Vegetation dry matter dynamics along treeline ecotone in Western Himalaya, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishwari Datt Rai ◽  
Hitendra Padalia ◽  
Gajendra Singh ◽  
Bhupendra Singh Adhikari ◽  
Gopal Singh Rawat
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 901-919
Author(s):  
Bhupendra S. ADHIKARI ◽  
Rahul KUMAR

The present study attempts to investigate the phenological changes of herbaceous plant species in early snowmelt microsite and late snowmelt microsite in treeline ecotone (3200-3300 m asl) at Tungnath, western Himalaya. Four sites, each with two microsites (early snowmelt: ES and late snowmelt: LS) were selected and within each microsite, 3 quadrats (1x1m each) were permanently laid and studied for phenology. Eighty-six species were recorded, of which the proportion of perennial forbs, hemicryptophytes and natives was 90, 84 and 70%, respectively. The early phenophase was noticed in the majority of species in ES microsite than that of LS microsite and the timing of different phenophases varied among microsites. The vegetative phase peaked July (75.6%), while flowering, fruiting and seed maturation phases peaked in August (72.1% and 23.3%, respectively) and 71% species attained the senescence during September. This indicates that species might adapt to the different adaptation to a warming climate. Immediately after the snowmelt 10 species were observed in flowering, while 11 species were in the bud development phase. Comparing 13 common species of the present study with those of past in same or similar study areas indicates that timing and duration of vegetative and flowering phenophase (77% and 69%, respectively) have advanced and lengthened, while fruiting and seed maturation have shortened. Furthermore, phenophase initiation has advanced for flowering (69% species), fruiting (46% species) and senescence (38% species) phases. It seems that the early snowmelt influences spring phenology of herb species on the microsite level and may continue to influence the overall phenology of species for the whole growing season in timberline.


2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Kumar ◽  
◽  
Daulat Ram Bhardwaj ◽  
Naresh Kumar ◽  
◽  
...  

The investigation was carried out to analyse the proximate principles and nutrients of the Bamboo species and to standardize their lopping period. The five Bamboo species viz., Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees. D. strictus (Roxb.), D. hookeri var. parishii, B. arundinacea (L.) and B. nutans Wall. was harvested at monthly interval during the winter months - December, January and February. The study reveals that the Bamboo leaf contains 56.84 to 77.12 percent dry matter, 15.06 to 17.30 percent crude protein, 2.77 to 6.90% ether extract, 32.71 to 44.83% Nitrogen Free Extract. The study concludes that from fodder point of view B. arundinacea (L.) is the best species whereas mineral content are good in D. hamiltonii Nees. From the present study it is concluded that all the evaluated Bamboo species are good source of nutrients (dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, total ash and nitrogen free extract) and can be utilized to ameliorate the ever increasing forage shortage in the hill area.


Author(s):  
Janet H. Woodward ◽  
D. E. Akin

Silicon (Si) is distributed throughout plant tissues, but its role in forages has not been clarified. Although Si has been suggested as an antiquality factor which limits the digestibility of structural carbohydrates, other research indicates that its presence in plants does not affect digestibility. We employed x-ray microanalysis to evaluate Si as an antiquality factor at specific sites of two cultivars of bermuda grass (Cynodon dactvlon (L.) Pers.). “Coastal” and “Tifton-78” were chosen for this study because previous work in our lab has shown that, although these two grasses are similar ultrastructurally, they differ in in vitro dry matter digestibility and in percent composition of Si.Two millimeter leaf sections of Tifton-7 8 (Tift-7 8) and Coastal (CBG) were incubated for 72 hr in 2.5% (w/v) cellulase in 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 5.0. For controls, sections were incubated in the sodium acetate buffer or were not treated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Pratima Pandey ◽  
S. Nawaz Ali ◽  
Vikram Sharma ◽  
Prashant K. Champati Ray

