential for this amendment to maintain balanced tree nutrition with increased growth. Foliar K content was increased in the CMC treatment, and needle mass (as the primary growth response variable), was correlated with foliar K concentration (r2 = 0.71, P < 0.01). The results indicate a strong possibility of K limitation in concolor fir across a variety of site conditions. With few exceptions, there were no apparent relationships between soil nutrient pools and foliar nutrition, demonstrating the limitation of soil tests as a guide to nutrient amendments.
The influence of site and stand conditions on pine false webworm (Acantholyda erythrocephala L., Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae) population densities and host damage was evaluated in 22 eastern white pine ...(Pinus strobus L.) stands in northern New York State. Mean pine false webworm density was positively related to stand size (ha) and inversely related to soil silt content (A-horizon) after holding stand size constant. Percent radial growth loss (during the first five years after defoliation began) was inversely related to soil carbon content (B-horizon) and inversely related to fine sand content (A-horizon) after holding B-horizon carbon constant. Severe radial growth suppression (missing or discontinuous growth rings) and white pine mortality were inversely related to live crown ratio. The frequency of trees with missing growth rings was inversely related to soil nitrogen (A-horizon) after holding live crown ratio constant. Stands located on sandy glacial lake shoreline/delta deposits had more coarsely textured soils with lower levels of organic matter and nitrogen and had slower height growth rates, lower tree diversity, greater relative dominance of white pine, and higher levels of pine false webworm defoliation than stands on adjacent landforms. These results may be useful to foresters managing eastern white pine stands in areas where similar site and stand conditions predominate and pine false webworm occurs.
Global carbon (C) reserves in soil are large compared with atmospheric stocks (in the form of CO2 and methane), so small changes in soil C storage will have a significant effect on atmospheric CO2 ...concentrations. In order to better understand the consequences of global climate change, it is essential that we define how soil C storage is influenced by changes in temperature and moisture that are expected as a result of global climate change. Forest floor carbon pools and fluxes were evaluated at 16 northern hardwood sites located within four distinct climate regions (Northern, Central, Southern and Coastal) in Maine. Mean annual air temperature at the sites ranged from 2.0°C in the Northern region to 6.2°C in the Coastal region and average annual precipitation ranged from 90 cm in the Northern region to 140 cm in the Coastal region.
Leaf litter mass and leaf litter C flux were not correlated with temperature indices and did not vary among regions. However, they were positively correlated with annual precipitation, suggesting that litter production was controlled, in part at least, by precipitation but not by temperature.
Northern sites stored more C in the forest floor than Coastal sites, and they experienced slower decomposition rates. Because soil and vegetation characteristics of these sites were similar, we attribute these trends to differences in climate. Indeed, C turnover time was correlated with latitude and temperature indices. Slower decomposition in the Northern region was attributed to a combination of lower specific activity at temperatures below 13°C, cooler average temperatures and a shorter frost-free season.
Soil respiration at each site was positively correlated with temperature and the slope of the relationship increased with latitude, indicating that the ability of the soil biota to respire C varied with climate. A predictive equation is presented that accounts for the change in slope with latitude.
Because C loss through soil respiration was more sensitive to temperature than C inputs from litter, any regional warming in the next century may lead to a decrease in forest floor carbon storage. However, if precipitation increases with temperature, then litter C flux may increase and offset the increase in soil respiration.
The effectiveness of fertilization as a tool to increase growth rate and quality of Christmas trees depends on the ability to identify trees that are limited by nutrition. Foliar analysis is one ...approach to identify nutrition-limited trees, but it requires pre-established diagnostic criteria for application. The objective of this study was to assess growth response of Christmas trees to N fertilizer, and to develop critical foliar N levels for species commonly grown in New York. We evaluated diameter growth and foliar N concentration response of balsam fir (Abies balsamea L. Mill.), Canaan fir (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis Fern.), Fraser fir (Abies fraseri Pursh Poir.), concolor fir (Abies concolor Gord. and Glend. Lindl.), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) midrotation Christmas trees to N fertilization on 11 sites distributed across central New York. Two fertilizer treatments were applied: 1 oz N tree-1 as ammonium nitrate (AN) and chicken manure compost (CMC) applied at 0.6 oz N tree-1. Current annual diameter increment (CAI) for Canaan fir, Fraser fir, and Douglas-fir increased in response to AN. Two-year CAI for AN-treated trees was greater than control trees for all species with the exception of Canaan fir. Application of CMC had no effect on CAI the first year after application but did increase 2-year CAI for concolor and Fraser fir. Vector analysis, which simultaneously displays foliar mass, N concentration, and N content, indicated that all species responded positively to AN in more than 50% of the cases (with the exception of Canaan fir). Foliar response to CMC was weak, exhibiting a positive response in only 38% of the cases. Based on the foliar response of trees to AN, the following critical foliar N concentrations are proposed for Christmas trees in New York: balsam fir, 1.65%; concolor fir, 1.75%; Canaan fir, 1.60%; Douglas-fir, 1.45%; and Fraser fir, 1.60%.
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