bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of global warming on the tree species composition of boreal forests in Finland and effects on emissions of isoprenoids
Authors: Kellomäki Seppo , Rouvinen Ismo , Peltola Heli , Strandman Harri , Steinbrecher Rainer 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThis study aims to identify how climate change may influence total emissions of monoterpene and isoprene from boreal forest canopies. The whole of Finland is assumed to experience an annual mean temperature (T) increase of 4 °C and a precipitation increase of 10% by the year 2100. This will increase forest resources throughout the country. At the same time, the proportions of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in southern Finland (60°≤ latitude < 65°N) will be reduced from the current 40–50% to less than 10–20%, with increased dominance of birches (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens). In northern Finland (65°≤ latitude < 70°N), the proportions of Norway spruce and Scots pine will be balanced at a level of about 40% as the result of an increase in Norway spruce from the current 21% to 37% and a concurrent reduction in Scots pine from 63% to 40%. The proportion of birches is predicted to increase from the current 17% to 23%, but these will become the dominant species only on the most fertile sites.Total mean emissions of monoterpene by Scots pine will be reduced by 80% in southern Finland, but will increase by 62% in the north. Emissions from Norway spruce canopies will increase by 4% in the south but by 428% in the north, while those from birch canopies will increase by about 300% and 113%, respectively. Overall emissions of monoterpene over the whole country amount to about 950 kg km−2 y−1 under current temperature conditions and will increase by 17% to 1100 kg km−2 y−1 with elevated temperature and precipitation, mainly because of an increase at northern latitudes.Under current conditions, emissions of isoprene follow the spatial distribution of spruce canopies (the only isoprene‐emitting tree species that forms forests in Finland) with four times higher emissions in the south than in the north. The elevated temperature and the changes in the areal distribution of Norway spruce will result in increases in isoprene emissions of about 37% in southern Finland and 435% in northern Finland. Annual mean isoprene emissions from Norway spruce canopies over the whole country will increase by about 60% up to the year 2100.
Root production and demography in a california annual grassland under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide
Authors: Higgins Paul A. T. , Jackson Robert B. , Des Rosiers Julia M. , Field Christopher B. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThis study examined root production and turnover in a California grassland during the third year of a long‐term experiment with ambient (LO) and twice‐ambient atmospheric CO2 (HI), using harvests, ingrowth cores, and minirhizotrons. Based on one‐time harvest data, root biomass was 32% greater in the HI treatment, comparable to the stimulation of aboveground production during the study year. However, the 30–70% increase in photosynthesis under elevated CO2 for the dominant species in our system is considerably larger than the combined increase in above and belowground biomass. One possible explanation is, increased root turnover, which could be a sink for the additional fixed carbon. Cumulative root production in ingrowth cores from both treatments harvested at four dates was 2–3 times that in the single harvested cores, suggesting substantial root turnover within the growing season. Minirhizotron data confirmed this result, demonstrating that production and mortality occurred simultaneously through much of the season. As a result, cumulative root production was 54%, 47% and 44% greater than peak standing root length for the no chamber (X), LO, and HI plots, respectively. Elevated CO2, however, had little effect on rates of turnover (i.e. rates of turnover were equal in the LO and HI plots throughout most of the year) and cumulative root production was unaffected by treatment. Elevated CO2 increased monthly production of new root length (59%) only at the end of the season (April–June) when root growth had largely ceased in the LO plots but continued in the HI plots. This end‐of‐season increase in production coincided with an 18% greater soil moisture content in the HI plots previously described. Total standing root length was not affected by CO2 treatment. Root mortality was unaffected by elevated CO2 in all months except April, in which plants grown in the HI plots had higher mortality rates. Together, these results demonstrate that root turnover is considerable in the grassland community and easily missed by destructive soil coring. However, increased fine root turnover under elevated CO2 is apparently not a major sink for extra photosynthate in this system.
