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Recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide caused by the combustion of fossil fuels and tropical deforestation may result in global warming. Carbon accumulation by regrowing temperate forests, in regions such as the southeastern United States, may have been extensive enough to counterbalance releases of carbon from the tropics. In the Virginia Piedmont, large amounts of carbon have accumulated in phytomass and detritus of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations and natural forests regrowing on post-agricultural fields. After 50 years, carbon in phytomass of old field plantations was 200,000 kg/ha, twice the amount accumulated by natural forests. Detrital carbon accumulations totaled over 100,000 kg/ha, but were dependent upon amounts of erosional loss prior to reforestation. The forested land area in the southeastern United States has stabilized, and forest conversion is now the primary form of reforestation. Therefore, the region's ability to continue to store carbon has been questioned. Still, the phytomass of late-rotation converted plantations stored 200,000 kg carbon/ha, twice the amount of the natural forests they replaced. In addition, while the harvest of natural forests resulted in small reductions in detrital carbon, it was rapidly restored to over 100,000 kg/ha within 30 years. Houghton et al. (1983) developed a series of models describing carbon dynamics during reforestation. My data show that patterns of carbon accumulation exhibited by regrowing loblolly pine plantations are different from their models. Therefore, modifications of the models are suggested to improve estimates of carbon storage in temperate forests. / Master of Science

A bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) é uma leguminosa arbórea de ocorrência natural, no Brasil, entre as latitudes 21°30S (MG) e 29°40S (RS) sob baixas temperaturas. Sendo uma espécie perene, pioneira de rápido crescimento e melífera, é comercialmente utilizada para múltiplas finalidades (serraria, lenha, carvão, construção) em plantios puros e em sistemas agroflorestais. Sua cultura dispensa técnicas agressivas de preparo do solo e colheita mecanizada, resultando na manutenção da estrutura e condicionamento do solo, como também promove a recuperação de solos degradados pela fixação de nitrogênio pelo rhizobium sp associado às suas raízes. Em razão do potencial produtivo e econômico da bracatinga implantou-se um teste de progênies e procedências de bracatinga na Estação Experimental de Ciências Florestais (EECF/USP), em Itatinga/SP. Neste teste, estudaram-se os parâmetros genéticos e a potencialidade para melhoramento genético desta espécie para as características associadas à produtividade, qualidade da madeira e adaptação a um ambiente com temperaturas ligeiramente superiores as de sua região de origem. O teste foi delineado em Blocos de Famílias Compactas, com 9 procedências, 10 a 20 progênies por procedência. A taxa de sobrevivência das plantas (84%), a alta germinação das sementes (95%), assim como o florescimento e frutificação em todas as progênies do ensaio são indicativos da adaptabilidade destes materiais às condições edafoclimáticas locais. Dentre os caracteres avaliados, a forma do fuste, a circunferência a altura do peito e o potencial de florescimento mostraram-se como mais promissores à prática da seleção. Estes resultados evidenciam a possibilidade de melhoramento genético da bracatinga para viabilizar seu cultivo por pequenos produtores rurais, podendo incrementar sua renda e incentivando a recuperação de áreas marginais / The bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) is a leguminous tree naturally occurring in Brazil, between latitudes 21°30\'S (state of Minas Gerais) and 29°40\'S (state of Rio Grande do Sul) at low temperatures. Being a perennial tree species, pioneer of rapid growth and meliferous, is commercially used for multiple purposes (sawmill, firewood, coal, construction) in monoculture and in agroforestry systems. Their culture release aggressive techniques of soil tillage and mechanized harvesting, resulting in the maintenance of the structure and conditioning of the soil, but also promotes the recovery of degraded soils by nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium sp associated with their roots. Due to the economic and productive potential of bracatinga, it was implemented a progenies and provenances test of bracatinga in the Itatinga Experimental Station (EECFA/USP) in Itatinga/SP. In this experiment, they were studied the genetic parameters and the potentiality for genetic improvement of this species for the characteristics associated with productivity, wood quality and adaptation to an environment with temperatures slightly above its region of origin. The trial was designed in a compact family block, with nine provenances, 10-20 progenies per provenance. The survival rate of plants (84%) and the high seed germination (95%), besides the flowering and fruiting in all progenies of the test, are indicative of the adaptability of these materials to the local soil and climatic conditions. Among the traits, the straightness of the stem, the circumference at breast height and flowering potential were shown to be most promising in the selection practice. These results demonstrate the possibility of genetic improvement of bracatinga to enable their cultivation by small farmers, increasing their income and encouraging the recovery of marginal areas.