Thermokarst (Thaw) lakes are landforms found in topographic depressions created by thawing ground ice in permafrost zones. They play an important role in the regulation of climatic functions. These lakes are a manifestation of warming surface temperatures that accelerates the ice-rich permafrost to degrade by creating marshy hollows/ponds. In the current global warming scenario, the thermokarst lakes in the high mountain regions (Himalaya) are expected to grow further. This accelerate permafrost thawing which will affect the carbon cycle, hydrology and local ecosystems. This phenomenon has attracted huge scientific attention because it has led to a rapid mass change of glaciers in the region, including extensive changes occurring on peri-glacial environments. The most striking fact is the release of an enormous amount of greenhouse gases, including methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide that is locked in these lakes. The present study delves into the thermokarst lakes in the upper reaches of Chandra Valley and Western Himalaya. The study also aims at designating the impact of their changes on the ecosystem, particularly their influence on the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.


Author(s):  
A. Vovkohon ◽  
V. Nadtochiy ◽  
G. Kalinina ◽  
O. Hrebelnyk ◽  
N. Fedoruk ◽  
...  

The article highlights comparative research results of milk quality indices obtained from the milking in specialized milking halls with such milking units as «Parallel», «Carousel» or in stalls with the milking unit «Molokoprovid». The fat and protein mass fraction, dry matter and fat-free dry matter, density, titratable and active acidity, heat resistance and freezing point have been determined according to the accepted techniques. The electrical conductivity of milk has been determined by using the analytical device MD-20 MAS-D-TEC. The total amount of milk bacteria has been determined by reductase reduction test and by seeding method in Petri dish. The milk quality has been investigated by the fermentation and rennet fermentation tests. The higher indices of the fat mass fraction, the protein mass fraction and the dry substance concentration of milk, obtained in specialized milking halls, have been established. This is not statistically significant. Milk, obtained from the milking unit «Molokoprovid», has higher index of titratable acidity, lower thermal stability in comparison with milk, obtained from specialized milking halls with milking units «Parallel» and «Carousel». It has been determined that there is the bacteria insemination increase in milk received from milking cows in stalls in comparison with milk, obtained from milking in specialized halls. Milk, obtained from the milking unit «Carousel», indicates the subclinical form of mastitis in cows or «Carousel» operation violationif there is in 1,8 mS/cm conductivity increase above average index 4,6 mS/cm. Key words: technology, quality and safety of milk, milking, milking unit, milking hall, bacterial insemination.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-58
Author(s):  
SS Tanu ◽  
P Biswas ◽  
S Ahmed ◽  
SC Samanta

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Field Laboratory, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali from July 2018 to November 2018 to evaluate the effect of sunflower residues and herbicides on the yield and economic performance of transplanted Aman rice. Weed control methods tested were T1 = weedy check (Unweeded control), T2 = Weed-free check by hand weeding twice, T3 = Pendimethalin, T4 = Pretilachlor, T5 = Butachlor, T6 = Pyrazosulfuron ethyl, T7 = Bensulfuron methyl + Acetachlor, T8 = Bispyriback sodium, T9 = 2,4-D amine, T10 = MCPA, T11 = Sunflower residues, T12 = Sunflower residues + 100% Pyrazosulfuron ethyl, T13 = Sunflower residues + 75% Pyrazosulfuron ethyl, T14 = Sunflower residues + 50% Pyrazosulfuron ethyl. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with fourteen treatments replicated thrice. Weedy check registered significantly the highest total weed density (354.67 m-2) and total weed dry matter (51.81 g-2) while weed-free treatment by hand weeding twice recorded significantly the lowest total weed density (6.67 m-2) and total weed dry matter 0.49 g-2) . Weedy check produced the highest weed index (34.24%) and hand weeding produced the lowest. Among different herbicides applied alone, butachlor had the lowest total weed density (15 m-2) and total weed dry matter (6.43 g-2) after hand weeding. Hand weeding recorded the highest grain yield (5.14 t ha-1) which was statistically similar to pendimethalin, pretilachlor, butachlor, bensulfuron methyl + acetachlor and sunflower residues + 100% pyrazosulfuron ethyl. Higher grain yield was attributed to a higher number of panicle m-2, number of filled grains panicle-1 and 1000-grain weight. The highest gross margin (22955 Tk. ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (1.32) were obtained from butachlor. Integration of sunflower residues with pyrazosulfuron ethyl produced effective weed suppression and satisfactory yield comparable to butachlor. Although the integration is less profitable than butachlor the farmers can use this technology as a feasible and environmentally sound approach in transplanted Aman rice field. Bangladesh Agron. J. 2020, 23(1): 47-58