Soil‐ and plant‐water dynamics in a C3/C4 grassland exposed to a subambient to superambient CO2 gradient
Authors: WAYNE POLLEY H. , JOHNSON HYRUM B. , DERNER JUSTIN D. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractPlants may be more sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment at subambient concentrations than at superambient concentrations, but field tests are lacking. We measured soil‐water content and determined xylem pressure potentials and δ13C values of leaves of abundant species in a C3/C4 grassland exposed during 1997–1999 to a continuous gradient in atmospheric CO2 spanning subambient through superambient concentrations (200–560 µmol mol2−1). We predicted that CO2 enrichment would lessen soil‐water depletion and increase xylem potentials more over subambient concentrations than over superambient concentrations. Because water‐use efficiency of C3 species (net assimilation/leaf conductance; A/g) typically increases as soils dry, we hypothesized that improvements in plant‐water relations at higher CO2 would lessen positive effects of CO2 enrichment on A/g. Depletion of soil water to 1.35 m depth was greater at low CO2 concentrations than at higher CO2 concentrations during a mid‐season drought in 1998 and during late‐season droughts in 1997 and 1999. During droughts each year, mid‐day xylem potentials of the dominant C4 perennial grass (Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng) and the dominant C3 perennial forb (Solanum dimidiatum Raf.) became less negative as CO2 increased from subambient to superambient concentrations. Leaf A/g—derived from leaf δ13C values—was insensitive to feedbacks from CO2 effects on soil water and plant water. Among most C3 species sampled—including annual grasses, perennial grasses and perennial forbs—A/g increased linearly with CO2 across subambient concentrations. Leaf and air δ13C values were too unstable at superambient CO2 concentrations to reliably determine A/g. Significant changes in soil‐ and plant‐water relations over subambient to superambient concentrations and in leaf A/g over subambient concentrations generally were not greater over low CO2 than over higher CO2. The continuous response of these variables to CO2 suggests that atmospheric change has already improved water relations of grassland species and that periodically water‐limited grasslands will remain sensitive to CO2 enrichment.
Impact of CO2 concentration changes on the biosphere‐atmosphere system of West Africa
Authors: WANG GUILING , A. B. ELTAHIR ELFATIH 
Published: March 2003

AbstractVegetation dynamics plays a critical role in causing the decadal variability of precipitation over the Sahel region of West Africa. However, the potential impact of changes in CO2 concentration on vegetation dynamics and precipitation variability of this region has not been addressed by previous studies. In this paper, we explore the role of CO2 concentration in the regional climate system of West Africa using a zonally symmetric, synchronously coupled biosphere‐atmosphere model. We first document the response of precipitation and vegetation to incremental changes of CO2 concentration; the impact of CO2 concentration on the variability of the regional biosphere‐atmosphere system is then addressed using the second half of the twentieth century as an example. An increase of CO2 concentration causes the regional biosphere‐atmosphere system to become wetter and greener, with the radiative effect of CO2 and improved plant‐water relation dominant in the Sahelian grassland region and the direct enhancement of leaf carbon assimilation dominant in the tree‐covered region to the south. Driven by the observed sea surface temperature (SST) of the tropical Atlantic Ocean during the period 1950–97 and with CO2 concentration prescribed at a pre‐industrial level 300ppmv, the model simulates a persistent Sahel drought during the period of 1960s−1990s. The simulated drought takes place in the form of a transition of the coupled biosphere‐atmosphere system from a wet/green regime in the 1950s to a dry/barren regime after the 1960s. This climate transition is triggered by SST forcing and materialized through vegetation‐climate interactions. The same SST forcing does not produce such a persistent drought when a constant modern CO2 concentration of 350ppmv is specified, indicating that the biosphere‐atmosphere system at higher CO2 level is more resilient to drought‐inducing external forcings. This finding suggests that the regional climate in Sahel, which tends to alternate between dry and wet spells, may experience longer (or more frequent) wet episodes and shorter (or less frequent) dry episodes in the future than in the past. Our study has significant implications regarding the impact of climate change on regional socio‐economic development.
Spatial and temporal assessment of sources contributing to the annual austral spring mid‐tropospheric ozone maxima over the tropical South Atlantic
Authors: SWAP ROBERT J. , SZUBA THOMAS A. , GARSTANG MICHAEL , ANNEGARN HAROLD J. , MARUFU LACKSON , PIKETH STUART J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe primary source of the annual austral spring mid‐tropospheric ozone maxima over the tropical South Atlantic has generally been assumed to be biomass burning. However, ozone precursor emissions from biogenic, lightning, and anthropogenic sources in subequatorial Africa before and during the ozone peak are shown to be comparable, if not greater, in magnitude to regional biomass burning production. Moreover, an investigation of the spatial and temporal characteristics of these ozone precursor sources (i.e. vegetative and microbial activity, lightning‐induced generation, and anthropogenic emissions) suggests that these alternative sources can potentially make a substantial contribution to the seasonal ozone peak. This argument is supported by the practical limitations of atmospheric transport available to regionally produced ozone and ozone precursors.
Use of regrowth for forage in seed crops of meadow fescue(Festuca pratensis Huds.)