"September 2001" / Bibliography: leaves 144-159. / xix, 159 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The two main aims of this study were: 1) to determine if the presence of Calcium carbonate in soil was the reason behind soils from Yorke Peninsula having relatively high OC (organic carbon) contents, given local farming practices, and 2) to determine the effect that the composition of the soils' OC has on the mineralisation rates. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Agronomy and Farming Systems, 2002

Das Löten wird als ein Fügeverfahren charakterisiert, bei dem die thermische Beeinflussung der Fügepartner minimal ist. Gleichzeitig ist damit jedoch der prinzipielle Mangel einer Lötverbindung verbunden, denn durch den Verzicht auf das Aufschmelzen des Grundwerkstoffs erreichen die Festigkeiten in der Regel nicht die der Grundwerkstoffe. Diesem Mangel läßt sich einerseits durch Überlapp- oder Steckverbindungen begegnen andererseits bilden sich bei sehr kleiner Lötspaltbreiten ( < 0,02 mm) und in Verbindung mit einem geeigneten Lot-Grundwerkstoff-System sog. Stengelkristallite aus, die über die Lötnaht wachsen und die Festigkeit des Lötverbundes nachhaltig verbessern. Es wird ein Konzept vorgestellt, mit dem der Anwendungsbereich der Stengelkristallite auf industrieübliche Lötspaltbreiten von bis zu 0,2 mm ausgebreitet wird. Die theoretischen Grundlagen werden durch umfangreiche Versuchsplanung und -durchführung bestätigt. Die Bewertung dieses Verbindungstyps im Vergleich zu Verbindungen ohne Stengelkristallite wird in umfangreichen statischen und dynamischen Festigkeitsuntersuchungen dargelegt. Metallographische Untersuchungen bestätigen den Einfluss auf die Festigkeitserhöhung.

In an attempt to investigate the cause of change in the competitive ability between monocots and dicots in a pastureland in Farnham, Quebec under CO2 enrichment, I chose to study the response of Plantago major (dicot) and Poa pratensis (monocot) grown in ambient and elevated CO2 chambers, hypothesizing that a large increase in root biomass of dicots would be observed under elevated CO 2. A transient stimulation of root biomass of Plantago major was found during the first month of CO2 exposure but disappeared later. / The second objective of this study was to examine the effect of 5 years of CO2 enrichment both on root biomass and on total C and N content of roots and soil in the pasture. The largest belowground growth was recorded for Taraxacum officinale. Plantago major responded by achieving the highest aboveground growth. / N content of CO2 enriched roots was reduced. This change in the elemental composition of root tissues might negatively affect the process of decomposition and therefore, the nutrient availability to soil microbes and plants. The observed reduction of NO3 in CO2 enriched soil maybe due to greater N immobilization caused by the expected increase in microbial populations.

Sediment diagenesis in aquatic systems is usually understood to be controlled by the concentrations of both organic carbon and the oxidant. However, the concept that sediment respiration may be limited by the supply of organic carbon, even in systems with moderate concentrations of organic carbon in the water column, has yet to be fully explored. Typically we assume that a direct coupling between water column and sediment diagenesis processes occurs and the chemical evolution of porewater and surface water are linked through fluxes of chemical species across the sediment-water interface. While the dynamics of supply of particulate organic carbon (POC) to the sediments via plankton deposition and resuspension, has previously been examined, the fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) once in the sediments, has rarely been investigated. A series of experiments comprising batch tests, microcosms and sediment cores were conducted on sediment and water from four diverse field sites in which sediment respiration was considered to be carbon limited. Three sites were oligotrophic, acidic lakes and the fourth an oligotrophic coastal embayment. During each experiment dissolved organic carbon was added and measurements were undertaken of solutes that were considered participants in diagenetic processes. While each system differed in its chemical, biological and geological makeup, a key commonality was the rapid onset of anoxic conditions in the sediments irrespective of the overlying water oxygen concentrations, indicating lack of direct coupling between biogeochemical processes in the water column and sediments. Also, similar apparent DOC remineralisation rates were observed, measured solute fluxes after the addition of DOC indicated adherence to the ecological redox sequence, and increased ammonium concentrations were measured in the overlying waters of the acidic microcosms. In marine system experiments it was noted that diagenetic respiration, as indicated by decreasing concentrations of oxygen in the overlying water, increased rapidly after labile DOC was added. To explore the influence of geochemical processes on sediment respiration, a diagenetic model was tested against the laboratory data. The model was able to capture the rapid changes observed in the microcosms after addition of DOC in both the marine and acidic systems experiments. The model has the potential to serve as an essential tool for quantifying sediment organic matter decomposition and dissolved chemical fluxes. This work has focussed our attention on the control of DOC availability on sediment respiration and thus its ultimate control on solute fluxes across the sediment water interface. The results highlight the need to understand and quantify the supply of DOC to the sediment (as POC or already as the dissolved form), its transport through the sediment and its eventual remineralisation. This understanding is critical for improved management of aquatic systems, possibly even in systems where water column organic carbon is plentiful but sediment respiration is constrained by high organic carbon turnover rates in the water column and a resulting low flux of organic carbon to the sediment.

A bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) é uma leguminosa arbórea de ocorrência natural, no Brasil, entre as latitudes 21°30S (MG) e 29°40S (RS) sob baixas temperaturas. Sendo uma espécie perene, pioneira de rápido crescimento e melífera, é comercialmente utilizada para múltiplas finalidades (serraria, lenha, carvão, construção) em plantios puros e em sistemas agroflorestais. Sua cultura dispensa técnicas agressivas de preparo do solo e colheita mecanizada, resultando na manutenção da estrutura e condicionamento do solo, como também promove a recuperação de solos degradados pela fixação de nitrogênio pelo rhizobium sp associado às suas raízes. Em razão do potencial produtivo e econômico da bracatinga implantou-se um teste de progênies e procedências de bracatinga na Estação Experimental de Ciências Florestais (EECF/USP), em Itatinga/SP. Neste teste, estudaram-se os parâmetros genéticos e a potencialidade para melhoramento genético desta espécie para as características associadas à produtividade, qualidade da madeira e adaptação a um ambiente com temperaturas ligeiramente superiores as de sua região de origem. O teste foi delineado em Blocos de Famílias Compactas, com 9 procedências, 10 a 20 progênies por procedência. A taxa de sobrevivência das plantas (84%), a alta germinação das sementes (95%), assim como o florescimento e frutificação em todas as progênies do ensaio são indicativos da adaptabilidade destes materiais às condições edafoclimáticas locais. Dentre os caracteres avaliados, a forma do fuste, a circunferência a altura do peito e o potencial de florescimento mostraram-se como mais promissores à prática da seleção. Estes resultados evidenciam a possibilidade de melhoramento genético da bracatinga para viabilizar seu cultivo por pequenos produtores rurais, podendo incrementar sua renda e incentivando a recuperação de áreas marginais / The bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) is a leguminous tree naturally occurring in Brazil, between latitudes 21°30\'S (state of Minas Gerais) and 29°40\'S (state of Rio Grande do Sul) at low temperatures. Being a perennial tree species, pioneer of rapid growth and meliferous, is commercially used for multiple purposes (sawmill, firewood, coal, construction) in monoculture and in agroforestry systems. Their culture release aggressive techniques of soil tillage and mechanized harvesting, resulting in the maintenance of the structure and conditioning of the soil, but also promotes the recovery of degraded soils by nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium sp associated with their roots. Due to the economic and productive potential of bracatinga, it was implemented a progenies and provenances test of bracatinga in the Itatinga Experimental Station (EECFA/USP) in Itatinga/SP. In this experiment, they were studied the genetic parameters and the potentiality for genetic improvement of this species for the characteristics associated with productivity, wood quality and adaptation to an environment with temperatures slightly above its region of origin. The trial was designed in a compact family block, with nine provenances, 10-20 progenies per provenance. The survival rate of plants (84%) and the high seed germination (95%), besides the flowering and fruiting in all progenies of the test, are indicative of the adaptability of these materials to the local soil and climatic conditions. Among the traits, the straightness of the stem, the circumference at breast height and flowering potential were shown to be most promising in the selection practice. These results demonstrate the possibility of genetic improvement of bracatinga to enable their cultivation by small farmers, increasing their income and encouraging the recovery of marginal areas.

Research on soil organic carbon (SOC) within the northern Great Plains has not been clearly documented. Objectives of this study were (i) to inventory literature reporting SOC responses to agroecosystem management, (ii) extract data for the Northern Great Plains Rapid Carbon Assessment, and (iii) summarize data to identify relationships between SOC and land use management. Soil organic carbon at 0 ? 15 cm depth was 1.57 ? 6.87 kg C m-2, 1.56 ? 5.34 kg C m-2, and 1.48 ? 5.48 kg C m-2 under grasslands, conservation tillage (CST), and conventional tillage (CT), respectively. Soils with a Productivity Index (PI) of 80 ? 100 had greater mean SOC (4.14 kg C m-2) across all managements. Correlation between SOC and PI for CT was significant (r=0.240) (P=0.05) and highly significant (r=0.418) (P=0.01) for CST. Management practices for cropland soils combined with productivity potential appear to relate to the C accrual potential of northern Great Plains soils.

The use of treated wastewater (TWW) for crop irrigation is how many governments are looking to feed their large population due to urbanisation. Here, we outline and analyse the benefits of using TWW and the drawbacks of such practices in line with existing regulations. The review begins by highlighting the history of wastewater reuse in agriculture. The approach used in the write-up is outlined after the background. There is an in-depth look at three main areas: the uptake of heavy metals and pharmaceuticals on crop irrigation, plant yield, and the impact of regulations on these practices. Results demonstrate the presence of several pharmaceuticals, triclosan, acetaminophen, diazepam in lettuce, meprobamate, atenolol in celery, and carbamazepine, triclosan, and triclocarbon in soybean. Trace metals (Cd, Pb) are present in the edible part of the vegetable and arsenic is found in the ryegrass roots and maise. Some benefits derived from using TWW in crop irrigation include nutrient supply, water resource protection and food security, whereas the drawbacks are exposure of contaminants to food and humans.