Author(s):  
Galina Stepanova

The article describes the main morphological and biological features of alfalfa varieties included in the State register of breeding achievements approved for use in the Central Chernozem zone of Russia. A total of 32 alfalfa varieties are included in the State register. This is 9 varieties of blue alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. subsp. Sativa) of domestic selection and 8 foreign, 11 varieties of variable alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. nothosubsp. varia (Martyn) Arcang.) domestic selection and 1 variety of foreign and 3 varieties of yellow alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. subsp. falcata (L.) Arcang.). It shows the average and maximum yield of varieties determined in the process of state variety testing, as well as independent evaluation in research institutions in the region. Varieties of blue alfalfa of domestic selection Kevsala, Elena, Satellite, Vavilovskaya Yubileynaya were the most productive. The average yield of dry matter of these varieties reaches 8.4–9.2 t/ha, the maximum — 15.3–17.7 t/ha. Alfalfa varieties Timbale and Galaxy were the most productive among foreign varieties: the average yield of dry matter was 8.1 and 8.3 t/ha, the maximum – 15.5 and 17.2 t/ha. Varieties of alfalfa variable Vitalina and Vela provided an average yield of dry matter of 7.6 and 9.0 t/ha, the maximum yield reached 15.4 and 18.1 t/ha.


Author(s):  
N. Golub ◽  
M. Potapova ◽  
M. Shinkarchuk ◽  
O. Kozlovets

The paper deals with the waste disposal problem of the alcohol industry caused by the widespread use of alcohol as biofuels. In the technology for the production of alcohol from cereal crops, a distillery spent wash (DSW) is formed (per 1 dm3 of alcohol – 10–20 dm3 DSW), which refers to highly concentrated wastewater, the COD value reaches 40 g O2/dm3. Since the existing physical and chemical methods of its processing are not cost-effective, the researchers develop the processing technologies for its utilization, for example, an anaerobic digestion. Apart from the purification of highly concentrated wastewater, the advantage of this method is the production of biogas and highquality fertilizer. The problems of biotechnology for biogas production from the distillery spent wash are its high acidity–pH 3.7–5.0 (the optimum pH value for the methanogenesis process is 6.8–7.4) and low nitrogen content, the lack of which inhibits the development of the association of microorganisms. In order to solve these problems, additional raw materials of various origins (chemical compounds, spent anaerobic sludge, waste from livestock farms, etc.) are used. The purpose of this work is to determine the appropriate ratio of the fermentable mixture components: cosubstrate, distillery spent wash and wastewater of the plant for co-fermentation to produce an energy carrier (biogas) and effective wastewater treatment of the distillery. In order to ensure the optimal pH for methanogenesis, poultry manure has been used as a co-substrate. The co-fermentation process of DSW with manure has been carried out at dry matter ratios of 1:1, 1:3, 1:5, 1:7 respectively. It is found that when the concentration of manure in the mixture is insufficient (DSW/manure – 1:1, 1:3), the pH value decreases during fermentation which negatively affects methane formation; when the concentration of manure in the mixture is increased (DSW/manure – 1:5, 1:7), the process is characterized by a high yield of biogas and methane content. The maximum output of biogas with a methane concentration of 70 ± 2% is observed at the ratio of components on a dry matter “wastewater: DSW: manure” – 0,2:1:7 respectively. The COD reduction reaches a 70% when using co-fermentation with the combination of components “wastewater: DSW: manure” (0,3:1:5) respectively.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document