Authors: Havstard L.T. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryDifferent procedures for autumn management in crops of Festuca pratensis grown for seed, in particular the possibility of combining seed production with the production of forage in autumn, were examined in eleven experiments conducted between 1993 and 1996 at various locations in south‐east Norway. Methods without intensive use of regrowth, such a nitrogen (N) fertilizer application (40 Kg N ha−1) on 10 the September, either separately or preceded by cutting on the same date, generally stimulated the subsequent number of reproductive tillers and seed yield compared with untreated plots (no N, no cuting). However, cutting before N fertilizer application on 10th September tended to have a nagative effect on seed yield in 1995–96, when a mild autumn was followed by a winter with extremely low temp ratures and no, or very little, snow cover. Maximizing regrowth, by the application of 80 kg N fertilizer ha−1 immediately after seed harvest, never impaired seed yield when a forage harvest was taken on 10 September but did so in 1995–96, when a forage harvest was delayed to 10 October. Additional N (40 kg −1) after a forage harvest did not significantly affect seed yield, although negative and positive tendencies were observed after harvesting in September and October respectively.When forage harvesting was delayed from 10 September to 10 October, the average yields of dry matter (DM) increased, but the forage quality, especially the crude protein content, decreased. As a result of the high yields of DM obtained (on average 2250 kg −1 in September and 2610 kg−1 in October), use of regrowth may be of essential economic value for seed growers of Festuca pratensis.
Evaluation of seed production potential in white clover (Trifolium repens L. varietal improvement programmes
Authors: Williams T. A. , Abberton M. T. , Thornley W. J. , Evans D. R. , Rhodes I. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe components of actual and potential seed yield were examined in field experiments on a wide range of varieties of white clover (Trifolium repens L.). The factors affecting seed yield under conditions typical of management regimes used in the production of commercial seed crops were assessed in two experiments. In the first, carried out on spaced plants, considerable diferences are shown between six varieties across the range of leaf sizes in the distribution and profuseness of inflorescence production through the flowering season. In the second, carried out in plots, typical on‐farm criteria were used to choose a single harvest date. Significant variation was found between varieties, including representatives of different leaf size categories, for seed yield components that include number of inflorescences m−2, number of florets per inflorescence and harvestable seed weight. Large‐leaved varieties tended to produce more seeds per floret and higher seed weights per inflorescence, whereas small‐leaved varieties gave the highest number of inflorescences −2. However, the small‐leaved variety AderDale, selected for strong peduncles, was exceptional, giving high values for all seed yield components. The impact of weather conditions on many seed yield components (e.g. total number of inflorescences) was demonstrated by the differences between the 2 years of the experiment. However, other characterstics, e.g. number of florets per inflorescence and number of seeds per floret, did not vary between years. Deviations from potential seed yield were assessed fromthe perspective of commerical seed production. The implications of these results for the production of white clover varieties with increased seed yields under UK conditions are discussed.
Comparison of lucerne silage and ventilated hay in maize silage‐based rations for dairy cows for the production of milk destined for Grana cheese
Authors: Colombari  , Borreani  , Crovetto  
Published: March 2003

Three experiments were carried out to study the effects of feeding lucerne silage (wilted to give different dry‐matter (DM) contents) and ventilated hay to dairy cows on milk production, milk quality, milk‐renneting properties, clostridial spore content and the quality of cheese prepared from the milk. The lucerne, cut at vegetative or early‐bud stages of maturity, was harvested from alternate windrows and conserved as silage or artificially dried hay. The lucerne was wilted until it reached different DM contents of 550, 360 and 432 g kg–1 in the three experiments, harvested, chopped with a self‐loading forage wagon and ensiled in low and narrow clamps made up of transferable prefabricated walls. The organic acid content, pH, yeast and mould counts of the lucerne silage suggested that there was no aerobic deterioration.In each experiment, fifty Italian Friesian lactating cows were divided into two groups and fed two maize silage‐based rations for 6 weeks, which only differed in the lucerne forage [silage (S) vs. ventilated hay (H)], in a cross‐over experimental design. The lucerne in the rations represented 35%, 23% and 24% of the DM of the rations for the three experiments. The microbiological profiles of the ration were influenced more by the maize silage than by the lucerne silage.Individual daily DM intakes were similar for the two treatments in Experiments 1 and 3 (on average 18·7 kg in Experiment 1 and 20·3 kg in Experiment 3) and slightly lower for S cows in comparison to H cows in Experiment 2 (18·0 vs. 19·0 kg). Milk yields of S and H cows were 21·0 and 20·8, 20·0 and 20·6 (P < 0·01), and 28·4 and 27·9 kg d–1 in Experiments 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Milk composition was similar for all the experiments for the two treatments, except that the protein content was lower and the fat content was higher in the silage treatment than in the hay. The renneting properties and microbiology of the milk were not influenced by the introduction of lucerne silage into the rations, although the season in which it was consumed had a greater effect on the microbiological content, in terms of standard bacterial counts, proteolytic, coli and lactic acid bacteria, and clostridia spores. The clostridial spore counts were always very low (< 400 per litre), thus fulfilling the requirements for top‐quality milk for Grana cheese production. In the third experiment, the quality of Grana Padano cheese produced was examined, and no differences between treatments were observed after 12 months of maturation.These results show that lucerne silage can be included in the ration of dairy cows instead of ventilated lucerne hay, which is considered to be the top‐quality hay available for the production of milk destined for Grana cheese, without any negative effects on milk and cheese quality.
Setting management limits for the production and utilization of herbage for out‐of‐season grazing
Authors: Laidlaw  , Mayne  
Published: March 2003

Three experiments were carried out on perennial ryegrass‐dominant swards to provide a basis for recommendations for the limits to (a) building up and timing of utilization of a herbage ‘bank’ for out‐of‐season grazing and (b) duration and intensity of early spring grazing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.In experiment 1, the effect of regrowth interval (from 7 September, 20 October, 17 November or 15 December) in autumn on herbage accumulation, leaf turnover and on subsequent spring growth was investigated. Swards regrown from early September reached maximum herbage mass (about 3 t ha–1 DM) and leaf lamina content in mid‐November, by which time senescence rate exceeded rate of production of new leaves. New leaf production and senescence rates were greater in swards remaining uncut until December than in those cut in October or November. Time of defoliation up to December had no effect on spring herbage mass in the subsequent spring. Defoliating in March reduced herbage mass in late May by less than 20%.Experiment 2 investigated the progress in herbage growth and senescence in swards regrowing from different times in late summer and autumn to produce herbage for utilization beyond the normal grazing season. Treatments in a randomized block design with three replicates were regrowths from 19 July, 8 August, 30 August and 20 September. Based on a lower ceiling of leaf and total herbage mass being reached with progressively later regrowths, beyond which leaf senescence generally exceeded leaf production and herbage mass declined, it was concluded that currently recommended rotation lengths for this period should extend from 3 weeks in late July to 8 weeks for swards previously grazed in mid‐September. In both experiments, leaf senescence commenced earlier (by one leaf‐age category) than previously published estimates and so brought forward the time at which senescence rates balanced leaf growth rates.In experiment 3, designed to evaluate the effect of daily grazing period and intensity in early spring on herbage regrowth, dairy cows grazed successive plots (replicates) for 2 or 4 h each day at two intensities (target residual heights of 5 or 7 cm) in March to mid‐April. Regrowth rate was similar in all treatments including the ungrazed control, despite soil moisture content being relatively high on occasions. Tiller density was significantly reduced in May by grazing plots in early or mid‐April.It is concluded that in autumn there are limits to which rotation lengths should be extended to produce herbage for out‐of‐season grazing owing to attainment of ceiling yields. Although utilization in early spring may reduce herbage availability in spring, out‐of‐season utilization need not reduce herbage growth rates in early spring.
Effects of pre‐treatment, renovation procedure and cultivar on the growth of white clover sown into a permanent pasture under both grazing and mowing regimes
Authors: Muto  , Martin  
Published: March 2003

White clover (Trifolium repens) is a valuable pasture component that is frequently present in insufficient quantity for optimal animal nutrition. Several methods of reintroducing white clover into a permanent pasture without conventional tillage were investigated. Three seeders (Hunter, Vredo and a conventional seed drill), two white clover cultivars (Sacramento, and Sonja), two pasture pre‐treatments (a hard spring grazing or grazing plus light harrowing) and two defoliation regimes (grazing or mowing) were used to determine optimal seedling establishment conditions. Defoliation treatments were used as a method of investigating pasture improvement experiments. Measurements were taken to determine proportion of white clover present and total herbage mass.Plots renovated using a Hunter drill had the highest white clover content in the months immediately after renovation. Subsequently pre‐treatment method appeared to have no significant effect on herbage mass or species composition. The proportion of white clover in plots sown with the cultivar Sacramento was frequently higher than that in plots sown with the cultivar Sonja, but, overall, herbage production of cultivars was not different.Mowed plots had higher herbage production and tended towards a greater white clover content than grazed plots. Compaction of the surface to a depth of 10 cm in the grazed plots may have been a factor in the observed difference in herbage production. Regardless of management, within two years white clover content was similar among all treatments, including controls.